The telegraph fire in Mariposa this past month left many community members homeless.  These victims have experienced many people’s worst nightmare.  Many of us shake our heads in disbelief wondering what we can do to help.  Drop off sites have been set up for donations of clothes, household goods, and anything you think these victims may need.  My challenge to all of you living in Madera, Mariposa, and Merced counties is to go through your homes and pack up clothes you don’t wear, furniture you don’t sit on, kitchen items you don’t use, and anything that is collecting dust that you would be willing to donate.  I know with the help of community members of Mariposa, Oakhurst, Bass Lake, Coarsegold, Raymond, Ahwahnee, Fish Camp, and North Fork together we can help these victims to get back on their feet.  For more information you can call 209-966-2000, for monetary donations call 209-966-2456 or log onto abc30.com. 

I found this article to be very interesting and wanted to share it with all of you.  Remember there are buyers out there; they are looking for the best deal.

by Mike Wiegert

Quote-

“On a national level, existing home sales increased in May as buyers are reacting to lower home prices according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).  May figures indicate 4.99 million existing home units sold, up two percent from April’s sales of 4.89 million sold units.  This number is still a far cry from May 2007 sales at 5.93 million units. The reason for the latest increase in national  home sales was summed up by NAR President Richard F. Gaylor,  “Home buyers are starting to get off the fence and into the market, drawn by drops in home prices in many areas and armed with greater access to affordable mortgages,” he said. “Today’s buyer plans to stay in a home for 10 years, which is a good strategy for building long-term wealth.” 

NAR Chief economist, Lawrence Yun, indicated last week that there is a significant inventory of homes.  “The large supply of homes on the market clearly favors buyers, and it should take several months to draw the inventory down,” he said. “Stabilization in home prices can only occur with buyers returning to the market, so we are encouraged by rising home sales, particularly in distressed markets. Foreclosures and short sales appear to be a larger part of the market, particularly in California, and are creating a drag on current home prices.””

My favorite thing to do in August is to hike up to the top of Fresno Dome in Eastern Madera County and lay back to watch the Perseid Meteor Shower.  The night sky will be filled with grazers and shooting stars.  There can be up to 60 shooting stars per hour.  They are best viewed at pre-dawn but can be seen all night long.  Fresno Dome is a perfect place because it is quiet and peaceful, away from any lights, and just a short drive up Sierra Sky Ranch Road.  This meteor shower takes place every year in mid August.  I look forward to this annual event and can’t wait to share it with my children.

Have you forgotten about our local Oakhurst Library?  Our library, tucked behind the fire station on Civic Circle Dr., is often forgotten about and overlooked.  However, you may want to stop by and visit Madera’s Oakhurst Branch Library and see what summer fun they are offering for everyone.  Every Thursday at 10:30 kids can enjoy preschool story time.  In addition to story time, there have been magicians, music, storytelling, and other organized activities.  The library is offering summer reading programs and craft classes for children grades K-8.  The library is not only for the children; adults can enjoy poetry presentations, lectures, art exhibits, concerts, and the relaxing sounds of their grand piano.  The library is a place for all to enjoy.  Stop in and check it out.

Sierra Vista Scenic Byway We wake up every day to breathtaking views of the Sierras.  But who of us has ever experienced the hidden beauty that lies in the mountains we see every day?  The Sierra Vista Scenic Byway is just over 65 miles and takes you to nine stops of breathtaking scenery.  These stops include: Redinger Overlook, Jesse Ross Cabin, Mile High Vista, Arch Rock, Jackass Meadow, The Balls/Portuguese Overlook, Globe Rock, Cold Springs Summit, and Fresno Dome, my personal favorite.  This scenic byway takes you through beautiful countryside where you can enjoy hiking, camping, fishing, swimming, bird watching and so much more.  On your way you will pass through North Fork, the exact center of California.  Take a day and truly enjoy what is around us hiding in our picturesque mountains.  A great reference sight for more information is http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/2300/itinerary/58139.   

Summer Indulgence-

There is nothing better than sinking your teeth into a nice refreshing dessert on a hot summer day.  With so many people on diets it is difficult to find a dessert to quench our sweet tooth yet still keep on track with our diet.  Here is one of my favorite summer time recipes.

