MUST READ: OPERATION PREYING MANTIS...

OPERATION: PREYING MANTIS

John Sava: Warrior Priest

A Novel of Intrigue by Dennis R. Bennett

  This story will appeal to readers searching for both a character driven and a social driven suspense thriller with unique objectives. The tone is similar to Tom Clancy’s military and governmental intrigue and John Grisham’s concern of social and philosophical intrigue.  It also will appeal to those who enjoy insight into the philosophy and motivation required for people desiring to step outside the normal box of life.

Synopsis of OPERATION: PREYING MANTIS - John Sava: Warrior Priest

  The overwhelming cocain traffic and related crime has become a great concern of a highly sophisticated group of wealthy influential men and women, known as The McLain Group.  Their primary concern is the inability of the legal system to shut down one major crime group, who call themselves The Apollyon Group.  The founders and leaders of The Apollyon Group are a Columbian grower, a son of a Mafioso Don, and a US Senator.

  

John Sava, a son of one of The McLain Group, is a West Point graduate and a Presbyterian minister, who experienced first hand the devastating results of crime fueled by cocain. He becomes the vigilante for The McLain Group. The mission of the group and its vigilante is to eliminate the three founders of The Apollyon Group. The mission is to be accomplished without detection. The mission is code named Operation Preying Mantis.

  

John Sava is the Preying Mantis (with an e) and must utilize all of the skills he acquired as a combat soldier, before becoming a minister. He also must utilize all of his ministerial training to carry out his mission undetected, much like a Praying Mantis does in nature as it hunts its prey.

  

OPERATION PREYING MANTIS blends the unique skills of a highly trained Ranger with the deft philosophical world of politics and religion. Each chapter is an encounter of good and evil encased in highly skilled military and religious fundamentals. 

About the Author

  Dennis R. Bennett is (my father) and a Presbyterian minister, a graduate of West Point, and a retired military officer, who was first a US Air Force line officer and then a US Army Chaplain. His military duty was both active and reserve status.  He is also successful businessman and public speaker and has an earned doctorate from Columbia Theological Seminary. He was the recipient of both the Air Force and Army Commendation Medal and a Man of the Year Award.

  

As a writer, he has written more than 400 newspaper and business magazine columns and published one book, “My Rambling Thoughts”, which is a collection of some of his best published articles. His blog is at http://drdennisbennett.blogspot.com.

  Dr. Bennett is one of the West Point graduates featured in the book, “Sons of Slum and Gravy” by Bill Mogan and available on Amazon.com.

http://drdennisbennett.blogspot.com/


OPERATION PREYING MANTIS... John Sava: Warrior Priest 
ONLY $2.99 
What! This price was a mistake... So Buy Now! :))

HOOD RIVER: COFFEE BY DESIGN

3 Cool Independent Coffee Shops Around Hood River
Most of the country, coffee flows almost abundantly as water. While most people know joints like Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts and Caribou, lucky for us, a lot of great independent coffee houses still survive in different areas of the country. These places are worker-owned and focus on quality drinks, perfectly-roasted coffee, a variety of beans, hip baristas and an artistic quality lacking from the name-brand chains out there. Here are some of my favorites...

Dog River Coffee: Smack downtown Hood River. Magic! Think Stumptown meets The Jetsons. Spoke w Nate Devol - he'd just came back from playing in the snow at the mountain, after getting blasted with almost 3 feet of snow from the night before - cool guy - one of the first founders of Dog River Coffee... along w Christine Hoag, who's from this area, and fascinatingly is also a judge at the NW Barista Competitions. This place happens to be one of the oldest existing coffee shops in HR... and was the only coffee shop in exsistence in HR back in 2004. My favorite coffee here is their Guatemala Antigua Buenavista which gets described a black cherry and lemon flavors interlace throughout a creamy milk chocolate blend... and w that I had a Mocha-chip cupcakes w espresso buttercream frosting... sinfully scrumptious! But it's not just their beans that make this funky coffee spot jump out... it's their laid back retro-cyber cafe space- cozy and open, cool art, local atmosphere, great music, chrome and vinyl dinette tables and chairs, and 50's & 60's upholstered lounge chairs, reflecting a kind of 70's feel... think Brady Bunch. Often they have interesting people come in, such as top athletes and give presentations- grab a coffee or beer and listen to exciting expeditions such as climbing one of the 7 summits or epic skiing stories. Pure love and joy was put into this shop. Besides their fabulous coffee they also serve smoothies, pastries and breakfast burritos.

