2 California & N. Nevada

THE COUNTRY REGISTER, Months of April-May 2020.THE COUNTRY REGISTER is published every other month. Copyright 2020.Reproduction or use, without permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited by law. 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085. Subscription price: 1 Year, 6 Issues, $18.00. Single copies: $3.00. The paper is furnished free to the customers at each advertiser.THE COUNTRY REGISTER is registered as a business trade name and also a trademark in the State of Arizona.

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Send $3 to any publisher below to obtain a paper from another area:* Indicates these editions are available on-line at www.countryregister.comUSA* Arizona: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950 * Arkansas: Lenda & Richard Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, phone/fax 405-470-2597 * California and N. Nevada: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950 Colorado: Jan & John Keller, 16755 Oak Brush Loop, Peyton, CO, 80831, 719-749-9797* Connecticut: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217* Delaware: Merle and Gail Taylor, P.O. Box 1330, Powell, OH 43065, 888-616-8319* Florida: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217* Georgia: Linda Parish, P.O. Box 389, Lexington, GA, 30648, 706-340-1049* Idaho (N): Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717 605-568-0181* Idaho (S) WA & E. OR: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950* Illinois: Lenda & Richard Brown,, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, phone/fax 405-470-2597 * Indiana: Merle and Gail Taylor, P.O. Box 1330, Powell, OH 43065, 888-616-8319 Iowa: Linda Glendy, P.O. Box 6, Tama, IA 52339, 641-751-2619* Kansas: Cindy Baldwin, 988 9th Ave., McPherson, KS 67460, 866-966-9815* Maine: Deborah Daney, 660 Country Club Rd., Sanford, Maine 04073, 207-324-7482* Maryland: Stacy Lute, P.O. Box 115, Taneytown, MD 21787, 443-909-0531* Massachusetts-RI: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217 Michigan: Bill and Marlene Howell, 3790 Manistee, Saginaw, MI, 48603-3143, 989-793-4211 * Minnesota: Kim & Mickey Keller, 12835 Kiska St. NE, Blaine, MN, 55449, 763-754-1661* Missouri: Lenda & Richard Brown,, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, phone/fax 405-470-2597 * Montana: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717 605-568-0181* Nebraska: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950* Nevada (N): Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950* Nevada (S): Glena Dunn, 4568 Carol Circle, Las Vegas, NV, 89120, 702-523-1803 New Hampshire: Deborah Daney, 660 Country Club Rd., Sanford, Maine 04073, 207-324-7482* New Jersey: Merle and Gail Taylor, P.O. Box 1330, Powell, OH 43065, 888-616-8319 New Mexico: Jan & John Keller, 16755 Oak Brush Loop, Peyton, CO, 80831, 719-749-9797* New York: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217* N. Carolina: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950* North Dakota: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717 605-568-0181 * Ohio: Barb Moore, P. O. Box 37, Cable, OH, 43009, 937-652-1157* Oklahoma: Lenda & Richard Brown,, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, phone/fax 405-470-2597 * Oregon: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950* Pennsylvania: Merle and Gail Taylor, P.O. Box 1330, Powell, OH 43065, 888-616-8319* Rhode Island: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217 * S. Carolina: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950* South Dakota: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717 605-568-0181* Texas: Lenda & Richard Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, phone/fax 405-470-2597 Vermont: Deborah Daney, 660 Country Club Rd., Sanford, Maine 04073, 207-324-7482* Virginia: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217* Washington & E. OR & S. ID: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950* West Virginia: Merle and Gail Taylor, P.O. Box 1330, Powell, OH 43065, 888-616-8319* Wisconsin: Scott & Jennifer Hughes, P. O. Box 276, Altoona, WI, 54720, 715-838-9426 * Wyoming: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717 605-568-0181

CANADA* Alberta: Ruth Burke, P.O. Box 97, Heisler, AB, T0B2A0, (780) 889-3776 British Columbia: Jenifer Smith, Box 1338, Summerland, BC, V0H 1Z0, 800-784-6711* Manitoba & Saskatchewan: Scott & Marj Kearns, Box 850, Kipling, SK, S0G 2S0, 306-736-2441* Ontario: Harriet Ramos, 115-1803 St. Joseph Blvd. Orleans, ON K1C 6E7, 613-424-6420

