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New year. New resolutions. The best of intentions.

So how’s it working out for you? I am much less idealistic than I was in my younger years (and this applies to all sorts of things). Now I am simply determined not to beat myself up over an occasional dietary infraction, especially since the “rules” I break are self-imposed to begin with. Instead, I just hold my double-chins high and carry on. One day at a time.

The easiest way for me to stay on track doesn’t embrace fashion crimes involving rubber-soled shoes and clothing made from stretchy synthetic fibers. What I put in my mouth is more important than what I put on my body. So instead of spending Saturday mornings sweating in a stuffy gym, my regime revolves around the farmers’ market.

I know I can’t stray far off track when I shop there. With no freezer section or candy aisle or liquor department to divert my attention, I can feel quite virtuous. Even if I go a little heavy on the carbs one week (who can resist those loaves of freshly-baked bread?), I know that everything I’ve purchased is at least wholesome, if not downright nutritious. For me, that’s about as good as it gets. So as I’m leaving the market, I reward myself with a bouquet of fresh flowers. Yup, that’s how I roll.

One of the cruel ironies of life is that the new year begins in winter, when our natural inclination is to hibernate in the coziness of our homes; when nothing beats comfort food on a chilly evening. But “comfort” doesn’t have to mean giant bags of potato chips or gloppy sauces made from salty canned soup. Nor does it ever mean a scoop of cottage cheese or a few limp lettuce leaves. Somewhere, there is a happy median. And I think it might be spaghetti squash.

Everybody understands zucchini and crookneck squash. But winter squash? Not so much. Sure, they can be huge and unwieldy, but all that’s needed is a sharp knife and a little confidence. Spaghetti squash is good for beginners, as it is reasonably easy to cut. Look for pale yellow (or orange) watermelon-shaped squash that are smooth and firm. And here’s the best part: 1 cup of spaghetti squash contains only 31 calories and 7 grams of carbohydrate.

Serve this as a side dish with broiled chicken or fish fillets, or as a light entrée with a big crunchy green salad. Recipes like this one beg for improvisation, so feel free to add chopped fresh herbs or whatever else you generally like in your spaghetti sauce. For a change of pace, use kale pesto (from last month’s column) instead of marinara sauce; or simply drizzle the shredded squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Sort-of Spaghetti

• 1 smallish spaghetti squash (about 2 1/4 pounds)
• 3/4 cup marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought), warmed until hot
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese or crumbled California Goat Cheese

 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Using a cleaver or large, very sharp knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise.*(You don’t need to remove the seeds at this point. It’s easier to do after the squash has cooked.
2. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with no-stick cooking spray. Place the squash, cut-sides down, on the sheet and pour in about 1/4-inch of water. Bake until the squash is tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 45 minutes.
3. Carefully scrape out and discard the seeds. Drag the tines of a fork across the flesh of the squash, forming long strands. Divide the mixture among 4 warm, shallow bowls or plates. Top with marinara sauce and pass cheese at the table. Serves 3 to 4.

*Alternatively, pierce the whole spaghetti squash several times with the tip of a sharp knife. Microwave on High, turning once, until tender, 12 to 13 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut the squash in half lengthwise and proceed as directed in Step 3.

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com. This market is made possible through the generous support of the Town of Danville. Please show your appreciation by patronizing the many fine shops and restaurants located in downtown Danville. Buy fresh. Buy local. Live well.

Q. After pruning my roses, is there any special winter fertilizer I should apply to my bushes? In addition, what should I treat the bare stems to minimize the Rose Rust, and Black Spot this year?

