A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there was a town called Danville, and in a house in that town there was a boy named Lucas… Lucas is 13 years old, and when he isn’t playing Dungeons and Dragons, he is probably designing 2D animation or reading Hunger Games and Harry Potter. He’s happy to be working with TVE, and eager to keep writing.
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Harvest Dance – 2023 –
by Olive Pea
HARVEST DANCE 2023 WAS A BLOWOUT SUCCESS
This year’s Harvest Dance was the most attended dance of year (possibly ever) with over 230 costumed enthusiasts in attendance! It was a slightly overcast Saturday evening (4:30pm, to be precise) when the volunteers arrived for setup.
In an hour, lights, electric candles, bunting, and other decorations lined the walls; folding tables were placed in the kitchen, craft room, and near the front door for the registration desk. The DJ equipment was set up on a stage to one side of the main room, with orange and gold silk curtains lining the wall behind as a backdrop. On the side opposite the DJ booth was a secondary stage that was smaller in size, and that stage was used for photos. The backdrop depicted a dirt pathway lined with trees whose leaves were stained yellow, orange, and red from fall’s arrival. Next to it were some fall photo props that could be used when taking pictures.
In the kitchen there were four folding tables adorned with festive fall themed table cloths arranged in pairs. One pair was in the back, and contained food such as pizza and donuts. Two people stood in between the tables to serve the food. In front was the other pair of tables, and the two servers stood behind them. The front pair of tables contained packaged food such as Cheetos, Goldfish Crackers, gummy bears, and juice boxes to name a few. On the kitchen counters, there was bottled water, hot cocoa, and apple cider.
In the craft room, a large table was covered in one big, black table cloth. A few folding chairs were arranged around it. The tables had markers, pencils, crayons, coloring pages, and fun Halloween stickers. You could access the room through two doorways, which made the foot traffic flow better.
In the parking lot, two volunteers directed parking cars to parking spots. The area in the parking lot closest to the building was roped off, and monitored by the parking lot volunteers. In the roped-off section of the parking lot, games such as mini golf and giant Jenga were set up. Next to the games another folding table, with folding chairs surrounding it, was placed for additional seating.
At 5:30pm, all the setup volunteers had 30 minutes to get into their costumes. At 6:00pm, the TVE members that were attending the event started arriving at the doors. Most attendees brought more food for the kitchen such as cupcakes, cookies, and even more snacks, which came in handy for replacements on the food tables when the snack supply was depleted.
Once the bulk of the attendees had arrived, the lights dimmed and the music started. Some kids grabbed glow sticks from the registration booth, some completed the scavenger hunt, and a few of the younger kids drew pictures in the craft room. But most of the attendees were either getting food in the kitchen or dancing on the dance floor.
Around 7:00pm, a costume parade took place. Everyone joined a line (which was very long) and followed one of the volunteers all around the building in a snake-like pattern. At the end of the parade, everyone stood in the center of the dance floor for a group picture.
Once it was almost 30 minutes until clean up, the DJ’s playlist started running out of time. A volunteer walked around with a clipboard and asked for song requests. Once the playlist finished, the lights came back on. The remaining attendees were all asked to help clean up. Everyone started tearing down the decorations, collapsing the folding chairs and tables, and packing up the DJ equipment.
Once all of the decorations were put back into their boxes, those who brought them packed them back into their cars. Everyone was ready to leave because it was now 10:30pm. Everyone said their goodbyes, and drove out of the parking lot.
The Harvest Dance was very enjoyable this year, and this event was only possible because of the time and effort that our volunteers and TVE leaders put into this event. Thank you. And great thanks to all of those who attended the event! TVE hopes that everyone enjoyed this event, and can’t wait to see you next time!
Fall Art Challenge!
by Olive Pea
The Lighthouse has an art challenge for you! Even though Halloween has just passed, the fall spirit is still here! The leaves in the trees are still painted with fall colors, and the invisible wind sweeps away those that have fallen. The moon shines brighter than ever, only to be blocked by the silhouette of a black cat sitting on a fence. In my opinion, this time of year is the most inspirational for creating art. Speaking of creating art, here is your Fall Art Challenge!
INSTRUCTIONS:
Your art can be made in any shape or form! You can use any medium you wish; just make sure you can take a photo of your creation. The challenge is to include a pumpkin and a cat in your art.
SUBMITTING YOUR ART:
Make sure you have your art completed so that it can be submitted by Friday, the 24th of November. To submit your art, take a photo of it and send it to thelighthousetve@gmail.com.