Index for April-May 2020Special Events .......................................................... 3-5, 8, 10-12 Santa Clarita • Lancaster ...........................................................3Services ........................................................................3, 6, 9, 11Santa Ana • Tustin • Buena Park .................................................4Orange ......................................................................................5Yucaipa • Yucca Valley ...............................................................6Fresno .......................................................................................7Visalia • Reedley • Anderson • Roseville ....................................8San Mateo • San Jose .................................................................9Classified ..................................................................................9Nevada .................................................................................... 10Washington ........................................................................ 10-12

April-May 2020 3Santa Clarita • Lancaster • Special Events • Services

A Spring Fling Par-TEAAfter winter’s chill, it’s time to spring into the warmth of a new season. With chicks

hatching, bunnies hopping and daffodils blooming, let’s celebrate the new life around us with a Spring Fling tea party. You could plan your par-TEA around one of these spring holidays: St Patrick’s Day, Easter, Cinco de May or Mother’s Day.

Colors of SpringWhatever the occasion for your Spring Fling, colorful flowers add beauty to your

tea table. You’ll find many choices among the blooming bulbs and budding trees. My friend Barbara likes to include pussy willows in her spring decor.

I often group primroses in a basket for a showy table centerpiece. After we finish our tea, I send each guest home with a potted primrose. Tulips and/or daffodils also make cheerful bouquets. Years ago, I planted perky daffodils in my front yard and named them “Claradils” after my first granddaughter, Clara. Sunny daffodils make me smile as I think of her.

Themes and MenusAfter you choose the occasion for your Spring

Fling, plan a menu to go with it. My cookbook, In the Kitchen with Grandma, includes themes and menu suggestions for holidays in each season. Here are a few ideas for spring:

St. Patrick’s Day: Host a green cuisine par-TEA with green tea, 7-UP Shamrock Biscuits tinted green, cobb salad with mixed greens, and key-lime pudding. Since my preschool grandson Peter loved my baked custard, I was sure he would love key-lime pudding. He took one bite, shuddered and said, “Grandma, it’s too green for me!” That recipe didn’t make the cut even though adults often like the flavor. My husband caught on fast. Whenever I served green veggies he didn’t like, he

would say, “Grandma, it’s too green for me!”

Easter: Consider serving each guest’s food in a basket. You’ll find inexpensive ones at the Dollar Store. Include some of the food in plastic Easter eggs with items such as small carrots, grapes and Easter candy. Children especially enjoy this. An easy, delicious sandwich is Ham and Swiss Cheese Melts (recipe included). Sparkling cider and fruit-flavored herbal tea could round out the menu.

Cinco de Mayo: How about offering a taste of Mexico for your Spring Fling? Serve your favorite Mexican foods or check out these recipes in my cookbook: Sombrero Skillet Pie, Mexican Veggie Flag, Cinnamon Chips, Fiesta Fruit Salsa, and Apple Enchiladas.

Mother’s Day: Mothers love a break from cooking. Try serving brunch with quiche, bacon knots, fresh fruit, a tasty pastry or dessert and a Chai latte. Prepare her favorite beverage even if it’s not tea.

Of course, you don’t need a special occasion or holiday to plan a Spring Fling for your family or friends. You can simply gather to celebrate sunshine, friendship and new life.

Delivering Spring SurprisesI enjoy hosting a Spring Fling at home but sometimes it’s fun to deliver a spring

surprise to someone.For St. Patrick’s Day, line a basket with a green napkin or tissue paper and include a

shamrock plant, pretty napkins and cupcakes or muffins decorated with shamrocks made from green gumdrops. Add a few green teabags as well.

If you’re delivering an Easter surprise, use a basket with a handle and add shredded grass. Fill it with a box of tea, a package of cookies or hot cross buns and a few Easter candies.

For Mother’s Day, line a basket with a pretty tea towel and add flowers, fancy chocolates, strawberry-chocolate tea and a homemade treat. (Consider Hugs and Kisses for Mom from my cookbook.)

Since spring lasts for three months, there’s time for more than one Spring Fling. The

Daffodil bouquet

Basket of Ham and Swiss Cheese Melts

Continued on page 4...

Free Needle Travel Guide Giveaway

The Country Register is giving away a free copy of the 2020 Needle Travel Guide book to one lucky reader. Send an email to california@barlomedia.com and put Needle Travel Guide in the subject line. Be sure to include your name, address, phone number and where you pick up your copy of The California Country Register. You can also send a note or postcard to: The California Country Register, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085.

The drawing will be held on May 1 and the winners will be sent a copy of the book in the mail and announced in the June-July issue.

