E E FR Celebrating art and science in Greater Prescott
July 2013 Volume 1, Issue 7
Luminous Water: Robert Hooper whets your water color appetite
PLUS: Alan Dean Foster prods Prescott prognosticators Ty Fitzmorris channels Prometheus & Noah
And much 2 more!
5enses In which:
4 5 8 9 10 11 14 14
Sadira DeMarino
talks storytelling, found objects, and folk art with Prescott sculpture artist Dawn Elliott.
Ruby Jackson
is mesmerized by ink, fireworks, motocross, surf rock legends, and Native American art.
6 15 16 18
Ty Fitzmorris
promulgates a more sophisticated, nuanced view of fires and monsoons.
Matt Dean
takes his daughter to Ernest A. Love Field for some aircraft spotting and family bonding time.
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Helen Stephenson
Gene Twaronite
Jimmy Polinori
Wyatt Frazee
knows oh, what heights you’ll hit at the annual Prescott Film Festival.
offers food for thought on brain food and optimal neurological nutrition.
unearths the strange, surprising history behind the Big Bang theory.
Paolo Chlebecek
Jacques Laliberté
Jacques Laliberté
talks cars, rock ’n’ roll, and watercolors with Prescott watercolor artist Robert Hooper.
Jill Craig
waits with bated breath for the watery exhale of monsoon season.
Eric Moore
PLUS
Left brain/Right brain Find out what’s going on in Greater Prescott
With Libertines & J Just ust Us Fatales
The science of women
catches up on some reading and contemplates the finer points of pesticides, naturally.
Alan Dean Foster
feels a bit under the weather after considering the dizzying diversity of local forecasts.
July 2013 • Volume 1, Issue 7
Copyright © 2013 5enses Inc. unless otherwise noted. Publisher & Editor: Nicholas DeMarino Creative Director: Jimmy Polinori Copy Editor: Susan Smart Read a new 5enses the first Friday of every month. Visit 5ensesMag.Com, Facebook, & Twitter for more. Contact us at 5ensesMag@Gmail.Com & 928-613-2076.
THIS PAGE: “Hawaryu.” Watercolor by Robert Hooper.
cracks the password code without a single reference to the 1995 film “Hackers.”
flags down some rockin’ Fourth of July fashion to cover the masses.
COVER: “Peacock.” Watercolor by Robert Hooper.
is raving about those big, black birds that you may think are crows. They’re not.
5ENSESMAG.COM • JULY 2013 • CONTENTS • 3
eF ra Outside the Frame
Tiny stories By Sadira DeMarino
A
small medieval village in Mexico. Día de los Muertos. Intimate family gatherings. Decorating the cemetery for your ancestors. Children. Parades. Arms overflowing with flowers. Singing. Honoring, loving, and remembering. Tradition. Folk art. Art. “I’m not sure why I make the art I do, but there’s so much to be done,” says Prescott artist Dawn Reeves Elliot. Elliot works in mixed-media. If you were to see her entire body of work, you could identify any given piece as hers. The turquoise, ochre, and reds she uses are dead giveaways, but Elliot works in myriad mediums, connecting and choosing every aspect with thoughtfulness. Her pieces are collages, assemblages, wall hangings, sculptures. This and that Elliot grew up in Tucson in a family where everyone worked with their hands one way or another. She was a teacher for 25 years and explored dif-
ferent cultures with her students, but not as an art teacher. She’s not a “trained artist,” but enjoys having more time to create now that she’s retired. “Retired.” She laughs as she says it and talks about the many activities she enjoys now that she’s got the time to entertain herself. One part of the new life she’s created is “finding.” Elliot’s art consists of found objects. She gets them at swap meets, yard sales, and thrifts. Friends find things and give them to her. She lights up when she talks about a favorite junk yard where she can make a whole pile of pieces and take them back to her studio. Each part has a story, and she has boxes of them waiting to be told. Some elements wait a long time, but their stories won’t be as strong unless they’re in the right narrative. Others are immediate catalysts for whole pieces of art. Elliot is drawn toward old wood and rusted metal, but when you look at her art, you see there’s more to it. Painted wings fly over rusted bedsprings. Keys twist in keyholes and license plates frame loops of chain in metal boxes. There are wooden plaques with metal crosses and painted hearts. There are Day of the Dead skulls and wood combs. Dried, woven leaves and flowers nest in painted wooden bowls. There are large intricate shrines filled with layers of vintage metal pieces, faces, and religious icons. Upon pedestals rest wood pieces, flaming hearts, nails, stars, and crowns. Big and small, filled and sparse, each piece is reminiscent of an alter. All are lush and full of memories. Every piece contains little things you want to hold in your hands or cradle in your arms.
4 • FEATURE • JULY 2013 • 5ENSESMAG.COM
Art by Dawn Elliot. Photos by 5enses. re to t describe her work I loathe to use it, but if I were in a single word, it’s whimsical. Wait; now I’m leaning more toward mystical. Storytelling Indeed, every piece Elliot works on tells a story. Sometimes she holds on to some of the components longer than others because they’re very special to her; it takes the proper inspiration for her to contextualize them in her art. But, eventually, they have to leave. Others, the really special ones, end up in her garden. She can enjoy them for a while longer but, eventually, it’s time for them to go, too. With care and thoughtfulness, Elliot walks through her studio gathering, painting, and preserving each object in tiny sculptures. Each piece takes longer than you might think. Elliot loses time as she steps into the flow of her work, but — as she found out while preparing for a recent joint show at The Raven Café — she appreciates a deadline. Part of her inspiration is more languid. She makes a semi-annual pilgrimage to a small medieval village in Mexico, and tries to soak up as much local culture, tradition, arts, and crafts as possible. Elliot enjoys making new pieces and is constantly searching for new ways of creating art. Which is why she’s always evolving as an artist. “I like doing every single aspect of this work,” Elliot says, leaning back and smiling. “I like to cut, find, paint, patina — it keeps it interesting.” It’s an impulse, too. “I have to do it,” she says, “Just to be happy.” ***** Dawn Reeves Elliot’s artwork has shown locally at multiple venues. You can see her pieces at The Newman Gallery or La Posada, in Winslow. See more of her artwork online at AlterEgoMexicana.Com. Sadira DeMarino lives in Prescott, where she’s owned and operated the resale clothing store Snap Snap for 18 years. For the past two years she’s been in business with her mother at 133 N. Cortez St. Contact her at SadiraDas@Yahoo.Com.
