January 2010 - Mountain CARE

A publication of Mountain C.A.R.E. (http://mtncare.com)
Editors
Karen Goodyear
Rod Goodyear
Advertising Director
Shirley Bauer
Mailing Director
Barbara Vance
Mountain C.A.R.E.
Board
President
George Forgues
Vice President
Matt Bottenberg
Administrative VicePresident
---Treasurer
Gina Johnson
Secretary and
Calendar Director
Michelle Macri
Membership
Chairperson
Shirley Bauer
Webmaster
MJ Turner
Member at Large
Sunny Broman
Mountain C.A.R.E.
Earth Day 40
Winter/Srping 2010 Volume 4, Number 1
Mountain C.A.R.E. President’s Message
George Forgues
To all the hearty residents who weathered this last
storm, with no electricity, unplowed roads, no telephone, no internet, and for some no water, congratulations: You now officially are “Mountain Folks”
This last storm was rough. But that snow pack
should deposit enough moisture to make our forest
community healthy and a “no drought zone” for the
next year, maybe two years. I was told that it has
been more than 30 years since we have had that
much snow fall. Those few days of inconvenience
will have a very positive effect on our surroundings.
ness in this less than stellar market: No one knows
our community better than they do. Your local post
office needs your support: Please do your postal
business in town. You can still get a gallon of milk or
ice cream, a special gift that is not made in China, art
from local artists, a really good hot meal, and even a
haircut -- all locally. Don’t forget how much our
local businesses give back to our community. Many
stayed open during the most recent storms and most
notably during past fire evacuations. It is simple:
healthy commerce makes for a healthier community.
Before I forget: In the last issue, I suggested using
anti-freeze to winterize your home. I was wrong. A
stick in the toilet bowl is a better idea, for anti-freeze
will upset the chemistry of your septic system. The
chemicals also can leach into the soil and possibly
even our ground water.
I hope everyone knows how much work our local
Fire Departments and our local Search and Rescue
do to make our lives safe. While we are hunkering
down, they are out in the elements making sure everyone is safe and helping anyone who needs it. These
are a very special group of people.
Earth Day is coming in April! See the announcement immediately below and then watch for announcements around town as the day gets closer.
Thanks to Beth Tetrault for her leadership on this.
As long as I am thanking people, thanks to everyone
that works on this publication and all the advertisers.
Please support our advertisers. Thanks to all the
members of Mountain C.A.R.E. It is my privilege to
be a part of this group.
I have said this before… Our local business owners
need everyone’s help. I remember years back when
some of our local stores were closed and it was not a
good thing. This economy is hurting everyone but
we can help keep local commerce healthy by giving
them our support. Our local realtors need your busi-
By the way, if there is anything left after shopping at
all our local shops; send in a couple bucks to support
this little newsletter. We live in such a special place:
let’s all work at keeping it that way.
Forest Falls Earth Day Canyon Clean-Up: Saturday, April 24, 10am
Beth Tetreault
Will it be warm? Will it be chilly? Will it be a great
day to clean up our community? We may not know
everything but we do know it’s time to celebrate
Earth Day. If you are looking for a way to contribute to the beauty of our community, here you go…
take a little time to spring clean your house and/or
yard, help a neighbor with their spring cleaning (with
their permission, of course), walk along one of our
streets and de-litter (really doesn’t sound any better
than pick up trash), or join us at the Big Falls Picnic
Grounds, at 10am, to clean up after our winter
guests. Bring your gloves.
Keep on the look-out for posters, around the community, with more details.
If you would like to join Mountain C.A.R.E in planning this event or have any contributing elements
(access to trash bins, haul-away services, graffiti removal services, etc.) give me a call at 794-8523.
BTW – April 22 is the 40th Anniversary of Earth
Day. Globally, they are calling this Earth Day 40.
Page 2 - Volume 4(1)
A Publication of Mountain C.A.R.E.
Considering Books…..
Katherine Thomerson
In the midst between snow and sunshine take
time to play a CD of comforting music ( I like
Chopin or Josh Robin or deuter/atmospheres)
and wrap your hands around a good book; get
away from economic stress for awhile; get
away from too many “news” items on the
television; listen and consider the world later – after a few hours of
reading literary perspectives of life.