Ground Coffee: On the east end of town is a cool eco-retro style coffee house where you can plant yourself down on the sofa with a good read... or eavesdrop on someone's conversation. Their slogan is It's not the coffee, it is the people. Owner Carin Agren is from Sweden and has lived in the states for many years. She opened this unique coffee shop with the idea of building a place for friends to gather. The artistic aura this place has draws musicians, artists and creative people in.....I can't decide if it's the atmosphere, people, food or coffee I like best. They serve a multitude of fresh roasted fancy coffee's and even have organic coffee beans. Daily homemade soups such as Curried Butternut Squash, Chicken Dumpling, Carrot-ginger, Russian Potato Soup, Cream of Mushroom... frequently they serve Borscht, MacNCheez, Vanilla Caramel Coffee Cake, Homemade Chocolate Chip Waffles, Greek Honey Yogurt & Vanilla, Homebaked Blueberry, Raspberry & White Chocolate Scones, Lemon Coffee-cake, not to mention all their delicious gourmet lunch and breakfast sandwiches... the list goes on! Are you hungry yet? This is Carin in the pic below...

10 Speed Coffee Up in the heights in HR- is a unique place- small-batch roastery who's committed to supporting local. While each element of the cafe supports and enhances cycling culture and the experience of riding, they also serve as a comfortable and friendly meeting spot for coffee enthusiasts and sportsman of all kind. They offer food and drink that is particularly allied to cyclists- breakfast sandwiches, wraps, pastries, treats, and of course cold local beer. It's great alternative for your morning meeting or weekend coffee spot. Sit in a relaxed atmosphere and have a cup of java while your bike is being tuned up next door at Dirty Fingers bike repair. You can actually watch them roast their own beans and brew coffee while waiting... precisely the vibe this funky 3 year old shop has... relaxing and interesting. You'll see a constant flow of locals, including bikers stopping by for a cold beer or killer coffee after riding. If it wasn't for coffee, we'd have no personality whatsoever!

ZION NATIONAL PARK: RED CAVE MT CARMEL

Virtual Vacation... Just For Today!

Many people in the Northern hemisphere would love to go somewhere warm and sunny for a winter vaca, but not everyone can afford to go to places like Hawaii or the Canary Islands. For a lot of us the winter vaca's is simply a road trip, and in the NW that usually means south to California, Nevada or Utah. Not much warmer, but def a little dryer.  Utah's always been one of my favorite places. So I'm headed out on a Virtual Vacation and escaping the winter - road tripin' it to Zion... with my two four legged girls (Fibi and Taxi). As I hit Route 89 listening to Days Like This by Van Morrison, feelin' happy - the morning was perfect... sun's beating down, car top down, warm air blowing just enough to keep me comfortable. Headed into Zion National Park... first stop Upper Red Cave in Mt. Carmel. Slot canyons! Imagine an impossibly narrow canyon with narrow curves and twisted wind-swept paths, lit with mysterious shadows and hints of light, that tempt canyoneers to wiggle, slither and climb to its finish. Add to that a fun 4WD right to the slot canyon entrance and you have Red Cave. Went spelunking through the lush canyons tightly enclosed by towering striated, sandstone walls... staring up at these grand walls marveling at how smaller than average I felt... leaving civilization behind, yet on some scale a sublime and peaceful feeling of contentment. Pretty kewl. But there's so many different hikes, so check it out b4 you get there. 