NOTE:
Your artwork will be included in the next article and published in the Arts and Culture section on Friday, the 1st of December. However, if your artwork contains any inappropriate content, it will not be included.
We hope to see your artwork soon, and we wish you a happy fall!
Shadowed Light – Chapter One
by Aleena Haimor and Layal Hilal
August 4th, 2020-5:35 P.M.
“Zainab! Dinner time!” I look up to Iman’s firm and slightly excited voice. I groan.
“One more minute?” I ask, wanting to finish this chapter in the story I’m writing. Before I even hear anything, I know what the answer will be. I pause the music playing through my turquoise iPod.
“Yalla, get down here!” Great, Huda has joined Iman in the attempt to get me up. I moan and end up hitting my head on the table. Owwwwwww. Seriously, guys? Right now?!
After another call from my sisters, I know my time is up. I sigh and get off my desk. The chair squeaks as I hop off, tie my hair up and slip on my sky blue hijab and darker blue abaya. The beads around the cuff of my sleeves tinkle as I open the door. I walk downstairs and the smell of za’atar, kibbeh, and suma’a hits my nose. I breathe in the spicy scent of strong Arabic coffee as well. My Bayi, Amain, is sitting in the leather armchair reading about some Greek philosopher.
“Hello, Eyeni,” Bayi says.
“Hi Bayi!” I smile, kiss him on the cheek, and give him a giant hug.
“Zainab! Are you done yet?” Iman yells.
“Yes,” I say.
“Then come help with dinner please,” she says. Sara comes into the room just as I’m about to leave it. She’s still wearing her nightclothes and is only wearing a umtah instead of her hijab. I cock my head curiously.
“Good evening,” says Sara. She catches sight of my face and laughs. “Don’t worry, I’m just tired.” Sara yawns for extra measure and hugs me. We haven’t gone out at all today, so no one really changed.
I should probably introduce myself now. Well, my name is Zainab Salim. I live in Beirut, Lubnan and I am twelve years old. I have three older sisters: 25-year-old Sara, 20-year-old Huda, and 18-year-old Iman. My Mama and Bayi are both easy, outgoing parents and I love them and the rest of my family dearly.
My Mama, Fayrouz, walks in, smiling at us all. Her beautiful, shining face takes my breath away every time I see her. After hugging me and kissing my older sisters, she ties her hair back and gets to work.
Mama hasn’t put on her hijab, but is wearing a honey-colored abaya studded with jewels. As I see her without a hijab on, I realize I am getting hot in my scarf, so I take off my hijab like the rest of the family. I was wearing it wrong anyway, so I’ll ask Sara to help me later.
I guess I should start helping with dinner, too. After all, we’re supposed to go to the Maghrib prayer today. I know that I have a part in this household and I need to help. I chop up tomatoes and olives in the kitchen, letting the scent fill the kitchen, and then set up the table. Finally, we all sit down, and pull a plate to ourselves. Before I eat, I bless my food with one word.
“Bismillah,” I say.
We begin to eat. Bayi tells jokes and we all laugh. Many Arab families tell their children to be seen and not heard. My parents don’t do this and I am grateful for that. I rip apart a piece of khubz Arabie and scoop up some warat enib on it. I take a bite. Mmmmmmm. Mama’s mujadara is the BEST!
“Tobrini, Inshallah,” Mama says as we dig in.
After finishing up and clearing the dishes, Mama starts singing. I join in and my sisters and Bayi do the same.
Suddenly there is a knock at the door.
“Shh! Be quiet, ya habibi,” Mama and Bayi say simultaneously. Baba slips to the door and cautiously opens it as us girls quickly throw on our hijabs. With the wars in Lubnan, opening the door can be a death sentence. And with the new Covid virus going on, no one wants to leave their homes.
However, Bayi has no reason to worry. Mama’s brother, Khalo Fouad, stands there, grinning. Mama gasps and runs to him. He wraps his arms around her and kisses her head.
Khalo is Mama’s older brother by seven years. He has always been her favorite brother out of her three brothers. Mama also has two sisters, but we haven’t seen them in a while. We haven’t seen Khalo in over a year, since he and his family live in Halba, about one and a half hours away.
I run too. Khalo is my favorite uncle. He dips down and receives me with open arms. My feet lift off the ground as I am spun around.
“Khalo!” I squeal in delight as he sets me down.
“Hi, Eyeni. I missed you, my Zainab.”
“Ahlan, Khalo!”
“Sara! Huda! Iman! You are taller than last year!” my uncle jokes. My sisters smile as he kisses each one on the forehead.
