News from the HallAugust 2012
News from the Boardby Carol Kenyon
The Hall’s Scholarship Committee (Chairman Ed Buntz, Ann Brown, Lois and John Lindley, Carla Martinez, Marlen Richardson, Janice Smith-Ramseier, and Tom Walters) worked diligently to identify deserving student efforts, and those who attended the July potluck shared in witnessing some genuine community pride as sixteen scholarships were awarded. We offer special thanks to our primary donors, the quilting ladies of Hesperia Hall’s Home Bureau under Kate Snell’s leadership, for another exquisite quilt and for the financial support of the scholarship fund it garners through the raffle tickets they work to sell. Our appreciation also goes out to those many of you who generously donated directly or indirectly to this year’s fund.
August's Community Leaders potluck is shaping up. As of this date, our district’s U.S. House of Representatives member Sam Farr, County Supervisor Simon Salinas, our California Game Warden Matt Gill, Tom Shepard from Lake San Antonio and, representing the school district, San Antonio School principal Linda Irving have agreed to attend and make brief presentations. Their attendance is a real tribute to the Hall. We do hope to see you there as this potluck should provide an extra informative evening.
And please don't forget that our September Quilt Show will also see the debut of the 2013 Hesperia Hall Community Calendar.
The Hall potluck on Friday, August 17, beginning at 7:00 pm, will be the annual event to which our local government representatives are invited to make short presentations and to address local interests and concerns. This is an excellent opportunity to have personal contact in an amicable, informal setting with the people who work on behalf of our area.
July Scholarship Potluck
Scholarship Committee Chair Ed Buntz was in his element as he presented, on behalf of the Scholarship Committee and Hesperia Hall Foundation members, scholarship awards to local students and their representatives. Hall members are generous in making contributions to and working for the scholarship fund and in encouraging and supporting our students, who, in turn, make us all very proud.
Scholarship Reportby Ed Buntz
The scholarship committee would like to thank all the recipients, their families, donors, and Hall members for making the July Scholarship Potluck such an enjoyable evening. It was especially fitting and pleasant to have Wayne Harris present, as he attended the local one-room schoolhouse as a youth and is very supportive of our scholarship program. Tiffany Pineda, Eileen Comstock, and Danielle Randolph all completed high school and received their first awards. Eileen also accepted her sister Maria’s renewal award. Danielle is headed to CalPoly to study music and entertained us with a beautiful Mozart piece on her violin. Meghan Booker, Jacob Hearne, Megan Landon, Grady Roth, and Simon Roth all accepted their renewal awards. Megan also accepted for her sister Sheena Steele. Bev Kovacs accepted daughter LindaKay’s award, while Victoria Villegas accepted daughter Franchesca’s. Denise Hardoy attended and gave details about the educational plans of the three King City High School graduate recipients, her daughter Nicole, Zane Carroll, and Krista Dias. Denise also accepted Lauren Grant’s renewal award.
In summary, we awarded sixteen scholarships for academic year 2012-2013, ten renewals and six first-time awards. It is an honor for the Hall and community to have the opportunity to support these deserving students as they work hard at achieving a college education.
If you would like to support the Hall scholarship program with a tax deductible donation, simply make out a check to Hesperia Hall, put “Scholarship Fund” on the memo line, and send to Hesperia Hall, 51602 Bryson-Hesperia Road, Bradley, CA 93426. If you would like to save a stamp, feel free to give your check to any Board member at a potluck or Hall event. If you have any questions about the Hesperia Hall scholarship program or how to establish a 529 college savings account, please contact Ed Buntz at (805) 472-2070 or Lois Lindley at (805) 472-9556.
SMCERTA Reportby Ann Brown
Your local South Monterey County Emergency Response Team (SMCERTA) is working hard seeking funds to stock our recently purchased trailer. We have been promised a HAM radio and are working on wish lists of what we need to make people as comfortable as possible in the event of a major disaster. We gladly welcome contributions from the community. We meet on the third Tuesday of every month at 7:00 pm outside Hesperia Hall. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Right now, we should all be thinking about prevention as well as long-term preparedness. Preventing fires and preventing heat-related illnesses are top priorities.
As far as fires are concerned, we all know about the fire department’s recommendation about mowing before 10:00 am and creating the 100-foot defensible space around buildings. In addition, having hoses at all outdoor spigots is a great idea. Fire extinguishers in or on all vehicles (cars, trucks, ATVs, and tractors), near all barbeques, and in your kitchen could mean that a spark won't have the chance to become a major fire.
Health is a big issue in the high heat we frequently experience during the summer months. It doesn't take much work outside to create a problem, and, living where we do, we don't want to need medical assistance. If you have to be outside, try to stay in the shade, take frequent breaks to cool off, and drink plenty of water or sports drinks such as Gatorade.