Around ...
... the Corner
July displays come fo(u)rth By Ruby Jackson Got ink? Even if you don’t, you’ve gotta check out Northern Arizona’s first tattoo convention, Northern Arizona Tattoo Fest, happening the weekend of July 5, 6, and 7 at the Prescott Resort and Conference Center and Casino. Husband-andwife team Tony Carey (Hold Fast tattoo artist) and Adrienne Carey (Northern Arizona Roller Derby founder) decided to bring some tattoo culture to the mountains smack dab in the midst of Prescott’s Frontier Days Fourth of July celebration and the World’s Oldest Rodeo. (Tattoo artists and cowboys, oh my!) Adrienne, acting logistics maven, called the undertaking to bring “a smaller, high quality convention,” with some of “the best [tattoo] artists in the world” an amazing opportunity. Tony added that he “wanted to bring a celebration of tattooing to the town that has been so good to me.” It’s a fest built for tattoo artists and seekers alike, with around 120 hand-selected artists, seminars aplenty — topics range “From Voodoo to Vogue” with Shanghai Kate to “Color Realism and “Biomechanical Tattoo” with Roman — and contests. (My personal favorite is Worst Tattoo, whose winner receives a free laser removal session from Skin Perfection.) There’s also live music at the casino bar. Hometown champions and native sons The High Rollers play Friday night, and Flagstaff’s We Were There sport their supercharged sing-along punk Saturday night. Go see what all the fuss is about at the convention kick-off party 7 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at the Raven Café. There’ll still be plenty of time to catch fireworks after the shindig! Speaking of fireworks, Prescott throws their annual Fourth of July bash 12-10 p.m. Friday, July 4, at Pioneer Park. Boasting the largest fireworks show in the area, the carnival runs all day long with live music and three Motocross freestyle shows, presented by the ZAO FMX Team. Chino Valley also has it going
on with an all-day festival at the Chino Valley Community Center beginning at noon and ending with fireworks. There’s a kids’ fun zone, open pool, music, beer, and food. I ask you, what else do you need? Bucky’s Casino is throwing a summer concert series featuring The Kingsmen and The Surfaris on Saturday, July 27 at Tim’s Toyota Center. The Kingsmen are, of course, known for their rough and ready version of “Louie, Louie,” while The Surfari’s became instantly famous with “Wipe Out,” the California surf-rock classic. Both bands celebrate 50 years of fame this year, and although original members are few, they’re present. Bob Berryhill, original guitarist and co-writer of “Wipe Out” and “Surfer Joe,” makes the modern-day Surfaris legit, while Mike Mitchell and Dick Peterson have been kicking the groove for The Kingsmen all these years. The cowboys are in town early July, but the Indians bring the art later this month. Sharlot Hall Museum is hosting their 16th annual Prescott Indian Art Market on the weekend of July 13 and 14. This has become a renowned and much-celebrated show, featuring the finest Native American fine art in multiple mediums. I’m partial to the live demonstrations and, of course, the fry bread. Zuni Weekend at the Smoki Museum is the weekend of July 27 and 28. This small, high-quality show features a dozen artists along with Zuni dance performances and Zuni bread (baked, not fried). The Smoki is also having an estate sale on the same Saturday. Items for sale include katsinas, pottery, baskets, and jewelry, all from members’ private collections. Definitely worth a look.
Husband and wife team Tony and Adrienne Carey collaborated on their vision for Northern Arizona’s first tattoo convention, July 5-7, right here, in Prescott. Photo by Ruby Jackson.
***** A native of the Windy City, Ruby Jackson is a freelance writer and collector of Norfin Trolls. In her spare time she is an aspiring actress (drama queen) and millionairess (donations gladly accepted). Contact her at RubyBJackson@Gmail.Com.
5ENSESMAG.COM • JULY 2013 • COLUMN • 5
Left Brain: July’s mind-full events
“Chess,” from a painting by Leonard Campbell Taylor, 1915. VintagePrintable.Com, public domain. See July’s multiple days listings for weekly drop-in chess games.