“Are Samira and Aisha here?” I miss my older cousins a lot. I look at the clock while Khalo chats with my family. Right now, its 6:07 P.M.
“They wanted to come see you, but were busy with college. They…”
Suddenly, a loud boom sounds. The room rumbles and fills with a dusty haze. I cough hard, half blinded, and feel around me.
“Mama?”
“Bayi?”
“Khalo?”
As the smoke clears and my eyes adjust, I see a figure laying on the ground. Mama and Bayi see it as well, but they gasp. Mama runs and tears rain down on the body.
Panic grips my heart. I see a ray of sun and the face is clear. I fall to my knees and cry to Allah as my family clutches each other.
This isn’t real.
It can’t be.
It can’t be true.
As Khalo’s tears fall to the ground and the truth hits me like a bomb, my mind drowns in a black hole of sorrow.
Arabic Glossary:
Yalla: Come on
Hijab: A headscarf that some Muslim women wear
Abaya: A cloth long-sleeved type of dress, sometimes worn by Arab women
Za’atar: An Arabic spice
Kibbeh: A type of “meatball” made in the middle east
Suma’a: Sumac
Bayi: Dad, in the slang Levantine dialect of Arabic
Eyeni: My eye, kind of like “apple of my eye”
Umrah: An undercover for securing hair under a hijab
Lubnan: Lebanon
Maghrib: One of the five Islamic daily prayers; the evening prayer
Bismillah: In the name of God
Khubz Arabie: Arabic bread/pita bread
Warat enib: Stuffed grape leaves, a very popular dish in the Middle East
Tobrini, Inshallah: I hope that I die before you; an oddly popular thing to say in Lebanon
Ya habibi: My darling
Khalo: Maternal uncle
Ahlan: Hello
Allah: God
The Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off
by Lucas David
The Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off is a competition hosted in Half Moon Bay on Indigenous People’s Day. Competitors travel from all around to have their pumpkins weighed for a chance at first place, where the pumpkin is purchased at nine dollars per pound. The record-setting pumpkin receives an additional 30k, and immortalization as a pumpkin record breaker. The last record set was broken by Travis Grienger, with his monstrous 2,749 pound gourd. Each pumpkin is carted onto a scale, weighed, lifted into the air on a crane and carefully inspected for cracks, chemicals or rot. If any of these are found, the pumpkin is disqualified, but they still weigh it anyway. There’s also a great deal to do in the area: there’s a brunch place named “Johnny’s”. Johnny’s is admittedly pricey, but tasty, and it boasts an authentic breakfast diner atmosphere. The biscuits are delicious and drowned in gravy, and the tater tots are filling and plentiful. Ice cream scoops (chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry) are only three dollars each, if you’re on a budget or just looking for a snack.
All of this is right by Half Moon Beach, a sandy coast surrounded by fields of succulent plants and pathways. A 10-foot drop-off marks the border between the sand and succulents, with the layers of rock sediment displayed like a science exhibit. Getting down to the beach looks tricky at first, since most obvious paths lead to edges that would be difficult to descend, but following the succulents will bring you to a wider path. On your way home, there are many pumpkin patches to pick from if you’d like to drop by and snag one, or get lost in a corn maze and never return. To summarize, next year on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, consider a trip to The Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay. It’s
definitely worth the drive!
Danville Grange No. 85 Turns 150 Years Old
by Meru S.
You may have been to the annual TVE Harvest Dance that took place just a few weeks ago. You might have even participated in the Knowledge Fair this spring, but have you ever wondered about the history of the building in which these events take place?
This year, on October 25th, the Danville Grange Hall celebrated its 150th anniversary. Many of us TVE members may know the Grange from all of the TVE events that happen there.
The Grange Hall that we see today was opened in 1952, though the story of its past purpose goes back to the late 1860s and the early 1870s, when the Civil War had just ended. On the national level, Oliver Hudson Kelley of Minnesota wanted to start a farmer’s society, in hopes of improving the situation of agriculture across the northern and southern states. As a result of his determined efforts, the National Grange was created in 1868 to support the welfare of farmers. On April 16th of that year, Mr. Kelley founded the Fredonia Grange in New York. It became the first Grange in the country. In 1868, Robert Baldwin from Danville and George McCamly from San Ramon learned about the National Grange and created the California State Grange. The Danville Grange was organized on October 1st, 1873. Throughout the country, farmers would gather at Granges to discuss farming techniques for the benefit of agriculture.
The Danville Grange was the eighty-fifth in California and the third Grange in Contra Costa County. It is now located at 743 Diablo Road in Danville. The original Grange was on the second floor of Danville’s Village Theater at 233 Front Street.
