Thursday, May 25, 2017

Because balloon


Thank you, Rich Good.

Desert Trail, May 25, 2017

You can sign up for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) on Friday, June 2 at our Wonder Valley Community Center, 80526 ½ Amboy Road near Blower Road, from 10 to noon or 1 to 3. There are several required documents that you must bring with you, depending on your situation, so contact Teresa Sitz for further information at 760-865-9550 or teresa.sitz@gmail.com. Financial assistance may be requested for electricity, propane or firewood.


Karen’s Commentary:
Thanks to our cousin Annie French for stamps and coupons! On a different note, my husband Ted has always been the gardener in our family, and he is now joined by our daughter-in-law Cheri and grandson Tony. These three carry on great conversations about potting soils, fertilizers, calcium, nitrogen, etc. But now the big topic is bees. Friend Rick Smith, another avid gardener, was the first to point out that there are hardly any bees this year. And now, this week, ants are the latest topic. Where are the usual millions of ants? Ted suggested that perhaps they know or sense something we don’t – like maybe “the big one” is coming. I firmly told him that my Worry Bucket is currently filled to capacity, so please don’t give me anything else to put in it!

Image result for ant illustration

Darlene’s Commentary:
How did Wonder Valley get its name? In the 1950’s, the little town of Amboy was a bustling, busy little stop along Route 66, and was owned and managed by Buster Burris. He ran Roy’s CafĂ©, the motel and the gas station, and the closest town for supplies was Twentynine Palms. One day, a friend accompanied Buster on a trip for supplies. As they came over Sheephole Pass, the friend kept making remarks like, “Look at all those little cabins. I wonder who they belonged to, why they were abandoned and who lived there. I just wonder about everything around here!” At that point, Buster stopped and said to his friend, “That’s it! I’ve got it! I’ve been trying to think of a name for this nice little valley – Wonder Valley!” And the name stuck.

Image result for i wonder

Reach Out Morongo Basin provides free rides to and from the Twentynine Palms Nutrition Site for lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Pick ups at 10 a.m. and drop offs at 2 p.m. are at The Palms, 83131 Amboy Road. If you do not have transportation to The Palms, arrangements can be made to pick you up and drop you off at your own home. Call 760-361-1410 for further information.

Image result for reach out

Thought for Today:
“They say marriages are made in Heaven. But so is thunder and lightning.” – Clint Eastwood

Until next time . . . remember to take time to enjoy the WONDERs all around us.



Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Gourmet Roadhouse - May 27


The Palms Restaurant Presents:
"Gourmet Roadhouse"
featuring a 4-course* Indian Dinner
*salad, chicken curry, eggplant stew, and panna-cotta mango lassi
Dinner served with jasmine rice and naan bread,
plus a tasty beverage!
$30 per person
Saturday, May 27, 6 p.m.

Friday, May 19, 2017

Citizen Science for Everyone


Join the FREE presentation:
Citizen Science In Action: Making a difference locally and globally

with Jane Rodgers, Chief, Science and Resource Stewardship
Joshua Tree National Park

1:30 - 3:30 p.m., Saturday, June 10
Wonder Valley Community Center
80526 1/2 Amboy Road, Wonder Valley

Citizen Science is scientific research conducted, in whole or in part, by amateur scientists -- a newish concept that has recently gotten a lot of press and becoming an important part of understanding the landscape around us locally and globally. Citizens interested in contributing to efforts such as monitoring environmental change or tracking butterfly migrations or recording archeological site information make a difference in large-scale study efforts. This presentation will describe the basics of Citizen Science, how to get involved, and how this can benefit local communities. The presentation will be fairly informal, with lots of time for questions.

Everyone is welcome and invited to attend and participate.

There will be refreshments.

Wonder Valley Community Meeting, June 10, 2017


This meeting is POSTPONED.

Teresa Sitz, has a bad case of the flu with laryngitis
and will not be able to chair the meeting.