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PRESCOTT ASTRONOMY CLUB
“MAKING DO”
“40 MILES A DAY ON BEANS AND HAY”
• 5:30 p.m. Wednesday: Monthly meeting. (Prescott Public Library, Founders Suite, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500)
• 10 a.m. Saturday: Presentation about frontier food, clothing, and housing. (Sharlot Hall Museum, 415 W. Gurley St., 928-445-3122)
• 10 a.m. Saturday: Presentation about the life of campaigning soldiers. (Fort Whipple Museum, 500 N. Arizona 89, Building 11, 928-445-3122)
ASPEN CREEK BIRD WALK
ALTERNATIVE HEALTH PRESENTATIONS
• 7 a.m. Saturday: Bonnie Pranter leads an Aspen Creek bird walk. (Jay’s Bird Barn, 1046 Willow Creek Road, 928-443-5900)
LYNX LAKE BIRD WALK
• 7 a.m. Friday: Eric Moore leads a Lynx Lake bird walk. (Jay’s Bird Barn, 1046 Willow Creek Road, 928-443-5900)
“MONSOON MADNESS”
• 7:30 a.m. Saturday: Yavapai County master Gardener Association’s sixth annual plant, tool, pot, and garden art sale, with demonstrations. (Prescott Rodeo Grounds, 840 Rodeo Drive, Suite C, 928-445-6590)
AUDUBON BIRD WALK • 8 a.m. Saturday: Audubon bird walk. (Highlands Center for Natural History, 1375 S. Walker Road, 928-776-9550)
CITIZENS WATER ADVOCACY GROUP • 10 a.m. Saturday: Ann-Marie Benz, Prescott Creeks outreach and communications director, talk, “Healthy Creeks, Healthy Communities: Water Quality in the Upper Granite Creek Watershed.” (Granite Peak Unitarian Universalist Congregation building, 882 Sunset Ave., 928-445-4218)
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“THE WEDNESDAY DAUGHTERS”
• 2 p.m. Sunday: Drs. Jeri Mills and Natasha Deonarian discuss alternative health. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000)
• 7 p.m. Friday: New York Times-bestselling author Meg Waite Clayton reads from her new novel. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000)
STRICKLIN PARK BIRD WALK
FLUME TRAIL BIRD WALK
• 7 a.m. Saturday: Bonnie Pranter leads a Stricklin Park bird walk. (Jay’s Bird Barn, 1046 Willow Creek Road, 928-443-5900)
• 7 a.m. Friday: Eric Moore leads a Flume Trail bird walk. (Jay’s Bird Barn,1046 Willow Creek Road, 928-443-5900)
MOON WALK
“DRAGON DAILY NEWS”
• 7:30 p.m. Sunday: Discover the wonders of the forest illuminated by the (almost) full moon. (Highlands Center for Natural History, 1375 S. Walker Road, 928-776-9550)
GMO-FREE SAMPLE DAY
• 1o a.m. Saturday: Free non-GMO lunch special and sample non-GMO products. (New Frontiers Marketplace, 1112 Iron Springs Road, 928-221-2533)
“ALL HELL NEEDS IS WATER” • 2 p.m. Saturday: Elisabeth Ruffner and her daughter, Melissa Ruffner, talk about the history behind Lester “Budge” Ruffner’s book. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000)
6 • EVENTS • JULY 2013 • 5ENSESMAG.COM
• 11 a.m. Saturday: Chino Valley author Gene Twaronite shares wacky and weird stories from his new book during children’s story time. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000)
“ARIZONA KICKS ON ROUTE 66” • 2 p.m. Saturday, Arizona travel writer and humorist Roger Naylor reads from his new book. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000)
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PRESCOTT ORCHID SOCIETY
• 1 p.m. Sunday: Monthly meeting. (Prescott Public Library, Founders Suite, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500)
Multiple days PRESCOTT AREA BOARDGAMERS • 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 10 and 24: Play board games. (Prescott Public Library, Founders Suite and Bump and Elsea conference rooms, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500)
NATURALIST CITY WALKS • 8 a.m. Wednesdays: Discover more about local birds, geology, plants, and more. (At select city trails, HighlandsCenter.Org, 928-776-9550)
NATURALIST FIELD WALKS • 8 a.m. Saturdays: Discover more about local birds, geology, plants, and more. (Highlands Center for Natural History, 1375 S. Walker Road, 928-776-9550)
GARDENING CLASSES • 9:30 a.m. Saturdays: Garden classes covering local and seasonal issues and practices. (Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Road, 928-777-1500)
DROP-IN CHESS • 2 p.m. Saturdays: Play chess, all ages, skill levels welcome. (Prescott Public Library, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500)
July’s art-full events :niarB thgiR
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POETRY DISCUSSION GROUP
• 1 p.m. Wednesday: Monthly meeting. (Prescott Public Library, Elsea Conference Room, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500)
POETS’ COOPERATIVE
• 6:30 p.m. Thursday: Monthly meeting. (Prescott Public Library, Founders Suite, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500)
“ELK IN THE ATTIC” TEAM
• 2 p.m. Saturday: Mask makers, composers, musicians, and stage and technical directors share their upcoming show. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000)
COMEDY FOR A CAUSE • 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday: Comedy show featuring headliner Brian Kohatsu and Mike James, Emcee Kevin Rose, and Amy Blackwell. Proceeds benefit Arizona’s Children Association. (’Tis Art Center & Gallery, 105 S. Cortez St., 928-775-0223, $20)
SALUSA GALSSWORKS OPEN HOUSE • 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday: Studio open house, sale, and demonstrations. (Salusa Glassworks, 108 E. Hillside Ave., 928-445-5445)
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CREATIVE WRITERS GROUP
• 12 p.m. Tuesday: Monthly meeting. (Prescott Public Library, Elsea Conference Room, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500)
OPEN MIC POETRY
• 5:30 p.m. Wednesday: Dan Seaman emcees monthly open mic poetry. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000)
PROFESSIONAL WRITERS OF PRESCOTT • 5:30 p.m. Wednesday: Monthly meeting. (Prescott Public Library, Founders Suite, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500)
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4TH FRIDAY ART WALK
• 5 p.m. Friday: Monthly art walk including more than 18 galleries and artist receptions. (ArtThe4th.Com)
CONTRA DANCE
Multiple days NORTHERN ARIZONA TATTOO FEST • Friday through Sunday, July 5-7: Tattoo festival featuring more than 120 artists. (Prescott Resort & Conference Center, 1500 E. Arizona 69, 928-710-1090, $20/day or $35/weekend)
RODEO DAYS ARTS & CRAFT SHOW • Friday through Sunday, July 5-7: 33rd annual Prescott Rodeo Days Fine Arts & Crafts Show. (Yavapai County Courthouse Plaza, 120 S. Cortez St., 928-443-5220)
