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www.westlakevillagenw.com 2016 Issue #8
Manager: Nadine Luikart 541-479-6020 [email protected]
Activities: Michele Pedraita 541-295-8278 [email protected]
Chairperson
Nancy Bankston, 541-479-0254 [email protected]
Secretary/Treasurer
Sales: Jeanne Simington 541-226-7172 [email protected]
THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER
It's a hot one, the thermometer reads 104 and you can feel the intense, suffocating heat driving you inside.
As you look out the window you notice a dog laying on his side in the driveway, sound asleep seemingly not noticing
the heat. "Boy, oh boy," your friend says as she sees the dog, "It's the dog days of summer for sure". I really never
knew what that meant exactly, or how that saying came about, so, of course, I looked it up.
The dog days of summer are the hottest, most uncomfortable part of the Northern summer. The Old Farmer's
Almanac explains that the phrase conjures up the hottest, most sultry days of summer coinciding with the heliacal
raising of Sirius, the dog star constellation Canus Major. The Greeks possessed an elaborate lore associated with
Sirius. Its first appearance in the morning skies during the final days of July and early August indicated the arrival
of the sweltering heat of late summer. Homer, in the Iliad, references Orion. "Sirius rises late in the dark, liquid sky,
On summer nights, star of stars, Orion's Dog they call it, brightest of all.” Bright as it may be, it was still an omen of
heat and sweaty days to come. However, the hot days and warmer nights bring ripening to the abundance of fruits
and vegetables in the entire Rogue Valley. Enjoy the fresh harvests as they appear in their fullest glory! So far we've
had a great summer. According to meteorology predictions, August will follow suit. And, remember there’s lots of
fun things coming up in Westlake Village whether it’s hot or cold! Keep Cool and Live Summer to the fullest!
News & Events
about
Our Village
August, 2016
08/03 John Boone
08/05 David Cordle
08/08 Gordon Henshall
08/17 Lester Jones, Linda Goff
08/19 Richard Greenwood
08/20 Dick Harris
08/21 Blondina Yarbro
08/24 Kathy Hayes
08/25 Frank Owens
08/31 Vickey Lenzi
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EVERYONE!!!!
GREAT GAMES TO BE PLAYED
Mondays: Bunco 1st Monday Mexican Train 2nd and 4th Mondays Tuesdays: Rogue Valley Hookers every Tuesday Bingo 3rd Tuesday Wednesday: Pinochle 1st and 3rd Wednesdays Thursdays: Scrabble Every Thursday
BUNCO WINNERS FOR JULY! Lots of excitement on Bunco Monday
First Bunco Dolly LaFlamme Second Bunco Julie Lindemann Most loses Richard Pedraita Most wins-1st Linda Hinckley Most wins-2nd Anne Harris
COMING EVENTS IN WESTLAKE VILLAGE
08/12 No Host Potluck 09/ 17 Chuck Wagon Street Party with Live Band Octoberfest date to be determined
GRANTS PASS HAPPENINGS Aug. Grower's Market and Artisan and Crafters
Market every Saturday through August. Aug. 2 Concert in the Park 6:30-8:30 Free Chad
Freeman & Redline Band Aug. 3 and Every Wednesday Bingo at Jo. Co.
Fairgrounds. Doors open 4:00, Warm up 5:00, Game 6:00-9:00. $8.00 one Pak
Aug 5-25 -So. Or. Art Show 68th Annual, Firehouse Gallery, 214 SW 4th Street, G.P. First Friday Reception 43-5:30 Free Call 541-956-7489
Aug. 8 -Garden to Table 5:00-7:00 Free Cooking Demonstration. Asante Outpatient Building
Aug 9 Concert in the Park 6:30 to 8:30 Free, Quarter Fusion Band.
Aug. 12 & 13 7:00, Aug. 14 2:00- Old Time Radio Players "The Whistler" Reservations $12.00 call 541-659-7723 G.P. Community Center
Aug. 17-20- Jo County Fair, Fairgrounds 541-476-3215
Aug. 22-28- Oregon Wine Experience, Jacksonville. Great Wine, Great Food and entertainment. Proceeds go to Children's Miracle Network.
For times and places not noted check out the Grants Pass Chamber Calendar online or call 541.476.7717
"A word of encouragement during failure is worth
more than an hour of praise after success."
Unknown
IF YOU MISSED THE LUAU~~~ Don Ho and Sweet Lelani would be so proud. Our
Hawaiian night potluck was such a success. We had
approximately 45 people attending, some wearing
Hawaiian attire, and all with colorful leis around their
necks. The tables were decorated with brightly
colored lanterns and flowers to go with the theme.
Dick and Julie Lindeman were our hosts and made the
best Huli Huli chicken, Julie's famous macaroni salad
and sticky rice as well. All the food got rave reviews.
