Note from the Editors - Hesperia Hall



News from the Hall May 2009

Fun Evening for May Potluck by Janice Smith-Ramseier

The May 15th potluck supper will be followed by an evening playing Bingo! We haven't had a Bingo Party at the Hall for some time. We hope you will come and enjoy this activity. Prizes will be awarded.

Best of luck to all of our local 4-H members. Many will be involved in the Salinas Valley Fair during the week of our Potluck. To those of you who will be selling animals Saturday, May 16, we hope you have a very profitable experience!

The next meeting of the Hesperia Hall Foundation Board will take place at the Hall on Friday, May 8, at 7:00 PM. All members are welcome.

On a different note, Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms!

Nature Walk: A Fine, New Tradition by Linda Plumb

The sun was warm but the wind was chill.

You know how it is with an April day.

When the sun is out and the wind is still,

You’re one month on in the middle of May.

But if you so much as dare to speak,

A cloud comes over the sunlit arch,

A wind comes off a frozen peak,

And you’re two months back in the middle of March.

—Robert Frost, “Two Tramps in Mud Time”, 1926

Saturday, April 11, dawned clear and slightly chilly — a perfect day for the fifth annual hike led by our own Bryson-Hesperia naturalist, Charles Ewing. This year’s hike started at the home of Connie Decile who led us through the hills and dales of her Forest River property while Charles, who characterized himself as the “naturalist in tow,” shared with us his vast knowledge about the local flora and fauna. There were about 25 participants (locals and visitors) ranging in age from 18-month-old Pippin Came to — well — let’s just say some more mature of our citizens.

It is so easy for us to be surrounded by our mountains and by so vast a variety of plants and yet not fully recognize their beauty and value. But for those who went before us, many of the plants were necessary for daily existence. One such plant that Charles identified for us was “soap-weed.” I had noticed this plant on my spring walks, but I did not understand until hearing from Charles how important it had been to the pioneers who once used it as a cleaning agent. We also learned that a lovely green-stemmed plant called deerweed (Lotus scoparius) is a legume with valuable nitrogen-fixing ability. Charles shared so much information to help us more fully appreciate not only the beauty that surrounds us, but the important role in our environment these plants play. Some other of the many plants Charles identified were the lovely Royal Larkspur which was in its full purple glory, the delicate yellow Johnny Jump-up, and the Wild Cucumber which also has a somewhat onerous common name of “Man-root” because of the configuration of its root system. This is just a very small sampling of what Charles shared and taught us about our local plant life.

Following our walk, we enjoyed picnic lunches and some special refreshments provided by Connie at her home. And for those of us up for a continuation of the adventure, after lunch Connie took us to the Nacimiento River, giving us a chance to enjoy even more of the beauty of our surrounding area.

There were opportunities for us to learn from Charles and from each other, making this day another of our unique community experiences in Bryson-Hesperia. Thank you to Charles and Connie for giving so freely, and let’s hope that we have the opportunity to share this kind of enjoyable experience again next year.

Early Cinco de Mayo Celebration at April Potluck

Cinco de Mayo came early to Hesperia Hall at the April 17 potluck hosted by the Pineda family. Delfina and Vince busied their whole family decorating the room and stuffing the piñata full to bursting with candies and toys. They also contributed fabulous homemade tamales to the potluck table, a treat much remarked upon by the gentleman who filled a plate for me. In addition to hosting the evening, Delfina contributes wonderful Mexican treats to the serving table.

The piñata is the centerpiece of a Pineda potluck, but this year it did not last long. Following the accepted practice of having children, progressing in age from youngest to oldest, swing at the elusive object, Vince controlled the rope lowering and raising the piñata. Like everyone else, however, he was completely taken by surprise to discover that age proved no barrier when it came to the second contender, 8-year-old Alex Zumsteg, who, with one mighty swing, sent candy scattering far back into the room. That boy has an arm!

Anthony Cruz used the occasion of the potluck to sell raffle tickets for signed baseballs. Proceeds from the raffle will be donated to the SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder) Foundation.

As is true of all our holiday potluck hosts, the Pinedas put much planning and effort into presenting this event, for which we beneficiaries are all very appreciative. We thank Delfina and Vince, Tiffany, Yurie, Cecelia, and Michael for making our spring evening at the Hall especially enjoyable.

