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Improve your relationships
with advice from counter-terrorism experts .
We've all read articles about how well relationships are faring, or not, during SIP. Here's twist on one of our traditional techniques.

“The more you push someone, the more they close up,” say Emily and Laurence Alison, a husband-and-wife psychology team. “The hungrier you are for information, the harder it will be to get that out of someone. But give the person a choice about what they say; give them some autonomy and you begin to build the rapport that may lead to a better conversation,” says Laurence.

This sounds like parenting advice and yet the Alisons’ specialism is helping counter-terrorism officers and the police to improve communication and co-operation with criminal suspects. When the atmosphere turns adversarial and competitive, as it so often does, they turn to the Alisons to help them navigate and negotiate.

For the couple – who’ve been married for 21 years and have a 16-year-old son – the parallels with parenting have long been obvious and were underlined by the response of officers they’ve encountered on the intensive courses they run on how to interrogate terrorists." Read more >>>

Good food, nifty tools and good habits make cooking fun and easier. I'm sharing with you a refresher I appreciated.

I'm pausing from the fray to enjoy the summer. I hope you will also!

Have a fine weekend, Parmalee
P.S. Please send your friends this newsletter signup link: https://tinyurl.com/w9btgxd
The 9 Most Important Things
I Learned in Cooking School
A little prep goes a long way.

by Jesse Szewczyk, The Kitchn

I knew from a young age that I wanted to join the CIA. No, not the Central Intelligence Agency — the Culinary Institute of America, one of the world’s premiere culinary colleges. I spent two years studying a wide range of subjects from basic knife skills to butchery lessons. And after I
graduated I spent years working in professional kitchens, putting some of those skills to use.

Now, nearly 10 years later, I feel lucky to be working at Kitchn as a recipe developer, food stylist, and writer, and to be able to share some of what I learned with you. From simple seasoning techniques, to tricks for making restaurant-quality sauces at home, these are nine of the most practical lessons I still use today. 9 Kitchen Habits >>>
You Can Pick Up Requests for Library Materials!
Ask Nicole: Returning to School During COVID-19
by Nicole M. Young, MSW
 
We’re living in strange times. Businesses need to reopen so the economy can recover. Parents need childcare and schools to reopen so they can work. Children and youth need to return to childcare and schools so they can learn, socialize, have access to healthy food, and get social emotional support. But as COVID-19 cases rise again, so does the stress and worry about health risks. I don’t envy anybody who is trying to plan for the new school year. It’s a daunting task, so let’s practice compassion as we all do our part to keep our community safe.
 
Dear Nicole, I’m stressed out about the new school year. I want my kids (6, 12) to go back to school. Working from home while my kids were distance learning was really hard last spring, and my kids are desperate to be with their friends again. But I’m worried about the possibility of them being in classrooms before COVID ends. They don’t like wearing masks for long periods of time. And getting back into the school routine will be a huge shock! They’ve gotten used to staying up late, sleeping in, and nearly unlimited screen time. Got any tips? Sandy

Family Events
Mountain Lions Don’t Make Good Pets, August 7 @ 10 - 11am, August Junior Ranger Programs here at Big Basin every Friday Details
Fun Tech July - Fun Tech Have you ever wanted to learn to code? This month we encourage you to explore coding using Scratch to create a game. If you share it with us, we will put it up on our website for the community to be able to play it.
Season Finale Led by Tammi Brown
August 9, There are few things more thrilling than a Festival finale, as audience members stream out of the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium into that soothing summer air, intermingled with the palpable energy of the performers. Join us! Details
All the Farmers Markets!
Just picked, fresh from the farms to you, and often musical entertainment and special, delectable eats for foodies! Details
Winchester Walk with Spirits Tour
Evenings Weds - Sun, 8pm, Winchester Mystery House launches a new outdoor evening experience that explores the legendary estate’s supernatural lore. Details
Planning and Planting the Fall/Winter Garden with Orin Martin, August 11 @ 6 - 7pm, Are you ready to pivot to fall/winter* gardening? Orin Martin, local author and manager of the UCSC Chadwick Garden, will give an overview of: What can (and should) be sown and transplanted and when; Info on sourcing seeds from seed companies as well as smart seedling shopping at local garden centers and nurseries; Overview of what varieties to use at this time of year. Free Details
Triple P 8-week Virtual Group: for families with children 2 – 12 years old - Fridays @ 3pm - 4:30 pm, Check Details
Food Trucks & Pop-Up Kitchens at the Grange, August 9, 4 - 7pm
Come out and support a sustainable food economy! Food truck and pop-up kitchens at the Live Oak Grange source ingredients from Monterey Bay Area organic farmers and ranchers. Details
Rockin’ Pop-Up with the Geology Gents, August 12 @ 3:00 pm, California’s symbols are iconic — from the California Poppy to the California Grizzly Bear. Though less often discussed, our state’s geologic symbols do not disappoint. Learn about what makes our state’s gemstone, mineral, and rock iconically Californian during today's Rockin' Pop-Up with the Geology Gents, live on Facebook at 3 pm, Free Details
Join us at The Art Factory Aug 10 - 14 for Runway Fashion Illustration or Birds Around the World, with Yvette Contois! Details
Blacksmith Hammer-In at Roaring Camp, August 14-16 @ 8am - 5pm - The California Blacksmith Association Presents – The 5th Annual Hammer-IN at Roaring Camp Railroads. Watch demonstrators push the boundaries of hot metal, bring ancient techniques to life... Reservations required. Verify! Details
Tales to Tails is virtual! Wednesdays, 10-11am, Details
Beginning August 10, T to T will be Mondays 3:30-4pm, Register! Details
Redwood Forest Steam Train, Roaring Camp, Daily 11 am, 12:30pm, 2pm, masks required. Travel over trestles, through towering redwood groves and up a winding narrow-gauge grade to the summit of Bear Mountain as conductors narrate the history of Roaring Camp, the railroad and the forest. Opening June 26 Details
West Cliff Food Truck Summer, August 14 @ 3- 8pm.
West Cliff Food Truck Summer The local food trucks combine with local bands to make it a great night out for the whole family. Details
Independent Study programs In or Serving Santa Cruz County