Upcoming Country Faireby Janice Smith-Ramseier
Our Twenty-Fifth Annual Country Faire takes place on October 28, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. We expect to make this anniversary year another great event. Several vendor reservations have already been received. Included in this newsletter is an application which will be accepted on a first-come, first-reserved basis. Though October seems a long way off, vendors often set their schedules months in advance, and we want you to be aware of our date.
If you have any questions, please call Janice Smith-Ramseier at (805) 472-2268, and thank you so much!
Calf Sorting Competition
On the first Sunday of the month, Ann and Jay Brown host a regular calf sorting competition at their ranch on Sapague Road. Competition starts at 10:00 am, then breaks for lunch (bring something to share) and resumes at about 3:00 pm. Kids and onlookers as well as riders are welcome, and the competition is fun, not serious. The next sortings are on August 5 and September 2.
Cooking from the GardenCarolyn Lingor
Wondering what to do with all those tomatoes that are finally setting fruit and ripening all at once? Too hot to can? Too many peppers to use before they go bad? Here's the perfect recipe to utilize some of the overflow.
Stuffed Peppers with Brown Rice in Tomato Sauce
For the Peppers:
1 pound ground beef
2 medium zucchini, grated
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
2 Tbls. chopped fresh parsley
1 cup brown rice, soaked overnight and drained
1 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
8 medium bell peppers, tops, stems, and seeds removed
For the Sauce:
8 medium tomatoes, halved and seeded
1 Tbls. olive oil
4 cloves chopped garlic
1 cup water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1. Prepare peppers: In a medium bowl, mix together ground beef, zucchini, onion, tomato, parsley, rice, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stuff peppers with mixture until 3/4 full. Set aside.
2. Prepare sauce: Place tomatoes in a food processor and process until smooth. In a wide-based pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté for 3 minutes, until golden brown. Add tomatoes and water and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, until sauce thickens.
3. Add stuffed peppers to pan with sauce, spoon about half of the sauce over the stuffed peppers. Cover and cook over low heat for 40 minutes until rice is soft. Remove from heat and set aside, covered, for about 1 hour to let flavors blend. Reheat before serving, and season with salt and pepper.
I substituted cooked shrimp for the ground beef, and I also added mushrooms to the stuffing, and the result was delicious. Soaking the rice overnight enables it to cook faster. This recipe is time-consuming, but it is well worth the effort. The spices make a very unusual flavor. I got the recipe from a cookbook entitled Delicious Diabetic Recipes, written by a medical doctor, Rani Polak, M.D., who is also a Le Cordon Bleu Chef.
Enjoy!
California Mission Ride Fundraiserby Jane Miller
If you have a horse and like to go on trail rides, consider joining the California Mission Ride. This project is riding the trail from the northern-most mission, Mission San Francisco Solano in Sonoma, to the last one, Mission San Diego de Alcalá. The ride is being filmed as a documentary and will take place over two years.
This year the ride ends at Mission San Miguel on Fiesta Day, September 16, where in 2013 it will begin the second leg of the trip. For more information about the ride and how you can join, go to
On Thursday, September 13, 2012, the riders with film cast and crew will arrive at Mission San Antonio where a special mass will be held at 7:00 pm. The next day, Friday, September 14, you can help the Campaign for the Preservation of Mission San Antonio by attending a fundraising chicken barbecue at the Fiesta Grounds at 6:00 pm for $35 per ticket.
The Campaign needs to raise $17,000,000 to retrofit the mission for earthquake preparedness by 2017. Failure to meet this deadline will mean that Mission San Antonio will be forced to close its doors. The Mission is more than a local Catholic parish church. It is a historical treasure that belongs to everyone, so please buy a ticket, enjoy the barbecue, and help preserve one of California’s missions.
Angelina's Treasuresby Beth Winters
Stop by the Angelina’s Treasures table at the Produce Exchange on Sunday from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and shop the "white elephant" items, donated bargains from kitchen gadgets to garden treasures. Proceeds go to the Angelina Fund, a Hall-sponsored program that provides reimbursement to members for spaying and/or neutering pets or feral/stray cats and dogs of the local area. Funds can also be used to pay vet bills or purchase food to defray costs and encourage people to keep their pets during times of economic hardship.
Contributions to the table or to the fund are always welcome. Drop items off at the table on Sundays, or write a check to the Hesperia Hall Foundation and write “Angelina Fund” on the memo line. Mail your contribution to Lois Lindley, 75313 Interlake Road, Bradley, CA 93426
For more information or to apply for funds, contact Beth Winters by phone at (805) 472-2095 or by email at .
Another Naturalistby Cathy Bartley
Phainopepla nitens? And here I thought all along it was a Cyanocitta stelleri stelleri! Guess I better get out the binoculars.