2020 Show Cancelled - Watch for New 2021 Dates

4 California & N. NevadaSanta Ana • Tustin • Buena Park • Special Events

Enter to Win a $25 Gift Certificate

The Country Register has a giftfor one of our lucky readers! We are giving away one $25 gift certificate to be spent at a local advertising shop. Use it to go shopping at your favorite Country Register advertiser.

The drawing will be held on May 1st and the winner will be announced in our June-July issue. The gift certificate will be mailed to the winner.

Entry Deadline is May 1st, 2020(Names are not sold, given away or used for any other purpose.)

Drawing Entry FormName ________________________________________ Phone_________________________________________Address __________________________________________________________City, State & Zip ___________________________________________________E-mail address: ____________________________________________________Name of my favorite Country Register advertiser is: _________________________________________________________________

Tell us what makes this advertiser your favorite: ____________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________To enter, complete this form and mail to:

The Country Register, 515 E. Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085(Photocopy of form is fine. Be sure to answer all questions.)

Or email the information to: california@barlomedia.com and put “Gift Certificate” in the subject line.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxPlease tell us about a local California or Northern Nevada event, quilt shop, antique store, gift shop, etc that you would like to see advertising in The Country Register:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________We welcome your comments and/or suggestions about The Country Register. Include a note with your drawing entry, send us an email or give us a call at 1-888-942-8950. We enjoy hearing from our readers!

more the merrier. Let’s turn the chill of winter into the thrill of spring and celebrate the beauty and new life with a Par-TEA—or two or three!

Lydia E. Harris holds a masters in home economics and has been writing this tea column for twenty years. No wonder her five grandkids call her “Grandma Tea.” She is the author of Preparing My Heart for Grandparenting and In the Kitchen with Grandma: Stirring Up Tasty Memories Together. Her books are available at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com and Christianbook.com.

From Lydia’s Recipe File: Ham and Swiss Cheese MeltsTaken from In the Kitchen with Grandma, page 15. These are easy to make and

yummy to eat. Our family feels as if we’re having a feast when we eat these.Prep time: 20 minutesBaking time: 20 minutesGluten-free option: Make with gluten-free bread or rolls.Gather:12 Hawaiian sweet rolls (small dinner-size rolls)1/2 lb. ham, thin-sliced6 slices Swiss cheese1/3 cup butter, melted3/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce3/4 tsp. Dijon mustard1 tsp. minced dried onion Make:1. Preheat the oven to 350°.2. Slice the rolls in half horizontally.3. Cut each slice of cheese into four squares, and put two squares into each roll.4. Fold slices of ham into layers and place one folded slice inside each roll.5. Place the buns in an ungreased 9 x 13-inch baking pan.6. In a saucepan, combine and heat the butter, Worcestershire sauce and mustard.

Stir them until well blended. Then add the dried onion. Spoon some of the mixture over each bun.

7. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the rolls are browned and the cheese is melted. Remove the pan of rolls from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Enjoy these melts while they are still warm. Refrigerate the leftovers. They also taste delicious cold or reheated.

Makes 6 servings with two buns per person.Tip: You can make the melts the day before, cover them with foil and refrigerate

them. When you’re ready to bake them, remove the foil and bake. It’s easy to double this recipe and make more warm, yummy sandwiches.

Garden Grove Strawberry Festival Rescheduled for Memorial Day Weekend 2021

62nd Annual Garden Grove Strawberry Festival is rescheduled for Memorial Day Weekend, May 28 – 31, 2021 in Garden Grove, CA. Strawberry 5K Stomp Presented by Sister City Association of Garden Grove Cancels Event Slated for May 23, 2020

Information about next year’s Garden Grove Strawberry Festival will be announced soon. For updates, please visit the website, www.strawberryfestival.org

Continue the conversation with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pintrest. Additionally, the Sister City Association of Garden Grove has announced its 7th Annual Strawberry Stomp 5K, originally scheduled for Saturday, May 23, 2020, will be cancelled. The Sister City Association of Garden Grove is a local non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the knowledge and understanding between the people of Garden Grove and Anyang, South Korea. For updates on whether the race will take place at a later date, visit www.ggsistercity.org

A Cup of Tea, continued from page 3...