1 large container of yogurt (anything flavor)

Cool whip (you can use the fat free kind)-thawed

Already made graham cracker crust

Instructions:

   In a bowl, mix yogurt with cool whip.  Use as much cool whip as you would like (less cool whip more flavorful the yogurt will taste.  Once mixed, pour into pie crust and place in freezer.  In a few hours you will enjoy a nice refreshing dessert that will be a hit for the entire family.

ENJOY!!

Is Beef still popular at the dinner table? Last year alone the US Department of Agriculture reported we consumed approximately 28 billion pounds of it.

The US Department of Agriculture grades retail beef as prime, choice and select based upon the meat’s intramuscular marbling and overall quality. Simply put, the more streaks of fat or marbling, the more flavorful the meat and higher the grade. But in total only about 2 percent of US beef is graded prime.

Dry-aged: Time intensive and more expensive process where beef is removed from package and placed on a shelf in a chilled room with good ventilation and humidity. Typically beef is dry-aged 21-35 days. Moisture evaporates from the muscle, condensing flavor; for example a 20-pound piece of beef will weigh about 16 pounds after 30 days of dry aging and enzymes in the muscle also break down, leaving beef very tender.

Wet-aged: Beef is typically stored in vacuum sealed bags to retain moisture. This takes much less time than dry-aging, typically only several days and no weight is lost in the process.

Grass-fed: Extremely lean, naturally raised beef cattle receive no growth hormones or antibiotics. It takes 16-18 months before they’re fully grown and then they’re moved to a feedlot for 200 days where they’re slowly weaned onto grain.

Grain-fed: These commodity beef cattle are given hormones when young and reach full growth at 8-10 months. They’re then moved to a feedlot for 90 days where they’re weaned directly onto grain and given sub therapeutic levels of antibiotics.

My friend at Montecino & Associates Real Estate raises grass feed beef and its the best beef my family and I have ever had.

The Fresno Chaffee Zoo

When was the last time you went to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo?  We are so fortunate to live nearby such a wonderful zoo and should take advantage of all it has to offer.  The zoo has many species of animals to see and is affordable for an entire family to visit.  The Chaffee zoo is centrally located and is a short drive from anywhere in the central valley.  It was not until just this year that we came to realize what a wonderful zoo we have in our backyard.  We have become members and have even adopted an animal.  Membership has many benefits.  As a member you get discounts on tickets to Breakfast with the Animals, Ice Cream Zoofari and ZooBoo, a discount at Playland and Storyland, you receive the quarterly members’ ZooNews magazine, free or discounted admission to over 120 zoos nationwide, and many other benefits.  Checkout their website at http://www.fresnochaffeezoo.com/index.html  and take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.

As summer comes into full swing and the temperatures have begun to rise so does the threat of fires.    There are currently 72 active fires in the state of California.  One of those fires, the Oliver fire, is burning in our Mariposa foothills.  As of 9:00 a.m. this morning the Oliver fire was 70% contained.  The firefighters from the CAL FIRE Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit have been working tirelessly along with the United States Forest Service, CHP, OES, Mariposa County Fire, Mariposa County Sheriff, Mariposa County Human Services, American Red Cross, CDCR, and CCC to fight this fire.  All these agencies have been doing an exceptional job of protecting lives, property and our natural resources.  We want to be sure to thank all those agencies for everything they have done. It is our job as residents of the foothill community to be responsible and do our role in order to prevent the start of any more fires.  THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HARD WORK!!!  

Happy birthday, America! The 4th of July is one of the most-anticipated holidays of the summer, with food, parades, and of course, fireworks!

It was on this date in 1776, that the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, effectively cutting the colonies’ ties to Great Britain. For years, the 4th of July holiday was observed unofficially. It wasn’t until 1941 that Congress declared it a legal holiday. Here are some other fun facts about this red, white and blue holiday.

*Independence Day was first celebrated in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776.The Liberty Bell sounded from the tower of Independence Hall, summoning citizens for the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon.

*In 1778, George Washington marked the 4th with an artillery salute and a double ration of rum for his soldiers.

*The lyrics to “The Star Spangled Banner” were written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key and set to the tune of a popular British drinking song.

*Calvin Coolidge, America’s 30th President, was born on July 4, 1872.

*In a weird coincidence, Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration and a future President, died on July 4, 1826. A few hours later on that same day, John Adams, another signer and President, also passed. It was the 50th anniversary of the historic signing.

*Fireworks have been a traditional part of the celebration, ever since 1777.