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I always savor the gentle change of seasons, but the transition from summer to autumn may be my favorite of all. Crisp mornings, shorter days, and cozy evenings at home rekindle my nesting instinct. The backyard grill enjoys a temporary reprieve while soups and stews simmer in the kitchen. There is a wreath on the front door; a family of big bumpy pumpkins and other winter squash arranged on the porch; and crackling flames flicker in the fireplace. Providing I avoid the glitter-laden department stores already broadcasting carols on a continuous loop, this is also an ideal time to reflect upon the year—both the months that have passed, and the months ahead.

This natural evolution is apparent at the farmers’ market, as well, where the vibrant colors of summer produce are replaced by soft golden hues that mimic the leaves of autumn.

It seems friends gravitate toward each other more than ever this month, as our calendars begin to fill with gatherings of every variety. Halloween holds a special place in my heart, along with plenty of others who refuse to give kids a monopoly on this spooky/fun night.

In the sweet spirit of Halloween—and with more than a passing nod to the upcoming Day of the Dead—consider casting a spell with a deep dark chocolate fondue that’s fragrant with classic Mexican flavors—not the least of which is a devilish kick from chipotle chile. Serve this to your friends and family, and don’t be surprised when boys and ghouls of all ages bypass that platter of pumpkin cupcakes with garish orange frosting.
There is only a ghost of a chance you’ll encounter someone who expresses disappointment when faced with a mini-cauldron of silky chocolate, but an inspired selection of dippers will elevate this fondue to a whole other level. Oh sure, you can serve it with the usual lineup of suspects like banana chunks, pineapple spears, marshmallows, biscotti, donut holes, pretzels, or even warm flour tortillas. But a quick visit to the farmers’ market will give you a bewitching—and dare I add healthy?—roundup of seasonal dippers to assuage any chocolate-covered guilt guests might feel at consuming such an indulgence.

Haunt the farmers’ market and you may come across some late-season strawberries—always an extremely popular choice for dipping. Other sure-fire hits include:

• Wedges of crisp apples and juicy pears (leave the skins on, so guests can spot different varieties)
• Chunks of peeled cantaloupe and honeydew melon
• Kiwi fruit, peeled and cut into thick slices
• Fuyu persimmons, cut into chunky wedges
• Seedless grapes
• Fresh and/or dried figs and mango
• Dried apricots
• Pitted dates
• California almonds and walnuts

If you don’t own a fondue set, just serve this directly from a nice-looking saucepan or a heatproof bowl, and offer bamboo skewers instead of long-handled forks.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Fondue

• 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 cinnamon sticks (each about 3-inches long)*
• 1 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, milk, and cinnamon sticks. Cook over medium-low heat, watching carefully, until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook 5 minutes longer. Carefully remove the cinnamon sticks and discard, or reserve for another use.
2. Gradually add the chocolate to the cinnamon-infused cream mixture and cook, stirring, until melted and smooth. Stir in the espresso powder, chipotle powder, and vanilla and continue cooking over low heat for 1 minute longer. Transfer to a fondue pot and serve warm, not hot. Makes about 3 cups, to serve 8 to 10.

*Cinnamon sticks infuse the cream with a subtle yet distinctive undercurrent of flavor; but if you have none on hand, simply add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon along with the espresso and chile powders.

Adapted from Great Party Fondues by Peggy Fallon (John Wiley & Sons, 2008)
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.

For many of us, pets contribute greatly to our happiness and well-being. Because they are such an important part of our lives, we worry about what would happen if we are hospitalized or otherwise unavailable. 

The most important thing is to make a plan. Consider who might be willing to take your pet. Is that person is capable of the care that your pet requires?  Have a discussion to be sure they are indeed willing to become the pet’s new owner, with all of the responsibilities that go along with pet ownership. You may also wish to have a backup person, should the first person be unable or unwilling to take the pet when the time comes. Another thing to think about: Is there a need to have someone who can take custody of the pet temporarily, if there is travel or other arrangements that need to be made?