Postponed – Watch for New 2021 Dates

April-May 2020 5Orange • Special Events

California Quilting Events April – May 2020

Pine Tree Quilt Guild presents Springtime in the Pines Quilt ShowMay 2 & 3, 10am – 4pm • Admission: $8 or $12 for 2-day pass

Nevada County Fairgrounds, 11228 McCourtney Rd, Grass ValleyFor more information visit: https//pinetreequiltguild.com/

Central Coast Quilt Shop Tour • May 29-3110 Participating Quilt Shops:

The Creation Station & Quilt Shop, Buellton • The Cotton Ball, Morro BayGrant House Sewing & Machines, Santa Barbara • Old Town Quilt Shop, Orcutt

Picking Daisies, Paso Robles • Quilter’s Cupboard, AtascaderoThe Quiltery, Paso Robles • Roxanne’s A Wish and A Dream, Carpinteria

Sew Fun, Atascadero • Superbuzzy, VenturaFor more information visit: quiltshopsofthecentralcoast.com

KISSed QuiltsSpring Has Sprung!

by Marlene OddieIn our local town we have two beautiful dogwood trees that intertwine, each with a

different color of bloom so it actually looks like one tree with two colors of blooms. They are so beautiful. When I originally finished this quilt, I quickly went to photograph the quilt in the midst of the trees.

This turned out to be a bit more of a challenge as the wind came up and the blooms on the tree were at the top of the quilt so I really needed a drone shot! As I was shooting by myself, I hung the quilt using a photography background stand and would run around to the front to attempt to get the shot before the wind would try to blow it over. Fortunately, I’m able to share this one with you.

Do you have special spots in your town with concentrations of color? I hope you get to enjoy them in the great outdoors in this beautiful spring weather. Maybe an inspired adventure on Mother’s Day to mark the occasion.

This Island Batik collection of fabric called “Smooch” seemed like just the palette of colors to use my fat quarter friendly quilt design “City Windows” and create a fresh spring quilt. Check your local quilt shops for this collection that is arriving now.

My pattern “City Windows” is available on my website digitally or you can order it to be mailed. There are 11 size configurations and instructions to accommodate 6 to 30 fat quarters. Check my Facebook page for the ‘Autumn’ version. Let me know by May 30, 2020, what collection you would make this in to be entered for a free pattern.

Marlene Oddie (marlene@kissedquilts.com) is an engineer by education, project manager by profession and now a quilter by passion in Grand Coulee, WA, at her quilt shop, KISSed Quilts. She enjoys long-arm quilting on her Gammill Optimum Plus, but especially enjoys designing quilts and assisting in the creation of a meaningful treasure for the recipient. Patterns, kits and fabric are available at http://www.kissedquilts.com. Follow Marlene’s adventures via http://www.facebook.com/kissedquilts, http://kissedquilts.blogspot.com, instagram marlene.kissedquilts and pinterest marleneoddie.

New Book

Lisa Wingate Releases Latest NovelFrom the New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were

Yours comes a new novel inspired by little-known historical events. The Book of Lost Friends is the dramatic story of three young women on a journey in search of family amidst the destruction of the post-Civil War South and of a modern-day teacher who rediscovers their story and its vital connection to her own students’ lives.

In her distinctive voice, Lisa Wingate brings to life startling stories from actual “Lost Friends” advertisements that appeared in Southern newspapers after the Civil War as freed slaves desperately searched for loved ones who had been sold off.

Louisiana, 1875: In the tumultuous aftermath of Reconstruction, three young women set off as unwilling companions on a perilous quest: Lavinia, the pampered heir to a now-destitute plantation; Juneau Jane, her illegitimate free-born Creole half-sister; and Hannie, Lavinia’s former slave. Each carries private wounds and powerful secrets as they head for Texas following dangerous roads rife with ruthless vigilantes and soldiers still fighting a war lost a decade before. For Lavinia and Juneau Jane, the journey is one of inheritance and financial desperation. But for Hannie, torn from her mother and eight siblings before slavery’s end, the pilgrimage westward reignites an agonizing question: Could her long-lost family still be out there? Beyond the swamps lie the seemingly limitless frontiers of Texas and, improbably, hope.

Louisiana, 1987: For first-year teacher Benedetta Silva, a subsidized job at a poor rural school seems like the ticket to canceling her hefty student debt–until she lands in a tiny, out-of-step Mississippi River town. Augustine, Louisiana, seems suspicious of new ideas and new people and Benny can scarcely comprehend the lives of her poverty-stricken students. But amid the gnarled live oaks and run-down plantation homes lies the century-old history of three young women, a long-ago journey and a hidden book that could change everything.

Coming April 7, The Book of Lost Friends can be purchased online at many retailers plus it has been contracted for editions in the United Kingdom and several other countries.