THE OPPOSITE OF FATE – A Book of Musings by Amy Tan
For those of you who might believe in “fate”rather than “faith” Amy
Tan provides much philosophy on the topic. The book is a collection
of essays, speeches given at graduations, and her own reflections of
what was significantly powerful in her life – boon or bad. Amy says,
“These are musings on my life, including the metaphors I used as an
eight year old child, sensing books as windows opening and illuminating my room, and the thoughts I had as I wrote my mother’s obituary,
trying to sum-up who she was and what legacy she had bequeathed
me…”
I love this book and its intricate way of looking at what “bequeaths”
us. A chapter that captures the whole book is A Question of Fate –
where Tan discusses the bad circumstances of losing someone close;
the recognition of “being in the right place at the wrong time.” When
Tan says, “Today I am neither a believer nor a skeptic. I am a puzzler.” A puzzler of all that happens to us everyday is what I think she
means.
This book also reflects on her writing of THE JOYLUCK CLUB,
THE KITCHEN GOD’S WIFE and her work in the transition of
book to movie. I close with this Amy Tan quote:
“My mother believed in God’s will for many years. It was as if she had turned
on a celestial faucet and goodness kept pouring out. She said it was faith that
kept all these good things coming pronounce that “th” sound in “faith.”
And later, I discovered that maybe it was fate all along, faith was just an illusion that somehow you’re in control. I found out the most I could have was hope,
and with that I was not denying any possibility, good or bad, I was just saying, if
there is a choice, dear God or whatever you are, here’s where the odds should be
placed.
This book is an incredible read….there is fate (she remembers her
friend who while skiing was trapped in an avalanche and lived in a
cache of air under snow for about 45 minutes) and how it moves
through friends, family, places and incidents. There is the place you
are supposed to be at a certain time…..not knowing until later that you
should have been there – her home in San Franciso. And there is so
much more in this book! The “musings” of Amy Tan are “musings”
significant to many of us. It’s a PLEASE read book!
Another book that catches the spirit is GOOD GRIEF by Lolly
Winston. USA Today’s critique of the book…”Touches the human
spirit…It is outstanding. Yes…it is. Sophie Stanton is thirty-six years
old and longs to be a good widow – “a graceful, composed, Jackie
Kennedy kind of widow.” As the book say – she is more of the Jack
Daniels kind.
Sophie’s journey reaps with sadness, humor and reality. She loses her
job, house and waistline while insanely grieving for her husband.
Sophie dives deep to understand her personal tragedy while the world
continues. She leaves town and meets interesting people who stretch
her away from her own sorrows. The following passage is both heartrending and fun:
“I am matter, and the pain of missing him is antimatter, and when you put the
two together, kaboom, there’s nothing left of me to get out of bed and go clean-up
the bakery.
….Today I’m exhausted from carrying on as though this is alright. I’m starting
over! I’m moving! I’m sleeping with someone else! I’m going back to school! I’m
opening a business! Screw it! I’m lying down…”
Was the author a widow? NO! But she fills her pages with the grief
she felt when her father died and then four years later her mother. She
takes Kubler-Ross’ five stages of grief and leaves it on a shelf somewhere for hospice workers; she discusses lively-hostile- dancing grief –
the kind you don’t have to get over. Winston writes about losing a
husband – and escrow, ashes, lust, dating, baking and goodwill. It’s a
deeply felt story that broods laughter and tears….birthing “good grief”
for what it is. Winston says about her own book – “The nicest surprise is when men say they like the book. I think myself as a mainstream writer, rather than as a ‘women’s fiction ‘writer.” This is so…..
the story befits all good readers of fiction.
Recycling Bin
North side Valley of the Falls Drive, shortly after Highway 38
Residents of our three mountain communities have access to the
recycling bin that Burrtec Waste Industries makes available to us
weekly from Thursday morning through Saturday morning.
Please don’t dump garbage or refuse: This recycling bin is a wonderful service to our communities. But it is only for recyclables.
Those who dump garbage or refuse probably
are unaware that picking
up that garbage or refuse
then falls to volunteers
from our communities.
Snowboarding by Vivian Trailhead parking area
Page 3 - Volume 4(1)
A Publication of Mountain C.A.R.E.
