News from the Hall December 2012
News from the Boardby Carol Kenyon
Special thank you to Carla Martinez and Lois Lindley for roasting those succulent turkeys for our potluck. Thanks also go to Whiskey Picnic for providing the musical accompaniment to the holiday feast. I hope you all had a wonderful evening.
Once again, the Steele family will host the December Christmas potluck. Please plan to attend and enjoy the winter wonderland they create in the Hall. If you’re lucky, you may also get to see Santa that evening. If you are bringing children or would like to donate money or gifts to the Santa fund, please call Cherie Landon at (805) 975-7604. Thanks.
This will be my last mini-missive to you. In January, Collin Riley takes over as the new Hall President. I would like to thank all of you (especially the Board) for all the help and encouragement given me during my tenure. It has been a pleasure to serve on the Board, and I leave with many wonderful recollections.
I am looking forward to continuing to see and share with you all, both at the Hall and around our community.
This month’s Hesperia Hall potluck on December 21, beginning at 7:00 pm, is the annual Christmas celebration hosted by the Steele family. In past years, Santa himself has paid a visit to our Hall, the room made resplendent by holiday décor produced by Joan Steele’s imagination, hard work, and the efforts of her family of elves.
Scholarship Reportby Ed Buntz
The Scholarship Committee would like to thank Bill and Ann Jones for another generous annual donation, as well as Janice Smith-Ramseier for her donation in memory of her nephew Steve Smith. We also acknowledge Janet Hardcastle for a second generous donation given as a birthday gift to a Hall member, as well as Ali and Pat Tabidian for making a fourth donation from their home-grown produce sales.
The Hall raffle quilt was won by Kathy Gibson, so we send out congratulations to her and Tommy. This was a gratifying result, as Kathy has been an amazing supporter of each raffle quilt project over many years. We sold all the quilt raffle tickets, so it is another great reward for all the hard work from the quilters and ticket sellers, as well as the generosity of everyone out there who bought tickets.
We are nearing our annual goal for scholarship fund donations, so remember to grab that nice tax deduction for this year by making out a check to Hesperia Hall with “Scholarship Fund” on the memo line before December 31st. All our student recipients are doing well in school and send very gracious thank you notes for our community’s financial and emotional support for their academic endeavors.
If you have any questions about the Hesperia Hall scholarship program or how to establish a 529 college savings account, please contact Ed Buntz at (805) 472-2070 or Lois Lindley at (805) 472-9556.
Thanksgiving Feasting and Taking Care of Business
In addition to enjoying a large Thanksgiving meal with roast turkey and plenty of sides, those in attendance at the November 16 potluck elected the 2013 Board of Directors of Hesperia Hall Foundation. Also at this Annual Meeting, Lois Lindley presented the financial report to date before Whiskey Picnic rounded out the evening, singing and playing an extensive repertoire of standards.
SMCERTA Reportby Carla Martinez
We wish to thank all of you who have completed your SMCERTA membership applications and returned them to us. Unfortunately, an incorrect return address was used on our application. The correct address is 76346 Bryson-Hesperia Road, Bradley, CA93426. The great thing about living in a small community is that our postal carrier knew where the misaddressed envelopes belonged, so they have been delivered. If your application is returned to you, we would appreciate its being mailed to the correct address above. We are so sorry for this inconvenience.
Good news: SMCERTA has received its tax-exempt, non-profit status from the California Franchise Tax Board. This is a major hurdle that has taken some time to accomplish. This means that all donations to SMCERTA are tax deductible, and we hope this will enable our community members to generously support our efforts.
The Residential Property Survey is in its final form and will be available at Hesperia Hall, HardenCenter, the Lockwood Store, and the Lockwood Post Office. At the Hesperia Hall January potluck,SMCERTA will give a very brief overview of this survey and explain why it is needed and how it will be used. This will be a great opportunity to get your questions answered. Remember, this survey is voluntary, and the information you provide will be held in a most confidential manner.
Hard to believe Christmas is just around the corner. This is a good time to be especially careful when it comes to fire safety. We all enjoy a bit of decorating with trees, wreaths, and candles,all of which can lead to potential fire disaster. Simple precautions can be a lifesaver. Keeping your fresh tree watered, turning off the tree lights when not at home, and not leaving candles burning while unattended are some basic precautions when it comes to fire safety during the holidays. Checking the electric cords on decorations is necessary to ensure wires are not exposed. Also, do not overload your electrical outlets. We all need to take these few steps to prevent fire in our homes and ensure a fire-safe holiday season.
All your SMCERTA members are wishing each of you a very special holiday season and a prosperous new year. Thanks again for all your support and encouragement.