An award winning author, Lisa Wingate has penned over thirty novels and coauthored a nonfiction book, Before and

After with Judy Christie. It has been said of her, “Lisa Wingate is, quite simply, a master storyteller.” She lives with her husband in North Texas. More information about Lisa and her novels can be found at www.lisawingate.com where you can also sign up for her e-newsletter and follow her on social media. Lisa will be touring for The Book of Lost Friends. To see if she is coming to your area, check https://lisawingate.com/appearances/.

Win a Copy of The Book of Lost FriendsEnter the drawing to win a free copy of The Book of Lost Friends by sending an email

to California@barlomedia.com and put “The Book of Lost Friends” in the subject line. Be sure to include your name, address and phone number. You can also send a note or postcard to: The Country Register, 515 E. Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085.

The drawing will be held on May 1st and the winner will be sent a copy of the book and announced in the June-July issue.

6 California & N. NevadaYucaipa • Yucca Valley • Services

Giveaway Winner from February-March IssueWe have one giveaway winner from our last issue.Sharon Junell from Hanford will receive a $25 Gift Certificate to be spent at her

favorite Country Register advertiser, Kiki’s Quilt Shack in Fresno. Sharon told this shop is her favorite advertiser because, “At Kiki’s I always find knowledgeable, friendly & helpful staff, fair pricing, excellent educational classes & a service department on site.”

We love to hear from our readers about how they enjoy The Country Register and use it to hunt for special finds. In this issue we have LOTS to giveaway, there is another $25 Gift Certificate, two book giveaways and Knotts Berry Farm tickets so be sure to enter and tell us where you pick up the newspaper. Also, be sure to take a copy with you when you travel around California and Northern Nevada this spring!

Building Harmony

Springtime in Harmonyby Jeff Cappis

Nature sure has its cycles. As is apt to happen, springtime rolled around to Harmony Acres once again. We survived another winter and managed not to lose the ends of our noses to frostbite. Even the dog managed to get through it without freezing any of his “bits” to a snow bank.

We love the spring. In spring, the air is warm, the snow is becoming a memory and the forest is sprouting a lush green. The odorless winter gives way to the smells of life and thawing manure. Trees sprout leaves, butterflies come out from their cocoons and so does my wife Cathy.

I’m not saying she sprouts big wings with antenna and gets all colorful. That’s just when she transitions from the inside of the house to the outside. Now, you can’t expect to bundle up that amount of energy in 1400 square feet of house for five months. Bad idea. She builds up to detonation and we all want to get her to a safe distance outside before she goes off. There, at least, nature can absorb the blast.

She’s got the inside of the house in order. In spring, she gets to burst outside and set the rest of our world straight and she gets right to work.

The deck furniture is laid out comfortably on our deck, overlooking our crystal clear pond and fountains before a backdrop of evergreens. Vines and other plants drape over our two-tier retaining wall at the end to the water below where the wild life stop by to peacefully drink in the shade.

The lawns are lush, green, trimmed, edged and framed with graveled pathways that are always graded and free of weeds. The rock walls are clean and free of debris. The planters throughout the property are full of flowers and even the bushes surrounding our park are trimmed. She keeps the forest clean, too.

Think I’m bragging? You’re right. She is amazing. I’m just a poor writer who still has to go work every day for a living. But if she calls what she does “retirement,” then it sounds easier to just keep going to work. As a matter of fact, I am beginning to fear retirement just a little bit. I’m not sure I’ll have the energy for it.

She keeps the place so perfect that the squirrels clean up after themselves (they’d better!) and the wind only blows branches onto our neighbors’ properties.

Speaking of neighbors, I heard that Cathy caught one of our neighbor’s dogs tracking muddy paw prints across our deck. She told me she chased him off. We haven’t seen him since. Nobody has. I’ve even seen deer and moose wipe their feet before entering the property. I’m not kidding.

One day, a couple of rather large moose were nibbling on a couple of Cathy’s bushes. She told me she just confronted them with a calm but rather insane kind of voice and said, “What do you think you’re doing?” She said the moose respectfully backed away and left. We haven’t seen them since. Nobody has.

And so it goes through the summer for Cathy. She works hard but she also takes the time to enjoy her creation. I’ve always felt in a way like it is her art. A grand 14-acre sculpture—or maybe she’s creating our Xanadu. Whatever the reason, she does it well and we love it.

