Wonder Valley German Bike Tours

Created by Wonder Valley's own Tom Murtagh.

JORGBIKETOUR_29PALMS_2.8.2 from Tom Murtagh on Vimeo.

Dale Basin Well Owners

Karen Meyers writes, "The Dale Basin Well Owners meeting will be held on Sunday, November 4 at Godwin Christian Fellowship Church, 6389 Godwin Road near Highway 62, at 4 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend. Contact Max Rossi at  mrossi121@yahoo.com or 831-234-6848 for further information."

Desert Quackers

Get ready for this one! Kaz Murphy will serenade you with his guitar and voice, followed by  Lauren Weedman , who will be getting back from a tour of her highly acclaimed solo show to give us a taste here at the Palms. Don't miss this.

7 - 10 p.m., Saturday, November 3, 2018
The Palms, 83131 Amboy Road, Wonder Valley CA 92277

Final Ed.it at The Palms

From Kevin Bone:

By popular demand, we're bringing back the crazy little ol' play called "Final Ed.It" to its home, The PALMS! As a bonus, "Bill and Bob" will be tossing some tunes at us to start the night off right. Show starts at 6 p.m., for you early birds. If you missed it last time, or if you saw it and want to come back for seconds, this is your chance!!!

No cover, but there will be a big, empty jar that will accept any donation, even if it's a Post-it with the words "Break a leg".

6 - 7:30 p.m., November 1, 2018
The Palms, 83131 Amboy Road, Wonder Valley CA

The Ski Club | Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the High Desert

From the copy at High Desert Test Sites:

High Desert Test Sites is pleased to present an event by The Ski Club, a contemporary art space in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This event—curated by Mark Klassen, director of The Ski Club, and Jesse McLean of Microlights Cinema—will present works by nineteen Midwest-based artists between three different sites in Wonder Valley, California. The exhibition will be on view October 27–28 with a poetry reading and film screening slated for October 27 at the Palms Restaurant.

Artists include: Matt Cook, Laura Davis, Richard Galling, Alex Herzog, Thaddeus Kellstadt, Mark Klassen, Chris Larson, John Riepenhoff, Edra Soto, Oli Watt and Allison Yasukawa. Jesse McLean of Microlights Cinema will screen works by: Zachary Epcar, Sky Hopinka, Nazli Dinçel, Alee Peoples + Mike Stoltz, Beny Wagner and Michael Robinson.

Sited artworks:
Saturday, October 27th, 11:00 am–5:00 pm
Ironage Rd. and HubbyCo Far East

Sunday, October 28th, 11:00 am–2:00 pm
Ironage Rd. and HubbyCo Far East

Screening: 
Saturday, October 27th, 8:00 pm
The Palms Restaurant

Driving Maps, directions, event information, and ephemera will be available Saturday, October 27 at the HDTS HQ at Sky Village Market Place, 7028 Theater Road, Yucca Valley, CA 92284, from 9:00 am–1:00pm.

Curator’s Statement:
In 2014 The Ski Club opened with an exhibition by Los Angeles-based artist and cofounding organizer of High Desert Test Sites, Lisa Anne Auerbach, who that same year, showed her work American Megazine, at the Whitney Biennial.

In those days, The Ski Club was heated by a small space heater built into the wall that was woefully inadequate for the harsh Milwaukee winters. When temperatures dropped below freezing—which is prone to happen five months of the year—the two, eight-foot, single-pane windows at the entrance become a canvas for crystal nucleation as the subzero temperatures outside collided with the accumulated humidity inside produced by breathy musings of viewers and artists. The window frost would grow to a thick sheet of ice, making it impossible to see any detail of the Riverwest neighborhood outside. But it’s no bother to Milwaukeeans. They don’t mind watching their breath and wearing gloves to drink an ice-cold beer—just think ice fishing.

It takes some humility to live in a place like Milwaukee. Not only can the weather be cold, dark, and bleak but our geographic location often deems us a “flyover state”. It’s as if we have a crystalized nucleation dome over us. But Midwesterners don’t much care—it’s this insulation that creates a uniquely rich space to work.

High Desert Test Sites (HDTS) is a nonprofit organization based in Joshua Tree, California that supports immersive experiences and exchanges between artists, critical thinkers, and general audiences. HDTS is dedicated to challenging preconceptions of art and "learning from what we are not."In this instance, The Ski Club represents “what we are not.” Joshua Tree bears little resemblance to Milwaukee—culturally, climatologically, and visually—however, The Ski Club and HDTS are similar in that they both work within the context of extremes.