Ans. While there isn’t any special type of winter fertilizer for roses, they do need to be fed but it’s a bit early to start. I’d wait another month or when the new growth is about one half inch long to make my first application. There are a lot of great fertilizers available for roses, so no one brand or type is the best. Dr Earth is a fabulous, organic fertilizer. Miracle Grow is perfect for those that love to fertilize often and for those that fertilize infrequently like me, there is Osmocote. Osmocote is a time-release fertilizer that is applied every four months. Roses are heavy feeders, so whatever fertilizer you choose, reapply it regularly right through October. To start your rose disease control program. I’d spray the canes with Bonide Copper Spray but first strip off any of the remaining leaves and remove all the debris from under the plant(s). The spores from Black Spot, Rust and Mildew can over-winter in this material. This should be done sometime in the next couple of weeks. Ideally, before the new growth is too far along. This is a preventive measure to remove any of the local sources for the diseases. It sort of sanitizes the area. The spores of Rose Rust, Black Spot and Mildew are air borne, so there is a better than average probability that they’ll return with wet, damp and rainy conditions. The length of time moisture remains on the leaves after the sun goes down triggers the problems. The damaged leaves show up about ten to eighteen days after being infective. Last spring, the rose diseases were a big problem almost until Mother’s Day, because of the wet spring we had. So applying a rose fungicide to foliage is recommended and again there are a lot of choices. There is no fungicide that will eradicate the diseases, they only control them: hence, depending on the weather, repeat applications must be made until the rainy season ends. Also keep in mind, to be effective, the fungicide must be on the foliage before the moisture arrives not afterwards. This can be challenging with all the other things that can be happening during a week. My solution is Bayer Advance All In One Rose Care. It feeds my roses, provides a systemic fungicide for six-week control of the rose diseases, and finally as a bonus takes care of the Aphids, Thrips, and Spider Mites. Bayer Advance All In One Rose Care is available in a liquid, which doesn’t have to be sprayed on the foliage and easy to apply granules. Unfortunately, Bayer All In One Rose Care is not an organic solution and I only use it in the spring until the rainy season has concluded. You can certainly separate these into individual tasks but I prefer one and done.

Buzz Bertolero is Executive Vice President of Navlet’s Garden Centers and a California Certified Nursery Professional.  His web address is www.dirtgardener.com and you can send questions by email at dirtgarden@aol.com or to 360 Civic Drive Ste. ‘D’, Pleasant Hill, Calif. 94523 and on Facebook at Facebook/. com/Buzz-Bertolero

Built-ins for storage, a free standing or built-in desk, a great desk chair, and seating for guests are the basic necessities for any home office. The style in which you choose to execute them is up to you. Custom built-ins behind a desk should have lateral files to organize and store paperwork and other cabinets below for heavier items that need to stay out of sight. Top lit upper cabinets can have glass doors for displaying awards, fun accessories from travels, or books while keeping the dust away. Open shelves are great for binders or items that are used every day for easy access. The layout of your office should reflect your work habits and needs. If two people are using one office the individual spaces should be cohesive yet designed for each person’s requirements. This is a great design challenge for an interior designer to tackle—taking each person’s wants into consideration and creating a space for both to work comfortably. 

Maximizing the space you have is the most important thing to think about. If you have a return wall in addition to the focal back office wall that can accommodate more cabinets, corner desks maximize unused space and take up less room. Floating a desk in the middle of the room with your back to the built-ins is a great use of space as well, leaving plenty of room to have seating for guests on the other side of the desk. Traditional wood paneled walls, Contemporary wallpaper, or a faux paint treatment can each bring a different design element to a home office. Two comfortable upholstered chairs and a nice rug will add some warmth to the room to balance the heaviness of traditional wood cabinets or more contemporary glossy finished cabinets. Recessed cans around the perimeter of the room will provide task lighting to work in your new office space. A great chandelier or interesting track lighting can add elegance and interest to an otherwise bare ceiling. The sky is the limit when it comes to designing an office. Find your style and add personal touches to make the space your own.

OK – I’ll admit it. I do love to play golf as do a great number of my friends. Now participating golf is one thing, but rehashing the game is another. Sitting in the clubhouse reliving the game is almost as much fun as the round itself. Here those frustrating missed puts can be placed into perspective along with those long straight shots that we remember so well.

So, where is this leading? On a number of my overseas journeys, I have taken time off to play a round or two, and in so doing I’ve come across a number of very interesting experiences on golf courses. Please indulge me a bit and let me tell you about a few of these adventures and the reason they reside in my memory bank.

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Most Unique Circumstance: We arrived in Windhoek, Namibia in early fall, just as the beautiful blue jacaranda trees were in bloom. The tour group that we had joined had us acclimatize ourselves after the long flights by staying two days in Windhoek at – of all places – the Windhoek Country Club. What a great place! I shot a modest round, somewhere under one hundred, in one of the most unforgettable locations I could imagine.

