At last, I waited at least 20 years to enjoy a white Christmas. Every year I pray for a white Christmas and I believe the last one was the year we moved to Coarsegold in 1988. It is amazing how peaceful a white Christmas can be when it does not keep you stranded in the airport or at a train station.  I think most of us can admit that 2008 was a challenging year but to end it with a white Christmas gave me a very good feeling of hope as to what the New Year will bring.

I read an article today by Joel Osteen about how 2009 will be the year of abundance for those that praise God for the blessings and favor in their lives. It was a great reminder that even through the most difficult times we must remain thankful and count our blessings.

We at Montecino & Associates wish everyone the best New Year with plenty of blessings and prosperity. Lets make 2009 an incredible year and not forget the lessons learned from 2008.

Today is Earth Day, a day on which we take time to celebrate our great planet and consider ways that we can keep it clean and make sure that is remains a great place to live for generations to come.

You can make everyday Earth Day, by doing small thing to maintain our natureal resources and make the Earth a safer, cleaner home for humans and animals alike. Here area few tips:

-Turn off the water as you brush your teeth.
-As the bulbs in your home go out, replace them with compact fluorescent bulbs. These bulbs use less energy than regular light bulbs.
-Rather than leaving the car idling as you wait to pick someone up, turn off the enging and restart it when you are ready to leave.
-Turn your heat down when you go away on vacation. Just leave yourself a reminder to turn it up after you return.
When you write that reminder use the back of an envelope or some other piece of paper that has already been used, rather then using a fresh sheet of paper.
-Switch to rechargeable batteries.
-Take the time to recycle aluminum, paper and other products.
-Make your own compost.

The secret will be out on Saturday, January 26th !  The 29th Annual Citizen of the Year in North Fork will be announced.  The dinner will be hosted by the 2006 winners, Gretchen and Bill Choate.

The doors will open at 5:30 p.m. at the Town Hall.  Dinner will consist of pineapple chicken, rice and coleslaw.  Tickets can be purchased in advance for $10 or they can be purchased at the door for $12.  Tickets are available at Hair Care Plus, The Buckhorn Saloon or North Fork ACE Hardware.  The North Fork Women’s Club will be selling delicious desserts as a fundraiser and the North Fork Boosters will be handling the bar.

When the Choate’s received their award in 2006, they were only the fourth couple to be recognized for such a high honor.  This year there three more couples on the list of nominees.
 
Winners are chosen by past Citizen of the Year winners.   Nominees have spent their free time making baby blankets, booties and hats, having craft booths,  making jewelry, planting gardens, donating vegetables, organizing parades and bazaar’s, baking tons of cookies, making Christmas baskets for the needy, and coordinating great programs like the Senior Brown Bag Program, to name a few.  The key to the success of these programs and the North Fork area is the volunteers.

Each of the nominees has dedicated countless hours to helping the North Fork area and all deserve to win.  Come and help celebrate this wonderful night of acknowledgements.  For more information on this community event, call (559) 877-7700.

“The stockings are hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that Saint Nicolas will soon be there.”

You too can track Santa through his journey around the world.  Visit www.norad.com on Christmas Eve for Santa’s latest stops.

NORAD (Northern America Aerospace Defense Command) has it website up and running for all to enjoy even before the big night.  You will find games and fun activities for children and adults to enjoy.

NORAD has been tracking Santa’s adventures for 52 years.  In 1955, a Colorado based Sears store ran an advertisement telling kids that they can call Santa on a special hotline on Christmas Eve.  Unfortunately, the telephone number was printed wrong and the children were calling CONAD (Continental Air Defense) instead.  With the first call, officials were annoyed and thought it was a joke, but they soon realized that a mistake had happened.  Colonel Harry Shoup quickly instructed his staff to tell any child who called where Santa’s location was.

NORAD was formed in 1958 when America and Canada combined their national air defenses and the Santa tracking tradition continued.   Many people now enjoy the convenience of tracking Santa’s movement. There are over 800 volunteers who work very hard on Christmas Eve fielding calls and answering emails from curious little ones.  Most of the volunteers come from Peterson Air Force Base and Cheyenne Mountain.