Scholarship Report by Ed Buntz

The Hesperia Hall Scholarship Selection Committee met on April 6th and awarded scholarships to 17 deserving students. King City High School (KCHS) graduates will receive their awards at the KCHS Scholarship banquet in King City on May 28th. The Hesperia Hall Board has designated the potluck on July 17th as Scholarship Night. We will present the remaining scholarships and provide the opportunity for short presentations from current or past scholarship recipients. Mark your calendars, as it will be a wonderful summer evening to meet our inspiring youngsters in pursuit of their dreams.

The scholarship committee would like to express its gratitude to Jack and Lois Lindley for their generous annual donation and for their multitude of efforts on behalf of the scholarship program, the Hall, and the local community. We also send thanks out to Bill Hopper for his second donation in memory of Edith Smith. A unit at Fort Hunter Liggett surprised us with a donation this year, so thank you to all the members of 80th TTC (TASS). We most certainly thank the Home Bureau quilters for completion of the beautiful raffle quilt for this year. Get out and buy those tickets to support the scholarship program and to seize the opportunity of possibly taking home a spectacular quilt in October!

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 472-2070 or Lois Lindley at 472-9556.

Easter Egg Hunt at the Hall by Kate Snell

Hesperia Hall hosted its annual Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday, April 12. The weather was warm and sunny with lots of eggs to be found and prizes to be won.

The following children participated in the hunt: Kara Bullock, Nicole Landon, Caleb McCarthy, Peter and Zoe Roberts, Missy Rocha, Brianna and Giselle Ruiz, Michaela and Jessica Steele, and Victoria and Joshua Villegas. Many thanks to Cherie Landon and her team of helpers: Maria, Ilene, and Bobbie Comstock, Darwin Denny, Megan and Mickayla Landon, and Rebecca Villegas.

Thanks to everyone who decorated and donated eggs. You made a wonderful Easter memory for our kids.

2009 Raffle Quilt

At the time this newsletter goes to print, the Chicken Barbecue and White Elephant Sale shall not yet have taken place. Nonetheless, the 2009 Hesperia Hall Raffle Quilt is already an accomplished fact and awaiting its first public appearance at the barbecue. This year’s quilt is indeed a beauty. Kate Snell has designed and organized the construction and hand quilting of a Storm at Sea variation in a generous queen bed size. The main body of the quilt is in dark, medium, and light shades of blue against off-white background fabrics, with the blue fabrics transitioning into teals at one end of the quilt and rich purples at the other. The effect is at once dramatic and classic, suitable for any décor from modern to traditional. Heck! It’s worth repainting a bedroom for anyway, though blues are compatible with just about anything.

As everyone familiar with the workings of Hesperia Hall is well aware, proceeds from the sale of quilt raffle tickets support the Hesperia Hall Foundation Scholarship. All materials for the quilt are donated, as are ancillary costs such as those for printing tickets, so each ticket sold constitutes in its totality a contribution toward educational expenses for deserving local students. Close examination of this year’s quilt will reveal the many hours of expert planning and stitching that have gone into its creation, so it is with unabashed pride that members of the Home Bureau urge everyone to purchase generously and purchase often so that the Hall can continue to rely on this important source of revenue in support of local students.

Raffle tickets are available from numerous sales persons as well as at the Sunday Produce Exchange, all potlucks, and at Hall events. Tickets are $1 for 1 ticket, $5 for 6 tickets, and $20 for 25 tickets. The winning ticket will be drawn at the Country Faire on Sunday, October 25, 2009.

FINAL NOTICE by Jo Geary

To everybody intending to submit photographs for the 2010 calendar judging, the entry deadline is MONDAY, JUNE 1st, and the judging will take place SATURDAY, JUNE 6th, from 5pm – 9pm. If you have any questions or wish to arrange pick up of entries, call 472-0429.

For further explanation of the new boundaries, please read the following article.

Boundaries for 2010 Calendar Photos by Charles Rowley

The Hesperia Hall Calendar Committee has created an exhibit in an effort to clearly illustrate the current proposed boundary for the photography competition. This draft boundary defines where images may be photographed for submissions to the 2010 Calendar Competition. This means that the photographer may shoot anything visible from within the defined boundary, even if the subject —views of the Coastal Range, for example— lies outside it. The map will be posted at Hesperia Hall. If you would like a copy sent to you via email, please contact Charles (Chip) Rowley at c.a.rowley@, and make your request.