Mountain Wildlife
Pictures taken in Forest Falls — Reprinted with the permission of Michelle Young
Color prints available for purchase: [email protected]
If you have a wildlife picture you would be willing to have considered for use in a future issue of The Bear Facts, contact us
at [email protected]
Simply Irresistible
Asian Ribs
Warren Romanow
We are all busy. So the tastier the meal
and the faster it can be cooked the better -- and this one is great! Served either
hot or warm, they taste fantastic, so
there is no rush getting it to the table.
The nice thing about this recipe is that it can be served 2 ways: the
flavor is completely changed just by adding a simple honey garlic
sauce, which is not available in California’s Chinese restaurants.
Basic Asian Ribs Ingredients. 1 or 2 slabs of pork baby back
ribs (depending on the size of your family, or the number of
guests). Stater Brothers has excellent, well-priced meat. You can
also ask them to cut the ribs in half, which will give it the look and
feel of a Chinese restaurant, a ‘short’ rib style; granulated garlic –
not garlic powder or garlic salt; sesame seeds, toasted sesame oil;
chives are optional, but add extra flavor and gives the dish some
much deserved color.
Sauces and Dips. Sauces can get so involved and take so much
time, but you will need only 3 items in this case: (1) House of
Tsang Korean Teriyaki Stir-Fry Sauce (available at Von’s or Stater
Brothers:; (2) a large tub of honey; and, (3) soy sauce.
Equipment. You’re going to need a wok and a small pot or pan
to make the sauce. That’s it. It makes for a very fast clean up!
Sauce Directions. This sauce can be made even days ahead of
time. Decide how much sauce you want and pour in that amount
of honey. Turn the heat to low and warm up the honey so that it
stirs well – do not let it boil! Sprinkle in some granulated garlic, just
try a little at first; you can always add more as you create the sauce.
Pour in just a little bit of soy sauce as it can change the flavor of
the honey and you’ll lose the sweetness. Honey is much more expensive than soy sauce, so you don’t want to keep adding more
honey to get the sweetness back. Stir this all together and taste.
Add more garlic to taste, or add more soy sauce to take down the
sweetness. Again, do not let this come to a boil. When it’s hot but
not boiling just take it off the stove and put it in the fridge, or on
the counter to use for dinner after the ribs are cooked.
Ribs Directions. Put some toasted sesame seed oil in your wok -just enough that the ribs will not stick to the wok – and heat to
high. Slice the ribs into individual pieces and put them in the wok.
Stir them up so that they all have a little oil on them. Sprinkle
some granulated garlic (lightly) over the ribs and stir them well
again. Add more granulated garlic if you like to your individual
taste. As they begin to sizzle, turn down the temperature slightly
so that the ribs cook through. Stir the ribs often to get a nice
brown crispy texture on all sides.
When all of the ribs get that nice brown crispy look, pour in the
House of Tsang Korean Teriyaki Stir-Fry Sauce. Do not just dump
in the entire bottle; you want just to coat the ribs slightly – nothing
more. Put in the chives at the same time. You are only warming
up the sauce, so just a minute or two and then take them out. Put
the ribs on a large flat serving dish and then lightly sprinkle them
with sesame seeds and you’re done!
Now, here’s the 2 ways to serve this where one sauce will completely change the entire flavor of the dish. 1. As is just like it
came out of the wok. 2. Give your family or guests little bowls of
the honey garlic sauce and just dib the rib into it – the flavor of the
ribs with the honey garlic sauce is incredible – but to each their
own! Enjoy!
Page 4 - Volume 4(1)
A Publication of Mountain C.A.R.E.
Change in Forest Care Program’s
Tree Density Requirement
Shawna Meyer, Director, Forest Care
700-800 trees per acre or more, which creates unhealthy forest conditions and fire risk.
“The lowering of our tree per acre requirement is really
important for homeowners living in communities like
Wrightwood, Mt. Baldy, Idyllwild, and Big Bear,” said
Program Coordinator Allison Roth. “These areas are
more brush-dominated and often don’t have the stand density of
places like Lake Arrowhead and Crestline but as we saw this past fire
season they are still at great risk.” To find out if your property qualifies at 100 trees per acre call 1-888-883-THIN to set up an appointment to meet with a forester.