Sometimes, there is no one that you can think of who would be willing or able to take your pet. Other local options include the Guardian Program run by the Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF), and the SIDO program run by the San Francisco SPCA. Both have arrangements where they agree to care for a pet temporarily while finding it a new home, and both require advance screening and paperwork prior to making such a commitment.

Once you have decided who is going to take your pet, it is a good idea to put the arrangements in writing. Instructions regarding the ownership of your pet can be done in a Will or a Trust. Often, pet owners will make a gift to the new owner to ease the financial burden on the new owner, informally ensuring that funds are available if needed. If you wish to document the arrangement more formally, California law allows for a Trust to be set up specifically to take care of your pet. Making a plan, and having it in writing ensures that your loving companion gets the care you would desire.

I’m a walking thesaurus and it’s becoming a problem … or is it issue? I do it sitting down too. While someone is talking, I blurt out their last word for them or I’ll throw out a better, more descriptive, illustrative, colorful, eloquent and vivid word to help them out.

But they don’t want my help – wherein lies my problem (and possible speaking restraining orders called peaceful contact). I know what you’re thinking too. Who died and made you Ms. Verbal editor, eh? I can’t help it. It’s not like I’m from New Jersey and talk a-mile-a-minute, but it seems everyone around me (here in California) talks very slow, like I’m in a dream. 

It’s they who come up with the worst words to describe their experiences. Or they do that long minute, minute-and-a-half pause with the annoying “um” to go with it. This type of communication just screams inside my head with, “Charleen, help him out quick, what’s the word he’s wanting to use right now?” It’s not me, it’s them, I convince myself.

If they’d just be more accurate in conveying their messages, I wouldn’t have to jump in and save their verbal-communication-day with an amazingly precise and scrupulous word.

Not trying to toot my own vernacular horn, but you’d think they’d be thanking me. Instead they roll their eyes, grunt, reluctantly repeat my word with disdainful resolve, or (and this one hurts) ask me to let them finish their own sentence pleeease. It happened today. When I get that type of “shush,” I realize I have a dilemma and things are getting way out of control. Is there an AA program for this? Hi, my name is Charleen and I’m a sentence-finisher. Welcome Charleen!

Only I’m not welcome. People around me would rather polish off their sentence with the most tedious, dreary, unexciting, wearisome, humdrum, uninspiring, un-thoughtful, non-descriptive, mind-numbing, inaccurate, lackluster word they can muster. And they’re perfectly happy with it too, borderline proud. Seriously?

So I muster a silent prayer. Forgive them Father, for they know not what better word to use. I also pray (heavily) that those around them will somehow miraculously understand the message conveyed. They usually do.

So it is me. Ultimately, I’m learning to keep my mouth shut; to speak and let speak; and to toss out my internal thesaurus while others are talking … or is it yapping?

Transitioning your closet from summer to fall can be a daunting task, especially if your wardrobe is extensive. However, this project doesn’t have to overwhelm if you follow three easy steps:

Step One: Prep Your Closet / Take InventoryIf you have the space in your home to move off-season clothing to a separate closet, now is the time. If you don’t have a separate closet, then simply move things to the back of your closet or on a high shelf…out of your daily sightline. As you’re packing up your shorts, tank tops and sundresses, separate what you didn’t wear this summer from the pieces you wore regularly. If the weather never got hot enough for that linen dress, revisit it next year. Write reminder notes to yourself: which items are keepers for next summer and which should “go.” Any clothes you’ve outgrown (literally or style-wise) can be consigned, so hold on to them until February or March. Donations can be taken directly to your favorite charity anytime.

Now your full attention is on your fall wardrobe. Take the time to try everything on, and look at it with a critical eye. Look for moth holes and decide to either repair or toss. Examine skirt/slack lengths and sleeves. Take clothes that need alterations to the tailor. Keep only what you love, what you intend to wear, and consider new ways to wear them.