Thank you for the informative write up in Charles Ewing’s “Naturalist Notebook” in July’s newsletter.
Birds of America describes the Phainopepla (also referred to as the Shining Crested Flycatcher) as slim little birds and “beautiful fellows, with an elegant pointed crest, and plumage shining like satin. ...Shy, he is a mountain lover, living on mountains, or in canons, or on the borders of small steams of California, Arizona, and Texas. Occasionally you can see thirty or forty of them in a flock engaged in catching flies. They also like to feast on the ripe berries of the pepper tree.”
Another point that is interesting is the male Phainopepla insists on making the nest, not allowing his mate to touch it until it is all done. “When ready for sitting, he lets her take her share of the work, but sits as much as she.”
My eye caught the movement last month of what I expected to be a Horned Toad. Imagine my surprise when I discovered a hatchling Western Pond Turtle sprinting across the hot, dry field! In sixty-plus years traversing the Bryson-Hesperia hillsides, I have never seen a hatchling turtle running across hot, dry land. One was odd; seeing two (although the second was dead and 500 yards from the first) was incredible.
I searched the internet to accurately identify the little fellow and found a great site, . It is free and allows you to upload photos of your “finds” where others can offer their input. I received several comments, all confirming the hatchling to be a Western Pond Turtle.
Portraits of Homeby Rupert Lyle
If you regularly attend potlucks and events at Hesperia Hall, you no doubt have noted from time to time a tall, slender fellow with a large mustache, a large hat, and a quiet manner. HN (Hall News) enjoyed an opportunity to talk with John Kunsemiller, our low-key, thoughtful, and industrious neighbor.
HN: Tell us a little about your family and where and how you grew up.
John: I was born in Torrance, California, but the family moved back east to Maryland when I was three. My Dad had taken a job in the D.C. area, so that was where I grew up. I went to high school there and then on to the University of Maryland at College Park where I studied mechanical engineering. I have one younger sister who lives in Estes Park, Colorado.
HN: What brought you to Bryson-Hesperia and when?
John: During 2002 and 2003, we had been searching almost all of the West Coast for a piece of property. We’d looked as far north as Washington and all the way south from there. One of the problems was that we didn’t really know what we were looking for. But when we found this place in 2004, we knew this was it. It was pure good fortune, and we fell in love with the location. Only later did we discover the vibrant community that we could become a part of. That was really the icing on the cake.
HN: How do you spend your time when you’re here?
John: We live in Ventura, so it is only on weekends that we are able to get up here. That means that most of my time is spent in routine maintenance, cutting the grass, things like that. The place is still a project, so there’s plenty of new work to do as well. When we bought the land, there was no house on it, so we had Patrick Came working for a year to build the basic structure of the house and get it closed in. Since then I have pretty much finished the interior. Right now my nephew Austin and I are working on the battery house.
HN: What job have you most enjoyed in your work career to date?
John: As a student I worked for a local swimming pool contractor. My job was to dig the pools, often by hand; that was not my favorite work occupation. I’ve really only had one job, which, fortunately, I enjoy. I work as a civil servant for the Navy where I am currently the Deputy Operations Officer. We provide engineering services for Navy shore bases all over the world. My job involves some travel, mainly to D.C., but occasionally to more exotic spots such as Naples, Hawaii, or Japan. The aspect of the job I enjoy most is finding new technologies with applications to Navy land bases. For example, the Secretary of the Navy has mandated that fifty per cent of the Navy’s energy must come from alternate sources by 2020. Our office is looking into ways to achieve this goal, including cogeneration, solar, and other renewable energy. We also are involved in environmental remediation technology.
HN: Tell us about your family now.
John: My wife Helene and I have been married for seventeen years. Our nephew is staying with us at the moment while he goes to school in Ventura. We have a cat and a dog, but no children. Dad passed away last year. My mother lives in Loveland, Colorado.
HN: What do you like best about life here?
John: It has to be the community. Our neighbors have been so warm and friendly, relaxed, and very different from the people we meet in suburban life in Ventura. We love that the community seems able to get together for causes of common interest.
HN: Do you have a favorite memory of the area?
John: Twice trees falling across our driveway have blocked us out. It seems like whatever we have planned to do on our weekends up here, something always comes up to sidetrack us. That’s what makes life here interesting.
HN: Have you noticed any changes in the area since you’ve been here?
John: I think we are the change. People like us are looking to get out of urban life and into the rural lifestyle.
HN: How do you see the community changing over the next twenty-five years?
John: I see more of the same. People like Helene and me wanting to escape city life. If that trend holds true, that’ll mean more houses here. What I hope is that people moving in are sensitive to the environment and local conditions. Our house, for instance, is very moderate in size, designed to fit the site, and a hundred per cent solar powered. If newcomers are aware of these things, it may mean that even with the almost inevitable population increase, the area will keep its unique character.