Board of Directors for 2013
The Hall Thanksgiving potluck on November 16 was also the Annual Meeting of Hesperia Hall Foundation. As such, it included a third-quarter financial report by Secretary/Treasurer Lois Lindley as well as balloting for the 2013 Board of Directors.
Stepping down from the Board for the coming year are Jim Brand, Carol Kenyon, and Janice Smith-Ramseier. Collin Riley will be joining the Board as President, and Delfina Pineda and John Plumb will assume the vacated directors’ positions. Ed Buntz returns as Vice-President/Scholarship Chair, Lois Lindley continues in the position of Secretary/Treasurer, and Rupert Lyle, Cherie Landon, Carla Martinez, and Tom Walters will continue to sit as directors.
Bryson-Hesperia is fortunate to have so many dedicated Hall members who are willing to donate their time and work toward making ours a stronger community. We thank those who have served and those who continue their positions on the Board, and we warmly welcome the new Board directors.
For a copy of the financial report to date, see Lois Lindley. A full financial report for calendar year 2012 will be published in the March 2013 issue of News from the Hall.
Elves Need to Knowby Cherie Landon
We anticipate Santa’s accustomed annual appearance at the Hall’s Christmas potluck on December 21 and expect that he, once again, will have gifts for the young people who want to come up and greet him. His elves need to know how many children to expect and their ages, so if you have kids who will be sitting on Santa’s lap, please let his local contact person, Cherie Landon, know by calling her at (805) 975-7604.
Also, Santa’s helpers request donations for the Hall’s Santa fund. If you wish to make a donation, please give your money or check to Cherie Landon or Lois Lindley. The Hall will thank you, and Santa will know who has been good this year.
New Year's Eve Concert at the Hallby Melita Denny
For the past two years, music has been part of the New Year's Eve celebration at Hesperia Hall. This year the tradition will be carried on in a concert featuring young Finnish violinist Petteri Iivonen. A rising star in the world of the classical violin, Iivonen is taking his place among the very best players. He is a winner of numerous competitions and awards, has been a soloist with major symphony orchestras around the world, and has recorded with the illustrious Yarlung Records label. For more information about Petteri Iivonen, please see his website at.
This promises to be a very special concert. Iivonen will play his “new” violin, a glorious Carlo Bergonzi, the Villa Gyllenberg, made in 1732. He will be joined by other musicians as well.
This event is free and open to all. Festivities will begin around 7:00 pm with food and good company among friends and neighbors. Please bring food or drink to share if you wish. The concert will begin around 8:00 pm. After the concert, general merriment will continue, and those who wish are welcome to stay to ring in the New Year at midnight.
Yuri Pineda, Student Ambassador
Friends and neighbors of Yuri Pineda are very excited to learn that she has been accepted as a student ambassador in the People to People program, a student exchange program that provides students with opportunities for foreign travel and the chance to stay with families abroad. The program, established in 1956 by President Eisenhower, has the mission of providing personal diplomacy and building peace through understanding.
Teachers know that students who seek out additional educational experiences on their own are special. Yuri, a quiet, hardworking, high achieving student at Paso Robles High School, has sought out this rich opportunity with People to People, taking all the requisite steps to gain a chance to travel to Europe in the coming summer and be part of anintense cultural experience. She will be a student ambassador to make our small community proud. You can learn more about the program by going to peopletopeople.com/about-us/people-to-people-international.
There is, however, always a downside. In order to participate, Yuri must raise $7,500. Yuri and her parents are making an all-out effort to raise the funds, but they can use our help.
Anyone who regularly attends potlucks and events at Hesperia Hall is likely to know the Pineda family. Delfina and Vincent, with help from all four children, have hosted the April potluck for years, turning it into a festive celebration of Cinco de Mayo and the highlight of the spring/summer potlucks. Also for years, all four children have been active in Home Bureau during the summer months of their school vacations. Delfina will be serving on the Hesperia Hall Foundation Board of Directors in the coming year. Yuri is responsible for regularly cleaning the Hall before events.
If you wish to learn more or make a contribution to help Yuri Pineda realize her exciting educational ambition, you may contact her by email at . The family has set up Chase bank account #150730700 to receive donations.
Yoga Classes at the Hallby Aurora Denny
Yoga classes are resuming at Hesperia Hall on Fridays from 9:00 until 10:30 am. These classes are suitable for beginning and intermediate students ages twelve and up and for all body types. They will include instruction on breathing practices (pranayama), meditation, and physical postures and exercises (asana). The cost is $10 per session, and all are welcome to attend.
These classes are in no way intended to compete with or detract from the FREE community practice that takes place at the Hall on Tuesday evenings, but rather to provide an alternative for beginners and students wanting to learn more about specific aspects of yoga.
For more information, call Aurora Denny at (805) 472-9036, or email . Aurora is also teaching in Lockwood on Monday evenings, from 5:00 until 6:30 pm at the San AntonioSchool.