Photo judging will take place in Hesperia Hall from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM on Saturday, June 6th. Results of a vote on the judging form will tell us how the community views the expanded boundary.

Have fun with it, people. Go shoot, and then vote!

Beth Winters on Monterey County Animal Advisory Board

Beth Winters has been appointed to the Monterey County Animal Advisory Board. The Advisory Board was established by the Board of Supervisors to review, analyze, and propose appropriate changes to provisions of Title 8 of the Monterey County Code related to animal control. They review and evaluate needs, services, facilities, and budget, advise and assist animal control in public information and public relations activities, and report to the Board of Supervisors through the Director of Health its findings and recommendations concerning its areas of responsibility. The appointment is to an "At Large" seat, and the Commission meets quarterly.

CalStar Enrollment by Lois Lindley

The current Group Memberships for CalStar Air Rescue helicopter service will expire on June 13, 2009. All current members should have received a renewal notice from CalStar; renewal checks are to be sent directly to CalStar. To continue in the group membership plan, you MUST be a member of Hesperia Hall Foundation.

All members of Hesperia Hall Foundation are eligible to enroll in the CalStar membership program. Applications are available at Hesperia Hall and from Group Coordinator Lois Lindley, 805-472-9556. To enroll, if you are not currently a CalStar member, send a completed and signed CalStar Enrollment Form and a check for $35.00 made out to CalStar Air Ambulance to CALSTAR as instructed on the enrollment form.

CalStar Air Rescue helicopter service membership program is available for individuals and families to cover the cost of their emergency air rescue service. The definition of a family for a family membership is quite broad, basically all legal dependents in the immediate family, including dependent children away at school; it also covers domestic partners.

The membership covers air rescue by CalStar and reciprocal programs. If a member already has health insurance covering air ambulance services, this would be a secondary insurance. The plan applies to the use of their helicopter within a 150 mile radius of any CalStar base, and can be inter-hospital or from the field to a hospital, and use of their airplane within a 600 mile radius.

Please note that CalStar is not the only helicopter air rescue service operating in this area, and this membership would not cover the cost of a competing service. The Highway Patrol will cooperate in calling CalStar if they are aware that membership exists.

Further information about CalStar and CalStar membership is available at the CalStar web site, .

Change in Bookmobile Schedule by Beth Winters

The staff of the Bookmobile would like to adjust their schedule to leave at 4:30 PM. Therefore, patrons of the Bookmobile should plan to visit it at Hesperia Hall between 3:00 and 4:30 PM on alternate Tuesdays. Check your 2009 Bryson-Hesperia Community Calendar for exact dates, or look for the sign on Bryson-Hesperia Road.

LUAC Report by Katie Banister

As the newest, and least knowledgeable member of our local Land Use Advisory Committee (LUAC), it is natural that I be given the honor of this writing task. I was appointed to the South County LUAC, or Land Use Advisory Committee, last November. LUAC is a group of local citizens in each of eleven areas of Monterey County, which helps Planning Commissioners and County Planners understand local issues which might affect a permit application. Although the committee has no legal authority to approve or deny any project, planning commissioners assure us our opinions are an integral part of their decision making. Typically, the LUAC is only referred projects with some degree of exception to county planning codes.

At the January 21st meeting, we discussed two projects. The first was located in Parkfield and involved a lot line adjustment to two parcels that were non-conforming, or smaller than forty acres in this case. The lot line would be changed to follow the contours of the road and eliminate a small piece of one parcel located on the opposite side of the road from the majority of the property. After discussion, the committee recommended the adjustment be allowed. The second project was located in San Ardo and involved another lot line adjustment involving commercial zoning. The readjustment of the lines was more complicated in this matter because a home is located on the site. Residential use is allowed in commercial zoning, but must be limited to 50% of the total use. In this case the adjustment of the lot lines would create one parcel of commercial zoning with entirely residential use. In this matter, the committee recommended the adjustment be allowed, with the possibility of a restriction put on the parcel with the home that any new construction on the parcel be of a commercial nature.

The next scheduled meeting of the South County LUAC is at 7:00 PM, April 15, 2009, at the Bradley School Community Building. It is open to the public. As meetings are often canceled, check the Monterey County website to make sure the meeting will occur as planned. Agendas can also be found at this site: .