Joshua Tree’s blistering heat, and dry, dusty environment can be fatal if ignored, just as the cold, lake-effect wind chill of Milwaukee cannot be ignored. These extreme environments are what connect us. HDTS looks to “insert art directly into a life, a landscape, or a community where it will sink or swim based on a set of criteria beyond that of art world institutions and galleries.” This resonates with the audience, to see artworks that are sited within an actual place, environment, and landscape—this is not an incubator.

This exhibition, curated by The Ski Club director, Mark Klassen, brings together a group of artists for a High Desert Test Sites event on the far western edge of Wonder Valley, California. This diverse group of Midwest-based artists make work ranging from painting to sculpture, poetry and filmmaking. They are connected through their relationship to The Ski Club programming and they will all be exhibiting work in an environment that is completely foreign to them, except for its familiarity as extreme and fringe.

[editor's note: "eastern," not "western" edge of Wonder Valley]

Local Authors Event : The Feminine Revolution

Come meet local author, and Wonder Valley resident, Catherine Connors, who will be reading from her book 'The Feminine Revolution: 21 Ways to Ignite the Power of Your Femininity for a Brighter Life and a Better World.’ She will also be signing books.

‘The Feminine Revolution’ leads to an understanding of the stereotypes behind ideas of femininity, how rethinking those stereotypes can have practical benefits - for women and for men, and new ways of thinking about how we characterize women's - and men's - behaviors.

The reading will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, November 17, 2018, at the Wonder Valley Community Center, 80526-½ Amboy Road, in Wonder Valley.

A suggested donation of $2.00 insures we’re able to continue programming events like this. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Catherine Connors is the co-founder and CCO of Maverick, a social network for girls and young women. She's the former Editor in Chief of Babble and head of content for Disney Interactive's Women and Family portfolio. She has been featured in media like The New York Times, CNN, NPR, and Good Morning America. She lives in Los Angeles (and Wonder Valley!)

"Nothing could be a more critical conversation than the one women are engaged in now, trying to connect our femininity with our power in a way that delivers us to our highest selves. Kudos to Amy Stanton and Catherine Connors for exploring issues--often hidden, sometimes painful--that pave the way to genuine deliverance from the forces that hold us back."
--Marianne Williamson

This event is sponsored by Friends of Wonder Valley. Please visit us at FriendsOfWonderValley.org.

New pastor at WV Community Church

Lonnie Casper and his wife Jo will hold a meet-and-greet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., on Saturday, November 10, 2018 at the Wonder Valley Community CHURCH, 82575 Amboy Road at Kuhn's Road. You'll see it. There's a bell tower that kind of looks like a smiley face.

I ran into Diane Brooks, whose husband Garrett Brooks, is the current pastor, at Staters the other day and she said the Lonnie and Jo have become like family. The Caspers also stopped into our last WV Community Meeting and introduced themselves. Please, if you can make the time, stop by and meet our new neighbors.

Desert Trail Column - October 25, 2018

Wonder Valley’s own certified Wildlife Rehabilitator Susan Doggett will give a presentation on birds of prey on Saturday, October 27 at our Wonder Valley Community Center, 80526 ½ Amboy Road near Blower Road, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Susan will be bringing three live owls with her for the presentation. Everyone is welcome to attend and see these beautiful birds up close. For further information, contact WVCC Coordinator Teresa Sitz at teresa.sitz@gmail.com or 760-367-9880.

A Farewell Potluck for Wonder Valley Community Church’s Pastor Garry Brooks and wife Diane will take place on Sunday, October 28 at the church, 82575 Amboy Road at Kuhns Road, at 1 p.m. Everyone is welcome and is asked to bring a dish of your choice. Pastor Brooks and Diane have done so much for our community and will be sorely missed. Call 760-600-0687 for more information.

And mark your calendar for a Meet ‘n’ Greet for new Pastor Lonnie Casper and his wife Jo coming up on Saturday, November 10 at the Wonder Valley Community Church.

No birthdays this time, but we do have an anniversary. Sharon and Orville Fangmeyer will celebrate 56 years together this week. Happy anniversary, Orville and Sharon!

On a sad note, we have lost a 27-year Wonder Valley resident. Steve Badders passed away in his sleep on October 1. Our sincere condolences go out to wife Cathy, daughter Breann and son Kyle. Steve will be missed in our community. 

 We want to thank Tim Candelaria for jumping on our impassable roads so fast after the recent storm. You did a fantastic job, Tim, and we all really do appreciate it. If you have any issues, comments, questions, compliments or complaints about our roads, please leave a message for Tim at 760-367-9880.