When the summer comes to a close, she begins to pack everything up and prepare for winter where once again she retreats to her 1400 square foot cocoon and waits to blossom again in the spring. As with nature and the seasons, Cathy has her cycles too and they both work beautifully together. Those are a few of the reasons we live here.

© 2002 Jeff Cappis. You can email Jeff at jcappis@telus.net.

A Cup of Tea Isn’t ‘Just a Cup of Tea’by Lady Kelly

A cup of tea is a meditation, a ceremony, a calming of the soul. To prepare a cup of tea is a ritual when done with intention. Choose the tea you will enjoy from both a flavor and a health perspective and prepare it with love.

Begin the journey by choosing a premium loose leaf tea that is healthier and more flavorful. Next select a mug or cup that feels special in your hands, set a strainer or DIY teabag in place and add the amount of tea leaves that will give you the flavor you enjoy. Add the water and let it steep to its perfect flavor. Savor.

When I pick up one of my special mugs, it signals my mind to slow down, stop multitasking and prepare to enjoy a period of time when I can totally focus on the experience of choosing, preparing, steeping and enjoying sipping a cup of tea.

If I want to slow down and stop my frantic day and my frantic mind, I stop and prepare a cup of tea. I can simply enjoy drinking the tea silently, looking at nature, closing my eyes, or it can be the companion to my time reading a book, enjoying a treat or chatting with a friend.

For me, my cup of tea is a meditation. A meditation that I treat myself to several times every day. I deserve it. I know it’s good for my health, physically and mentally, and for my soul. I take the time to choose a tea that my body needs at that time, properly prepare the tea, inhale the aroma, look at the tea leaves and sip the tea, holding it in my mouth for a few seconds to thoroughly enjoy the moment.

It may be a small thing to some, but to me it’s caring for myself. Something I need and deserve. It helps my mind become clearer and more alert, my body to heal and have more energy and it requires just a few moments to accomplish all that.

Cheers to a cuppa!Lady Kelly is the owner of The Confection Cottage Bakery & Tea Room in Aiken,

SC. This is reprinted with permission from her blog at www.teainspiredlife.com.

Cherry Strudel CakeCourtesy Cooksrecipes.com

A unique and delicious ‘cake-mix-easy’, yeasted cherry coffeecake.1 (18.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix 1 (0.25-ounce) packet active dry yeast, or 2 1/4 teaspoons1 cup all-purpose flour 2 large eggs 2/3 cup warm water 1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling 1/3 cup butter, softenedGlaze: 2 cups powdered sugar 1/3 cup butter, softened 3 to 4 tablespoons hot water 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoringCooking Directions:Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease and flour a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside.Measure out 1 1/2 cups of cake mix (reserve remaining mix for later) and combine

with yeast, flour, eggs and water. Spread in prepared baking pan. Spread cherry pie filling over dough evenly. Combine remaining dry cake mix with butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over pie filling. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Allow to cool and drizzle with the glaze.

For Glaze: Combine all ingredients in bowl, mixing well. Drizzle over baked cake.

Makes 12 servings.

April-May 2020 7Fresno

8 California & N. NevadaVisalia • Reedley • Anderson • Roseville • Special Events

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Quilters Sew-Ciety of ReddingQuilt Show Will Be on May 16 & 17

The Quilters Sew-Ciety of Redding Biennial Quilt Show will be held on May 16th and 17th at the Shasta District Fairground, 1890 Briggs Street in Anderson. “Rhapsody in Blue” will feature more than 300 unique and colorful quilts on display.

Event hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $8 for both days. Parking is free in the large lot that also has RV spaces. Food vendors will be on site plus there are several very good restaurants in the Anderson area.

A special part of the show is the Guild Challenge Quilts’ display and this Challenge followed the “Rhapsody in Blue” theme with a Paint Chip Challenge. The quilts were created using 3 to 4 blue colors from a paint chip provided to the quilters along with an additional white or blue fabric. Winners of the Challenge will be announced at the show.

A Vendor Area will offer a wide variety of items to satisfy your sewing needs. There will be a huge selection of Raffle Baskets filled with many goodies from beach items to sewing to food and books. Gift basket raffle tickets are $1 each, ten tickets for $5, a best buy of 25 tickets for $10—and the bargain of 60 tickets for $20. The drawing will be held Sunday at noon.

An over sized paper pieced “Autumn Beauty” is the 2020 Opportunity Quilt. It was started and donated by Barbara Helping, then finished by Carla Ferrier and quilted by Ellen Abshier. Tickets are $1 each or ten for $5.00. The drawing will be held at the December 1, 2020, Guild meeting and you do not need to be present to win.