After Red Cave I headed West to catch a beer and bite at Bit and Spur Restaurant & Saloon located in Springdale, Utah, at the entrance to Zion National Park. They carry Southern Utah's largest selection of micro-brews and fresh fruit margaritas. Sounds Yum! right about now (the funk soul brother...) They're considered the watering hole and gathering place for locals. Cool art exhibits and an open patio with breath-taking sunsets an amazing view of the canyons. 

Driving back  up Rt 89 I heard a dog bark... and awoke out of my imaginary getaway... girls are gettin' restless - gotta go take them out xc-skiing. Just got a few of feet of snow in the last couple of days - def taking advantage of that.

Red Cave Mt. Carmel

Stay tuned for my next Virtual Vaca... Hmm, Whistler maybe?

ZUMBA TO A SEXY BODY: SUPERSIZE THE SOUL

ZUMBA QUEEN ALICIA

Laughter is a rapeutic exercise.... and Zumba is exercise that will make you belly laugh! Whether you're stressed, frustrated or mad about life... you'll laugh, and have fun! I ventured across town, all of a half mile, over to Group Fit Hood River- next to Snap Fitness- over near Pizzacato. I went behind the scenes with the beautiful and fit Beth Turner, one of three owners of Group Fit HR... and in my quest to find just plain fun fitness without the commitment of contracts and over paying for equipment I'll pretend to use, but well knowingly won't - found it... just classes! Clearly not just classes though... Zumba, Bollywood, Hip Hop, Stretch, Step, Tone, even Pilates and Power Yoga for you guru's out there. It was there I was able to shed light on the muses behind my goals, and Zumba'd myself into a hot bold sexy body... well the beginning of my dreamy image. Alicia Beckman- man can she move, jiggle and shake body parts I never knew exsisted... I do now! I'm hooked. Alicia was filled with energy that was bound to cause some quakes in the Gorge. I laughed hard looking around, and at me- all the expressions and postures, some good at this, and well some... picture Liz Lemon from 30 Rock (Tina Fey as we know her)... but if you can't dance it doesn't matter, you just have to move your whole body. The moves and music's anywhere from Salsa, Cumbia, Merengue, Rumba, Mambo, Belly Dance, Flamenco, Samba, Tango, Reggatone and Hip Hop of course. This is one of those times, well...

DANCE LIKE THERE'S NO ONE WATCHING!

Alicia Beckman ZUMBA instructor

Alicia Beckman and me ZUMBA'ing

Beth Turner 

Not just for girls!

HAPPY PLACE

Out with BBG (basket biking girl) yesterday– cross country ski’d the sno-park at Bennett Pass off of 35 Southeast side of Mt Hood – beautiful day for January – 50’s and sunny- snow melted down, but soft and easy to ski. So we’re yappin away about dogs, blogs, work, weather… and BBG popped a question that should’ve been simple to answer… ‘so where’s your happy place?’… Good question. It actually took me a minute to think of an answer... 10 plus years ago I could’ve answered methodically and without hesitation… I blanked - and realized I’ve been so busy living life in survival mode rather than just living in the moment, I lost sight of what really makes me happy. My answer back was sailing or anything connected to the ocean – of which I rarely get enough of. But later that evening I continued to think about it and decided I changed my mind... my past experiences has compromised what I Use to think would make me Happy… and if your aha moment is light years ahead of me, then you already know... it’s not where we live, rather who we are, or who we’ve become. Not so profound I know - just simply true. However, where we live has a huge influence on what and who we become… so if we grew up where our happy place is, isn't it possible we (or I) could’ve answered with a quick “right here and now”. On some level I’m happy - it's built in my DNA, but definetly still searching... for more excitement really. Life doesn’t fall into place the way it’s suppose to... some people yes. Most people - NO... you wake up 10, 20 years later and say ‘now what’… and that’s where I am. So sleeping on this - here’s where my Happy is - and goals to look forward to…

*Writing. quirky, simple, senseless... maybe. But I started. Check.

