A Celebration of Seasons at Garland’s Lodge
October 2012
When Chef Amanda Stine and Mary Garland, owner of Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge, met at a wedding, neither guessed their relationship would the one to last for over three decades and include publishing a feast-filled cookbook called Sharing the Table at Garland’s Lodge. Yet the lodge’s dining room has forged many a friendship, creating a family atmosphere that says, “Stay and sup with us.” Continue reading “Cottage Cuisine”
How Brain Teasers Help Sharpen the Mind
January 2012
After reading all of the news in the paper, one should consider pouring another cup of coffee and turning to the crossword puzzle. Following that, one might test their wits with some math wizardry in Sudoku. These kinds of brain teasers are a simple, leisure activity, but when practiced as part of a routine, the novelty of thinking creatively and logically can spur your brain to engage quicker. Continue reading “Power in the Puzzle”
The “Ammo Box” Art and Other Works of Simone Stephenson
November 2011
Story & Photography by Gail G. Collins
Twenty-two years ago, Simone Stephenson didn’t expect to move to a remote parcel of land at the bottom of the Kaibab Plateau. After she did, the painter planned to practice her art during the off season from river work. So recently, when Stephenson’s husband, Tim, went to the Post Office, perhaps he should’ve expected to come home to a vivid, tri-colored door.
Shocked by the red, teal and gold panels, Tim said, “Do you think just because you’re an artist, you can paint anything you want?” Equally shocked by the question, Stephenson said, “Yes! Don’t you like it?” He did. Stephenson chuckled, retelling the anecdote and wondered aloud, “So, what’s the problem?” Continue reading “Outside the Box”
Power in Principle Pilates
November 2011
Roll forward with the head heavy. Let the vertebrae connect with the mat like a string of pearls, one at a time. Lengthen the leg as if to write on the ceiling. Scoop your belly.
The verbal cues Bonnie Berger offered during a range of Pilates exercises created pictures that translated into bodily responses. The guided imagery helps a client perform the motions neatly, accurately and effectively. The certified instructor and manager at Full Circle Pilates, Berger helps people regain awareness of specific muscle groups while getting a full-body workout. Continue reading “Getting to the Core”
Artist Williamson Tapia is a Plein Air Purist
September 2011
Story & Photography by Gail G. Collins
Meeting Williamson Tapia, the bit of gray in his hair came as a surprise. The plein air painter’s enthusiastic, happy spirit had made him sound young. Chalk it up to a child’s energy walking around in a middle-aged man. “I want to work outside instead of a studio – to get out of the classroom. I get bored, and like a little boy, want to go out and play,” Tapia said, pointing through his window at the Red Rock scenery of Sedona. Continue reading “In Search of the Profound”
Taming Tensions in Modern, Everyday Life
July 2011
With all of the titles we claim for all the jobs we perform, many of us should add one more: Stress Manager. One local life coach teaches that taking a good five-minute break will make us better at everything else we do in a day.
Grace Marks is a certified performance coach and holistic stress management instructor as well as a speaker and facilitator. She optimizes health and harmony in the workplace. She knows about being overwhelmed and remembering to breathe. Like others she has helped, Marks has benefitted best from her own advice. Continue reading “The Stress Managers”
How Core Strength and Stability Supports the Spine
May 2011
When Ed Smaglik finished up his practice games before the U.S. Bowling Congress Open Championship in June 2009, he sensed something was amiss. He’d suffered lower back issues a couple of times a year from overuse.
“I’m a guy, so I just lived with it,” he said, though he usually took time out from marathon running, cross training, and, of course, bowling to nurse it. This was a big event, so Smaglik pushed through. Several days and 120 games later, his back rebelled. He limped away from the competition–one in which he regularly won thousands of dollars–to seek urgent care for the sharp pain. Continue reading “Getting Back the Back”
Textile Artist Joan Scott and Her Love of Fabric
April 2011
Story & Photography by Gail G. Collins
When asked how she began quilting 20 years ago, Joan Scott laughs and says, “I took a class, and it took over my life.” Looking around her Cliff Rose studio, it is easy to understand how the patterns, textures and palettes could mesmerize a soul.
They beckon with possibility. Spools of variegated, coiled thread shimmer with hues that capture a sunset, a river’s depths and floral fantasies. Quilt blocks tacked to a board in wheels of lavender and green harbor dragonflies and butterflies likening a summer meadow. Nearby, kaleidoscopic works spin and tease the eye in azure whimsy. And these are just the raw materials and latest works in progress. I laugh with Scott and sit down to let the quilting fever pass. Continue reading “Quilt to Last”
Using Monochord Therapy to Promote Healing
March 2011
Story & Photography by Gail G. Collins
Waves of sound float up as I lie on the monochord Soundwave bed. Thrumming bass notes resonate through my body. Sitting beside me, Kelly McCabe chants, his cascading vocals trailing into a breathy falsetto. A rushing in my head drowns out the world, and I am encouraged to let go, to join something greater. The lyrical grandeur builds, and in my mind’s eye, a ring of rocky ridges appears. Light lifts from these peaks to form immense balls of flame, and then, disintegrate. Continue reading “Good Vibrations”
The science of exercise can work for a healthier you
January 2011
When the scale creaks and so do your joints, don’t despair. With some new habits, that creak could become the soothing whir of a spinner bike and restful sleep. Most of us eat too much over the holidays, but even a month-long eating extravaganza won’t create stiff muscles and double-digit poundage. Aging, a sedentary existence and busy schedule, plus food on the go for eleven months might be the culprit though.
And within those eleven months lies the solution. Consider this: If it took eleven months or even eleven years to slowly morph from toned to tubby, give yourself at least a reasonable amount of time to build a better self. One of the biggest killers of a resolution to lose weight or shape up is overdoing it. So start slow, not gung-ho. Continue reading “New Regime in the New Year”
