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Hello Alpine County Family! Here we are in mid-May already and it’s typical May weather. It May rain, it May snow, it May be 80 degrees…we’ve had some of each so far. We hope you are taking time to get outside when the weather allows it to be a pleasant experience because the bright, green spring grass, fresh air, pine trees and the scent of lilacs and mountain peach are good for your mental health! Currently, we are offering 3 “Zoom” yoga classes each week, Mondays 4-5pm and Tuesdays & Thursdays 5:30-7pm. To receive the link to the classes call our office (530) 694-1816 and provide your email address. This Thursday, May 14th, we will be holding a “Zoom” 50+ Gathering from noon-1pm to check in with our 50+ members and make a Plan B for summer 50+ programs in case we aren’t able to gather for a month or two. If you would like to receive a Zoom invitation to join us via internet or by phoning in to join, email me at [EMAIL REDACTED] or call me at (530) 721-1261. We will email you the link to click on or get you the phone number to call in. You are welcome to participate or just listen in. Let’s Connect! May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Wear LIME GREEN on FRIDAYS to show that Alpine County cares! Phone (530)694-1816 May 13, 2020 ---PAGE BREAK--- This is a fun newsletter to reach out and help you keep your mind healthy and engaged. We will be sending it out weekly on Wednesdays with fun new content. Included in this issue are: 1. A silly (maybe not) short video for you to watch: 2. 2 mysteries to solve: Train mystery and fox, chicken, corn mystery(on following pages) 3. 2 new coloring page (on following pages) 4. A recipe from Family Night for you to try at home (on following pages) 5. An easy beef jerky recipe to make in the oven (on following pages) 6. A video by our Washoe royalty: You’re not stuck at home: IMG_6554.MOV 7. Self-care ideas that are easy, healthy and for anyone! (on following pages) 8. A great dance song for anytime you need a short body & brain break: Can’t Stop the Feeling 9. 50+ Zoom gathering this Thursday, May 14, 2020 12-2pm call or email Dawn to get instructions on how to join [PHONE REDACTED] or [EMAIL REDACTED] 10. A new short meditation to energize you: 11. A link to “10% Happier” offering a variety of meditations and subjects: 12. A link to a guided Native American meditation: We would love to have you share your creative ideas for keeping busy and having fun! Later this month: More Nourishing your Mental Health with dirt: Gardening tips & tricks Supporting your immune system with what you eat: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” Hippocrates A Wall of Words community-wide virtual activity: “Mental Health to Me is…” “Zoom” High School Hang Out Community member interviews on “Life’s Big Questions” “Did you know…?” An art or craft project Ready- made scavenger hunt clues for a fun family activity Alpine County Rocks Mental Health: Painted Rock hide and seek We’d love to hear what YOU, our Alpine County community members, would like to see in this newsletter. We’d also like to showcase the talents we harbor here in our area. If you would be willing to share a “how to…” lesson, a poem or short story, artwork or something else, contact us! Call or text [PHONE REDACTED], call 694-1816 ext. 246 or email [EMAIL REDACTED] ---PAGE BREAK--- Express Self-Care Through Plant Care As we celebrate self-expression and self-care this Mental Health Matters Month, we invite you to join Each Mind Matters in planting and caring for seeds, and watching them grow as part of your ongoing self-care. Gardening as self-care has been linked to many mental health benefits. Planting seeds and caring for them as they grow can support our mental well- being by encouraging us to practice acceptance and be present, and it can be a productive coping mechanism for dealing with stress, anxiety and depression. Plant these sunflower seeds this May as something to take with you into Mental Health Matters Month and incorporate this activity in your self-care routine for the year to come. Sunflowers are a heliotropic flower, meaning as they grow, they continue to turn toward the sun. Let your sunflowers be a reminder to care for yourself and take in some sunlight in times of need and growth. To get started, follow these steps. Step 1: Find a space in your yard or next to a sunny window that you can utilize to plant your seeds, or you can visit your nearest home and garden store for a flower pot to start your seeds in. A standard terracotta pot is inexpensive and readily available. As your sunflower grows, you may want to consider replanting it in something larger or outside in your garden. Step 2: You’ll also need to get some soil that works for these seeds. You can use an all-purpose soil, or ask the professionals at your local hardware or garden supply store for help. Step 3: When you plant the seeds in your pot or garden, cover them with about a half inch of the soil and water gently. We recommend planting Dwarf Sunspot sunflowers seeds because they are easy to grow in containers or in the ground, and they will thrive in many parts of California. ---PAGE BREAK--- Step 4: Water the newly planted seeds frequently to keep the soil moist but not soggy. Water seedlings frequently, directing the water to the soil about four inches from the plant. Once the sunflowers are well established, water deeply but infrequently (about once per