Forest Care, a landowner assistance program based in
the San Bernardino Mountains, has lowered the property tree density requirement from 200 to 100 trees per acre. This
means that more landowners will be able to qualify for grant funding
to thin their trees. Through federal grants from the US Forest Service, Forest Care reimburses landowners 75 percent of the cost of
thinning small diameter trees, removal of some brush and pruning of
trees 8 ft. from the ground. The program is administered by the San
Bernardino National Forest Association and delivered in partnership The San Bernardino National Forest Association (SBNFA) manages
with CAL FIRE.
6 volunteer and visitor programs, including Forest Care. SBNFA is a
501(c) 3 non-profit organization and is funded through grants, dona“This change will significantly increase our ability to address clear- tions and corporate sponsorships. The San Bernardino National Forance issues on private properties in the mountain communities,” said est Association exists to support the USDA Forest Service in carrying
Program Manager Julie Crick.
out its mission of caring for the land and serving people, and to bring
people, partners and funding resources to important forest projects.
Historically, Southern California forests have adapted to light peri- Forest Care is primarily funded through a grant from the USDA Forodic fire. Long term fire suppression has resulted in a high density of est Service. It is administered through both SBNFA and the Califorsmall trees and shrubs that would have otherwise been naturally nia Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. For more informathinned. A healthy, thinned forest may have 50-150 trees per acre. tion on Forest Care, contact Shawna Meyer at (909) 744-9510 x 121.
Many areas across the San Bernardino mountain communities have
FLASHOVERS
Tom McIntosh, Capt.
Help Haiti, Help Yourself. The
recent Haiti earthquake is a real world
reminder that the potential for catastrophic earthquake also exists in our
own community. We have just experienced series of storms that dropped substantial amounts of
snow in our local mountains. What if our earthquake had happens
during or shortly after that snowfall? Are you prepared?
Preparation is more than having food and water: it includes your
mental and physical ability to care for yourself and others after the
event. You can CERTainly be prepared by taking a few easy steps
to gain the tools, both mental and physical, that will make you a part
of the solution instead of the problem.
through the branch, igniting the branch which was being fanned by
the high winds.
With an ETA by SCE of 1.5 hours we decided, from a safe distance,
to bury the burning portion in dirt and then baby sit the area until
SCE arrived and shut down the power. The power line was torn
away from a pole, and traveled from the area on the ground, up into
a Cedar tree, through an Oak to another pole top. On each tree
limb the line was supported by you could see arcing, smoke and
occasional small flame.
With the majority of the live line hanging some 15-20 feet above the
ground the temptation to walk under or get close to its grounded
portion may exist. Do not go anywhere near a high voltage power
line. At 1500 volts or more there are no second chances if you
come in contact with a high voltage line or any conductor (metal
fence, vehicle, green tree branch) that it touches.
Why provide a large clearance around and never walk under the
line? As we waited for SCE to shut down the power, the line
burned through (melted) itself at ground level and shot back almost
10’ once tension was relieved. Anyone standing under or near the
line could have been electrocuted. If you see a down power line,
FYI: Our own Jeff Britton, Fire Captain/Paramedic with L.A. call 911 and keep yourself , others and pets far away.
County and a Captain at our Forest Falls station arrived in Haiti just
2 days after the earthquake as a member of USAR Task Force 2 Learn more about your community fire department at:
http://departments.firehouse.com/dept/ForestFallsCA
from L.A. County.
Our County Fire department at:
http://www.sbcfire.org/
Power Line Down Safety. Recently, during a heavy wind storm,
we responded to a report of “power lines down” with a vegetation And, our Firefighters Association on Facebook at:
fire on lower Pine Dr. On arrival we found a high voltage power http://www.facebook.com/pages/Forest-Falls-CA/Forest-Fallsline wrapped around a rather large Cedar branch in the middle of Firefighters/125319903281
the road. The energized “live” power line was finding ground
Take the next CERT (Community Emergency Response Team)
class offered and learn the basics of Light Search and Rescue, Disaster First Aid, Fire Suppression, Communications and more. Become a member of our community Disaster Response Group.