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Most Exciting Round:  While spending time in Seoul, Korea, we went up to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone). Here the American and South Korean troops faced the North Korean Army on a daily basis. But boys must be boys, and on the base in South Korea sat a neat little nine hole golf course. The third hole ran along the north side, adjacent to a double fence which separated the two countries. On the hole was a sign which read,

“Danger. Do not retrieve balls. This area is mined.” No hole to slice on, believe me.

* * * * * *

Very Different Course: Dubai has embraced a number of Western concepts over the past few years. Golf is one such love, along with horse racing. These two “sports” are combined in the huge stadium just outside of the city proper. Here the course sits inside the racing oval, but with a unique twist. The temperature in Dubai exceeds one hundred degrees Fahrenheit most days, and native vegetation is sparse. But, in this oval, golf is played at night, under lights, on beautifully-kept grassy fairways. Of course, there are numerous sand bunkers.

* * * * * *

The Strangest Course: On the King’s Highway outside of Kathmandu and past Jorpati, sits the Royal Nepali Park. Just before the park one finds a neat little golf course. The fairways are rough and could easily be compared to a cow pasture, but oh those greens. Actually they are misnamed. Here they are just plain dirt, with no grass. The hole sits in or near the center of the green with the flag announcing its location. On my visit each such “green” had a greens keeper who would come out and rake the turf flat after each foursome had passed.

* * * * * *

The Scariest Experience: We spent two great days at the Mt. Kenya Safari Club. This course sits right on the equator in east Africa. The course is a beautiful one but fenced on all sides to keep the golfers in and the wild beasties out. On the fifth hole I pulled a drive and watched my ball bounce off the fence, still staying in bounds but caught in a tangle of vegetation. As I was rooting around for the ball, I heard a snort and saw on the other side of the fence a mama warthog with two babies. She politely informed me to stay on my side of the fence, which I wisely did, and played another ball.

* * * * * *

The Most Trusting: While visiting the Isle of Man, we stayed in the capital city of Douglas. Now Douglas has a beautiful course wandering through the hills along the ocean shore. The views are spectacular. I couldn’t resist the challenge so took a cab out to the course. The caddy master was the only person around. I paid him the fee, rented clubs, bought a pack of tees, and a sleeve of balls. Still no one arrived. As I started out the door, the caddy master said,

“When you’re through, leave the clubs in the bathroom if I’m not here. I’ll leave it unlocked. Have a nice round.”

Never saw another soul on the course or in the clubhouse. True to form he was nowhere around when I finished. Door was unlocked, so I left the clubs as he suggested. Fastest round I’ve ever played.

It seems like fewer and fewer vehicle models survive generational changes. Nameplates get old and cannot drive sales out the door, so the marketing teams and ad agencies drum up new catchy names with the goal of attracting new buyers. However, on occasion, the power of a nameplate can produce loyalty and lives on to fight another day. This is the case for the ninth incarnation of the 2013 Accord that Honda claims is the more sophisticated, better performing, and better equipped than any other model in the vehicle’s 37-year history.

The launch of the all-new 2013 Accord is arguably one of the largest launches in Honda’s history. Coupled with a fresh new design the Accord is equipped with industry leading features. The Accord has been given a fresh start with a new platform: sheet metal, overall size, engine, transmissions, suspension, interior, electronics and safety equipment. Honda bucked the trend to grow this generation in size as has been the case in past versions. Instead, the exterior length and wheelbase of both the Accord Sedan and Coupe are slightly more compact than the prior generation. With a larger cabin they delivered more trunk space.

The 2013 Honda Accord is available in both sedan and coupe configurations. The sedan comes in five trim levels: LX ($22,470), Sport ($24,180), EX ($25,395), EX-L ($28,785), and Touring ($34,220).The Coupe offers three trims: LX-S ($24,435), EX ($25,815), and EX-L ($28,860). All prices are based on standard engine and transmission packaging.

Standard features on the new Accord include Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink® with audio streaming, USB/iPod® integration, rearview camera, an audio/information screen and an Eco Assist™ driving system. As in previous EX-trim Accords, a choice of fabric or leather seating upholstery is available.
Other standard Accord features include dual-zone climate control, Pandora® internet radio integration, and an SMS text messaging function. Available features include: a hard disc drive (HDD)-based Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™ with Voice Recognition and FM Traffic, and Adaptive Cruise Control. New visibility technologies include an expanded-view driver’s mirror and Honda’s new LaneWatch™ feature – along with available features such as LED headlights, daytime running lights (DRLs) and brake lights.