Buy Your Calendars Nowby Jo Geary
The ever-popular Bryson-Hesperia Community Calendar 2013 will be available at the December potluck. The calendars are the perfect way to share the beauty of our area with all your family and friends throughout the year.
While your Calendar Committee is busy selling next year’s calendar, we are also preparing for the 2014 edition and hope you are all busy doing your part, taking lots of beautiful photographs. All Hall members are allowed to submit up to four entries in the calendar judging in June. Photographs must be taken within the 93426 zip code area and in a small part of Lockwood. This area includes the whole of Bryson-Hesperia; Interlake Road from Lockwood Store to Nacimiento Lake Drive; San Antonio Lake (North and South Shore); Oak Shores; Nacimiento Lake Drive from Nacimiento Lake to Jolon Road; the town of Bradley; Jolon Road north as far as the Lockwood Fire Station; Cross Roads to the Harden Center to Lockwood Store.
Please take note of and support our generous sponsors whenever you can. If you would like to purchase calendars, need clarification of the boundaries, or would like to become a sponsor of the 2014 calendar, please call Jo Geary at (805) 472-0429, or contact Janice Smith-Ramseier at (805) 472-2268, Beth Winters at (805) 472-2095, or John Plumb at (805) 472-2518.
2012 Raffle Quilt Finds Its Home
Promptly at 3:00 pm on October 28, at the Hesperia Hall Country Faire and Flea Market, Yuri Pineda drew the name of this year’s winner of the Hall raffle quilt. It was the culmination of the year’s intense fundraising effort, the raffling of another beautiful hand-quilted quilt made by the Home Bureau. Under the watchful eyes of presider Ed Buntz and a crowd of hopeful onlookers, Yuri dug deep into the full bin of tickets, stirred, stirred again, stirred some more, and pulled forth the one deciding ticket. And—
, Kathy Gibson!
Kathy Gibson and husband Tom of Hesperia Road, stalwart supporters of the scholarship fund, have been frequent and generous raffle ticket purchasers. The quilt has found a safe and loving home.
Cooking from the Garden: Winter Squashby Kate Snell
After our very warm summer, the winter squash is especially sweet this year. It is an excellent vegetable to grow as you can store the squash that you harvest in the fall for winter enjoyment. The number of varieties is endless, but my favorites are butternut and tetsukabuto. The squash is excellent roasted, baked, and pureed, added to batters and breads, and made into soups. For a change of pace, try it curried. Below is a recipe that I enjoy with fall vegetables, but it can be used at other times of year with other seasonal vegetables.
Sri Lankan Vegetable Curry
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander seed
1 tsp. fennel seed
1 tsp. fenugreek
½ tsp. black mustard seed
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. cardamom
¼ tsp. cloves
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 ½ cup chopped tomato
1 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 Tbsps. grated ginger
2 Tbsps. vegetable oil
2-3 cups diced winter squash
½ to 1 cup diced potato
1 cup chopped cauliflower (optional)
1 cup chopped zucchini
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup coconut milk
Place oil in pan on moderate heat. Sauté spices for 2 minutes. Add chopped onions, ginger, and garlic and sauté for 3+ minutes more. Stir chopped tomatoes into pan for another 3-5 minutes. Drop diced winter squash and potato into mixture adding additional water to cover if necessary, and simmer on low for 10 to 15 minutes. Add remaining vegetables and cook until just slightly soft, another 10 or more minutes. Turn off heat and add coconut milk.
Serve over basmati rice, with mango chutney on the side if you like.
Naturalist Notebook:Impressionsof Tuscany/Sardinia -Part I: Tuscanyby Charles Ewing
During the 1970s I would drive south on Interstate Highway-15 to visit my parents who lived in the desert community of Borrego Springs in San DiegoCounty. Just before I passed LakeEllsinore, I’d see a big sign that announced the “Tuscan Hills.” Looking up to the sign,I would see a wide, two-lane road lined with Italian cypress that climbed to an incongruous and rather pretentious residential development of big tile-roofed, stuccoed houses perched on a barren hill. Thus began my distorted concept of Tuscany.
This October, Liz and I, accompanied by Fred and Carol Kenyon, traveled to Italy’s storied province of Tuscany and discovered the reality. An Italian recipe exchange between Liz and Fred initiated the idea for our trip, but each in our quartet had particular interests that drew us to Tuscany. Carol had her expertise and love of renaissance and medieval art, particularly the sacred. Fred had his passion for unique photographic opportunities. Liz’s curiosity drew her because her maternal and paternal grandparents were from Tuscany. I was most interested in the cultural and natural world that I would find and explore. A strong unifying factor was the opportunity to savor the region’s famous cuisine and fine wines.