The Woody Creek EARWIG Page 1

"Better your own land's weeds, than other men's wheat." - Uzbek saying

The Woody Creek

E A R W I G Volume 2, Issue 2 the voice of Woody Creek February, 2014

Woody Creek and its yesterdays by Tony Vagneur

The original Woody Creek Store

sat below the road, between Allen Way

and the road to Chaparral Ranch. A big

water tank towered above it all at the

point where the bike trail meets Lower

River Road.

Directly across from the store

were the stockyards, designed for cattle

and sheep. Consisting of 8 to 10 pens and

an alleyway, the stockyards were the hub

of great activity in the fall and could hold

about 300 head of cattle.

Various ranchers from as far

away as Snowmass and Capitol Creeks,

Snowmass Canyon, Brush and Owl

Creeks, McLean Flats (that’s the original

spelling), and of course, Woody Creek

would, at various times, bring their ani-

mals to the Woody Creek stockyards for

shipping to Denver.

Seven or eight livestock cars, de-

livered in days prior, would be lined up

along the siding, ready for loading. A

good cowboy knew how to release the

brake on the cars, allowing the ranchers

to load the cattle while waiting for the

railroad men to arrive.

With cows bawling, ranchers hol-

lering and cutting cattle from pen to pen,

trying to get an accurate count, and the

sound of a D&RG engine chugging up the

valley to reclaim its freight cars, there

was an unforgettable mix of sounds and

smells. Young horses unfamiliar with the

situation spooked at the sound of the

steam engine, young kids dropped what

they were doing to watch the train, and

the engineers, ever alert to an apprecia-

tive audience, would hit the whistle for a

couple of blasts, further adding to the

angst of the animals and drawing the ire

of the ranchers.

Once the cattle were loaded, the

owners would throw their suitcases in the

caboose and head to the Denver stock-

yards with their animals. The many pack-

ing houses, in the area around the Coli-

seum, would send buyers around to ca-

jole, yell and bargain with the ranchers

until a price satisfactory to both parties

was finally reached. The times I went,

this was a highly fascinating ritual. A

year’s worth of work could rest on this

one deal.

It wasn’t uncommon for a man

(or two) to pull a bottle from his satchel

and begin passing it around – the trip to

Denver was long one and the caboose ride

just the beginning of many esca-

pades. For many ranchers and cowboys,

this was their one trip to the big city each

year. Tony Vagneur grew up in Woody Creek, or at least he gave it his best shot, and still hangs out there, somewhat like an old raven with tousled feathers and a loud opinion.

Sensible medicine: take a rest by Peg O'Brien, P.T. After a hard workout or any sur-gery, and after a bang, bump, bruise, cut, tweak or twist – if a health expert is not needed or has already been consulted – it is time to take a rest. And get set to tend and heal. If that phrase “tend and heal” leaves you wondering, “what exactly do I do now?” here a few acronyms to get you started: 1. PRICE: Protect (brace, cast), Rest (simply a matter or doing, or not doing rather), Ice (up to 20 minutes every 2 hours), Compres-sion (wrap, elastic sleeve), and Elevation (yes, so blood will cycle back through the heart and lungs, excellent). 2. PEN: Position, Emotion, Nutrition. Position the healing area above the heart and lungs to drain old blood, and in a neutral position to open the valves to freshly oxygenated blood. If it’s the knee that needs a rest, for example, pillow the leg, from the knee to the ankle, up high, while the upper body lays flat, as often and as long as neces-sary to control the swelling. And always keep the knee between the hip and foot (don’t cross the legs or ankles, or allow the knee to angle out or in). Emotion drives the endocrine sys-tem which influences the pH of the body and the immune system function, therefore indi-rectly but forcefully influences the body’s ability to manage inflammation. Injured tissues need enough inflammation to stop bleeding and begin rebuilding, but too much inflammation leads to swelling which im-pedes the flow of red blood into the area. Red blood provides the energy and intelli-gence of healing. Swelling is made up of mainly white blood cells. Emotional distress causes swelling. Too much swelling for too long after injury lays down layer upon layer of scar tissue. Poor design. Low integrity. Also, the congestion of lingering swelling increases the risk of infection. Good feel-ings support good red blood flow. Happi-ness is healing. Nutrition’s role is also powerful. Ask someone with bronchitis how they feel right after they’ve eaten a pastry, they’ll tell you, if they can squeeze words past their wheeze, not good. Sugar and flour sneak through the gut lining to feed and aggravate any infection or inflammation in the body. Listen in to a fresh sprain after a having a donut. You will hear it whine. Conversely, whole foods cooked with high-quality oils, spices and herbs fuel healthy tissue function and support immune system strength, which helps healing hum along. Well now, that read was a work out. Go ahead. Take a rest. Peg O’Brien, P.T. Woody Creek