Handy Hint: If you’d like to hide some rolled-up cash for emergencies, pop the end cap off a marker and remove the ink cartridge – or take apart the spring bar that holds your toilet paper roll – and stash the cash inside.

Today’s Thought: The year 1973 was an interesting year. The Miami Dolphins had the NFL’s first perfect season, CBS sold the Yankees to George Steinbrenner’s syndicate for $10 million, the final episode of “Bonanza” was broadcast, Emilie Howell Warner became the first female commercial airline pilot, the first handheld cellphone call was made, Federal Express began operations, the U.S. launched its first space station, the first CAT scan took place in the U.S., the Concorde flew from Washington DC to Paris in three hours and 32 minutes, “The Godfather” won Best Motion Picture and “The Waltons” won Outstanding Drama Series.

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

Guess WHO's coming to the WVCC!

Susan A. Doggett, a Wonder Valley resident specializing in birds of prey and migratory bird rehabilitation, will present from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, October 27, at the Wonder Valley Community Center, 80526-1/2 Amboy Road, in Wonder Valley.

She will present on local raptors (birds of prey), including owls. She will be bringing 3 LIVE OWLS for you to see!!!

Susan has 40 years experience in bird rehabilitation, and is the official wildlife care center for the Marine Base.

Suggested DONATION: $3 adult, $1 child, no one turned away for lack of funds (and no attitude at all if you can't pay).

Another Plan from Outer Space.

    

Come to a free screening of the new movie, Another Plan from Outer Space, at 7 p.m., Monday, October 22, at Smith Ranch

Drive In, on Adobe Road, north of Amboy Road.

The low-budget, black and white movie was filmed entirely in Wonder Valley during the summer of 2017. 

The film is about five astronauts who crash-land on Earth after completing their Mars mission.

If you haven’t been to the drive-in, your should go. It’s a lot of fun and the food is pretty good, and cheap -- not like movies in the city. 

A Particle of Dread (Oedipus Variations).

Sam Shepard, a band of players, and a crime scene in the Hi-Desert. What more could you want? It’s a theatre experience that will leave you wondering, is it fate or free will?

In one of his last plays, Shepard takes us on a journey, a theatrical riff, through the eyes of Sophocles’s most popular character, OEDIPUS THE KING!

Miri Hunter, of Wonder Valley, directs, and actors include our own Lindsey Andersen, and the Desert Trail’s Kurt Schauppner.

From 4:00  – 6:00 p.m., Sunday, October 28, 2018 on October 28, at the Wonder Valley Community Center, 80526-1/2 Amboy Road, Wonder Valley CA 92277.

Purchase tickets at: http://www.projectsheba.com/thoughttheatre.html

Desert Trail Column, October 18, 2018

The Salvation Army Food Distribution will take place on Wednesday, October 24 at our Wonder Valley Community Center, 80526 ½ Amboy Road,from 11 a.m. until the food is gone. Food is from Trader Joe’s and bags are provided. For information, contact WVCC Coordinator Teresa Sitz at teresa.sitz@gmail.comor 760-367-9880.

Mark your calendar for a Farewell Potluck for Pastor Garry Brooks and wife Diane coming up October 28 at the Wonder Valley Community Church, 82575 Amboy Road. Pastor Garry and Diane are moving to Arizona, with Lonnie Casper starting as the new pastor on November 1.

 Darlene’s Commentary: So you cut open a watermelon, eat the juicy red part, spit out the seeds and discard the rind. Wrong! The white rind, just under the green skin, contains powerful nutrients that increase blood flow, improve heart health, boost immunity and reduce muscle fatigue. Chop and add white rind to smoothies, fruit salads, salsas and soups. As for the watermelon seeds, they contain magnesium, iron, folate and other vitamins and minerals Toss them in olive oil with a little salt, roast at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, then cool. Sprinkle on salads, veggies and trail mix.

 Karen’s Commentary: I want to tell you about Wonder Valleyite Susan Doggett. She is a Wildlife Rehabilitator, a graduate biologist and has cared for more than 35,000 birds. She ran a wildlife center in Orange County, has Federal Education and Rehabilitation Permits and is also an artist! We called her because of a hawk that we thought was sick or injured. It had hung around for a few days, plowed into our windows a couple times, then took refuge in our garage. She came right over, but of course when she arrived, the hawk was gone, and we haven’t seen it since! Susan is listed under the heading Migratory Bird Rehabilitation in the local Sand Paper, and we have now learned that ALL birds are migratory except for starlings, sparrows and common pigeons. For more information, call her at 714-637-8355.