Page 5 - Volume 4(1)
A Publication of Mountain C.A.R.E.
Common Sense and Mountain Courtesy:
The January 2010 Winter Storm
Tom McIntosh
As we look back on the largest winter storm since probably 1979
many say “yahoo!” and a few say “I’m through.” The weather service
predictions were right on as this series of storms exceeded the advance predictions. So, do we learn from our experiences we had
during those storms or will the same issues continue to be played out
over and over again expecting different results (Einstein’s definition
of insanity)?
Here are my thoughts, prefaced with a universal recommendation…
“Plan for the worst and hope for the best” Most of what follows is
simply common sense or mountain courtesy.
PARKING. If you did not shovel it (or pay someone to do it for
you) don’t park there! If the space is not yours in the first place,
don’t use it without prior permission. The downtown area was
plowed early on to accommodate you when you needed supplies or
food at the store or cafe, not to create a private parking space for
hours or even days. If you must abandon your vehicle, do not leave
it extending into the roadway or parked at the café for days. Get a
shovel, a friend or a tow chain and move it.
HYDRANTS. There is often no rhyme or reason for the outbreak
of a house fire. The only thing certain is that a fire hydrant buried in
snow will cost precious minutes being dug out while the fire rekindles or grows in intensity beyond the water that is carried on a fire
engine. Adopt the nearest hydrant to your home and as soon as you
have your personal needs addressed, clear that hydrant. It was refreshing to see about 6 of our more than 70 hydrants cleared by responsible community members… we can do better though.
SNOW POLES. If you love it… protect it. Little changes when
we have 1-2’ snows. But snows of 3’ or more can alter the landscape
and hide what might have been obvious before. Mark your walls,
planters, favorite plants, sides of your driveways, buried cars, propane tanks and anything else that can be damaged with snow poles
to prevent damage by a snow plow driver who had no way of knowing what was hiding under the snow.
EMERGENCY SUPPLIES. Get them before hand and have plenty
available. When the roads are closed is not the time to make a trip
to the store and expect to get back up the mountain. You know the
drill… firewood, batteries, full propane tank, working generator,
candles, portable radio, some good books and even some water.
The upper canyon had dozens run out of water when the main line
in Snow Canyon was broken by avalanche. Quick work by Fallsvale
Service Co. got the backup well on line and the main line repaired
the next day.
TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS. Inconvenient as life can
be most of seem to understand that “stuff happens” and when
mother nature rips apart the infrastructure, like winds or heavy snow
taking down power lines or avalanches or floods ripping apart water
lines, we understand that not all is in our control and it may take
some time and adjustment to get through it.
However, it is frustrating at least to know that our landline phones
and new cell service were not the victim of mother nature in the
recent storms but simply an irresponsible provider… Verizon.
Seems that once our electrical power goes out the phones continue
to operate on a backup battery bank located in the Verizon building
near Corral Rd. for 12-15 hours. Once the batteries are run dead our
phones die along with them, both landline and cell. This is not new:
in the last 6-7 extended power outages, including a planned outage
due to the Old Fire threat around 2003, Verizon has all but once
allowed the battery bank to die and our phones along with them.
We need to work together to stop this nonsense from happening
again.
COMMUNITY. It is what sets us apart. To all of you who took the
time to visit your neighbors and insure they were okay, to those who
fed others pets, shoveled a path or carried in some firewood for the
elderly or single mom… you are a rich part of our community. To
the Search and Rescue members who conducted welfare checks and
the Firefighters who staffed the station 24-7 and responded to dozens of calls for medical assistance, wires down, trees into house, etc.:
Thank you.
Thank you also to the VFCCi directors and staff who made Big Falls
Lodge available on several nights for those who needed a heated
place to sleep. Although none of our residents took advantage this
time around it is good to know it was available. Thanks to Elkhorn
Store for staying open with their emergency generator and to El
Mexicano for feeding the masses once we could supply them with a
community disaster generator.
To those who; parked in the road, complained about the inconveniences, watched as others worked for the common good and never
lent a hand… Come over from the dark side of life and realize why
we live in such a great community. It is not simply because of how
nice life is here day to day but more about how we can come together when things get tuff and solve the problem.
