1 McKinleyville Timber Ridge Times
News In December 2024
Dear Residents and Families,
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. To all the families that enjoyed your Thanksgiving at Timber Ridge, I hope you had a delicious meal that came with all the accou- trements. Now we begin the Holiday Season. Our Activity Department has so many projects and adventures for your loved ones. Trinity Ballet is performing the Nutcracker in McKinleyville, the Bell Choir will be ringing out some great Christmas music, and a special trip to Arcata Playhouse is planned for the production of The Red Rooster. I want to remind all our residents to sign up at the front desk so you do not miss out on anything. Again we will be enjoying our Christmas Dinner on Christmas Day. If you would like to enjoy dinner with your loved one please sign up at the front desk and again specify lunch or dinner. Ena is in the plan- ning stages for this yummy meal. Our special Christmas party with a very unique guest will be on December 23rd and families are all invited. From all of us here at Timber Ridge we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Larona
INSIDE Candid Camera ….….2 Santa ....................... 3 Dell ’ Arte Clowns— -- 4 Movies ………………...6 Foxy Facts …………….7 History ……………….10
Resident Highlight–Mary
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Arriving the end of September, Mary is finding her new residence at Timber Ridge both peaceful and pleasant. At 98, Mary has experienced a lot of history. She was age 3 when both the Great Depression and her father ’ s death left the family of 12 children scrambling to survive. But survive they did, and at age 16 following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Mary met another global challenge by becoming a “ Rosie the Riveter ” for $4.64 a day, good pay to grind off the decks of both the USS West Virginia (BB - 48) and the USS California (BB - 44), two of the many ships bombed at Pearl then raised and repaired at the Bremerton, WA ship-
yards. “ Rosies ” ground off the big gun rivets so a sec- ond deck could be retrofit-
ted with new guns and we could get our battleships back into action. Following the war, Mary and her husband Nolan moved to California where they raised registered Angus on their ranch north of Sacramento and operated Morrison Real Estate for several decades. Upon her husband ’ s death and her retirement, Mary followed her two daughters to the North Coast where she has lived for another several decades. Mary is blessed with great health, and as a proud member of “ The Greatest Generation, ” she looks forward to enjoying all that Timber Ridge has to offer.
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December Highlight– Santa W ho better to highlight as our senior of the month other than Santa himself. Yep, I ’ m talking about one of the most long –lived characters of all time. The man who lives at the North Pole, with his bright red suit and jolly attitude. You might think you know everything there is to know about old Kris Kringle, or Jolly Old Saint Nick, or any of the dozens of different names he's called around the globe. But we're willing to bet there are a few things you've never heard about him. Maybe you're one of those Scrooges who doesn't care about Santa Claus anymore
because you think he's just a myth. Well if that's true, then you've likely never heard that since 2006 Claus hasn't been included in the "Forbes Fictional 15," an annual list of top fictional characters. Why, you say... It ’ s because they received too many letters from angry readers insisting he was real . "After taking into account the physical evidence–toys delivered, milk and cookies devoured," the editors explained, "we felt it was safer to remove him from consideration." Did you also know he must have the fastest sleigh (or reindeer) on the planet. Consider for a moment that he has to make 842 million stops on Christmas Eve, and has 31 hours to do it (thanks to time zone differences). It's been calculated that to get to every house in that time period, his sleigh needs to move at 1,800 miles per second . Lest you were concerned that Santa wasn't legal to fly, he was officially issued a pilot's license from the U.S. government in 1927. He also has a passport, but that's a bit more controversial. Both Santa and Mrs. Claus received their very own ePassport's in 2013. Santa didn't get a little round belly that shakes when he laughs like a bowl full of jelly from eating too much broccoli. No, Kris Kringle loves his sweets. And he has millions of kids across the globe encouraging his bad habits. And we ’ re also pretty sure he must be the smartest senior on the planet because he knowns whether or not 7.8 billion people on earth have been naughty or nice this year. Whatever
you think, Santa has that Ho, Ho, Ho down pat so we ’ ll quit with his famous line “ Merry Christmas to ALL and to ALL a good night ”! ( some of these facts were
taken from best- lifeonline.com)
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All Things Art: Send in the Dell ’ Arte Clowns at Timber Ridge
A sense of anticipation wafts through the dayroom at Timber Ridge Renaissance McKinleyville as residents chat and greet each other, when three bright, colorful and friendly clowns burst into the room. The son of two of the residents, who had been visiting with his parents, excused himself, saying that he had a dentist appointment to get to. Olive, Cake and Goose waylaid him before he could leave, slidinginto a
routine where they pretend to administer dental care to the congenial man. After much tomfoolery, they allowed him to go on his way, laughing. The Bible tells us that laughter is the best medicine, and by the reactions of the residents at Timber Ridge, that must be true. Laughter keeps the doldrums at bay by triggering endorphins, the body ’ s “ feel good ” hormones, and has been proven to reduce stress hormones, while also increasing immune cells and infection fighting antibodies. Olive, Cake and Goose (Julie Douglas, Alessandro Russo and Victoria Timoteo) have visited the residents at Timber Ridge Renaissance in Eureka and McKinleyville every Friday since mid - September, enjoying more smiles every time they go. J ulie Douglas, head of Arts Engagement at Dell ’ Arte International, based the program on the Medical Clown Project, where she worked as a medical clown for six - and - a - half years in the Bay area of San Francisco. Alessandro Russo and Victoria Timoteo are former students of Dell ’ Arte who took the Medical Clown training with Michelle Matlock last summer. The Dell ’ Arte Medical Clown Project is supported in part by the Ink People, the Humboldt Creative Alliance, and Humboldt County ’ s