The show’s Featured Quilters are long time members Dorothy Gillett and Cris Rhon Harman. Each is talented in her own right and both have chaired and been committee members, giving of their time and support to the Guild and freely sharing quilting knowledge with others. Dorothy and Cris will have special areas at the event to showcase their work so please stop by to visit and enjoy their wonderful quilt work.

At age ten, Dorothy began quilting with her mother Golda, who was her biggest influence. Dorothy’s first quilt was a scrappy Drunkards Path and scrappy quilts are her favorites plus she is partial to 30s’ prints and old-fashioned patterns. Cris’s background as a law enforcement Park Ranger and travel company expedition leader is a big influence in her quilting. Many of her favorite colors are in the blues, green, rust, browns and tans and they connect to her love of nature.

The Quilters’ Sew-Ciety of Redding, Inc. was established in 1978 and has steadily grown to nearly 250 members. Funds raised at “Rhapsody in Blue” will help meet the Guild’s goal of furthering the art of quilting through youth educational program, speakers, philanthropy and other outreach programs.

The Guild is very giving, which was shown in the last two years after the Redding area was hit by the devastating Carr Fire and hundreds of families lost their homes and belongings. Guild members took part in an effort that donated quilts and pillowcases and physically helped distribute 1500 quilts and pillowcases over an organized 6-month time frame. During this time, the Guild’s Philanthropies also provided 500 quilts to their usual groups—One Safe Place, local schools, Head Start, CPS and patients at cancer facilities.

Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month at the Shasta Senior Center in Redding. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting is from 7 to 9 p.m. Learn more about the Guild at www.quilterssewciety.org.

Postponed until September 19-20, 2020

April-May 2020 9San Mateo • San Jose • Services • Classifieds

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To place your ad call, fax or email The Country Register (888) 942-8950 • Fax (602) 866-3136

email: california@barlomedia.com Next deadline is May 1, 2020

Tell it ... Sell It ... Buy It!

Knott’s Berry Farm Tickets Giveaway

Enter to win free admission tickets to Knott’s Berry Farm. To enter, send an email with your name, address and phone number to: california@barlomedia.com and put Knott’s Berry Farm in the subject line. You can also send a letter or postcard to: The Country Register, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085. Include your name, address and phone number and indicate Knott’s Berry Farm. One entry per person.

The drawing will be held on May 1st and the winners will receive their tickets in the mail.

Knott’s Berry Farm, a 57-acre theme park, is located at 8039 Beach Boulevard in Buena Park. Learn more about the extensive fun and exciting activities that are available year-round at https://www.knotts.com/

10 California & N. NevadaNevada • Washington • Special Events

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Nevada & Washington Upcoming Events April - May 2020

Boulder City Nevada Spring Jamboree Antiques Show • May 2nd & 3rd In the Shady Parks of Old Town Boulder City, NV

Arts & Crafts – Antiques & CollectiblesClassic Car Show - Festival food, music & fun for the kids • Free admissionFor more information call 702-293-2034 or visit www.springjamboree.com

Fan Association of North America Annual Meeting • May 27-30Bellevue Sheraton Hotel, 100 112th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA

For information and to register email: westonkafan@gmail.com check out the Facebook page – FANA or visit: www. fanassociation.org/seattle-assemblage-2020/

Carson Valley 2020 Quilt Show In Gardnerville, NV, on June 6 & 7The Carson Valley Quilt Guild will hold its 2020 Quilt Show, “Every Quilt Is a

Story,” on June 6th and 7th at the Douglas County Community and Senior Center, 1329 Waterloo Lane in Gardnerville, NV. You are invited to come and explore the wonderful world of quilting!

Quilt Show hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Admission is $10 per day or $15 for both days and proceeds from the show will help fund Guild-sponsored college and high school scholarships, provide for the distribution of quilts to various local charities, and bring nationally-known quilters to the Carson Valley Guild twice each year to provide lectures and classes.

More than 200 quilts, created by quilters from throughout the US, will be on display. All types of quilts, from modern to traditional, pieced, appliquéd, and artistic are expected for the show. The top quilts will receive cash prizes, with the Best of Show receiving $1,000. Portland Oregon resident Kathie Kerler, a nationally certified Quilt Judge and teacher, will judge the show.