In 1997, the Santa tracking program was expanded to the web.  NORAD receives thousands of emails on their Santa site.  Over 180 countries have checked in on his whereabouts.  Currently the website gets over a billion hits.

As you are preparing for the jolly ole sole in the big red suit, remember the reason for the season! 

Merry Christmas everyone!

Who among us has not over-indulged in the holiday goodies?  Heck, they are everywhere we look, just calling out to us!  From grocery stores, to desk tops to platters given by friends, you just cannot escape all the calories.  Sweet potatoes, cookies, pies and even grandma’s green bean casserole (healthy… nope), they are all torture to pass up during the holidays.

Tempting little holiday goodies and yummy holiday meals can add up to serious problems for your waste-line.  It takes consuming 3500 extra calories to add up to a weight gain of 1 pound.  The average person gains 2 pounds from Thanksgiving thru New Year’s.  Most people do not lose the weight that they put on during the holidays.  This weight gain will translate into 20 pounds over a 10 year period.  This additional poundage can cause serious long term health problems.

Here are some tips to help keep those calories away when you are going to a party:

Position yourself away from the buffet table so that you are not tempted to nibble while you mingle.

Have a healthy snack before you arrive at the party.

Minimize the amount of alcohol that you consume.  Not only does it have useless calories, it will dehydrate you and you will drink even more.

Use a small plate or a cocktail napkin to hold your food. 

Don’t forget the fruits and vegetables.  They are filling and have the least amount of calories.

With a little planning, you too can avoid gaining those unwanted calories!

The holidays aren’t quite here, but it never hurts to plan ahead. If you find that every year you are scrambling and searching for your favorite holiday ornaments and baubles, why not do something different this year? Then next year, you’ll be all set.
-Label and box your ornaments, lights, and tinsel so you know where they are next year.

-Get one of those tree disposal bags that you can use to bag up the tree for an easy cleanup. (Of course the key to using these bags is that you have to place one in the tree stand before you put the tree up. If you forget this year, there is always next year…)

-When you finish making cookies, wash and gather up the cookie cutters, cookie press, etc. and place all of these things in a box or large Tupperware container so they are together and ready for next year.

-If you are one of those people who buys gifts all throughout the year with the thought of giving them away at Christmastime, put them in a memorable spot.
Or send yourself and e-mail with a reminder of where you put what. There is nothing worse than knowing you bought someone the perfect gift and not being able to find it.

Kissing under the mistletoe has long since been a custom observed in the United States.  It is used primarily as a Christmas decoration.  Mistletoe is to be hung in a doorway.   It is customary that any two people who meet under the hanging greenery are supposed to stop and kiss.  This custom originated in England in the 18th Century.

According to custom, mistletoe must never touch the ground and it should be the last of the Christmas greens to be removed from the house.  In the Roman Catholic Church, mistletoe remains until Candlemas.  Candlemas is also known as the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin.  The Feast is celebrated on February 2nd and is the fourth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary.

A Christian tradition says that mistletoe was once the tree that furnished the wood that was used for the cross that crucified Jesus Christ.  It is taught that once the tree was cut, it shriveled and was reduced to a parasitic vine.

Many years ago Mistletoe was left hanging year round.  The belief was that it would protect your house from lightning and fire until it was replaced the following Christmas Eve.

Mistletoe is a parasitic vine that cannot survive without a host tree.  Sometimes the vine grows so large that the tree will die, but most times, it will just stunt the trees growth.  Many animals feed on the berries, vines and leaves and it has become a vital food source for them in many regions.

At times, people confuse mistletoe with holly.  Both plants stay green year round and both produce red berries.

There are many Christmas songs nowadays referring to mistletoe.  Some you might recognize are “Holly Jolly Christmas”, “Chestnuts Roasting By An Open Fire” and “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”.