And Westlake Villagers came through again with
fabulous desserts and salads from sushi to upside
down pineapple cupcakes, coconut cream pie, fresh
pineapple decorated with cherries, wonderful cookies,
and on and on. Kathy Hayes' mom, Norma, won the
fifty/fifty and Gary Bennett won the second prize, a
dinner for two at the Orchid Grill, a Hawaiian
restaurant here in Grants Pass serving delicious food.
Thank you to all Westlake Villagers who were there
to support the Hospitality and Activities Committee.
We work hard to bring you these activities, however
we do have so much fun doing so.
AUGUST 17TH IS NO HOST POTLUCK! Friday, August 12, 5:00 at the clubhouse. A real traditional potluck. Bring whatever you want. How fun to see what dishes appear on our tables laden with food. This is a great night to visit with friends. Hopefully the weather will be just right and we can open up the doors and spill out onto the deck overlooking the lake.
IN SEPTEMBER, SADDLE UP FOR THE CHUCKWAGON STREET PARTY OF A
LIFETIME!!!
It’s Boot Scootin’ Boogie time!
Saturday, September, 17, from 1:00-4:00
David James and the Jerome Prairie Dogz are going to be here entertaining us with great music from the front deck of Robert Meredith and John Pace at 759 Hampton Way-just like last year. The street will be closed off for dancing and visiting and eating good grub. Eddi and Bud Chaffee are hosting this event. Eddi is making her famous and fabulous pulled pork sliders and cowboy baked beans. Yum!! Food service will begin around 2:00. Bring your chairs for an afternoon of great music and great fun. The Hospitality and Activities Committee are bringing this party afternoon to you free of charge. However, please bring a can of food as an admission donation. This is a request from the Prairie Dogz. They turn in all the cans to the Food Bank of Grants Pass. We will have 50/50 drawings, other special prizes, and such a knee-slappin’ good time- YEEEEHAAAA!
"We did not change as we grew older; we just became
more clearly ourselves". -Lynn Hall
Now Get Away from it All and
Enjoy A Little Armchair Travel-
Tahiti and the Rays
I invite you to join me as we travel to a private atoll
near Moorea, Tahiti and the sting ray adventure of a
life time. The word Tahiti evokes visions of an island
paradise with high, rugged mountain peaks, coral
reefs, turquoise-blue lagoons, white sand and palm-
fringed beaches and each island paradise has
something for everyone. Tahiti covers more than two
million square miles of the South Pacific Ocean and is
“THAT WLV CHUCKWAGON PARTY IS JUST
OVER THE NEXT RIDGE. LET’S GO, BOYS! “
comprised of 118 islands and atolls (a ring-shaped
coral reef including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon
partially or completely) spread over five great
archipelagos. Spanning an area in the South Pacific as
large as Western Europe, the total land mass of all the
islands adds up to an area only slightly larger than the
tiny state of Rhode Island. Just off the island of Moorea
is an atoll that is exclusively devoted to sting ray
studies and interactive learning.
Skimming across pristine, crystal clear turquoise
lagoons under endless blue skies dotted by ultra-
white cotton-ball clouds, the only sounds are the oars
of the outrigger dipping into the water. Dolphins swim
closely behind the oars, frolicking and jumping as we
cross the lagoon. As the outrigger makes the turn
closer to the atoll shore, they bid us farewell with their
chirping song. Slowing now as we approach the shore,
it is easy to see the coral formations, the glistening
white sand and all manner of tropical fish as they
swim by, seemingly undisturbed by our intrusion.
Clearly, they are used to visitors. We leave the canoe
and wade to the shore through knee-deep warm
water. They dart back and forth, translating our
presence as the water gets more shallow. Inquisitive
and unafraid they stay with us until we are out of the
water. They remain in schools of dozens, lolling about
in the shallowest waters by the shore awaiting our
return to the canoe. The white sand, the tropical fish
by our toes, the brilliant blue sky and emerald green
coconut palms remind us that we really are in this
Pacific wonderland called Tahiti.
Greeted by our tattoo-covered guide, we are treated to
a Polynesian beach barbeque, atoll entertainment and
ice cold young coconut water from coconuts harvested
on the island that morning. Our guide, who says we
should call him “Jack”, because his Tahitian name is
too hard to pronounce, sits with us during lunch and
tells his family history as recorded through his tattoos.