Naturalist Notebook; Over the Mountain to the Sea, Part 2 by Charles Ewing

Even though I gave up surfboarding in the late 1960’s, I never gave up my love of the ocean and its waves. Every time Liz and I would drive to the coast, she’d see my longing looks, as I watched the wetsuit-clad surfers braving the icy waves. One coast-day when we walked by a surfshop in Morro Bay, Liz said, “Go in and see if you can find a wetsuit that fits.” Finding a suit that fit my skinny body wasn’t easy, but I finally did, and we headed to Cayucos Beach to give my new cold-armor a try. It worked pretty well, and I’ve been playing in the waves ever since.

On my 65th birthday, Liz rented a surfboard for me. She thought I’d just paddle out and ride the waves like I did in my prime. It was a laugh. First the waves were only about two feet high and blown out. Second, masses of storm-cut kelp were churning in the surf and kept tangling around my surfboard’s leash. I had to continually untangle myself before I could get to the break. Third, after so many years, I had lost almost all my surfboarding skills and fourth, my cancer operations had caused the muscles of my right shoulder to atrophy. This made paddling a surfboard like rowing a boat with a broken oar. After an hour, I was exhausted and decided to stick to bodysurfing. I learned to bodysurf when I was five years old and the skill is deeply imprinted. Short, flexible fins are the only equipment you need. I’m in good bodysurfing company with our neighbor, Conrad Mahon, and President Barack Obama.

Cayucos is the closest surfing beach to our homestead, but the waves are often too big for my old body and the water gets down to the low 50 degrees. When I’m up to my neck in that ice water, the cold creeps through my wetsuit, and I don’t stay out very long. I love El Capitán State Beach, which is about 20 miles north of Santa Barbara. El Capitán gets a small but regular swell, and the water is at least five degrees warmer than Cayucos. I feel comfortable in the waves there, and I almost always have porpoises and seals to keep me company. Two or three times a year, Liz and I camp at “El Cap” during the off-season or on weekdays to avoid the crowds.

My Childhood Home by Wayne Harris

A simple hillside home —the place where I spent the bulk of my childhood. It was in Copperhead Canyon in southern Monterey County, California.

My father hired Mr. Mincy as the carpenter to build a home on property owned by my mother’s parents. In 1916, the cost for our three-bedroom, kitchen, dining room, living room, and (future) bathroom home was $400.00 for grade A redwood lumber and $100.00 for the carpenter. There was a large veranda-type porch around eighty per cent of the house, one half of that being screened in. A storeroom was built into the hillside to keep our food products in. Of course, we had no electricity within many miles, so it was necessary to have an area in which to store our meats, produce, fruit, milk products, and canned goods. It was, necessarily, not refrigerated; it was only a cooler area.

Water. I remember when we had no running water. We had a fifty-gallon barrel on a wooden sled pulled by a team of horses half a mile up to a spring for filling with water. Then, when it was full, it would be pulled back to a location by our back door. A metal dipper hung near it for us to get our water to drink, and a pail for carrying water into the house and to place on the wood stove to heat for dishwashing or bathing. Talk about bathing! That was done in front of the kitchen stove in a tub used to wash clothes. The youngest child would bathe first, then the next older until, finally, our parents would be the last to bathe. Then the water would be thrown out into the flower garden.

Laundry day was always Monday. Into the side of the hill, a large cast iron kettle was placed. Mom would fill it with water and build a fire under it. When the water was hot, she’d put the clothes and some White King soap into it. After the clothes soaked a while, she would stomp them with a clothes stomper, an inverted cone-shaped metal head with a wooden broom-like handle. Then, with a stick, she’d take them out and put them in a tub to rinse out the soapy water, and then wring them out with an old hand-cranked wringer. From there they were hung on the clothesline to dry. It was a full day’s job. The ironing was done with heavy irons heated on top of the wood-heated cook stove.

In the dining room were an expandable table, chairs, and pot-bellied woodburning stove. In the living room was my mother’s piano and hand wound Victrola and a Morris recliner chair. Each of the bedrooms had a double bed, dresser, bedside chamber pot, and closet for clothes. The back porch was screened in, and it had the cream separator, a table for summertime eating, and a reclining couch in it. The front porch was open and just used for sitting and relaxing. It had a grape vine across the front and a climbing rose vine along the side.