Honda’s new LaneWatch™ feature is very cool. It is included on Accord EX, EX-L, Touring Sedan models and Accord EX-L Coupe. The LaneWatch™ Blind Spot Display provides an expanded rear view of the passenger side roadway via the audio/information screen. When you turn on your right turn signal, a camera located in the passenger side mirror shoots a running image of the passenger side road view.

The new exterior sheet metal is cut with sculptured lines and creases done with an elegant and powerful effect. To me, it projects the most upscale look of any Accord so far. The 2013 Accord sports a more angular front end and a nice chrome splitter grille. From the profile I see a front that hints at a 3-Series BMW and a rear that resembles a VW Passat.

The interior is clean and full of swooping lines. There is an array of shiny accent features throughout the cockpit. The mid-level EX trim levels come with keyless access and a red push-button start standard. The cloth interior wears faux-leather on the center armrest and doorsills – in an effort to showcase a higher grade of materials.

Power comes from the two Earth Dreams™ powertrains, including an all-new 2.4-liter 4-cylinder with Honda’s first use of direct injection in North America, and a 3.5-liter V-6 with revised VTEC + VCM functions. In early 2013, the Accord lineup will see the first application of a new 2.0-liter 4-cylinder/two-motor plug-in hybrid system in the Accord PHEV Sedan. The Accord 4-cylinder models offer a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that helps the Accord achieve outstanding fuel-efficiency, along with a new fun 6-speed manual transmission on selected models. The Accord’s V-6 engine offers a choice of a new 6-speed automatic or in the V-6 Coupe, a 6-speed manual. The Accord Plug-in Hybrid will feature a new electric coupled CVT.

Room for improvement:

• Ride quality could be improved

Cool Features:

• LaneWatch™ Blind Spot
• HondaLink (found on EX-L and Touring trims) features Internet-enabled apps that can be accessed via your smart phone

The standard safety equipment for all the 2013 Honda Accord includes six airbags (two in front, two in the front seats, and two side curtain airbags that cover the side windows. Other safety features (some are optional) are Honda’s Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Warning, LaneWatch™ Blind Spot Display, Adaptive Cruise Control and Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure.

In Summary – I was impressed with the changes Honda made to the 2013 Accord. The exterior is a step in the right direction; however, I do wish they would push the design envelope a little more. The well-crafted interior fit meets the expectation we have come to expect from Honda. The new Accord takes up less space outside but has a more comfortable cabin, lots of rear legroom, high-tech features, and a larger trunk.

Specifications
2013 Honda Accord 4-door EX Sedan

Base price: $25,405 as driven: $26,195 (including destination)
Engine: 2.4-Liter 4 cylinder
Horsepower: 185 @ 6400
Torque: 162 foot pounds @ 4400
Transmission: Continuously Variable
Drive: Front Wheel-Drive
Seating: 5-passenger
Turning circle: 38.1 feet
Cargo space: 15.8 cubic feet
Curb weight: 3336 pounds
Fuel capacity: 17.2 gallons
EPA mileage: City 27 / Highway 36
Wheel Base: 109.3 inches
Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles bumper to bumper

Also consider: Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Hyundia Sonata, Kia Optima, Nissan Altima, and Toyota Camera

Music and sports — are they compatible? Do they somehow relate to one another or are they completely devoid of any relationship whatsoever? It may surprise a lot of people but music and sports are not mutually incompatible. Although at first glance, they may seem like polar opposites but on close examination they do share some common characteristics.

Many people use music as part of their everyday exercise program at home or at the gym, or sometimes both. Music appears to enhance and encourage – evidence the vast array of exercise videos that are on the market. Most, if not all, use music as the basis of exercise. Listening to music makes your workout easier and more fun!

Students learn many things in the music classroom and on the sports field. They learn to be part of a group with common goals and interests. Paramount in both endeavors is teamwork – working together to produce the best possible results. They also learn the value of hard work, practice and rehearsing, discipline and leadership. Not only are these essential to a successful music or athletic program, but they will carry over to one’s adult life.