Step Two: Research the TrendsThe September issues of fashion magazines have hundreds of pages of fall trends to choose from. What inspires you? More importantly, what are you going to steer clear of? Some trends are recurring. Animal prints are a fall staple, but this year it’s more than a basic tan/brown/black leopard print. New and exciting variations include faux fur vests and snake print accessories that can take a simple outfit out for a walk on the wild side.

Other trends for Fall 2011 include:

Color blocking (photo 1), spice colors (photo 2), brights, capes and ponchos (photo 3), menswear inspired, high-waist and flare jeans, lace, longer skirt/dress lengths, winter maxi dresses, silky blouses that tie at the neck, tweeds and plaids (photo 4), chunky knits and Navajo-inspired patterns (photo 5), high-heeled loafers and desert boots (photo 6).

 

Make a list of the trends that “speak” to you, then keep an eye out for them on your shopping trips. Great looks can be found any price point; I bought a fabulous brown maxi shirtdress at a discount store in August for $49.99! I’ll pair it with an animal print wide belt ($24.99) and my (leftover from last year) brown suede pumps for a super-trendy ensemble for a dinner date or a casual work event.

Step Three: Review Your CalendarBe aware of the events you’ll be attending (social functions, conventions/business trips and vacations), early in the season so you avoid “panic mode” shopping. This crazed, last minute (usually the day of an event) excursion usually results in an outfit that is “fine” at best. Know the schedule, so you can look and feel your best.

Finally, organizing your wardrobe takes effort. If you manage it seasonally, it won’t overwhelm you, and you’ll have outfits you love ready to wear to for any occasion for years to come.

If you have a style question, email Carolyn at Carolyn@C2Style.com, and she may answer it in an upcoming Alive article.

Note: Keep what you love and donate or consign the rest. Consignment stores are plentiful up and down the 680 corridor. Find one in your neighborhood, and “recycle” the items that are in good condition and current in style, but are just no longer “you.” Great clothes can be found at consignment stores. Remember, it’s not new, but it’s new to you.

Keep from previous seasons: Animal print.

Q. Why do my established junipers continue to die? The dieback starts slowly with an individual branch and then the entire plant goes.

A. There are two possible causes for junipers to slowly decline and then die. The primary cause has been root rot from excessive water during the summer months and/or soil erosion. Soil erosion is especially a problem with those plants planted on a slope. These plants end up being buried deeper than was originally intended. They die with no apparent pattern, one here and then one over there. It’s most apparent June through October. It could be a branch or section or the entire plant that collapses over night. An early sign of problems is the change in the color of the plant(s), as the normal color dulls. Established junipers are drought tolerant and survive most summers with little summer water assuming we have a typical rainy season. Once every three to four weeks is sufficient once the rainy season concludes. Correcting root rot problems requires patience. Wet winters and summers are not beneficial. Good water management practices and removing the excess soil, are the primary corrective methods, however it doesn’t occur overnight. It can take months before the plants stop dying and for the turn around to begin.

A second possible cause of the dieback is Flatheaded Borers. Flatheaded Borers are some of the most common woodborers in the United States and Canada. There are more than one hundred and fifty species. Until recently, we were only concern with them on deciduous fruit trees. Today, they’re a problem on junipers, arborvitaes, other conifers and cotoneasters. The name is associated with the larva that does the damage. They have a long segmented body with an over size head or prothorax that is flat. With junipers, the damage starts out on an individual branch or branches before spreading throughout the entire plant.

What separates this problem from root rot is that the trail of dead plants is in a predictable pattern. Another distinguishing characteristic is that the damage continues to show up during the early winter, which is not the case with root rot. Flatheaded Borers tunnel extensively in the shallow, cambial tissue. This feeding so near the bark’s surface makes damage more evident, revealed in mushy wood and clumped sawdust-like brown frass. If you carefully scrape off the outer layers of the wound with a knife, you’ll discover the grub concealed within. Larger larvae can also be found deeper within the stem as they prepare to over winter. In the spring, weeping of sap near damage and emergence holes of the adults can be seen on junipers. Flathead Borers is much easier to control than rot root. Bayer and Bonide both have liquid, systemic tree and shrub insect controls. They are conveniently applied to the roots so there is no need to spray. The biggest plus for these systemic insecticides is that one application last twelve months.

Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is similar to its counterpart, Golfer’s elbow. The primary differences between these conditions are the location of the pain and the activity that leads to injury. However, both conditions are caused by overuse of the muscles and tendons of the forearm, leading to inflammation and pain around the elbow joint, commonly called tendonitis. Tennis is one common cause of tendonitis, but many other sports and work related activities can cause the same problem.

The cause of tennis elbow can vary from a single violent action (acute injury) to, more commonly, a repetitive stress injury where an action is performed repeatedly and pain gradually develops.  In an acute injury of the elbow, inflammation occurs without substantial tissue damage. However, in a repetitive stress situation a person may experience damage to the tendon and surrounding soft tissue causing tissue degeneration over time. Inflammation from acute injury often responds quickly to rest and anti-inflammatory treatment. However, if the injury is due to tendon tissue degeneration, treatment will be longer and will be focused on improving the strength of the tendon as well as rebuilding tissues.

Tennis Elbow Symptoms

With tennis elbow the pain is on the outside of the elbow and may radiate down the forearm into the wrist.  It can be common to have pain and/or weakness when turning a door knob, holding a coffee cup or shaking hands.

Treatment for Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow does not usually cause any long-term disability. However, the condition may become stubborn and proper rehabilitation will help alleviate the symptoms and get you back to life again.

Rest and Reduce Inflammation: The first step a person should take if tendinitis is suspected is to stop the activities that cause the pain and inflammation. Use a topical cream containing Arnica to begin to reduce the inflammatory process quickly.

Laser Therapy to Heal the Damaged Tissue:  Ending the pain caused by tennis elbow requires healing the damaged tissue. Class IV laser therapy is an excellent method for this, because it is presently the only form of therapy that can both reduce inflammation and heal tissue simultaneously. Laser treatments at Align Healing Center are done with the K-laser 1200 a Class IV Laser.  This laser does not cut or burn but is gently absorbed by the tissue.  During Laser Therapy the infrared laser light interacts with tissues at the cellular level, increasing metabolic activity and improving the transport of nutrients across the cell membrane. This initiates the production of cellular energy (ATP) that leads to a cascade of beneficial effects, increasing cellular function and health. This creates an optimal healing environment that reduces inflammation, swelling, muscle spasms, stiffness, scar tissue and pain.

Correct the Mechanics of Motion:  Assessing the forearm, elbow, shoulder and spine for proper postural feedback is done to diagnose and correct improper alignment. After proper alignment is restored, specific muscular taping is applied to improve circulation and insure proper motion on a daily basis. Lastly, specific strengthening and stretching exercises are given. By strengthening the muscles and tendons involved with tennis elbow, you can prevent the problem from returning.

At Align Healing Center we are having great success not only treating tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow, but also treating plantar fasciitis, sciatica, shoulder and neck pain, migraines, arthritis, carpal tunnel, post surgical pain, sports injuries and more; even long-term residual pain. Ar­thritis and degenerative disc disease sufferers can see long term benefits from this treatment without any of the negative side effects experienced with the long term use of medications.

 

 Dr. Niele Maimone, DC is the owner and founder of Align Healing Center in Danville, CA. She has been active in our natural health & wellness community since 1999. For more information or to set up a consult call 925.362.8283 or visit www.alignhealingcenter.com.

 

 

 

The Man Who Will Come is a film of potent and disturbing contrasts—the breathtaking beauty of the Italian countryside and the innocence of childhood, set against unfathomable evil and the darkness of the human soul that is often brought to life in war.