Twenty-six Carson Valley Quilt Guild members participated in the Guild’s “Quilt Challenge” to create wall hangings depicting the show’s theme, “Every Quilt Is a Story.” Guild members voted on the top three: 1st Place, Terrie Peets; 2nd Place, Laurie Lile; and, 3rd Place, Susan VanAlyne. All challenge quilts will be displayed at the show.

Melinda Bula, Award-winning Quilt Artist, will be this year’s Guest Artist and Lecturer. Ms. Bula, a resident of Bakersfield, CA, is well known for award winning realistic quilts of flowers and landscape motifs. She will give a one-hour lecture each day at a cost of $5. In addition, Melinda will offer a 3-hour mini-class on Sunday, June 7, beginning at 9 a.m. The “no-sew” class will focus on creating a sunflower from one of Melinda’s patterns. Cost for the class is $25, with an additional $48 project kit, which includes the pattern and most materials required to complete the project.

The Show will also feature a Wearable Art Display, a Vendor Mall, Door Prizes and Raffle Baskets and a Heritage Exhibit of antique quilts and sewing machines. Bella Vita will offer lunch and refreshments at the show. The Douglas County Community and Senior Center offers ample free parking and free WiFi.

The Carson Valley Quilt Guild is a non-profit organization of over 180 quilters and fiber artists living throughout the Carson Valley area and communities from Reno to Markleeville, Incline Village to Dayton. The Guild, formed in 1987, is a long-standing organization in the Carson Valley. This group of community-minded quilters has made an impact in many ways in the area and beyond. Community efforts include donating quilts to deserving community members; providing scholarships for art education and promoting local education of quilting and fiber arts in addition to promoting the art and craft of quilting.

Learn more at www.quiltshow.cvqg.com or like or follow Carson Valley Quilt Guild on Facebook or Instagram.

April-May 2020 11Oregon • Washington • Special Events

109 E. Front St., Merrill, OR 97633 (541) 798-5955

Downtown Merrill

Welcome to our amazing quilt shop fi lled with displays, kits &

samples to inspire you. Well worth the drive!

We have something for everyone! We offer Quilt-cations along

with our annual Fall & Spring retreats. We look forward to your visit!

www.taterpatchquilts.comtaterpatchquilts.merrill@gmail.comJanuary & February: Mon-Sat 10-4

Huge Spring Sale - May 2nd • 8am-4pmUp to 75% off selected items

Closed Friday, May 1st for sale prep

The Country Register has many opportunities for individuals interested in sales and publishing across the U.S. and Canada. If you are wanting to be

your own boss and meet some awesome people, give us a call -602-942-8950 or email us – info@barlomedia.com

to learn more!

The UFOby Barbara Polston

Several years ago, I bestowed a small wall quilt upon a friend. I thought it the perfect gift for her as it featured yellow roses, her favorite flower. She liked the quilt and hung it in her home. Recently, she moved. Through a somewhat mysterious chain of events, I discovered that the quilt was lost to her. She felt badly, as did I.

What to do? Good thing that quilters have UFOs (Unfinished Objects). You might wonder how this happens. Why is a project, started with interest and enthusiasm, languishing unfinished? The reasons are many. An occasion like a wedding or birth demands the creation of a different project on a particular timeline. The quilter has learned what she wanted from starting the project and has lost interest. Encountering a new “shiny thing” has the quilter dropping everything else to answer the call of the new sparkle.

I have more than one UFO waiting for a time when it might interest me again. My oldest has been patiently waiting for, maybe, ten years. Periodically, I sort through all those projects. Those that no longer hold interest are broken down. Fabric goes back into my collection. Finished bits are donated, recycled or disposed of. Those that still speak strongly to me are stored away again waiting for the right time to be called forth and finished.

My current quandary—a new quilt gift for my friend—was resolved by using a UFO. She loves the outdoors! An avid hiker, she has completed weeklong hiking experiences, carrying everything needed and sleeping under the stars. In my UFO collection, I had a small landscape piece depicting mountains and a peaceful lake surrounded by a stand of aspen trees. I completed this piece and presented it as her holiday gift. It now hangs in her library room.

“When I look at it,” she says, “I feel centered and calm. It’s like looking out of a window into another place that makes me happy.”

I believe that all those UFOs will, one day, find their time and purpose. I hope all of your Unfinished Objects meet with the same happy end!

©Barbara Polston, Phoenix, AZ, March 2020.

We have cancelled our May retreat in Newport, Oregon and our July retreat in Redmond, Oregon

12 California & N. NevadaWashington • Special Events

Happy Easterfrom

The Country Register