“Let’s give students a chance to experience two programs that may seem different but are really extremely similar, as they offer students the chance to excel in so many physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual ways,” wrote Michael Morgan in Tearing Down the Walls between Music and Athletics.

Dr. Costas Karageorghis, of Brunel University, London, England, is a noted sports psychologist and a leading authority on music and exercise. He has done studies that clearly show how athletes that were exposed to synchronous music—music that has a clear and steady beat—elevated their performance by 20%.

Dr. Karageorghis also theorizes there are four main components to the effects of music on an athlete. First, it can distract an athlete from fatigue; second, it can act as a mood altering catalyst; third, it can synchronize an athlete’s rhythm and movement, and finally it can act as a trigger for learning certain motions and aid with muscle memory. “Music is like a legal drug for athletes,” said Dr. Karageorghis. “The rhythmical qualities of music also emulate patterns of physical skills; therefore, music can enhance the acquisition of motor skills and create a better learning environment.”

In a series of interviews of musicians and athletes at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, some interesting anecdotal statements came from the respondents. Tim Ward, one of the head coaches who is also an accomplished musician said, “Both music and athletics require a great deal of concentration and focus especially with the more difficult techniques.”

Matt Hahn, a junior water-polo player, is also a bass player for a worship team. “I would have to say that as I was developing musically I was also developing athletically,” said Hahn. “The number of hours spent to be successful at both playing music and playing a sport are very similar.”  Ward and Hahn both agree that as their musical skills are improving, so are their athletic skills. “Those who were part of music were much better on the sports teams than those I knew who were not involved in music before participating in athletics,” said Hahn.

There is ample evidence from professional sports psychologists and actual musician/athletes that there is a strong correlation between music and athletics. Learned traits outside of sports, such as music, can cross over to sports and enhance athletic performance.

In my years of experience as a teacher at the high school level and professor at universities, I have personally seen students who excel in music often do well at various sports. If you are a music student, a football player, a gymnast, a workout enthusiast or just a walker, music will add life, energy and fun to your activity.

Don’t miss the Danville Community Band’s Annual Dinner Concert at the Blackhawk Country Club on Sunday, February 10, 2013. Contact the Blackhawk Country Club at 925-736-6500 for reservations. Seating is limited.

 

Please submit your questions and comments to banddirector01@comcast.net

Visit our website at www.danvilleband.org for up-to-date information about the Danville Community Band.

 

 

 

While we cannot imagine the intense grief felt by those closest to the victims of the Sandy Hook School shootings, we have all been touched by the horrific event. Our hearts are broken for the families affected, and we all wish there was something we could do for them. Truly, is there anything we can do?

Many of my feelings that Friday morning were the same as those I had on 911. My eyes welled with tears for those innocent children, their parents and loved ones—and then the sadness deepened as I realized things may never be the same for my own family as well. Evil, it seemed, had once again, delivered an ugly blow that bruised all of humanity, turning the world a shade darker—a blow that I could not deflect from impacting those closest to me.

I am sure I am not alone in these feelings — a helplessness of not being able to maintain or restore whatever innocence existed before, and an inability to change the face of reality that appears more hideous with the passage of time.

But then I heard someone say that they “had to believe that something good would come out of this tragedy.” It was only a short time later that a thought occurred to me — a revelation, really — that something good was coming from this terrible event. I wasn’t consciously doing anything different, but I realized I felt different somehow.

Lately, people seem a bit nicer; a bit kinder and a little more positive. It may only be my perception, but maybe other people really are more patient than before. It’s as though our thoughts, prayers and love toward one another has risen closer to the surface—being expressed in a more heartfelt way than before the shootings. If you’re a parent, doesn’t it seem as though your love for your children has intensified? I sense greater compassion and patience, everywhere. Do you feel that way too?

I don’t intend to preach or proselytize, but my faith somehow helps me find meaning and solace in times such as these. Out of the most heinous acts and unbearable loss, God is able to bring peace and healing and a new fullness to life. We are drawn closer to Him and He opens our eyes to see more clearly. We become better able to understand and appreciate each other as we come closer to knowing genuine love for our fellow man.

We can do something for the parents and loved ones of those precious twenty. We can pray and then live in a way that honors them, with greater care for each other. We can make real the words of scripture:

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. –Romans 8:28