ARTIST JAMS • 11:30 a.m. Saturday, July 6 and July 20: Studio open house and creative space for artists. (Textiles & Textures Artisans Studio, 217 N. Cortez St., 928-227-2659)
INDIAN ART MARKET • 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 13 and 14: Annual art market featuring Native American sculpture, paintings, ceramics, jewelry, baskets, and blankets. (Sharlot Hall Museum, 415 W. Gurley St., 928-445-3122, $10/ $8 museum members/free for children)
• 10 a.m. Saturday, July 20 and 1 p.m. Sunday, July 21: A dozen Zuni artists share jewelry, fetishes, carvings, bread, and dances. (Smoki Museum, 147 N. Arizona Ave., 928-445-1230)
PRESCOTT FILM FESTIVAL • Wednesday through Wednesday, July 24-31: Fourth annual Prescott Film Festival, including shorts, features, documentaries, dramas, and comedies for around the globe, Arizona, and Prescott. (Yavapai College Performing Arts Center, 1100 E. Sheldon St., 928-458-7209, schedule and prices at PrescottFilmFestival.Com)
WOMEN ARTISTS SALE
• Saturday lessons, 7:30 p.m. dance: Contra dances,with caller J.P. Thom Gronachan and music by Scrub Oak. (First Congregational Church annex, 216 E. Gurley St., 928-925-5210, $4-$8)
TANGO MILONGA
PRESCOTT JUGGLERS & HOOPERS
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MOUNTAIN ARTISTS’ GUILD FUNDRAISER
• 4-7 p.m. Sunday: Mountain Artists Guild Fundraiser featuring appetizers, wine, and deserts, a silent auction, buck raffle, and jazz. (Antelope Hills Golf Course, 1989 Clubhouse Drive, 928-445-2510, $35 seat/$250 table)
“FOOTLOOSE” • 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, July 18-20 and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 20 and 21: A musical adaptation of the movie “Footloose.” This is a Teen Summer Stock Ensemble performance from director Jon Meyer, musical director Chris Tenney, and choreographer Amanda Woolsey. (Prescott Center for the Arts, 208 N. Marina St., 928-445-3286, $10-$15)
“ELK IN THE ATTIC” • 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 26 and 27 and 2 p.m. Sunday, July 28: Drought-weary forest animals take up residence in Prescott. Written by Prescott playwright Christopher Hoy, based on his book of the same name, with original music and lyrics by D-Squared and Judy Clothier, directed by Tiffany Antone Cason Murphy. (The Elks Opera House, 117 E. Gurley St., 928-777-1366, $10-$16)
“BERNHARDT ON BROADWAY” • 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 31: One-woman musical about Sara hBernhardt performed by Carol Dunitz, part of the Mini Arts Festival. (Prescott Center for the Arts, 208 N. Marina St., 928-445-3286, $25)
July art
ZUNI WEEKEND
• 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 27 and 28: Art show and inventory reduction sale featuring works by Mei-June Liao, Cathy Gibbons, Phyllis Sullins McKenzie, and Jan Rooney. (Mountain Artists Guild & Gallery, 228 N. Alarcon St., 928-420-2525)
• 1 p.m. Saturday lesson, 2-5 p.m. dance: Tango dance and milanga. (The Nest, 2345 Skyline Drive, 928-600-2450, $5)
July theater
• 5 p.m. Mondays: Jugglers throw objects into the air and at each other. (Prescott College Granite Performing g Arts Center,, 218 N.. Granite St., 928-350-3218)
“BLACK & WHITE WITH A SPLASH OF COLOR” • Through July 23: Art show. (’Tis Art Center, 105 S. Cortez St., 928-775-0223)
“SILK, STEEL, & SPHERES” • Through July 23: Printmaking and textiles with contemporary and Asian influences by Jeannie Mehl and garden-themed steel metalwork by Leslee Oaks. (’Tis Art Center & Gallery, 105 S. Cortez St., 928-775-0223)
GLEN HINZ • Through July 24: Copper artwork by Glen Hinz. (Arts Prescott Cooperative Gallery, 134 S. Montezuma St., 928-776-7717)
FEATURED ARTISTS • Through Aug. 1: Art by Aubreigh Himes, Cin Hollins, and John “Buzz” Parmelee. (Plaid Peacock, 131 N. Cortez St., 928-713-7921)
MARZ ROCK •Through Aug. 1: Art by Mark Nawrocki. (Method Coffee, 3180 Willow Creek Road, 928-777-1067)
“TIE ONE ON” • Through Aug. 1: Art crafted from ties. (Textiles & Textures Artisans Studio, 217 N. Cortez St., 928-227-2659)
“ALTERED SCAPES” • Through Aug. 3: Art by Tucson-based artist Jim Waid. (Prescott College Art Gallery, Sam Hill Warehouse, 232 N. Granite St., 928-776-7717)
“THE COMPANY OF ANIMALS” • Through Aug. 17: Art show featuring wild, domestic, and imaginary animals. (Prescott Center for the Arts Gallery, 208 N. Marina St., 928-445-3286)
SEASON OF THE YEI BICHEII, II • Through Aug. 31: Diné painters Al Bahe and Virgil Nez bring culture to life. (Smoki Museum, 147 N. Arizona Ave., 928-445-1230)
“WISH YOU WERE HERE” • Through Sept. 2: Exhibit featuring postcards, stamps, etc. from the Grand Canyon. (Sharlot Hall Museum, 415 W. Gurley St., 928-445-3122)
LOUISE SERPA SHOW • Through Sept. 22: Art show featuring work by Louise Serpa, the first female rodeo photographer. (Phippen Museum, 4701 Arizona 89, 928-778-1385, $5-$7/free for museum members and children under 12)
PRESCOTT MASTERS PRESENTS • Through Nov. 1: Art show featuring Betty Carr, David Harlan, Pat Lambrecht-Hould, Douglas Miley, Doug Oliver, Dorothy Ray, and G. Eric Slayton. (Mountain Artists Guild & Gallery, 228 N. Alarcon St., 928-776-4009)
“PUBLIC VIEWS, PERSONAL FICTION” • From July 5: Photographic work by Don Fike and Deborah Ford. (Yavapai College Art Gallery, 1100 E. Sheldon St., 928-776-2031)
“AN ECLECTIC ARRAY OF CREATIVE ENDEAVERS” • From July 16: Art show featuring Judy Book’s textile art and Linda Illumanardi’s mixed media pieces. (’Tis Art Center & Gallery, 105 S. Cortez St., 928-775-0223)
“A BRUSH WITH ABSTRACT” • From July 25: Art show featuring Pamela Dunmire’s organic abstracts. (Arts Prescott Cooperative Gallery, 134 S. Montezuma St., 928-776-7717)
“INTO THE DEEP II” • From July 26: Art show featuring Raina Gentry and Dolores Chiappone and sculptures by Corey Collins and J. Michelle. (Ian Russell Gallery of Fine Art, 130 S. Montezuma St., 928-445-7009)
7
Prescott Film Festival’s Script Notes
The main event By Helen Stephenson “There’s a strange sense of accomplishment in making an independent film. Everything’s against you; there’s no time, and even less money — you bring a bottle of glue, chip in 20 bucks, and hope you all make it through the day. If you manage to finish it and it actually turns out to be pretty good, it’s thrilling.” -Eric Stoltz, actor, director, producer (“The Mask,” “The Butterfly Effect,” “Pulp Fiction”)
Shorts,
features, comedies, thrillers, dramas, documentaries — the Prescott Film Festival’s got it all. This year’s indie festival is July 24-31 at Yavapai College. Expect films significantly different from the cookie cutter fare at the megaplexes.