He then educates us about the sting rays as a species,
as well as the research and tracking that has been
done on this atoll. As he speaks, they become visible
now as they glide by some 50 feet away in warm
lagoon waters. He invites us into the water to “play”
with the sting rays. The water is so warm, clear, and
blue with small tropical fish swimming everywhere
around us and the sand is soft as silk. We stand
comfortably in the water as the rays come closer and
closer investigating our small group of humans. He
says for now, we should let them become familiar with
us and just allow them to come closer. They are cat-
like as they glide against our legs, wing tips up out of
the water, sensing us on the full length of their wing,
their underbellies soft and supple. Some have tails
“stingers” in excess of 6 feet long. He has already told
us that they will not use these as long as we do not pull
them. Contrary to popular urban legend, the rays do
not “shoot” their tails into their adversaries. If they
become agitated and the tail is “attacked”, they back
up into their assailant impaling them.
The guide pats his chest and a huge ray shoots through the water and slides right up onto his chest as he stands waist deep in the lagoon. We all watch in amazement! Her name is Julie, named after his 1st grade school teacher. She was the first ray to come to him when he started working with the rays on this atoll. Julie has been there for 20+ years and all the sting rays that frequent this atoll come and go as they please. He recognizes each of the rays by their unique markings and scars on their wings and faces. They all have names. There are now about 15 rays swimming in and around the lagoon. He asks if anyone would like to touch a ray. One by one he stands with each of us in knee deep water and touches our chest to invite the ray to slide up onto our upper body. As each of us has the opportunity to meet a ray up close and personal, he tells us their name, their age and how long they have been part of the atoll. Now that we are “known” to the rays we linger in the warm lagoon waters to stroke their silken wings as they glide in and caress our legs. Slowly, they each depart heading back out to deeper water, leaving each of us with a once in a lifetime memory of the beauty of these creatures, the wonder of their touch, and a sense of awe in having been welcomed and accepted so graciously by these guardians of the lagoon.
The dust is still flying near the corner of Bentley and
Hampton! Welcome to Pat and Gerry St. George who are
enduring the worst of it, as progress continues toward
completion of the landscaping and fencing in their back
yard. Logan and Cooper are enjoying walks in our cool
mornings and evenings, but that asphalt may seem as hot
as the roads in Phoenix were! Ahhhh, it will be nice when
they can enjoy their patio and deck and their folks can
relish their second cuppa in the mornings.
Lexie leads Mike and Cathy Hayes around the Village
from their home on Winston. What movie star quality
she has! She’s as welcome as Mike and Cathy and mama
Norma in Westlake Village.
Expect two more new residents this month: Helen Ellis
will be taking up residence in the mini-Taj Mahal on
Hampton, the former model home where the Schneiders
have been hanging their hats for the last couple years.
Helen is a long-time resident of Grants Pass and her large
local family will be swooping in to help her with the big
move. Roger and Pauline are looking forward to their
move into that corner house where a lot of dust is soon
going to be settling.
Joy Meyers has had Westlake Village on her radar a long
while now, and the sale of her home in Grants Pass is
making it all work out! Joy bought the Gordons’ home
on Hampton Way, another former model home, and Dick
and Rose will be returning to Colorado to be closer to
their son. We’re going to miss you, Dick and Rose! Joy,
we welcome you to the Village!
The newest new home is scheduled to arrive around mid-
August and will be put in place on Kingsley Drive. Paul
Stein and crew will be hard at work making ready for its
delivery and then setting it up to be ready for occupancy
by mid-October.
Right behind that home and before new paving begins in
mid-September, we plan to take delivery on the next new
home at Bentley and Kingsley.
Don’t blink, or you’ll miss the departure of Kenway
Mead’s home on Kings Way, scheduled to go out in
August. So many happy thoughts of Kenway’s time here
flood our minds. He was such a contributor to every
event and was always there to lend his support to the
people and activities here in the Village. Kenway is
embarking upon a new life, a new beginning with a new
love. We wish you much happiness, Kenway. Always
know you have a loving family in Westlake Village.
As mentioned previously, Robco will be preparing to
provide us with freshly paved streets this September.
Watch for further information about this as we narrow
down the dates. There should be minimum disruption of
our lives and, having experienced the courtesy and
competence of the Robco people in the past, we are
assured there will be very little inconvenience to our
residents.
Westlake Village has always been a pet-friendly
community. Many happy critters walk our streets daily
and the folks they own are especially conscientious
about ‘picking up after them’ AND keeping them in tow
and off any neighbors’ yards and the beautifully
landscaped areas we all enjoy. Dog urine has a highly
concentrated acid which will cause spots and die-back of
lawns and shrubs. Don’t be tempted to let them walk on
any vegetation or landscape bark when the asphalt
streets are hot. The molded one-piece concrete curbs
and gutters are not so hot and provide the comfort dogs
need.
Just a reminder, unattended pets (dogs OR cats) are not
allowed to be outdoors, even in fenced yards. Dogs have
a way of protecting their domain and can be pretty loud
and annoying to neighbors when they’re left home. If
their barking is a nuisance to neighbors, homeowners
will be notified.