Lastly, my wife Patricia would like to compile a photo journal of this
storm. Please email your shots, with descriptive tags if available, to:
[email protected]. Once the project is complete it will be
available for viewing on the internet and by CD at the store. or Jessica’s Treasures.
Fire Fighter Pancakes at Big Falls Lodge
April 3: 7:30—10 am
See Sparky the Fire Dog and Hunt Eggs with the Easter Bunny!
Money raised in Forest Falls, ALWAYS stays in Forest Falls
Page 6 - Volume 4(1)
A Publication of Mountain C.A.R.E.
Disaster Preparedness Re-Ignited
Paul Tetrault
As I write this, Haiti is recovering from a 7.0 earthquake.
The Northridge earthquake of 1994 was a 6.7 on the Richter scale: Should Southern California experience an 8.0+ earthquake,
we will be on our own for days. But there are other kinds and levels
of disaster as well which would stretch our professional responder
resources. Our towns of Forest Falls, Angeles Oaks, and Mountain
Home Village have a long legacy of community involvement. The
remoteness of our location favors those who are prepared.
We do not have the crime or pollutions concerns to the same degree as those “Down the Hill,” but we do have issues to be addressed. The enthusiasm for preparedness can wane significantly
when things seem to be going well, but we cannot let it disappear.
to join us again to keep our canyon strong and ready.
As you may have read in previous issues of the Bear
Facts, Thom Wellman recently retired from the San
Bernardino County Fire Department and has volunteered to head up this preparedness effort, our local Fire Department with Tom McIntosh at the helm is on board, as is the Sheriff’s
Department, and the C.E.R.T. team. Other canyon volunteer associations including Mountain C.A.R.E., the Community Center, the
Fire Safe Council, the Garden Club and even the Boy & Girl Scouts
will ultimately be a part of this effort and the activities it will take to
keep our communities safe and ready. Do you have an interest in
joining us? Do you have any special talents or resources we can depend on in the case of disaster? Are you ready for such an eventuality? Do you want to be ready and need some more info? Call or
email Paul Tetreault to get on our distribution list (909-794-0077;
[email protected]).
Much of the work done in the past 10-15 years still is quite viable.
However, as folks move away and new folks move in, much of that NEW CERT CLASS TRAINING DATES - MAR 6, 13, and 20,
knowledge and training gets lost. We are asking anyone that has 8:30 am-4:30 pm
previously been part of the disaster preparedness efforts in our collective communities as well as anyone new to our mountain home SIGN-UP NOW!! call Paul Tetreault 794-0077 or Thom Wellman
Corrected Information about Monkey Face Falls
Paul Tetrault
with that image as the only suggestion. Many long term residents
having read that article were helpful in letting us here at the Bear
Facts, know where the actual name-sake monkey face actually is.
In the last issue of the Bear Facts, -- as many of our readers have
noticed – our article concerning Monkey Face Falls ran prematurely. Some Bear Facts staff had been discussing the Monkey Face
location. None of us are brand new to the canyon; but neither are
we long-timers. So the exact location was more a question than an
answer.
Before the modern Highway 38 was created, the old road to Forest
Falls was on the south side of the canyon floor. When folks drove
by what is now the entrance to Bear Paw Reserve, a glance to the
left to the very top of that ravine revealed a stone outcropping that
very closely resembled a monkey’s face (on the west slope, facing
east). This has been confirmed by several long-time canyon resiAfter having passed the fissure that has been named ‘Monkey dents.
Face’ on several
I hope this
official maps of
clears
up
this area, I was
wondering where
any misconthe
name-sake
ceptions.
came from. I disKeep your
covered, like a
eyes open,
youth staring at
and on the
the clouds, what
lookout for
seemed to be the
both
the
image of gorilla’s
monkey
head in striking 3face and the
D. I thought
gorilla head
maybe this was the
at the turnmonkey in quesoff to our
tion and brought it
beautiful
up in the aforecommunity.
mentioned discussion. With none of
us in that conversation knowing for
sure, the article ran
Visit the Mountain C.A.R.E. website: http://mtncare.com
Page 7 - Volume 4(1)
A Publication of Mountain C.A.R.E.