The Grange Hall is now rented for various public and private events, including the monthly Tassajara 4-H club community meetings and, of course, TVE events. The next time you are at the Danville Grange Hall, take a moment to reflect upon its century-and-a-half-old history!
For more information and facts about the Grange, please visit the San Ramon Valley Museum’s website:
To rent the Grange Hall for events, you can call this number: 925-837-5251.
What is DNA?
Do you know what causes your eye, hair and skin color, etc? Well, you can thank your DNA! DNA are molecules that make you, well, you!
DNA itself stands for deoxyribonucleic acid (ask your parents on how to pronounce that). The deoxy part means that DNA has one less (the de part stands for less) oxygen atom than RNA (Ribonucleic acid), which also carries genetic information. The ribo part stands for sugar ribose, which are chemical compounds.
DNA is built of nucleotide monomers (a molecule that can react with other monomers), hence the nucleic part. They are bound together with polynucleotides (Biopolymer molecules composed of nucleotide monomers).
The role of discovering the shape of DNA, the double helix shape, goes to Rosalind Franklin, an aspiring woman scientist who discovered lots of new things about DNA. Rosalind Franklin was a British woman, born in 1920. She and her colleagues (but mostly her) discovered DNA at King’s college in London, 1951.
Franklin took her famous picture, Photo 51, using an x-ray. She used x-ray crystallography (when you use x-ray diffraction to find the shape of a crystalline structure) to take the picture, signifying a large milestone in the creation of modern science.
James Watson and Francis Crick figured out that Franklin had discovered DNA. They stole her ideas and published them as their own. Watson himself wrote a book, called The Double Helix, about the findings, and unfairly referred to Franklin as “autistic.”
After publishing The Double Helix, James Watson, along with Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins, was awarded ⅓ of the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1962. They were awarded “for their discoveries concerning the molecular structure of nucleic acids and its significance for information transfer in living material,” as said by the Nobel Prize awards, when really, the prize should have gone to Rosalind Franklin.
There are two types of DNA bonds: AT/TA and GC/CG. Only T and A can connect, and only G and C can connect. If you put, let’s say, T and G together, it wouldn’t fit together. This is called a mutation. Think of when you put the wrong puzzle piece. It’s kind of like that. Mutations can be passed down, for example, cancer is a type of mutation caused by the wrong bonds going together.
DNA strands are wound around proteins, to make something called a chromosome. There are two types of chromosomes: X and Y. Chromosomes come in pairs, and the type of pairs determines your gender. Girls and women have XX pairs. Boys and men have XY pairs. The nitrogen bases that make up DNA (which then make up chromosomes), are A (adenine), T (thymine), C (cytosine) and G (guanine), as we said earlier.
I hope you’re as fascinated with DNA as I am! DNA strands really are like the building blocks of cells (which are the building blocks of YOU). It’s super cool to learn about and I hope that this article gives you a better understanding of DNA.
A Day in the Life of a Great White Shark
Hey there! My name is Todd, and I’m a Great White Shark. Don’t be shy, I had a big breakfast, so I won’t bite.
My scientific name is “Carcharodon carcharias” for those of you who like that kind of stuff. I am 35 years old, so technically, I can be considered middle aged, because most of us live for 70 years or more. I am 15 feet long, which is about the length of a car. I exercise regularly, and weigh 2,300 pounds, which is average for a Great White Shark like me. Some of my friends grow up to 21 feet, and can weigh up to 4,500 pounds. In my opinion, I think they should go swimming more, and lose a few hundred pounds *wink wink*.
I live off the coast of Japan, and I’ll let you in on a little secret. I think Hello Kitty is adorable, and a lot of people here agree! Anyways, many of you may believe that I’m mean, and that if they meet me, then I’ll eat them. The truth is, shark attacks are quite rare. In fact, there are less than 10 per year. Uh, oh. Look at the time! I need to go get some lunch. Yum! There’s a school of fish over there. I’ll be right back.
Those fish were delicious! Now, where were we? Oh, yes! Let me tell you some interesting facts about us Great White Sharks. First of all, you may think that I am a mammal, but I am not. You see, I have gills just like a fish, unlike dolphins who are mammals. Next, check it out…aaah!
Look at all of my teeth! I have about 3 hundred that are separated into 7 rows. Just like you, I lose and regrow my teeth. The only difference is that Great Whites (such as myself) can go through 20,000 teeth in a lifetime, because we lose and regrow each tooth multiple times.