Everyone is invited and welcome to attend and participate in the

Wonder Valley Community Meeting

Saturday, June 10, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. (Please note the new time!)
Wonder Valley Community Center
80526-1/2 Amboy Road, Wonder Valley CA 9277

The Citizen Science presentation with Joshua Tree National Park
will follow the meeting at 1:30 p.m.
There will be refreshments for both events.

The agenda will be posted in early June.

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Desert Trail, May 18, 2017

The date for the Citizen Science presentation at our Wonder Valley Community Center, 80526 ½ Amboy Road near Blower Road, has been changed to June 10 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. This presentation was organized by Teresa Sitz in conjunction with Joshua Tree National Park staff.

The Salvation Army Food Distribution will take place Wednesday, May 24 at our community center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Please be aware that the wonderful people from the Salvation Army can only bring a limited number of boxes.

We send out Rainbows-of-Emeralds-and-Lilies-of-the-Valley to Curtis Johnson and Barbara Finnegan who celebrate their special days this week. Happy birthday to you both!

Darlene’s Commentary: I love my coffee, and I make a fresh pot every morning. But, alas, what to do with the coffee grounds? First off, start emptying your fresh coffee grounds into a container with a lid (an empty coffee can will do!) and never, never throw coffee grounds away again! Add one tablespoon to marinades and rubs to tenderize meat and to impart a mild smoky flavor. Instead of burying nails under certain flowering plants (especially hydrangeas), mix coffee grounds with the soil at the base of the plant and you will have beautiful flowers. And did you know that scientists in the United Kingdom have developed a way to turn used coffee grounds into biofuel to power cars? Who’da thunk it!



Karen’s Commentary: Many moons ago, when I worked as Assistant Manager at a drive-in theater, I received a gift from the employees. It was a gold-plated Cross ballpoint pen with my name engraved on it. Since this was in the seventies, gold wasn’t worth what it is now, but it was still a really nice gift. So when husband Ted asked to borrow my pen at the community center, I handed it to him reluctantly. Well, wouldn’t you know, somehow it ended up missing. I figured I’d lost it for good, but found out a week later that Teresa Sitz had found it on a table and placed it in the Book Program desk. And there it was, safe and sound. Thank you, Teresa!



Food for Life Ministry prepares and serves delicious hot meals every Saturday at Church of the Nazarene, 72603 Juanita Drive, from 3 to 5 p.m. If you are unable to attend, Reach Out Morongo Basin will deliver these free hot meals to your home at no charge. Call 760-361-1410 for further information.



Thought for Today: The iconic whistle in “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” was improvised when Otis Redding forgot what he was supposed to sing.



Until next time . . . remember to take time to enjoy the WONDERs all around us.

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Glass Outhouse Art Gallery 8th anniversary show.


Featuring:
at the 
Glass Outhouse Art Gallery (8th Anniversary!)
77575 Highway 62 at Thunder Road
Wonder Valley CA 92277

from 5 - 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 3, 2017

The Luminators will perform.

ALWAYS FREE.

We've been branded.

Dang, I missed the opening. I'm sure my invitation is in that stack of mail on the piano.

The fine folks at Wonder Valley Olive Oil had the opening of their flagship store last Saturday, May 6, from 11 a.m. until sunset.

For more information, see:
https://welcometowondervalley.com/pages/flagship

I can't give you the exact address but it was in the Beverly Hills section of Wonder Valley, over in Soam and Wego - South of Amboy and West of Godwin.

What was for sale? Olive oil for $33 a bottle; Olio Nuevo (new olive oil) for $38 a bottle; Face Oil for $65; a leather sage brush for $95; a wood fired water jug for $475...

And that's in real U.S. dollars, not Wonder Valley dollars.

If they offered coffee, cream, butter, sugar, matches, etc., I'm sure they'd make a killing here. Just not sure I could afford it.

Desert Trail, May 11, 2017

The monthly community meeting was interesting and informative, as always. Battalion Chief Mike Snow gave an update on our fire department and provided us with April’s statistics. Unbelievably, we had more than 60 calls in April, 44 of which were outside Wonder Valley! Among other items discussed, the new charges required for use of our community center is a concern for many.