For up-to-date information about Wonder Valley, go to the website wondervalley.org. Ken and Teresa Sitz add items almost daily. Past Wonder Valley News columns are there, too!

Handy Hint: According to a plumber, the best way to empty a toilet bowl is to fill a 2 or 2 1/2-gallon pail with water, then dump it into the bowl as fast as it will take it. Because of siphon action, there will then be little or no water left in the bowl. This can also clear many nuisance toilet clogs.

Today’s Thought: When you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

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

Bob's Art Show!

"A couple months ago Bob moved to a new place & I asked if he’d let me help him hang his artwork. He was perplexed but allowing. He has so many paintings that the space has become a veritable gallery - and now he’s hosting an art show! Come check out his paintings & hats, bring your instruments & appetite. This is gonna be fun. Yay Bob!!" -- Lindsey Andersen

Harmonica Bob's Art Show & Open House
Paintings for sale! Refreshments! Hat exhibit!
4:00 - 10:00 p.m., Saturday, November 17th, 2018
3855 Meriwether Road, Wonder Valley CA

Desert Trail Column - October 11, 2018

The free class titled “Stop the Bleed” was very interesting and educational and may prove to be a life-saver for someone in the future. Long-time trauma nurse Gael Whetstone taught us the three types of hemorrhage control and how to do each of them correctly. We practiced on lifelike models of injured legs and arms, applying direct pressure, packing a wound and/or applying a tourniquet. By the way, the rules for use of a tourniquet have changed since our first aid classes many moons ago! Everyone should take this course.

Don’t forget this Saturday, October 13, the Twentynine Palms Historical Society will present a free hands-on Weed Show workshop at the Old Schoolhouse Museum from 9 to 11 a.m. Everyone is welcome.

Also on Saturday, the Wonder Valley Community Meeting will be held at our Wonder Valley Community Center, 80526 ½ Amboy Road near Blower Road, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. A report on the state of our community center and park, plus the newly-formed non-profit organization Friends of Wonder Valley are among the items on the agenda.

The USDA Food Distribution will take place on Monday, October 15 at our community center as soon as the truck arrives sometime after 10:30 a.m.

Bob Dougherty from the County Department of Aging and Adult Services will be at our community center on Wednesday, October 17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to distribute bus passes to seniors, help with HEAP applications and talk to individuals about other issues.

 For information on the above events in Wonder Valley, contact our WVCC Coordinator Teresa Sitz at teresa.sitz@gmail.com or 760-367-9880.

If you would like to go to the Twentynine Palms Nutrition Site for lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Reach Out Morongo Basin will pick you up at 10 a.m. and drop you off at 2 p.m. at The Palms, 83131 Amboy Road. If you have difficulty getting to The Palms, they may pick you up and drop you off at your residence. Call 760-361-1410 for further information.

Handy Hint: To clean tile grout, make a paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide and apply with a cleaning brush. Let sit for 10 minutes, give it a swipe with the brush, then rinse clean.

Today’s Thought: In the book “Inspiration and Ideals,” some of the thoughts given 101 years ago for October 11 are as follows. “The sea is a sublime illustration of man’s life. Some days will be smooth, others stormy, but if you are intelligently equipped like the far-sighted mariner, you can be confident of a safe voyage and a friendly harbor.” Still true today.

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

Crime Stats September 2018

Teresa Sitz, the MAC Delegate for Wonder Valley, has been teasing our stats out of media reports since May of 2017. This is tedious work. The stats are unofficial, and there is a small margin of error.

A change in numbers does not reflect a change in service. A change in numbers can reflect a change in the willingness to call the Sheriff's Department, with reports and arrests adjusting in response.

If you call the Sheriff's Department, ALWAYS ask for an INCIDENT NUMBER. Please write it down.

Highway 62 Art Tour in Wonder Valley

The 17th Annual Highway 62 Open Studio Art Tours runs two weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: October 13-14 and 20-21,  2018. Six Wonder Valley Artists are participating.

The catalog of all the artists, and their addresses, is available online at http://hwy62arttours.org/.
Congratulations to the following Wonder Valley artists. Please stop by and visit them.

Perry Hoffman

Mark Heuston

Robert Arnett

Wonder Valley artist showing outside of Wonder Valley include:

Lorelei Greene

David Greene

Another Weed Show Presentation

Pat Rimmington, the one with the lovely British accent, will host a presentation on how to create entries for the Twentynine Palms Weed Show coming up on November 3 and 4.

For those of you who don’t know, the weed show is like a flower show, but with dried desert weeds. No cannabis, please.