It is a tale created to depict an historical incident—a massacre of innocent civilians—that occurred during the later stages of World War II, in a mountain village near the Italian City of Bologna. Known as the Massacre of Mazabotto, it was a heinous war crime of particular brutality, in that of the over 700 people murdered, many were women, the elderly and children.

The film’s Director and Writer, Giorgio Diritti, adeptly captures the innocence, earthiness and simplicity of a people who, although apparently struggling for basic needs, seem set apart from the rest of the world’s troubles. The portrayal of the basic day-to-day peasant’s existence seems somehow appealing and comfortable at first. But this all changes.

The film is recounted primarily through the eyes of a young girl, Martina (Greta Zuccheri Montanari), who does not speak. The story gradually unfolds as Martina’s mother, Lena (Maya Sansa), is expecting another child.

The surrounding conflict that rages in the rest of the world is presented by mere hints at first, as we learn of the increasing bombing of the neighboring city of Bologna, and are introduced to a band of local underground resistance fighters, opposed to the Italian Fascists and their Nazi allies.

Martina has no understanding of who these foreign soldiers are or why they occasionally visit their village, buying eggs, wine and bread. “Why aren’t they at home with their own children?” she muses. Diritti masterfully blends scenes in ways that captivate, drawing you in through the eyes of a child. In one scene, Martina awakens in the middle of the night to a soft, distant sound of an airplane passing, high above. She peers out the window to witness the silent, ethereal fall of parachutes. The scene has a surreal quality that is altogether beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

The audience’s exposure to and realization of impending horror increases along with Martina’s. Stark, graphic reality assaults the audience just as it destroys the young girls’ last remnant of innocence, as she witnesses a captured Nazi soldier, forced to dig his own grave, then coldly executed.      

The intensity of the film progresses, as the rebels’ agitations cause the Nazi intruders to over-react, eventually striking out with the mass murder of the innocent villagers. Martina becomes the conduit of hope for humanity, as she saves her infant brother from the tragedy. It is the infant child who will be the Man Who Will Come, as his life represents the survival of their people and a future of peace.                    

The film is extraordinary in its realistic portrayal of how common people, with no apparent political interest or ambition, are easily snared in the carelessly constructed, destructive webs of war, only to have their lives senselessly destroyed. Because of its historical context, the film well serves in reminding us that the kind of brutality and moral vacuum that permitted the atrocities we see in the The Man Who Will Come, are still very real and, unfortunately, the case, in many parts of our world today.     

 

 

It was appropriate that our nation collectively recognized the tenth anniversary of the September 11^th tragedy. The official dedication of the Ground Zero Memorial and the many ceremonies that paid homage were befitting as well. It is important that the date of September 11 always be a date of remembrance.

Yet, this is now October—so why are we running a story related to September 11^th in this issue of ALIVE?

The answer lies in the fact that while 9/11 was a horrendous and tragic event, for most of us, it was just that — an event; one that can be properly observed, once a year, to then be forgotten for another year. We are able to suppress, delay or “compartmentalize” the mixed feelings of anger, fear, and heartbreak that that terrible day evokes, for those of us old enough to remember it.

But what of the families of the victims? What about the first responders who were there, who witnessed 9/11—who performed and served under the most dreadful of circumstances? Men and women who lost close friends and co-workers. For these, 9/11 marks a date in time with an entirely different meaning.

We are honored to include in this issue, in an exclusive story by Anita Venezia (page 16), the eye-witness account of retired New York Fireman, Sean Hickey, who was one of the first firefighters on the scene when the World Trade Center buildings collapsed. His job, at the time, was intended to be search and rescue, but as you will discover, it sadly became something else.

Our message is simple—we must never forget that for the victims and first responder of 9/11, the wounds are real. While all of us were affected in some way, those who lived through it will carry the scars, every day, for the rest of their lives.

Thank you, Sean Hickey, and thanks to your fellow first responders. We pledge to you that the price you paid to serve us all will, truly, never be forgotten.