week) to encourage long, healthy roots. Sunflowers typically take about 80 to 120 days to flower, can be planted in May and are safe for pets and kids. Learn more about caring for sunflowers here. Keep up with caring for your sunflowers and with some water, patience, love and sunlight, and remember to do the same for yourself. Watch your flowers go and enjoy the benefits of your new self-care activity. Behavioral Health will be supplying a limited number of free Dwarf Sunspot seed packets available at the Post Office and in the Little Free Library boxes located at the Post Office, Mad Dog Café and outside the county Library. Please take only one packet (there are plenty of seeds in one packet for one family), so lots of families can plant sunflowers all over our county for a sunny Autumn to come! ---PAGE BREAK--- ~Sit in the sun & absorb the vitamin D it provides for your immune system. ~Tense & then relax all of your muscles starting with your face & moving all the way down to your toes. ~Walk barefoot in the grass somewhere & really notice how it makes you feel. Absorb the energy from the earth. ~Be mindful in the shower. Breathe in the steam. Be grateful for the hot water, the soap, the shampoo. Feel the water on your back and shoulders. ~Clean just one drawer out somewhere in your house. ~Create a bucket list of places you’d like to go close by and far away. ---PAGE BREAK--- Melt-In-Your-Mouth Baked Chicken Prep15 minutes Total 60 minutes Servings 4 Ingredients 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts ½ container (5 ounce) plain Greek Yogurt ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon seasoning salt 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon ground black pepper Steps Preheat oven to 375° F. Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Combine yogurt, Parmesan cheese, and seasonings. Spread over chicken breasts. Bake for 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and topping is browned. Serve immediately. Tips Because chicken breasts are white meat, they lack the fat needed to keep the meat moist. Adding yogurt helps add in moisture and flavor keeping the meat tender. It’s important to cook chicken thoroughly to an internal temperature of at least 165° Fahrenheit. Using a meat thermometer will help ensure your chicken is cooked all the way through without over or under cooking. Brining or marinating chicken beforehand is another easy way to keep chicken moist and flavorful. Chicken breast is a blank canvas and tastes great with other fresh herbs and seasonings as well. Try it with chopped fresh rosemary, thyme, fresh lemon slices, paprika or onion powder. Serve these chicken breasts alongside a fresh salad and roasted baby potatoes ---PAGE BREAK--- Homemade Sheet Pan Black Pepper Beef Jerky (Easy Recipe) Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 4 hours Total Time: 4 hours, 20 minutes Servings: 10 Ingredients 2 pounds top round steak (or eye or flank steak), trimmed from any fat and thinly sliced against the grain 1/2 cup water or low sodium soy sauce 1 tsp smoked paprika 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper plus extra for sprinkling 2 tbsp salt Instructions 1. In a bowl combine water or soy sauce, salt, smoked paprika and black pepper. 2. Add the steak and toss until the steak is evenly coated. 3. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight. 4. Preheat oven to 175°F. 5. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack over the foil. 6. Lay the beef strips out in a single layer on the wire rack. 7. Sprinkle with extra coarsely ground black pepper. 8. Bake the beef in the preheated oven until dry and leathery, about 4 to 6 hours, flipping the beef once about halfway through. (see note*) 9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. 10. Transfer in a container and refrigerate for up to 1 month. Nutrition Serving Size:1 Calories:117 Carbohydrates:0 g Fat:3.1 g Sugar:0 g Protein:21g Notes: The total time is dependent on the thickness of the meat. ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- This week’s “Shout Outs” Who are the rock stars in Alpine County this week? They are: Alpine County District Attorney’s Office & Victim Witness Program Debbie & Michele along with Health & Human Services’ Janel and Marla with Behavioral Health’s Deb and Rich and Kate Harvey, Alpine County residents rocking their lime green to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month. Also, Alpine County Sheriff’s Office’s Christine and Alpine County Resident Karen Lundy for solving last week’s puzzle! Thank you, ladies and Doc! ---PAGE BREAK--- Last week’s answer: he used the shovel to pile the dirt up under the window and crawl out the window. This week’s Mysteries Send your answers to Dawn by phone or email for a shout out in the next issue. Call [PHONE REDACTED] or email [EMAIL REDACTED] ---PAGE BREAK--- If you need help with your mental health contact Alpine County Behavioral Health Services Phone: (530)-694-1816 or 24/7 Crisis Line (800)-318-8212 Website: www.alpinecountyca.gov Other resources for mental health help: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for free 24/7 support Crisis Text Line: Text MHFA to 741741 for free 24/7 crisis counseling Lifeline Crisis Chat: Visit crisischat.org to talk online with crisis centers around the United States The Trevor Project: Call [PHONE REDACTED] or text “START” to 678678 for mental health support specialized for the community ---PAGE BREAK---