Pat’s workshop will be from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 6, at the Old Schoolhouse, 6760 National Park Drive, in Twentynine Palms. Attendance is free and you can drop in. No need to RSVP, and you don’t need to bring anything.

Aging and Adult Services at the WVCC

For a couple of years Bob Dougherty, from the SBC Department of Aging and Adult Services, has been letting me know when he would be at the Twentynine Palms Senior Center handing out bus passes for seniors, helping with HEAP applications, and distributing Farmers Market
checks. And then I let you know.

He told me last week that he’s decided to set up shop in Wonder Valley on a quarterly basis, doing the same thing for us here. The first date will be October 17 at 11 a.m. He will also counsel seniors on any other issues, such as elder abuse, and in home supportive services.

If you want to fill out a HEAP application, please call Bob Dougherty at 760-228-5219 for an appointment.

The four Senior Information Assistance meetings at the Wonder Valley Community Center will be sponsored and paid for by The Friends of Wonder Valley.

Glass Outhouse Art Gallery Reception

     The opening at the Glass Outhouse runs from 5 to 9 p.m., Saturday, October 6. The Gallery is at 77575 Highway 62 at Thunder Road. Admission is always free.
     Artist include Erik Saks who will be featuring paintings of Wonder Valley yard boats, and David Sayes and Juan Esquivel.
     Bill and Bob, the famed music duo, will perform. That’s  Bill Winter and "Harmonica" Bob Rowell, respectively.

WV Community Meeting - October 2018

Everyone is welcome and invited to attend and participate in the Wonder Valley Community Meeting, to be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, October 13, at the Wonder Valley Community Center, 80526-1/2 Amboy Road, in Wonder Valley.

Highlights on the agenda include:

• A discussion about the Municipal Advisory Council and future representation as an unincorporated area.
   
• A report on the state of the Wonder Valley Community Center and the Park.
   
• Members of the board of the Friends of Wonder Valley, a newly formed 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity, will talk about the mission and goals of the organization, and what they have already accomplished. The FOWV has a mission to enhance the lives of the people living in Wonder Valley. 

The agenda for this meeting was posted online at 10 a.m., October 5, 2018 at:

https://tinyurl.com/wv10132018
Meeting notes were posted at 8 a.m., October 16, 2018:
https://tinyurl.com/10132018-wv-notes

Desert Trail Column - October 4, 2018

A free course entitled “Stop the Bleed” will be taught by Gael Whetstone BSN RN at our Wonder Valley Community Center, 80526 ½ Amboy Road near Blower Road, on Saturday, October 6 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Living in a rural area, knowing how to stop severe bleeding can be a life-saving skill. A certificate of completion will be presented to those attending and completing the class. Class size is limited to 10, but there will be a waiting list and more classes will be held if needed.

The  Glass Outhouse Art Gallery, 77575 Highway 62 at Thunder Road, will host an artists’ reception on Saturday, October 6 from 5 to 9 p.m. Featured artists are Erik Saks, David Sayes and Jose Esquivel. Come enjoy free refreshments and listen to music by Wonder Valley’s own Bill and Bob. This show will run through October 28. For more information, call Laurel at 760-367-3807.

The Morongo Basin Municipal Advisory Council meets on Monday, October 8 at the Joshua Tree Community Center, 6171 Sunburst, at 5:30 p.m. Teresa Sitz represents Wonder Valley at these meetings. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Since the birthstone for October is the opal and the flower is the calendula, we send out Rainbows-of-Opals-and-Calendulas to Ron Root who turns 56 this week. Happy birthday, Ron!

Darlene’s Commentary: When you peel a red onion, save the scraps, skins and papery pieces. They contain a high level of quercetin, a phytonurtrient that fights inflammation, reduces blood pressure, prevents arterial plaque and keeps the heart healthy. Other onions have less quercetin, but are still good for your health. Use red onion scraps when making soups, gravies, stock or sauce, then remove them before eating.

Karen’s Commentary: First, thanks to Jean Blackburn for used stamps. Second, I made a great discovery when I finally sat down to reluctantly compose my protest letter about the proposed fire fees. You do not need to COMPOSE anything! It is a very simple FORM needing only name, address and parcel number, plus a signature and date. THAT’S IT! The title “Written Protest” is very misleading.

The Wonder Valley Lending Program has books and movies you can borrow for a month at a time. This is like a little library, but it’s right at our WV Community Center. Come in to see what’s available any Monday, Wednesday or Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Handy Hint: Instead of throwing away usable items, post them online as free and they’ll usually be gone within a day.

Today’s Thought: “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” – Mark Twain

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