Who is that schmoozing at The Pines with Fitness Specialist Mary Martin? Read below to find out.

Sunshine at last! How nice but fall will feel better when this humidity leaves town. Good reason to pour a glass of cold iced tea and check out today’s Around Davidson notes about your friends and neighbors.

The Pines had a Wellness Fair yesterday and we were there to cover it and take a chance on a door prize.  A certificate for spa therapy sounded wonderful but maybe an hour on the treadmill would make more sense after a visit last week to Betsy Seymour’s bread making class. Also find news today  on a summer trip by the Beach family to the West coast.  Lastly there are a few “Catch-up Notes” from earlier items in Around Davidson.

BETSY’S BREADS

Our area churches always have a lot to offer during the week.

"Knead" we say more: (l-r) Jeanne Miller, Debbie Lovvorn, Sarah Merigold, Mary Lynn Kayes, and Katy Williams learned bread basics from Betsy Seymour (second from right).

The Davidson United Methodist Church recently has offered Wednesday evening enrichment classes which run the gamut from theological discussions to “kneading” to eat as offered in Betsy Seymour’s Bread Baking Class.

A week ago five Methodist women and one Presbyterian (who had permission to “crash” the class) gathered in Betsy’s kitchen to learn the basics of bread dough.  Just like the pros on the Food Network, Betsy had everything carefully prepared with dough already rising, easy to follow handouts, tips to make your French bread better, your wheat loaves tastier, pizza easier and cinnamon buns irresistible.

After a fun and informative three hours, the class members went home with new talent and lots of samples to share with their families.  Thanks to Betsy for her creativity and willingness to share her culinary secrets.  It was fun!

WELLNESS AT THE PINES

Never a dull moment at The Pines Retirement Community on Avinger Lane in Davidson.  In celebration of National Active Aging Week, the facility held its 5th Annual Wellness Fair yesterday.  Members of The Pines’ Wellness Team as well as community guests were available with information regarding health, wellness and personal safety.  Who has a home Emergency Disaster Kit?  Ask the Red Cross.  Who knows what the Davidson Police recommend for personal home safety?  Ask an officer.  Do you need audiology services?  “Hear USA” was there. Answers were available to these questions as well as many more.

Registered Dietician Kaye Yarborough (l) and Healthcare Dining Manager Deborah Shafer had recommendations for healthy eating.

Thanks to The Pines for a program filled with good information from the benefit of banana-mango smoothies to offerings at the Davidson Farmers’ Market.  “Kodak Moments” were everywhere but Around Davidson caught SGT Scott Misenheimer representing the Davidson Police at a table next to well known Pines’ Fitness Specialist Mary Martin.

Also there was time to visit with Davidson’s Kaye Yarborough, The Pines’ Registered Dietitian, offering healthy food with the Dining Manager for Healthcare, Deborah Shafer.  These ladies see that menus are individualized according to residents’ needs.  A big job which they enjoy performing.

A TREEHOUSE VACATION

Eddie and Connie Beach and their sons, Brendan, and Kevin, took their annual adventure trip to Oregon and northern California this year. Brendan had been there on a work trip, and thought it would be a great place for the family to explore. They flew out to Portland, and spent the first two days renting bikes and rolling around on the wonderful bike routes. A favorite area was the rose test gardens, with 10,000 roses in full bloom! They were impressed with the city because you could just lift your bikes right on to any of the buses and there were bike racks and paths everywhere.

Following their days in Portland, they drove down the coast road to southern Oregon to stay in a treehouse resort for four nights! The resort has 16 individual treehouses in a lovely, wooded area in Cave Junction, OR.  (See www.treehouses.com.) Most are high in the trees, but very safe. One man, Michael, has built all of them over the last 20 years, and told the Beaches he gets 11,000 pounds worth of friends to come stand on each one when it is finished. The family took lots of day trips in the area, getting a chance to raft, jet-boat up the Rogue River, hike, and visit wineries. This area of Oregon was settled by hippies from the sixties and has a charming, do-your-own-thing atmosphere. A 20 foot high “dream catcher” spotted at the end of “Happy Camp Road” was a delightful symbol of those days.

Not enough Beaches to reach around a redwood but (l-r) Brendan, Kevin, Eddie and Connie tried!

Afterwards the family drove down through the redwood forests to a gold-mining area where they explored the old western towns before heading to Yosemite National Park. Several days were spent staying in one of the tent cabins doing as many hikes and biking trips as time would allow. The boys made fun of the many “exaggerated” signs warning of bears, until they started encountering bears at surprisingly close range…near the cabin, on the trails, or poking around the garbage cans. Lots of deer, eagles, and other wildlife were everywhere. The Beaches had a final day in San Francisco before their great adventure came to an end and they flew home to North Carolina.  (Interesting to note that the Beach family takes unusual trips most every year.  Connie always takes careful notes to advise her travel clients on the best places from her desk at Mann Travel.)

CATCHING UP

Nice to read about David Kaylor and his wood turning talent in the September 16 Asheville Citizen-Times newspaper.  Titled “Woodturner brings art to the mountains,” the article recounted David’s love of wood and his recent move from Davidson to Black Mountain.

A visit with Bob and Karalee Millikin at The Pines gave us an update on their tomato vine (see our Sept. 1 report, “A Really Tall Vine“).  As of yesterday, they have harvested over 1400 grape tomatoes and the vine is still producing.  Hooray!

Send us your news

Have news for Brenda? Write to her at hbarger@bellsouth.net.