Just like you want to keep your children safe during the holidays, you should keep your pet’s safety in mind too.  The decorations and food available can add up to disaster for your furry friend.

Holiday food is ready and available for all to enjoy….even your pet!  Many foods can cause stomach upset, or in worse case scenarios, death.  Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is known to be harmful to dogs when ingested in large quantities.  Onions inhibit an animal’s ability to coagulate blood and are toxic.  Traditional holiday foods such as ham and turkey can cause Pancreatitis in some animals.  Foods that are high in fat can cause upsets to the digestive system.  Animals should never be fed bones that are not designated for animals.  They are likely to become lodged in the intestines and can cause a blockage that can result in death.  Poultry bones are the worse type of bones to feed an animal.  All types of alcohol and coffee, beans and grounds, should be kept far away from your pet.

Ingestion of some holiday plants can be tragic for your pets.  Most people think that the Poinsettia is the most dangerous plant to have around a pet during the holidays.  Although it is bad and can cause some serious digestive issues, there are others that are worse. Lilies are beautiful to have as an inside decoration, but are highly toxic to cats.  Many types can cause kidney failure.  Mistletoe is highly toxic, especially the berries, and is known to cause fatal heart failure in animals.  Holly can cause diarrhea, nausea and vomiting in your pets.  It is wise to keep all holiday plants away from all pets.

Check back on Monday for the Part II of II.

Real Christmas trees add a wonderful scent of pine and spirit to the holiday season. It is important to keep tree safety in mind when selecting a Christmas tree.  You should look for a tree that is green with no browning on the needles.  If you choose a spruce or pine tree, the needles should bend and not be easy to pull off the branches.  If you choose a fir tree, check to see that the needles snap when you bend them.  They should be somewhat like a fresh carrot.

Look for a trunk with sticky sap.  This is a clue that the tree is fresher than those without oozing sap.  You will want to cut off about 2 inches of the stump and place the tree in a tree stand with water immediately.  Don’t forget to add water daily.  Trees will drink more water when first purchased than they will as the season rolls on.

Make sure to place your tree away from all heating sources, such as a fireplace or a radiator.  Be sure to only use lights that are designed for indoor use and only those that display the UL label.  Using outdoor lights inside of the home will increase your risk of having a fire.  You should not connect more than three stands of lights together.  This is also a fire hazard.  Never run any cords under a rug.  Never place lighted candles on a Christmas tree, real or artificial.

Each year there are more than 400 residential fires nationwide involving Christmas trees.  These fires can have tragic results.

With a little planning, you too can have a safe Christmas tree and a wonderful holiday season.

If you missed your opportunity last weekend, you have yet another chance to enjoy some great fun in Madera County.  Come celebrate Christmas in the Mountains on its final weekend!

Local crafters, shop keepers and artisans welcome you to join their Christmas celebrations.  The festivities began last weekend and will continue December 7th through December 9th.

Patrons will enjoy experiencing the simplicity of Christmas past in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  There is something planned for everyone in the family in the communities of North Fork, Oakhurst and Coarsegold.

Come and enjoy the fresh mountain air with local artisans, candy makers, storytellers, and music makers.  You will also encounter roving carolers throughout your travels.  Whether you visit for one day or the entire weekend, your family is sure to have a wonderful time!

Motorists will be greeted by paintings of woodland critters. Your children will be able to enjoy Breakfast with Santa, photos with Father Christmas and Santa, and storytelling hours.  There will be a shuttle service available to Yosemite National Park as well. 

Visitors will be able to purchase their “passport” (a holiday bracelet) for $5.00 which will open the doors to special gifts from restaurants, shops and hotels during their visit.  These bracelets will be available at stores displaying a pine cone decal in their window.

The Vision Academy of the Arts is sponsoring this event.  They are a non-profit organization.  Their main purpose is to promote art in the mountain area.

If you are interested in attending any or all of the fun events scheduled, visit (http://www.visionacademy.org/CITMschedule.htm) for more information.