Bull Elk on the hillside in Woody Creek (The Men's Club). Photo by Don DeLise

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Woody Creek Caucus Meeting Minutes

Woody Creek Caucus Minutes of Monthly Meeting January 30, 2014

Moderators Phil Holstein, Steve Prudden and Jim Collins Caucus Members present: Bill Dinsmoor, Jane Dinsmoor, Bill MacKenzie, Nancy Mackenzie, Rob Pew, Missy Prudden, Anita Rayburn, Margaret Reckling, Jan Schoeberlein, Emily Taylor, Susan Taylor, Anita Thompson, Linda Waag and more.

The meeting was called to order by Jim Collins. The minutes of the last caucus meeting held on October 31, 2013 were approved with the following correction (pertaining to the phrasing of what was voted on at the last meeting): The vote was not to oppose the application; the vote was to approve the motion made by Sharon Cole to deny the application of LAFKLC LLC. The minutes have been corrected to read: Caucus members in attendance voted: 28 in favor of the mo-tion and 6 opposed; Proxy votes: 63 in favor of the motion and 1 opposed. 1) Phil Holstein asked for a vote to reaffirm the inclusion of the Lower River

Rd portion of the Woody Creek Caucus area, bound by Hwy 82, included in the Woody Creek Master Plan area. Linda Wagg submitted a list of twenty-nine Lower River Rd home owners who want to reaffirm their inclusion into the Woody Creek Master Plan. The Caucus voted unanimously to in-clude Lower River Road/Snowmass Canyon area into the Master Plan.

2) Phil reported that the WC Planning Commission recommended to the Board of County Commissioners that there be a 1 yr moratorium on commercial marijuana operations. Linda Wagg submitted a motion: The Woody Creek Caucus adopt a one year moratorium on the licensing of recreational and medical marijuana including: cultivation, infused product manufacturing, retail sales, testing of any marijuana products. The motion was seconded by Jeff Jandegian. Caucus members present voted: 45 in favor of the motion and 2 opposed. Proxy votes: 42 in favor of the motion and 0 opposed.

3) Daniel Delano reported that after 20 years, the forest service will cease al-lowing the staging of commercial snowmobiles out of Lenado.

Meeting adjourned. Minutes submitted by Nancy MacKenzie, edited by Emily Tay-lor for The Earwig.

Ranch Roundup by Lauren Burtard It’s calving time on the ranch! Below is a synopsis of a typical calving scenario (if everything goes according to plan): Once the calf is born, almost imme-diately the mom will lick her calf clean; this also stimulates the calf to try and stand up. Once this challenging task is complete, the new calf (by natural instinct) will search for the milk supply. This can be easier for some calves than others, but they eventually figure it out, sometimes with human intervention. The first milk the calf receives from the mom is called colostrum. Colostrum is produced specifically for the newborn; it transfers rich nutrients and immunity factors to the wob-bly little critter. After the newbie is born, the mom

and baby are transferred into a warm, dry

shed where they are safe from the elements

for a day or so. Before the new mom and calf

are turned “out”, the calf receives two immu-

nizations and iodine to the navel (to prevent

infection). They are also given a “name”

which is an ear tag specific to each animal;

they also get a tattoo inside each ear so even

if the tag falls out, we can still identify the

animal. A lot goes into each calf, so we take

great pride in the way they are raised, and

we work very hard to ensure that they are

handled in a quiet and gentle manner. Calving time on the ranch. Photo by Lauren Burtard

Quote of the Month "The heart is the hub of all sacred places. Go there, and roam."