Measure J (the Transient Occupancy Tax). Douglas takes meticulous notes on what works with the residents and what doesn ’ t, capturing the responses of their audience. She tries to get a sense of the room when they first enter and how it shifts as the clowns interact with the patients. The clowns not only work with larger groups in the assisted living open meeting area, but also in the memory care unit where the work/play is more individualized. "Sometimes it ’ s better to do one on one, ” says Douglas. “ Everyone needs different things. ”
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The group is careful to see what brings people out, whether it ’ s a song, bit or a particular animation. At one point, Olive brought out a puppy puppet named Theodophulus to interact with the guests. The mother of the man who left for the dentist did not crack a smile until Theodophulus appeared. She patted him and kissed him and played a game of tug with him. Later, Douglas told me that she had spoken for the first time in weeks the first time Theodophulus appeared The clowns facilitate interactive activities with the residents throughout the performance. Right off the bat, they got them moving in place and vocalizing with silliness. Two residents took the responsibility for taking care of Pineapple, a rubber chicken that makes noises reacting to the actions of the clowns. One of the bits they did was a challenge between the clowns on who had the best skill. Cake was able to recite pie – math pi, that is – while Goose sang a song that included all the countries. T hey asked if anyone else had a skill that they would like to demonstrate to challenge the clowns. One of the residents said that he knew every language except Greek. When Olive asked him if he could say something in Lithuanian, he replied, “ That ’ s Greek to me! ” He wore the clown nose that she awarded him for the rest of the performance. Applied clowning, in a service way, is Impactful, rewarding and fills my heart, ” says Douglas. “ It requires specific skills, which are not the same as onstage. It ’ s much more I ntimate and responsive in a way that is highly attuned and sensitive. ” Douglas would like to expand the program to work with pediatric units in the future. ” The goal is to bring joy into a hard, challenging situation and empower the resident or patient, because they don ’ t have power, ” says Douglas. We love it! We laugh our heads off! ” said one of the residents. “ Thank you for coming. You made us laugh, and that ’ s what we need. ”,
(This article was published by the Mad River Union on November 14th,2024 and used with the permission of the paper and writer Ruthi Engelke)
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DECEMBER BIG SCREEN MOVIES
Monday, December 16th at 1:00 p.m.
Monday, December 9th at 1:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 28th at 1:00 p.m.
Tuesday, December 31st at 1:00 p.m.
Foxy Facts—Black Pepper
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Black Pepper is today an indispensable spice in every kitchen which makes it the most commonly used spice in the world. You might think salt is, but salt is not a spice but a mineral. The history of black pepper goes back 4000 years and the demand for it has had an impact on the shopping experience of the modern civilization. Pepper originated from Southern
India, the pepper plant is a climbing plant, according to botanists the pepper plant grows fruit containing seeds and a plant that produces fruit with seeds is classified as fruit, not a vegetable. Therefore, black pepper is a fruit plant. The first records of black pepper plants date back to 2000 years B.C. when it was mentioned in ancient Indian writings. Black pepper was well known to the ancient Romans and was written about by the Romans from the first century A.D. in a well preserved cookbook. Peppers only desirable quality is a certain pungency; and yet it is for this that we import it all the way from India. Spices were used to improve the taste of our food, but also had other purposes. An interesting fact is it was used in toothbrushes and toothpaste to remove bad breath. Pepper was very good for this purpose, it was believed black pepper helped toothaches, sunburn, constipation, insomnia, and many other illnesses. Pepper was used to alleviate respiratory problems and used in losing weight, since the outer coat of the peppercorn affected the breakdown of fat cells in the body. So a little pepper meant more delicious food, better digestion, lack of bad breath, and also better health. It is clear why pepper was such a desired commodity. During the 16th century and the 17th centuries pepper spread across Europe and in the 28th century is made it ’ s way to France. The United States is one of the biggest pepper buyers in the world. Over $650 million dollars worth of peppers is being imported into the United States. Today there are many types of pepper, the most common is white and red pepper, but the most commonly used is the black pepper.
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December Activity Calendar Highlights
Saturday, December 7th at 1:00 p.m.—is our monthly Resident Council Meeting. Thursday, December 8th at 2:30 p.m. - we will be headed over to Eureka Timber Ridge for a performance by the Handbell Choir. The Timber Ridge Boys are back at Timber Ridge on Tuesday, December 3rd and 17th this month , The Accordionaires will be playing on Thursday December 12th and Thursday, December 26th. . December birthday party will be held on December 21st at 1:00 p.m. Music with Mary is back on the schedule . She will be here Tuesday, December 10th and 24th at 3:00 p.m. Saturday December 14th Trinity Ballet Nutcracker will be performing at 1 p.m. in the Activity Room. Humboldt Ukulele Group with Hula Dancers is scheduled for Saturday, December 28th at 3:00 p.m. Annual Timber Ridge Christmas Party will be on December 24th at 1:00 p.m. in the Activity Room. CHECK YOUR CALENDARS FOR OTHER ACTIVITIES HAPPENING THIS MONTH!