TRI-COMMUNITIES
EVENT CALENDAR
Winter/Spring 2010
Cub Scouts
Meet every Thursday at 6:30 pm, Valley of
the Falls Community Church
Forest Falls
Meet every Tuesday at 6:30 pm, Forest
Fire Department Falls Fire Station
Boy Scouts
Meet every Tuesday at 6:30 pm, Valley of
the Falls Community Church
Angeles Oaks
Meets periodically. Dates are announced
Fire Safe Council on the A.O. FSC bulletin Board in the An
gelus Oaks Post Office
CERT Training March 6, 13, 20 (see article on p. 6)
Girl Scouts
Meet every other Monday at 6:30 pm, Valley of the Falls Community Church. Call
Kristi Ranabauer 794-5131 for more information
Explorer Post 128 Currently meets every Monday at 6:00 pm,
Forest Falls Fire Station. New explorers
welcome. Call 794-4413 to leave your information.
Frozen Green
Thumb
Garden Club
Meets 3rd Monday every month. Call Dee
794-0885 for location.
Angeles Oaks
Meets on 2nd and 4th Tuesday every
Fire Department month at 6:00 pm, Angelus Oaks Fire Station
Mill Creek Canyon Meets 1st Thursday every month at 6:30
Fire Safe Council pm, Forest Falls Fire Station
Valley of the Falls
Search & Rescue
Meets 2nd Monday every month at 7:00
pm, Forest Falls Sheriff Station 389-2435
Valley of the Falls Meet every W @ 6:00 to 8:00 pm
Community Church All ages welcome.
Youth Group
.
Mark your calendars
•
April 24: Earth Day Canyon Clean-up (see article on p. 1)
•
April 15: Submission deadline, next Bear Facts issue. Send submissions to [email protected]
Page 8 - Volume 4(1)
A Publication of Mountain C.A.R.E.
Angelus Oaks Pictures
Pictures reprinted by permission of Peter Sherman ([email protected])
Mountains inspire awe in
any human person who
has a soul. They remind us
of our frailty, our unimportance, of the briefness of
our span upon this earth.
They touch the heavens,
and sail serenely at an altitude beyond even the
imaginings of a mere mortal
- Elizabeth Aston
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A Publication of Mountain C.A.R.E.
Page 12 - Volume 4(1)
A Publication of Mountain C.A.R.E.
HONESTY-INTEGRITYSAFETY-QUALITY
Page 13 - Volume 4(1)
A Publication of Mountain C.A.R.E.
The mountains are calling and I must go.
-John Muir
Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's
peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds
will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their
energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of
Autumn.
— John Muir
Dog Tails
Ann Klingbeil
In these mountain communities, we must
respect the wildlife with whom we live.
An encounter between our pets and wildlife can be disastrous for both. The best
way to prevent a problem between wildlife
and your dog is to control your dog, securing it in a kennel, indoors, or in
a fenced yard. But remember, a mountain lion can jump into a fenced
yard. Your dog should be leashed or trained to obey when off leash. Cats
should be kept indoors at all times.
Mountain lions, bears and coyotes all can be dangerous to our pets. Raccoons are prolific in Forest Falls and can carry diseases such as: rabies,
distemper, canine parvovirus and leptospirosis. They also can have fleas
and ticks. They can be vicious fighters, especially when cornered.
In an area where your dog is at high risk for contact with dangerous wildlife, review emergency medical procedures with your veterinarian. Remoteness of location makes your ability to give first aid to your pet a matter of life or death.
Vaccinate your dogs against diseases such as distemper, rabies, hepatitis,
corona, parvo, and leptospirosis, all of which are found in our North
American wildlife population.
*Don’t forget to keep your dog on year round heartworm preventative.
Page 14 - Volume 4(1)
A Publication of Mountain C.A.R.E.
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Page 15 - Volume 4(1)
A Publication of Mountain C.A.R.E.
Kick Back & Pop It In
Decade in Review
Paul Tetreault
A new year. A new decade. Another
new format, as DVD gives way to BluRay. As I write this, the national press
is filled with top-10 list both for 2009
and the decade that has no name -- the
00’s. What made your list? Is it filled with Action Adventure? Animation? Drama? Suspense?