You’ll see real art forms, like those imagined by Mary Pickford — who, along with Charlie Chaplin, D. W. Griffith, and Douglas Fairbanks founded an infamous independent film production company in 1919. Through their company, United Artists, they produced, performed in, and distributed films they thought mattered. That’s exactly what this generation of indie film producers is doing, too. This is your chance to rub shoulders with the next Mary Pickfords and Charlie Chaplins. The Prescott Film Festival — if you like TLAs, that’s PFF — has planned a fabulous experience for Yavapai County. We’ve got Behind the Screen after parties with live music and amazing food; we’ve got a beautiful VIP greenroom for Platinum Pass holders and filmmakers; we’ve got workshops, film discussions, and an awards brunch;
8 • FEATURE • JULY 2013 • 5ENSESMAG.COM
and we’ve got much, much more. Sounds like a fantastic time, right? And don’t forget the Audience Choice Awards.
But
what, at its core, is a film festival like this all about? Simply put, people. An example: Last year, one of our volunteers was looking for musicians to donate time to play the beautiful piano in the Yavapai College Performing Arts Center lobby. She happened upon a young man playing the piano at a local hotel who was, it turns out, practicing there because his family didn’t own the instrument. The festival contacted his parents and got him permission to play between films. A cute story, but it doesn’t end there. Next, magic happened. A retired music teacher heard the man playing. She instantly recognized his talent and she and her husband decided to put him through Yavapai College. That’s what the Prescott Film Festival is all about — connecting people in our community who come from different classes, races, and ideological standards. Film-
makers meet other filmmakers and get to see audience reaction to their work. Workshop presenters, some of whom have decades of experience under their belts, get a chance to share the fascinating stories of their lives and careers.
Indie
films open minds, create awareness, and offer an invitation to shared experiences — to laughter, tears, fear, and determination to make the world a better place. Now that’s a film festival. For tickets, trailers, and more information, go to PrescottFilmFestival. Com, call 928-458-7209, or like them on Facebook.
***** Helen Stephenson is executive director of the Prescott Film Festival and collects old hats and Mary Poppins memorabilia. When she’s not watching films or marketing the fest, you can usually catch her at the computer in her Prescott Film Festival office on the Yavapai College campus. Contact her at Helen@PrescottFilm Festival.Com.
THIS MONTH:
THE BRAIN FOOD DIET Smart Nutritional Input For Maximum Cranial Output
During
my junior year of high school, I and my peers were subjected to an onslaught of “brain tests” to determine our aptitudes, skills, and IQs. It had something to do with career goals. Always a freethinker, this attempt to put everyone in their proper category boggled my mind. Of all the testing, only the results of one have stayed with me and proven quite accurate. It was the right brain/left brain test. A school counselor read me tests results revealing that I was neither right nor left dominant. My brain was split right down the middle. Upon remarking that I was in a small percentile, she added that it could lead to intense distraction and difficulty at settling on a career path. I promptly informed her that my parents could have saved them time and money in drawing that conclusion. Test or no test, that attribute has led to some of my greatest achievements and set the stage for some of my greatest challenges. I learned early on that my brain thrives on variety and withers with consistency. I adapted my professional career to involve multiple projects of differing skill sets and creative outlets in order to avoid under-stimulation. I’ve also learned through my study of food science that the brain — mine and yours, mind you — reacts to diet. Today, as I write this, I am busier than ever. I’m writing this article and updating the corresponding Culinary Composer site. I’ve started a budding ad agency that is also assuming the role of creative director for this very publication. I have two books in the works and, since I work from home, I play chef and domestic technician for a loving and very supportive family. All of those projects keep my indecisive brain quite satisfied, but, like a muscle, it requires training and proper nutrition. In attempting to keep up with myself, I’ve devised a nutrition plan that maximizes optimal brain function, improves focus, energy, and memory, and, in the long run, will hopefully assist in deterring the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. The following is a list of the top 10 scientifically studied (and proven) “Brain Foods” (in no particular order) My sample menu is to your right. You can find more tips and recipes for brain and body power with the Savvy Lifestyle Collection on my site, Facebook.Com/TheCulinaryComposer. Buon Appetito!