Our home was simple with no electricity. In my early years, we had no running water. But in it six children were raised. It was home sweet home!

Now, on the hill at the northwest corner of the Bryson-Hesperia and Interlake roads, the only evidences of a “home sweet home” are the remaining skeleton of locust trees and two approximately ninety-year-old lilac buses that every spring proudly cloak themselves in green and lavender.

True Life Youth Group News by Erick Reinstedt (Pastor & Youth Leader, True Life Christian Fellowship) and Mary Ann Reinstedt

Welcome back to the youth who went to Mexico over Easter break with Grace Lutheran's youth group! We understand it was a great trip, and we thank all who helped them raise money for it, and the Phillips for allowing them to be a part of it!

We have been enjoying the times recently when the youth group has headed from the softball field at the school over to the church for pizza, fellowship, ping pong, and studying God's Word. About a third of the softball team at the school is in the youth group, which makes it a great time for us to get together since we are all together anyway for practice. Thanks so much to Bee Rock Store for helping make the pizzas affordable for the youth group, as well as to the volunteers who pick them up and get them to the meeting for us! We are getting together about twice a month for our youth nights, and you can call us for specific dates and details. Last month Mary Ann also started a Monday afternoon girl's study for some of the middle school girls, and this will probably continue through the end of school. It is wonderful to see these young ladies with a hunger to build themselves up in God. The youth group is open to all youth, grades 6–12, regardless of religious affiliation. Our number is 472-9325.

What to Do in the Garden this Month by Carolyn Lingor

As I write this in mid-April, we are expecting the temperatures to reach the low 90’s within a few days, so don't forget to water, water, water, especially new transplants which should be checked every day to see if they are starting to dry out. During May, you can also prune back jasmine after it finishes its spring bloom. It might just rebloom again in early summer. Of course, that presumes that yours doesn't freeze every year as mine does and therefore has yet to bloom.

After your wisteria has reached the size and shape you want and is done with its spring bloom, begin pruning back unwanted growth to two or three buds from the main stem. These cuts will produce new blooming shoots for next year. You may get sporadic blooms during the summer once you prune wisteria.

If you want vegetables this summer, you must get all seed into the ground this month. Now is also the time to get a head start on weeds while they are still relatively small, as well as on desirable plants that have self-seeded in places where you don't want them, although these volunteers can make a flower garden more interesting and full. If you deadhead annuals and most perennials after they bloom, you will extend the bloom season. Happy gardening.

Cooking from the Garden by Ann Brown

One of our favorite vegetables is asparagus. We like it steamed or grilled. I found a recipe recently that used a red pepper vinaigrette to toss with the asparagus after cooking. I will give the recipe as it was written, but I cut the amount of oil in half, so it was more of a dipping sauce. It went well on our artichokes another night and could be tossed with lettuce for a tasty salad.

Yes, I do have green leaf lettuce already! To tell the truth, I didn't plant it; the last head or two bolted last year, so I let the seeds fall. It is just nice to be able to go out and pick what you have grown. I have found the lettuce mix seeds to be pretty much a slam-dunk for getting quick results in the garden. You can cut leaves off as needed, and they will keep producing as long as they have water.

So, to steam asparagus, use 1-1/2 pounds of stalks about 1/2 inch in diameter with the tough ends snapped off. Place a steamer basket in a large pot with water barely up to the basket. Bring to boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and steam 4-5 minutes, until the stalks bend slightly and yield when lightly squeezed.

Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette

(from Cook's Illustrated)

1/4 cup roasted red peppers chopped coarse

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

salt and ground black pepper to taste

Combine peppers, vinegar, garlic and oil in a small food processor or blender. Pulse until thoroughly combined, about 10 seconds. Scrape into a small bowl and season with the salt and pepper.

Arrange asparagus on a serving platter and drizzle with the vinaigrette. This dish can be served hot or at room temperature.

Your Apple Tree: The First Year or Two by Marv Daniels

Congratulations! Your new apple tree is happy to have a home. Take care of it, and it will live to be 50 to 100 years old.

You have a grafted apple tree, grafted to a root that is a “semi-dwarf” rootstock. Your tree will never grow to be 30 or 40 feet tall. This is good news! You can easily keep this tree at 8, 10, or 12 feet tall, no worries.