-Nityananda

Event Unveiled: Veil of Time Book Reading and The Crowlin’ Fer-lies perform

T u e s d a y , March 11, Woody Creek Community Center will host a book reading and celebration of all things Celtic—Claire McDougall will read excerpts from her new book, Veil of Time, at 5 : 3 0 p m — w h e r e characters from the book will be sure to appear—and then

local Irish Band headed by Sandy Munro, The Crowlin’ Ferlies, will perform tradi-tional Celtic music until 9:30pm. Claire McDougall’s Veil of Time will be available as part of the “Catch and Re-lease” book program by Aspen Writer’s Foundation. Stop by before the event to grab a copy of the book to read, and then pass it on to a friend! Praise for Veil of Time: “From the moment I opened Veil of Time I was instantly swept up in the lush, haunting and wholly credible world Claire R. McDougall has created. Fiercely inventive, steeped in history and emotionally charged, Veil of Time is the gripping story… A powerful and thought provoking novel, read-ing Veil of Time is like falling into a wild, en-chanting dream state from which you hope never to awaken.” -Jillian Medoff, Hunger Point

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Poem of the month by Anna Akhmatova submitted by Barnett Davis inspired by Bifff

I've learned to live simply, wisely, To look at the sky and pray to God, And to take long walks before evening To wear out this useless anxiety. When the burdocks rustle in the ravine And the yellow-red clusters of rowan nod, I compose happy verses About mortal life, mortal and beautiful life. I return. The fluffy cat licks my palm and sweetly purrs. And on the turret of the sawmill by the lake A bright flame flares. The quiet is cut, occasionally, By the cry of a stork landing on the roof. And if you were to knock at my door, It seems to me I wouldn't even hear.

Local book review: The Trust Frequency by Merinya Hucks The 'Trust Frequency' is a book written by two very unique, wise, passionate, conscious spiritual be-ings that trust fully in a 'conscious loving universe', Connie Baxter Marlow, and Andrew Cameron Bai-ley. This book of knowledge explains the shift in consciousness that is unfolding on our most awesome amazing planet and how we are 'vibrating frequencies of energy'. It explains that by releasing our tired, old belief systems, we step into a higher frequency of love and trust— and when we do this, we help raise the vibration on the planet, and can move into 'heaven on earth'. The book is beautifully written and very easy to read, I could not put it down! It opens up the idea that when we choose to focus our thoughts and move into our hearts, we can step into our full potential as co-creators and fully enjoy this delicious human experience. “The Trust Frequency” is available for purchase in the Local Books section at the Woody Creek Commu-nity Center.

Journal entry by Missy Prudden

Digging out in Woody Creek

February 2, 2014

Missy Prudden is a watercolor artist living in Woody Creek, CO. Currently she

has an art exhibit “Bits & Pieces” at the Woody Creek Community Center.

Stop by! Show runs through Feb 28th. Michael Stranahan, below, oogles a

surprising pop of color in Missy’s delicate watercolor of feathers. Photo by

Emily Taylor.

Joke of the month Q: How many Denver Broncos does it take to change a tire? A: One, unless it's a blowout, in which case they all show up

Biff (2) with Tree—Photo by Colleen Brown

Recipe of the month: Cast Iron S’mores

You don’t need a campfire to enjoy s’mores. Ingredients: 1 cast iron skillet 1 bag dark chocolate chips 1 bag marshmallows 1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. 2. Dump the chocolate chips into the bottom

of the cast iron skillet. Spread them around and form an even layer.