By Jimmy Polinori
BREAKFAST
8) Fish: Cold water varieties such as salmon, Protein oatmeal with blueberries or halibut, tuna, and mackeral contain more omega-3 Green Monster Power Smoothie (recipes on fatty acids. Omega-3s play a vital role in brain Facebook.Com/TheCulinaryComposer) function. Scientists have also discovered that these ON THE WAY TO WORK fatty acids found in certain oily fish can decrease Cup of joe from Method Coffee the symptoms of depression. SNACK 1 9) Beef: Swiss researchers tested subjects after consuming three different breakfast types — high- 2 oz almonds / 1 Hard Boiled Egg LUNCH carbohydrate, high-protein, and balanced — the high-protein meal helped the men in the study Turkey & Swiss from Nick’s Feed Your Face Sandwich Shop score better on a computer memory test. The results were attributed to beef increasing levels SNACK 2 of the amino acids tyrosine and phenylalanine. Raisins & Apple Slices DINNER 10) Coffee: No surprise here. Those of us who Cold water fish or lean beef over fresh spinach require our cup or two in order to function have good reason. Researchers found increased with almonds, cranberries, 1 hard-boiled egg, attention and problem-solving skills — with a drizzle of olive oil & balsalmic vinegar and possibly fewer household fights!
1) Blueberries: Dark-colored fruits, especially blueberries, are high in anti-oxidants. Research from the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University found that blueberry extract improved short-term memory and motor skills. 2) Spinach: Dark and leafy greens contain high levels of folate and B12, which reduce homocysteine levels associated with increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. 3) Almonds: The antioxidative properties of vitamin E are proven to reduce deterioration in the brain as you age. Just 2 ounces of almonds contain the recommended daily intake of E. 4) Eggs: Studies have shown that students who received 3-4 grams of choline 1 hour prior to taking memory tests scored higher than those who didn’t. Eggs cater one of the highest sources. 5) Oatmeal: Consuming carbohydrate-rich foods is equivalent to a shot of glucose (blood sugar) to the brain according to University of Toronto researchers. According to their study, the higher concentration of glucose in your blood, the better your memory or concentration. Slow-burning complex carbs like oatmeal are the best choice for your waistline and sustained energy. 6) Turkey: This excellent source of lean protein also contains the amino acid tyrosine. Tyrosine has been shown to assist the brain in maintaining levels of dopamine, an important neurotransmitter for memory. 7) Raisins: USDA researchers have found that subjects taking in 3.2 or more milligrams of boron daily performed 10 percent better on attention and memory tests. Raisins and apples are packed with the stuff.
5ENSESMAG.COM • JULY 2013 • COLUMN • 9
Weather it makes a difference or not
Alan Dean Foster’s Perceivings
By Alan Dean Foster For thousands of years, humans have been hard at work trying to predict the weather. From gazing out to sea in search of incoming storms, to studying various cloud formations, to monitoring the temperature from month to month and season to season, it has been a primary and important component of the rise of civilization. Today we have access to techniques and devices for forecasting the weather that are beyond our ancestors’ wildest imaginings. Every day, Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites send back multiple images of Earth. Computers analyze the pictures and compare them with data from thousands of individual landbased monitoring stations. Sensors can count the number of microparticles in the air and issue health warnings based on carefully developed charts. Pilots have access to wind speeds and direction at different altitudes. We can instantly call up the air pressure at multiple elevations. Tornadoes and other dangerous weather phenomena can not only be monitored, but, in many instances, can be predicted with remarkable accuracy. So, with all this impressive technology, with all these immense scientific and human resources at their disposal, why the hell can’t different weatherpredicting organizations ever concur on what the high or low temperature will be on any given day in Prescott, Arizona?
Channel can’t even get two of its own components to agree on a forecast (and they never do), what is the anxious citizen squinting over their morning coffee supposed to believe? Sure, there are different weather reporting stations scattered around Prescott. But is it too much to ask that the major forecasting services agree on a single mutual site, at least for their main forecast? The airport, perhaps, or downtown. Anyone with a computer or tablet who is sufficiently curious can go to different sites and obtain different readings. But for someone getting up in the morning to go to work, or trying to prep the kids for school, they don’t need to know how much the temperature is going to vary between Safeway Willow Creek Road and Safeway Montezuma street. What people want is an agreed-upon general forecast for the City of Prescott. That’s what the multiple sources I’ve cited each claim to provide.
NOAA forecast? Or would that compromise their individuality (i.e., the ability to sell commercial space)? What’s particularly striking about Prescott’s situation in this respect is that it seems to be somewhat uncommon, and not because of our town’s unusual topography. As an example, here are the relevant predictions from the same weather sites for tomorrow for Phoenix: 100-79, National Weather Service 100-79, Weather Underground 102-81, AccuWeather 102-81, The Weather Channel A lot more consistency there, and over a much wider area. You’ll never see a 7-, or even a 4-degree spread, for Phoenix. Or for nearly any other city in the U.S. Yet, the forecasts for Prescott are consistently all over the (weather) map.
Would
At
someone dress differently if they thought the high for the day was going to be 82 versus 85? Maybe, maybe not. But for those who would, it would be nice if you weren’t forced to choose. Such disparities are at once worse and more important in winter, when nationally predicted daily lows for Prescott can vary even more than in summer. And if one site says the low is going to be 30 and another says it will only drop to 34, that’s of obvious significance — not only to the general populace, but especially to farmers. I’ve seen differences in daily forecasts for Prescott of as much as 7 degrees among the major weather site. It’s immensely frustrating when you’re trying to plan your day. Don’t any of these services compare their data? Why don’t they all simply utilize the
least we don’t have to rely on the major services for tornado warnings. If a twister is roaring toward you, it’s too late to complain to your preferred weather service that their forecast called for moderate breezes throughout the day. ***** Alan Dean Foster is author of more than 120 books, visitor to more than 100 countries, and still frustrated by the human species. Follow him at AlanDeanFoster.Com. Amanda Maas is a visual arts student at Prescott College with a focus in illustration. She’s also a minion at The Art Store, in Prescott.