Remove the green or white tape by June 1 this year. Remove all new growth and shoots from below the graft location, and do not let any shoots grow from the rootstock. Remove all but the strongest bud growing from the top (scion), and then tie this shoot to a stake. It will become your tree trunk.

Plant the tree in a sunny location. The more morning sun it gets, the better. A well-drained location is best. You may even wish to plant it on a mound. Water it often when the weather is warm this first summer. If you cannot plant it in your yard by June 1 this year, you must move it to a 5-gallon container on June 1, or it will quickly become pot bound in that gallon can! Fertilize this young tree with care. Some of our CRFG (California Rare Fruit Growers) members water their trees with Miracle Grow at half strength every time they water during the spring and early summer. Your tree will go dormant as winter approaches, and all of the leaves will fall.

This first winter, you may prune the top of the tree off. Yes, cut that single shoot so it is only 18 to 24 inches tall. This will force the side buds to shoot out in the next spring and begin to build the main scaffold/framework for a nice tree. Most back yard apple trees are destined to be in the shape of a vase, with 3 to 5 main branches coming from the single trunk. Do not let your tree have more than 5 main branches at this point.

If you planted your apple against a wall, you may wish to train the tree to be flat, more of a fan shape. The good news is that apples respond to training. They will quickly adapt to any shape you wish or need.

We want the tree to work hard on building a strong foundation for the future in these early years, so we only let the tree have one or two apples the second year. Remember, it takes 55 leaves to make enough sugar to have that big apple taste just right, so thin the apples to leave only the biggest one this second year.

Finally, if your main scaffold branches try to grow straight to the sky, you may want to pull them down gently, and, over time, have these branches grow at more of an angle, even horizontal for the first few feet.

Join the California Rare Fruit Growers! The Central Coast Chapter of the CRFG is a great organization for people who enjoy growing any kind of fruit trees, including apples. At the least, you should come to the January meeting held at the Crops Unit at Cal Poly. It is always the second Saturday in January, starting at 1:30 PM. We have a “guest pruner” who will give a talk on pruning, and then we go outside and practice on our 75 fruit trees in the Community Orchard.

The February meeting is the scion exchange and grafting meeting and is held on the third Saturday of the month.

Irish Minstrel and New Doc Wed

The following bit of information is for those who thoroughly enjoyed Hesperia Hall performances of Máirtín de Cógáin and his Fuschia Band and, at a later date, Máirtín and Jimmy Crowley:

On December 31, 2009, Máirtín enjoyed the excellent good fortune to marry Mitra Tabidian, daughter of our Smith Road neighbors, Pat and Ali Tabidian. Mitra is currently interning in urology at the Mayo Clinic, but took a brief holiday break to be married in Ireland. In a lovely ceremony, her groom, accompanied by Fuschia band members, met her, as she walked down the aisle, singing Au Cailin Alainn, the song with which he claims to have won her over in 2001. Máirtín and Mitra were married in Honan Chapel at University County Cork in Cork, Ireland, where they first met.

Whenever they are in California, Máirtín and Mitra visit Pat and Ali Tabidian both in Simi and here in Bryson-Hesperia. We look forward to welcoming them back to our community and to future musical/storytelling/dancing events at Hesperia Hall and/or house concerts. May all good luck and good fortune be with this talented, accomplished couple.

Spanish Language Group Proposed by Aurora Denny

I am interested in forming a group to practice and/or study Spanish. I have been a student of the language for years and use it frequently, both locally and when traveling to other countries. However, there are always grammatical subtleties and vocabulary that are beyond my grasp, and I'm very interested in maintaining and improving my understanding. I know that there are many others in our community who speak Spanish, whether as native speakers or as enthusiasts enjoying a beautiful second language. Perhaps there would be some interest in meeting regularly to practice/study? One friend suggested that we all meet and cook Mexican food while speaking Spanish. I am open to suggestions, whether or not they involve food. If you have any interest or input, please call me at 472-9036, or e-mail auroradenny@.

Fishin’ with Rich by Rich Lingor

March can be a good time to go fishing. The water temperature finally starts to respond to the sunshine, and the fish stop shivering. My first trips to Lake San Antonio in early March found water temperatures in the low 50’s. Getting one bite a day while bundled up in a heavy jacket was a good day of fishing. Then, as the weather managed to string together a few days of sunshine, the water temperature jumped 12 degrees from the previous week, and the fish came out to play. The water level had come up from a series of small rainstorms, and the river started to flow into the lake. This was enough to move the fish up close to the bank where they build their nests and spawn in early spring. I found pods of fish from one to seven feet deep, and the water hit 67 degrees in the afternoon. I fished from 12:15 until 5:30 and caught and released eight smallmouth bass from 14 to 15 inches long and four largemouth bass from 14 to 16 inches long.