Following the community meeting, Dr Tim DeLorey gave a very interesting presentation on Permaculture. The easiest way to describe permaculture is that it’s practicing Earth Day every day! It’s a combination of reusing, recycling and not wasting anything, especially water. Most interesting were ways to keep “monsoon water” on your property so it trickles down into the aquifer underneath instead of running across your property and ending up in a distant aquifer. Some very clever ideas were presented.

The USDA Food Distribution will take place on Monday, May 15 at our Wonder Valley Community Center, 80526 ½ Amboy Road near Blower Road, from 10:30 to noon.

On a very sad note, longtime Wonder Valley resident and business owner Bill Yoakum has passed away. Bill was well-known by just about everybody in this valley. He owned Barnett’s Trading Post at the east end of Amboy Road, just before the curve. It was a very popular gathering place, cocktail lounge, restaurant, petting zoo and store, and church services were even held there for a long period of time until a church was built in Wonder Valley. As a matter of fact, our sister Donna, who now lives in Yucca Valley, was married at Barnett’s! Bill, along with his significant other Edna Adams, were always on hand to greet you, say a kind word, tell a joke or funny story or just chew the fat about all things Wonder Valley. Bill made Barnett’s into a Wonder Valley Landmark. After Bill sold Barnett’s, it unfortunately burned to the ground – what a loss for our community. Bill will always be remembered as a fun-loving person who enjoyed life. Our condolences go out to his family.


The Wonder Valley Book Program is like a little library where you can check out books of all kinds, movies and audio books for a month at a time at no charge. Come into our community center and check it out. Book Program cards are free.

Handy Hint: You can use baking soda to deodorize your refrigerator and carpet, brush your teeth and clean crayon marks from walls.

Thought for Today: “I’m just an obnoxious guy who can make it appear charming, that’s what they pay me to do.” – Bill Murray

Until next time . . . remember to take time to enjoy the WONDERs all around us.


May rainfall over the Bullion Mountains.

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Poetry Pop Up


Pop-up Poets starts at 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 21, at The Palms Bar and Restuarant, 83131 Amboy Road, Wonder Valley CA 92277.
Organizer Suzanne Ross sez: 11 am brunch, 12 noon poetry. All poets welcome to vent. Sign up at The Palms when you get there.

Free HEAP Workshop


Do you need financial assistance to pay 
for your cooling or heating costs?

Come to the FREE
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
Energy Education Outreach/Workshop 
At the Wonder Valley Community Center, 80526-1/2 Amboy Road
June 2, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. 
(with a lunch break from noon - 1 p.m.)

Please click through for the required documentation.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/orm345xkdhv9u1r/2017_HEAP_DOCS.pdf?dl=0

Checklist of mandatory documentation for LIPHEAP.
All required documents must be included.
[  ] Current (most recent) gas bill/propane bill
Entire bill (all pages). Showing 22+ days of usage

[  ] Current (most recent) electric bill
Entire bill (all pages). Showing 22+ days of usage

[  ] Any disconnection and /or urgent notice (if applicable)

[  ] Rental agreement or mortgage statement

[  ] Also include the following if you rent and you receive (Low income housing)
  • Section 8
  • Hud
  • Affordable Housing
[  ] Household Income:
Must be current (last 4-weeks) – Needed for all members of the household
  • Paycheck/unemployment stubs
  • Disability income (State – EDD or Workers Compensation)
  • Child Support/Alimony (Spousal Support)
  • Social Security (SSA) (SSI) – Current bank statement showing direct deposit, award letter for current year, copy of check
  • Pension or Retirement benefits - current award Letter
  • TANF (cash aid) current Notice of Action or Passport to Services
WEATHERIZATION
If you are interested in Weatherization services you must complete the attached forms from State Community Services

[  ] Department (CSD)
[  ] Form-515 Energy Service Agreement.
[  ] Form-515A For Owners of the property
[  ] Form 515-B For Renters, this form is to be completed by the owner of the property
[  ] Form Prop 65.

Drop ins are welcome. Service if first come, first served.
You do not need to be a Wonder Valley resident to apply.