I’m going to play a game. I will go from this rock to that coral over there as fast as I can, and see what’s the fastest speed I can reach. Ready, set, go! Boom! 54 miles per hour! That was probably one of my best speeds yet! The highest a shark can swim on average is about 60 miles per hour, so I was pretty close.
My neighbor’s cousin’s friend’s sister just had 6 pups! They are adorable. Each of them are currently about 5 feet long, and will most likely grow 4 times longer by the time they grow up. An average female shark has 2 to 12 pups at a time. That’s a lot of babies to take care of.
Did you know that if you were to flip me upside down, it would cause me to become disoriented? That means that I would basically be hypnotized. I wouldn’t be able to move, but don’t worry, it only lasts up to 15 minutes. Please don’t flip me over.
Thanks so much for coming! I don’t get very many visitors around here, and I think you can figure out why. If you would like to learn more about us Great White Sharks, feel free to do some research. Well, that’s all for today! Ooh! It’s time for a snack!
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Get Ready for the Harvest Dance! – 2023
by Ava Salado
Hello TVE Community! I think it is safe to say the fall has officially…fallen. Isn’t it wonderful? Leaves of all shades of orange line the streets and the tidemark smell of autumn is finally out. So you know what that means? TVE’s Harvest Dance is here! Join us for our annual Family Harvest Dance! This event is for the whole family and promises to be a fantastic night! There will be music, dancing, a photo booth, a variety of snacks, games, a costume parade, arts & crafts and more! It is truly a TVE tradition that is a favorite for many.
Costumes are highly encouraged, but please be sure to wear family friendly costumes so the little ones aren’t frightened. You can sign up for what you can bring to the snack potluck!
It will be held on October 21st, 2023 from 6-10 pm. Check the TVE official Facebook page for the location, who is going, and much more information! To cover the expense of the venue we kindly ask for 8$ per person/guest and 25$ for a household of 3 or more.
We sincerely hope to see you at this year’s Harvest Dance!
Navarathri — The Festival of Nine Nights
by Meru S.
The Hindu festival of Navarathri begins on the new moon during mid-September to mid-October. In the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit, nava means nine and rathri means night, so Navarathri translates to Nine Nights. It is also called Dussara, or Ten Days, in Hindi. During these nine nights, three legendary goddesses of Hinduism are honored.
The first three nights of Navarathri celebrate the warrior goddess Durga, who destroys the demons of greed, anger, jealousy, and ego. Goddess Durga’s victory over the demon Mahishasura, after a nine-day-long battle, is one of the reasons why Navarathri is celebrated. The next three nights are dedicated to Lakshmi, who is the goddess of prosperity and abundance in spirituality, courage, material wealth, victory, agriculture, and wisdom. During the last three nights, Saraswathi, the goddess of knowledge and learning is worshiped.
Here is a short prayer to Goddess Saraswathi in Sanskrit:
सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यं वरदे कामरूपिणि ।
विद्यारंभं करिष्यामि सिद्धिर्भवतु मे सदा ॥
Saraswathi namasthubhyam varade kamarupini
vidyarambham karishyami siddhirbhavathu me sada
Translation:
Salutations to you, O Goddess Saraswathi, who is the giver of boons and who has a
beautiful form! I now begin my studies. Let there always be success for me.
In southern India, each family builds a beautifully and elaborately decorated set of steps on which dolls made of clay, wood, or ceramic are arranged. Dolls are often passed down for generations and are many years old. The god and goddess images are placed on the higher steps, while human and animal dolls are set on the lower steps. These displays (known as golu in the South Indian language, Tamil) commonly depict weddings, rituals, ceremonies, or stories from the scriptures. Families dress up and visit each other, sing songs, and chant prayers.
In northern India, families and devotees celebrate Navarathri by visiting temples, performing traditional dances, and enacting legends of the three Goddesses. The tenth day, called Vijaya Dasami, is believed (in north India) to be the day on which Prince Rama defeated the ten-headed demon, Ravana.
This is a recipe for Sundal, a traditional savory dish made with garbanzo beans:
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked or 1 can of garbanzo beans
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
⅛ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 diced green chili or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes.
1 small pinch of asafoetida (optional)
1 sprig of curry leaves (optional)
chopped cilantro (optional)
1. Soak the garbanzo beans in water for at least six hours, then cook them. If you are using canned garbanzo, drain them and skip this step.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the mustard seeds, and let them splutter.
3. Add the fennel seeds, green chilies or red pepper flakes, turmeric powder, asafoetida, and curry leaves. Stir, then add the garbanzo beans, salt and sugar. Mix until well combined.
4. Garnish with cilantro, serve warm, and enjoy!
The Lighthouse 