On a return trip in early April, I found that the fish that had moved close to the bank had retreated, and finding them was much more challenging. A couple of influences on the fish’s retreat from the bank was a stormy cold front that passed through our area, dropping the water temperature, and a sudden drop of about a couple feet in the water level. The dropping water level is bad news for the annual spawning season that produces future generations of game fish. As you drive down the 101 Freeway and cross the San Antonio River, you can see the flow that is coming out of the lake, revealing the source of the loss of water in the lake and the culprit that is wiping out the game fish spawn, leaving their nests exposed and dry. Good news for fishing prospects would be the signs I saw of spawning shad. These are minnows that are the forage base for most of the game fish. As the shad begin to spawn, they also move to the shallows. They are “broadcast” spawners and do not build nests. The spawning shad sometimes cause a feeding frenzy and can make time on the water exciting for the dedicated or opportunistic angler.

Hope ya get yer string tugged—

Smith Road Loses Long-Time Resident Dorothy Zurowski by Mike and Janelle Bianchi

Mary Dorothy Zurowski was born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Dorothy and Walter were high school sweethearts who later married and adopted three children, Sarah, Edward, and Candace. Due to Walter's distinguished career in the United States Air Force, Dorothy and Walter had lived all over the world. Before their Smith Road life, they had lived in Australia, Japan, Taipei, New Zealand, Hawaii, Vacaville, and then Watsonville. While living in Watsonville, they owned assisted living houses where Dorothy was the entertainment director. Dorothy was also very involved in the Eastern Star and the March of Dimes.

Dorothy and Walter moved to Bryson-Hesperia in 1986. Shortly thereafter, their house burned down, and they had to rebuild. After his health failed, Dorothy took care of Walter at home until his death. Dorothy herself was very motivated to stay in her home even after her own health declined to a point where she required an assisted living arrangement for a time, but, upon returning to the home she loved, she rallied, and her good spirits returned. She was sometimes given to mischievous banter with Mike, causing me to chide her in the same spirit of fun.

Dorothy loved animals, birds, and gardening. Mike and I would sit outside with Dorothy, and she would say that she had traveled the world, and living in Bryson-Hesperia was paradise compared to any other place she had lived. Walter and Dorothy always used to say they wished they had moved here ten years sooner. After a long, happy, and generous life, Dorothy left this world on March 6, 2009.

SAN ANTONIO SCHOOL

2008/2009 SCHOOL YEAR

2nd trimester honor roll:

4th Grade Michaela Steele

Shania Cruz Joshua Villegas

5th Grade 7th Grade

Michael Pineda Bobby Comstock

Logan Roth Yuri Pineda

6th Grade 8th Grade

Travis Clegg Mickayla Landon

Shannon Desmond Sarah Shepherd

Jacob Villegas

March student of the month:

1st/2nd Grade

Academic Achievement – Blake Hill

2nd/3rd Grade

Outstanding Effort – Bethany Reinstedt

4th Grade

Outstanding Effort – Shania Cruz

5th Grade

Character Award – Nicole Landon

7th Grade

Outstanding Effort – Anthony Cruz

The Puzzler

This month’s puzzler is borrowed from a recent Car Talk radio show. One of the brothers says that recently he woke one morning and his bedside clock read 4:30, but it was flashing on and off; it was the kind of clock that resets to 12:00 when the power is interrupted. He sat up in bed and reached over for his wristwatch, which showed that it was actually 6:15. Next he walked into the kitchen, and the plug-in electric wall clock, the kind with hands, reported that it was 5:50. Assuming that they were all showing the same time when he went to bed, the questions are these: what time did the power go off, and for how long?

Answer to last month’s puzzler:

The only solution involving all three types of animals is to buy 5 calves ($50), one pig ($3), and 94 chicks ($47). Only one reader, who requested he not be named, offered the solution. The Puzzler is sad that only one person responded, so this month’s question is easier. We hope to receive more solutions. Send your answers to bwhallnews@.