Family and Friends are welcome to join us for dinner on Christmas. Our holiday meal will be served at 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. If you would like to join one of our residents for this meal please RSVP by December 20th. Dinner is $20.00 and we ask that you limit it to 5 guests.
There will be NO Housekeepers here on Christmas Day
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Fun Facts about December
About the Month of December December is the 12th month of the year and has 31 days. Season (Northern Hemisphere): Winter
DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS
ASSISTED LIVING
Holidays Pearl Harbor Day
David D. 12/12 Patty B. 12/24
Hanukkah Christmas Boxing Day Kwanzaa Read a New Book Month Human Rights Month
Christine H. 12/25
Jane C.
12/28
Symbols of December Birthstone: Turquoise, zircon, or tanzanite Flower: Narcissus or Holly Zodiac signs: Sagittarius or Capricorn
RENAISSANCE
Rosemary T. 12/02
History: December was originally the tenth month of the year in the Roman calendar. It gets its name from the Latin word "decem" which means tenth. However, when the Romans added January and February to the calendar, it became the twelfth month. They still kept the name, though. Fun Facts about December * It is the first month of winter and the last month of the year. *National Cookie Day is December 4th. Other snacks celebrated this month include pie, cotton candy, chocolate brownies (mmm!), cocoa, and cupcakes. *December often marks the beginning of rain, snow, and cold weather. *In the United States the month is associated with Christmas. There are Christmas decorations, sales, musicals, and parties. *The first day of Winter is always on either December 21st or 22nd. This is the shortest day of the year and the longest night. It is called the Winter or Southern Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere .
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December Dates
Cutting - Edge Fun Nothing announces the arrival of the holiday season like the smell of freshly baked cookies. If you ’ re looking to spruce up your baking this year, ditch the common round shape for some fun cookie cutters during Cookie Cutter Week, held the first week of December. While evidence shows that ancient Egyptians created inter- esting molds for baking cakes, Queen Elizabeth I of England is said to have popularized the novelty of baking cookies in the shape of her guests. Gingerbread men and women soon became popular in bakeries across 17th - century England.
Today, you can find cookie cutters in every conceivable shape and size. Some manu- facturers will even create custom cookie cutters. Some people enjoy collecting cookie cutters, and serious enthusiasts belong to the Cookie Cutters Collectors ’ Club (CCCC). In fact, it was the CCCC that originally conceived Cookie Cutter Week about 30 years ago. Members enjoy benefits such as a quarterly newsletter and an exclu- sive cutter designed to commemorate Cookie Cutter Week.
Timber Ridge Annual Christmas Party! In the Activity Room on Monday, December 24th at 1:00 P.M.! Don ’ t miss out on merry games, prizes, and even a visit from Santa Claus himself!
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Time to Time Travel
Home Sweet Home
Gingerbread House Day,
December 12th, brings a touch of magic to the holiday season. It ’ s the perfect occasion to in- dulge in a time honored tradition: building and
The idea of a time machine has long captured the imagination of storytellers. In the famous novel A Christmas Carol, the despicable Ebenezer Scrooge visits Christmases past, present, and future. Time travel is not just a fascination for artists. Stephen Hawking, the noted scientist, believed that time travel is possible. It has to do with speed––not just any speed, but the speed of light, the fastest speed in the universe. If you boarded a train traveling at the speed of light for one week, the rest of the world would have traveled 100 years. In this sense, you would step off the train having traveled 100 years into the future. Amazingly, experiments of this kind are being conducted at a giant underground laboratory in Switzerland known as CERN. On December 8, Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day, you can imagine where (or when) you ’ d like to visit. According to Stephen Hawking, we may not have to pretend much longer. Someday, December 8 may just be called “ Be a Time Traveler Day. ”
decorating gingerbread houses. This charming holiday observance offers a sweet escape from the busyness of the season. The history of gingerbread houses has roots in medieval Europe, where gingerbread was initially reserved forspecial occasions and celebrations. It was often used to create intricate works of edible art, including gingerbread houses. These delectable structures gained popularity in Germany during the 16th century when the Brothers Grimm published their fairy tales, including the famous story of Hansel and Gretel, who discover a house made of gingerbread and candy deep in the forest. Notable gingerbread houses have become a source of fascination and wonder. The White House has a longstanding tradition of creating a gingerbread replica of the executive mansion during the holiday season. These intricate confections often include detailed icing decorations and miniature furnishings. In modern times, gingerbread houses have evolved from simple, rustic structures to intricate archi- tectural marvels. They continue to be a beloved holiday tradition, a sign of the enduring appeal of this spicy - sweet treat. This year on Gingerbread House Day, unleash your creativity, and see what kind of edible masterpiece you can create with family and friends.
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