I’m
writing this at 8:40 a.m. on Thursday morning, May 30. Here are the predicted highs and lows for tomorrow from select major weather sources: 85-52, National Weather Service 84-54, Weather Underground 86-54, Accuweather 81-52, The Weather Channel 82-54, The Weather Channel app Notice that, out of the five sources, no two concur on the predicted high? And this is a mild example of the differences in forecasting for Prescott. The further in advance one goes, the greater the disparity in the forecasting. I mean, if The Weather
10 • COLUMN • JULY 2013 • 5ENSESMAG.COM
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Illustration by Amanda Maas.
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“John Player Special.” Watercolor by Robert Hooper.
Luminous Water By Jacques Laliberté
Interesting
story — probably true — it’s been a while
now, but this is how it begins. Starting about 1994, I dragged one hobbled Volkswagen after another into Prescott German Motors repair shop, a sturdy brick building on a manicured corner along a shady avenue. I started with a 1986
vanagon, a 4X4 Synchro model maligned with cantankerous electrical problems. The face of the shop was a slight, dapper man. He was Asian-looking, with wire-rim specs, who seemed to smile to himself as he discussed the current calamitous condition my VW and I were undergoing, bemused at the thought the German cars’ Teutonic engineering could possibly be at fault. He scheduled a look anyways.
It may’ve been this man’s easy demeanor, or soft delivery of my car’s mechanical state of affairs, or maybe it was the benign co-dependence a patient develops for his doctor; I felt we may be becoming friends. Robert Hooper and me.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 >>>
5ENSESMAG.COM • JULY 2013 • PORTFOLIO • 11
... FROM PAGE 11 American import Japanese born and raised, Hooper moved to Fort Meyers, Florida at age 14. It was pure culture shock: malls, condos, and cars. Cars! Hooper became carcrazy. He started washing cars, and eventually worked himself into a Toyota dealer’s service department. Between Fort Meyers and Los Angeles he remained in the Toyota echelon as Service Adviser Extraordinaire. (That probably wasn’t the title on his business cards.) As a ’70s L.A. good American boy — well, now a bad boy — Hooper embraced the rock scene, thrashing his guitar, first in a band called Dogs, then The Children. Pure British Invasion nonsense, like all good American bands. Funny, still no “art” in Hooper’s picture. … “Watercolor is a deYet. manding art form. In “Music was the art the hands of an amthen,” explains Hoopateur, disaster lurks er. “We even wrote at every application original songs, gigged clubs, recorded.” of brush to canvas. Hooper also atBut in the hands of tended local tracks’ a very skilled artvintage races, and ist like Robert, magic photographed those crazy cars. For another happens. He can purpose, another day. make the sun glisBut alas, the Hollyten off the neck of wood music scene was a swan on a summer “not an easy one” says morning, the waters Hooper. ripple with reflecThe Children disbanded; the money tion at Watson Lake, wasn’t there. Hence and shadow and light the service advisory play deep in the Muir route, for 25 years, Woods.” culminating in the -Larry and Carolyn smallish German shop in the then-smallish Lawlyes, town of Prescott. art collectors and Until Hooper turned Prescott residents 50. By then, both he and his wife had it figured: If he was ever going to get serious about his art, now was the time. Oh, he had learned pencil technique in Japan under his grandma’s tutelage, and his youthful eyes had absorbed his environment, like Yokohama’s infamous and glorious parks and their grounds and ponds — water full of koi, trees ripe with blossoms. Hooper remembered these and eventually recast them in his artwork. Embracing a medium Watercolor is a glorious medium. As described on Hooper’s website, “It’s clean — vibrant. There’s nothing like painting with watercolors because the light source is already there, and it shines through the paint from underneath. The luminosity and the transparency is uniquely watercolor.”
Hooper innovated with “I instantly noticed how serene and fluid pigments. watercolor to suite his The otherworldly glow (his work is), how he puts his self into own taste, employing a that emanates from his paintings — like he is there. You layer on layer technique Hooper’s work is the sense that in them.” using only pure pigment. result of this refined, -Ida Kendall, technical process. Yellow first, all of it, in two densities, then red, owner of The Frame & I then blue. In this manand The Art Store Subjects matter ner the color remains In life, and often in pure and translucent, the art, things cycle, turning paper shines brightly through. back in a circular scheme. This perhaps manifests best On canvas, Hooper goes even further. Brushes in Hooper’s automotive pieces. His earliest passion never even touch the surface. Rather, he sprays and reemerges — brilliantly, dazzlingly — through audapours color from cut-off brushes into masked areas, cious works that belie his thoughtful demeanor. Minin a labor-intensive, yet highly controllable fashion. ing his personal auto archives for subjects, he renders Otherwise, the brush would pick up, mix, and muddle marques from Alfa to Corvette, Ford to Ferrari, all in
12 • PORTFOLIO • JULY 2013 • 5ENSESMAG.COM
FROM LEFT, CLOCKWISE: “Spirit Horse,” “The Yellow River,” “The Last Eclipse,” and portrait photo of Robert Hooper. Watercolors by Robert Hooper. Photo via Robert Hooper, courtesy image.
their saturated environs and testosterone haze. In application, the watercolor medium is the direct antithesis to an artist’s objective to capture the glossy-wet painted skins of flashy racing cars, which is why Hooper’s machines are all the more astonishing. Preserving the energy and motion of high-power high-speed machinery throughout the long and meticulous painting process takes both a steady hand and a steely mind. Hooper’s first foray into the high-line auto arena during the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale this year netted him recognition, of course, and then offers to illustrate a magazine and several commissioned pieces. The risk paid off for Hooper and gave him status few commercial artists achieve. New shows in Fountain Hills and Phoenix round out his out-ofstudio schedule. Yes, Hooper does those expected, practically requi-
site animal images, but his meticulous style imbues them with a super-natural intensity, perhaps, in the case of his koi, reflecting his more real than reality memories of Japan. New portraits of Jimi Hendrix and Chuck Berry show just how mercurial Hooper is in his search for subjects that express his personal art form. ***** Robert Hooper is a Prescott-based, self-taught watercolor artist. Find more of his artwork online at 1-Robert-Hooper.ArtistWebsites.Com. A 20-year resident of Prescott, Jacques Laliberté has written for and designed several publications, as well as his own Art-rag. See his fine art work at Society6. Com/DaZzlDolls.