I’d like to know… email me with subject line My Film Picks at
[email protected].
If you feel a little overwhelmed by your choices, I understand.
There were over 5000 films released in the last 10 years. Rather
than listing my own picks, I will remind you of the choices made by
the voting Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences…
Best Picture Oscars of the past 10 years (and some that came
close):
2000: Gladiator beat out Chocolat
2001: A Beautiful Mind won over The Lord of the Rings first installment, The Fellowship of the Ring
2002: Chicago took the prize against The Gangs of New York
and The Pianist
2003: Lord of the Rings: Return of the King beat out Sean Penn in
Mystic River as well as SeaBiscuit
2004: Million Dollar Baby won over a bio pic about Ray
Charles and a Sideways film about wine
2005: saw the ensemble cast of Crash eclipse the controversial
cowboys of Brokeback Mountain
2006: The Departed came in on top over Brad Pitt in Babel and
the gem Little Miss Sunshine
2007: shockingly, No Country for Old Men beat out Juno and
There Will Be Blood
2008: import Slumdog Millionaire wins over The Curious Case of
Benjamin Button
2009: Will it be Invictus , The Hurt Locker, Avatar , or perhaps
Precious or Up.. I don’t know yet!
Did you know?
Shirley Bauer
Ohhhh! You just gotten blood on your favorite shirt. What to do?! Soak the stain in a
solution of ½ teaspoon of salt in a cup of cold
water. Rub until stain is gone.
A blood stain on something large, like a blanket that you don’t
want to completely soak? Rub in a paste of cornstarch and cold
water, let it dry, brush it off and repeat until stain is gone.
Your favorite tablecloth has spots of hardened candle wax on it.
Not to fret! Rub the wax with a generous dollop of vegetable oil.
Wipe off excess and launder in warm water.
This one’s been around for years, so it may be familiar to you. Another solution for wax on cloth is to place the “waxed” area between two paper towels and press with an iron on low. Replace
paper towels as wax is absorbed into them, then launder in warm
water when paper no longer absorbs wax.
Paper coffee filters have many uses: With them, you can: clean
windows and mirrors, cover bowls when cooking in your microwave, line plant pots to prevent the soil from going through drainage holes, apply shoe polish, and strain soup stock .
Ballpoint ink stains on clothes? Put a clean rag beneath the stain to
blot any ink that may come through. Spray the stain evenly from 4
to 6 inches away. Blot the stain after spraying. You may have to
repeat the process a couple of times.
Fumes from commercial spray oven cleaners almost can knock one
over. An alternative to them is to boil two quarts of water in a
large pot, add ½ cup ammonia, place the hot pot in a cold oven
overnight. Wipe your oven clean the next day.
Well, now the oven is sparkling clean and your oven racks are still
icky! Put a large towel or sheet in bathtub or shower floor to protect from scratches. Put racks in and cover with hot water to
cover. Add ¼ cup dishwash detergent and ¼ cup vinegar. Let
racks soak an hour or so, rinse and dry.
…and this list doesn’t even include some of the biggest box office
draws of the last 10 years like:
• SpiderMan
• Batman: the Dark Knight
• Shreck and Shreck 2
• Pirates of the Caribbean (just the first one)
• Pixar films such as Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Cars
• Any of the Harry Potter films
Yikes! Lipstick or gloss in on your sweater neck: Rub the stained
area with peanut butter. Before it dries, wash with warm water that
has a bit of dishwasher detergent, then rinse and dry.
Whichever films make your list, the last 10 years have given us
quite a bit to watch and quite a bit to think about. As you prepare
your list and send it in, give ‘em another peek, kick back, and pop it
in.
Here is my yearly note about travel in winter in mountains: In the
car, have bottles of water, a blanket, flashlight with extra batteries,
health bars, nuts, flares, charged cell phone, chains, gloves, sox and
a warm head cover.
To revive hard rolls or crusty bread that’s gone stale, sprinkle with
water and reheat at 350 degrees 10 minutes.
For icy walks. Use sand on masonry, salt on walks that are not
masonry. Salt is a natural enemy of all masonry, as it deteriorates
cement, mortar or concrete.
“We read to know were not alone” states C. S. Lewis; this book strengthens that truth!