Scholarship Recipients – Part 1 by Ed Buntz

The Hesperia Hall Board has designated the potluck on July 17th as Scholarship Night. We will be awarding scholarships to graduating high school seniors (except King City High School graduates, who have their own ceremony) and to previous recipients continuing their college education with our help.

The two graduating seniors are Gloria Wilson and Mindi McComas. Gloria is a home-school graduate who has already completed some classes at Cuesta College. She plans to continue at Cuesta next year and move on to a four-year college upon completion of her AA degree. Gloria has an interest and talent for the arts: she has written, directed, acted in, and designed sets for drama productions in Paso Robles, and has submitted numerous items to the Midstate Fair Arts and Crafts displays. Mindi is graduating from Templeton High School this year and moving on to Cuesta College in the fall. She plans on earning an AA Degree in Early Child Development and transferring to UCSB for a degree in Business Administration. Her goal is to teach pre-school kids and eventually be Director/Owner of a pre-school. Both Gloria and Mindi are committed to applying their education and talent back in our local community, so we are pleased to support their endeavors.

In the coming year, the Hesperia Hall scholarship program will continue to support these students.

Stephanie Strejan is graduating this year from Fresno State with a BA in history before entering directly into a Masters Program in which she will complete a Masters in History, get a teaching credential and a BA in Communications. Stephanie has been a model student, and we are happy to assist her one last time in her educational journey.

Rebekah Villegas needs an additional year to finish her degree at CSU Northridge because she needs to balance work and school. She serves as treasurer for the volunteer organization Hermanas Unidas, which empowers women through academics and community involvement. She also volunteers at Relay for Life, MEND, and Project Angel Food, and she works as cashier, receptionist, and assistant accountant at Tavern Service. She has been an inspiration with her perseverance, and we have enjoyed assisting her along the way.

This article will be continued in next month’s newsletter.

News from the Hall

51602 Bryson-Hesperia Road

Bradley, CA 93426



Presorted Standard

US Postage

Paid

Permit 163 ams

Paso Robles, CA

May Calendar Highlights

2 –3 Wildflower Triathlon

3 Farmers’ Market 11am – 1pm

5 Bookmobile 3 – 4:30pm

Yoga 6:30pm

6 Home Bureau 12 – 2pm

7 Line Dancing classes 7pm

8 Board Meeting at the Hall 7pm, all members welcome

10 Mother’s Day

Farmers’ Market 11am – 1pm

12 Yoga 6:30pm

14 Line Dancing classes 7pm

15 Potluck and Bingo 7pm

17 Farmers’ Market 11am – 1pm

19 Bookmobile 3 – 4:30pm

Yoga 6:30pm

20. Home Bureau 12 – 2pm

21. Line Dancing classes 7pm

24 Farmers’ Market 11am – 1pm

25 Memorial Day

28 Line Dancing classes 7pm

31 Farmers’ Market 11am – 1pm

2009 Hesperia Hall Officers/Directors

President – Janice Smith-Ramseier

Vice President/Scholarship – Ed Buntz

Secretary/Treasurer – Lois Lindley

Directors – Ann Brown, Carol Kenyon, Cherie Landon, Carla Martinez, Kevin Steele, David Villegas

Newsletter Staff – Joanne Norlin, Barbara Walters

Annual Hall Membership - $20/Household, payable to Hesperia Hall

Send to Ann Brown, 2280 Sapaque Road, Bradley, CA 93426. Membership supports a local community organization and gives you one free use of the Hall each year.

Advertising in News from the Hall (Circulation over 300 local residences)

Ad fee is $50 per 11 issue year for a business card size ad or $10 for a single issue ad. Submit payment and business card or text to Lois Lindley, 75313 Interlake Road, Bradley, CA 93426.

Submit articles to: bwhallnews@, jnorlinhallnews@, or mail to Barbara Walters, 53075 Smith Rd., Bradley, CA 93426

News from the Hall is published 11 times per year by the Hesperia Hall Foundation under the auspices of its elected Board of Directors. It is an informational community newsletter featuring various news and instructional articles of interest to those living in the Bryson-Hesperia community, along with advertisements from local vendors and services. The editorial views expressed therein are not necessarily those of the Hesperia Hall Foundation or its board members. Articles and advertisements presented within come from various sources for which there can be no warranty of responsibility by the Publishers as to their accuracy, content, and completeness.

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