3. Put the marshmallows on top of the chocolate chips. If using large marshmal-lows, break in half and arrange evenly.

4. Bake until nice and bubbly and the marshmallows are golden brown.

5. Remove from oven. Serve with graham crackers. Eat by scooping out the choco-latey-marshmallowy mess with the crack-ers. Enjoy!

Variations: Use white chocolate chips mixed in with dark chocolate (or semi-sweet!). Use a miniature cast iron skillet for a dessert for two!

The Woody Creek EARWIG Page 4

The Woody Creek

E A R W I G P.O. Box 4

Woody Creek, CO 81656

Earwiggles Upcoming Community Events: Please email your events, news, or information about things you have to sell or barter to earwigsubmissions@gmail.com—We’ll include them in the next issue! Classifieds welcome! Upcoming Events at the Community Center: 2/11 The Crowlin’ Ferlies Concert | Free! Donations ac-

cepted | 7pm 2/15 Free Doctor’s Hours | 9-11am 2/15 Kids Movie Night & Potluck: "CARS" | 6:00-8:30pm 2/18 Combating Winter Naturally: Free Essential Oils Workshop | 4-6pm 2/19 Cooking Class with Essential Oil of Oregano | $5 for materi-als | 5:30-6:45pm Take Back Your Power: documentary | Free! | Fri. 2/21 at 5pm & Sat 2/22 at 2pm 2/22 Eat Great, Affordably: Free Nutrition Workshop with Chris Miller, M.D. 9-11am 2/24 Woody Creek H.O.A. Meeting | 6:00pm 2/25 The Crowlin’ Ferlies Concert | Free! Donations accepted! | 7:00-9:30pm 2/26 Kundalini Yoga with Jessica Levy | Free! 6:00pm 2/27 Woody Creek Caucus Meeting | 6:30pm WEDNESDAYS | Meditation every Wednesday at 7:00 or 7:30pm - check www.woodyc3.org for schedule! MONDAYS: For Kids: Tots & Crafts every Monday at 10:00-10:30am, followed by Hebrew & Me from 10:30-11:00am!

ASTROLOGICAL FORECAST February 2014 Why are things so crazy—Relationships are changing, yet the new guard has not shown up. So what happens to our hearts when there is no guard? Chaos. Hold tight things will get clearer toward early March. Venus is switching from that evening star to the morning star. This whole last summer and fall, Venus shown bright in the evening sky. It was such a wonder-ful sight. This spring it is in retrograde and will appear in the morning sky. So that means Venus (our values, our love, our finances) is hidden, in front of the sun to us, and closest to earth, so we are really being affected by something important to ourselves. So relationships are up for us all— and how we value them. And if is not relationships, it is looking for some type of financial security—and yet we have to get our bearings straight and that too is under construction. So watch that anger from jumping out (Mars square Venus). Hopefully you are under the guise of moving into a higher octave of your true self and kick that ego out the door. This is a hard time, we are still in winter (hibernating season, time to plant new seeds). Thank god the days are getting longer! And spring and the sprouting of what we are germi-nating will show up soon. So take that anger and go play or ski or hike. Start making plans for this new you. Hopefully it is every-t h i n g y o u r d r e a m i n g o f . For more personal understanding of your direct effects of t h e s e a s p e c t s , c h e c k i n : D A V I D B E R K S O N A S T R O L O G Y d a v i d b e r k s o n @ m e . c o m (847) 777-9138

Woody Creek remembers Woody Creek has lost more vital members of the community than seems possible recently. We’d like to take a moment to pause, and remember friends of the community, Meg Bernet, Jackie Lothian, Stewart Oksenhorn, and Doug Sheffer.

Clockwise from left: One of Meg Bernet’s paintings, featuring her signature hand and heart , Stewart Oksenhorn playing the guitar in the back room of the Woody Creek Community Center this past Au-gust, (photos by Emily Taylor) and Doug Sheffer in rehearsal at the Waldorf School in 2006, Lanny Curtis and Jackie Lothian (photos from The Aspen Times)