*Sail with a Crew in Sydney or Valencia… or where-ever!

*See the wilder side of the Grand Tetons… and rock climb

*Explore Rt 89 through the Rockies & national parks (bike hike and climb). Half check.

*Live in Bali paradise for a month… and paint. Started painting.

*Photograph people and anything with bold bright colors. Half check.

*Bike the back roads of Italia… the arches of Moab…and Valencia

*Dance w passion! to underground Tango in Argentina

*Learn to cook Italian style in Tuscany… and drink mucho vino! Half check.

*Skydive (not really, I breakout in a sweat just saying the word- just think it’ll help kick start my goals) and BBG will join me! J

Ok, enough of my thoughts. Life if pretty good, except when I'm not paying attention to where I'm walking.


Where's your Happy place?
post a comment - even just one thing - love to hear!

HOLY BAMBINOS BATMAN

Bambinos International Learning Center 

11 years and running... 

Children or No children? Do you have family or friends with kids, or know someone that knows somebody with kids? This place is to be discovered. 
Privately owned, this incredible learning center is designed to teach and develop children from ages 3 months through 12 years. I met with Lorena Lowell, Founder and CEO of Bambinos, who said her goal was to "Awaken their Passion and Excel their Development" by exposing them to the world. There's certainly No lack of creativity here and diversity is celebrated. Their Creative Curriculum enhances social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and language development. The learning environment is the structure of the classroom that sets the context for teaching and learning.
I  learned that every teacher has a Masters in Education...now that's impressive! Embracing Arts was high on their list- Mark Nilsson, a very well known Artist visits from time-to-time to teach them how to express their creative side. They learn languages such as Spanish and French from age 2, and chow on healthy well-rounded meals from natural organic ingredients made fresh daily... even Jamie Oliver would be amazed. There's enhancement and after school programs, transportation, And Parents' Night Out. Fun! They really seem to embody the quality and focus our kids crave today. 

A Mark Nilsson inspiration

If only we were 3 again... gosh those were the days... wait 3's are the new 2's, and I don't think we'd survive the terrible 2's again. After visiting Bambinos, and seeing the Love and Logic that is taught, I learned this Center not only makes learning fun, but brings positive changes to the lives of our children.... our future!

Guitars Inspired by Pablo Picasso

COLUMBIA GORGE WIND-SEEKERS DESTINATION

Hood River is well-known in the world of windsurfing and kite boarding. Thanks to the incredible gorge winds that blow along the Columbia River, it's been called the windsurfing capital of the world. Travel east of Portland- just about a 50 minute drive.

A few launch sites include:
The Event Site
The Spit
The Sandbar
Check out NW Kite for further details and some good info.

A few great local places for Gear, Rentals and Information:
Windance Boardshop
2nd Wind Sports
Big Winds Hood River
Brian's Windsurfing / Kiteboarding / SUP

MARCHESI VINEYARDS: PLEASURE WINE

Pleasure Wine

Ever wonder what makes a Super Tuscan Wine? They are unique blends created by winemakers who wanted "think outside the box" of the DOC or DOCG and didn't want to conform to the strict governing winemaking laws in Italy. They tend to be high quality and expensive, although now days you can find decent affordable ones.

In my quest this summer to become more familiar with the local wines and vineyards near where I live in the Columbia Gorge and Valley- Marchesi Winery was one of the places I visited. Want to also know what Dolcetta, Sangiovese or Barbera's taste like? Visiting this place is a must! Franco Marchesi is the owner/winemaker, and was happy to engage in conversation (with his charming italian accent) about wine or your trips to Italy- he's truly passionate about what he does and his wines are distinctive and expressive, and yet very consistent.

Piasj is Piedmontese dialect for 'Pleasure' and this word tells you all about the wine. :)) It's a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese and Petit Verdot. This is Marchesi's Super Tuscan blend- it's an elegant, full bodied wine with a harmony of classic cedar, dried currants and smooth mineral flavors. 

Simply Delicioso!