13
Highlands Center for Natural History’s Outdoor Outings
When it rains ... By Jill Craig
You
can feel it coming. The air thickens and begins to smell like moist soil. The wind picks up, scattering the leaves. Birds become still and quiet. A monsoon is coming. It comes after a hot morning. If you watch the sky, perhaps you’ll see a thunderhead building, getting taller, getting bigger. Then, suddenly, rain comes battering to earth, as if a giant watering can were tipped over. It kicks up dry dust and soaks everything in sight within seconds. But, just as suddenly as it begins, it ends. The only evidence it leaves are gushing creeks, a clean swept smell, and dripping pines.
After
months of bone-dry weather, monsoons come just in time to replenish the high desert, hills, and valleys creeks. With each microburst, dry hillsides bloom into blankets of late summer wildflowers, carpets of native grasses burst into color — though you have to look closely for a peek into that world — and, right when you get the feeling that summer’s heat will never end, there’s a springtime sense that everything is fresh and new. Earlier this spring, native oak species (Scrub, Emory, and Grey) dropped their leaves in preparation for a long, hot summer — the norm is fall, but these trees know better. These sad, deceased looking trees now release soft, bursting, pokey leaves that are ready to soak up the late summer sun.
Our beloved (and rarely wet creeks) flow back into life, banked by green carpets of grass, freshly bloomed flowers, and crisp, tall trees. The portion of Lynx Creek that runs along the eastern portion of the Highlands Center for Natural History is the highlight of all of our summer camps, and truly an oasis for hikers. Fed bit by bit from the lake, the creek runs through Alder, Dogbane, Cottonwood, Ash, and Willow trees. When you walk down to the flowing creek, the temperature drops a few degrees thanks to their shade and the evaporative powers of water. But until the monsoons arrive, the creek is dry and green with algae. Life is slow and languid, and there’s a sense that every living thing along the creek is holding its breath, waiting for rain. In the meantime, summer is one long, hot day. Then, when the first cloud breaks, releasing torrents of rain, life abounds and rejoices.
One
of our most-beloved creek creatures, the Canyon Tree Frog, comes out of hiding to celebrate the wetness. Although they have the ability to absorb moisture through green patches under their legs, these tiny frogs are rarely seen during the hottest parts of the summer. Instead, they hide in cool, tiny fractures in the granite boulders. Another creek companion in seeming abundance during monsoon season is the Water Strider. These insects are six-legged “true bugs” — which means they have sucking mouthparts — that walk on water.
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Canyon Tree Frog. Highlands Center courtesy photo. For striders, rain means the new brood won’t need to develop wings; if another water source is near, they can easily make the walk. In drier seasons, however, strider broods develop wings, which they may need to travel to new water sources.
Be
it frog or strider, Willow or Alder, creeklife thrives on monsoons. And the creeks themselves flow with clarity and coolness, facilitating shade for weary hikers and sun-drenched campers. For now, our creeks support the eager flora and fauna that live in their waters and along their shores. For now, thanks to the monsoons, the creeks flow. ***** Jill Craig is education director at the Highlands Center for Natural History. She oversees all educational programming for the center and facilitates the Highlands Naturalist Volunteer Program. In her spare time, Jill can be found hiking in the Bradshaw Mountains with her two dogs and husband.
July’s Bird: Ravens z
By Eric Moore
“The
big black birds that I’m seeing, are they crows or are they ravens?” I get that question a lot. Prescott is home to Common Ravens (Corvus corax), an abundant, year-round Central Highlands resident. They’re intelligent, adaptable, playful, and resourceful. Ravens are omnivorous and opportunistic; they aren’t picky about food. You can often spot them patrolling roadways for fresh road kill. During breeding season, they even raid bird nests and steal eggs and baby birds. Ravens live in every habitat and frequent high-traffic urban areas like Granite Creek Park and shopping centers, where they’re known to Dumpster dive. Perhaps their most endearing feature is their unique vocalizations. They’ve got a range and repertoire of sounds that’s both surprising and impressive. ***** Eric Moore is owner of Jay’s Bird Barn, 1046 Willow Creek Road in Prescott. Contact him at Eric@JaysBirdBarn.Com.
14 • FEATURES • JULY 2013 • 5ENSESMAG.COM
A Common Raven idles in Yosemite National Park, Calif. Photo by David Iliff, WikiMedia.Org, Creative Commons 3.0.
By Ty Fitzmorris
News From the Wilds
Though
the climate of Arizona’s Central Highlands can be harsh for part of the year — dry and fire-scorched in early summer; cold and snowy in the winter — tough times are typically followed by our most resplendent seasons. So it is with the annual drought of June, which is followed by the coming of the monsoon rains in July. The first rains are a real cause for celebration, especially in years like this one in which fire danger is very high and the forests are kindling-dry. They are, however, somewhat of a mixed blessing: They bring a second wave of growth and flowering, but, in the short term, they bring lightning that, when combined with the low fuel moistures from a dry June, can lead to a proliferation of fires. Lightning-storms are some of the most aweinspiring sights in the natural world, and, interestingly, they are a source of nitrogen for our nitrogen-limited soils. The energy of the lightning strike combines nitrogen with ambient oxy-
gen forming nitrogen oxides, which are then bound into the soil, increasing plant growth. Fire, though a destructive and necessarily suppressed force, is also an integral part of the Central Highlands ecosystems. Research conducted by Dr. Lisa Floyd-Hanna, a prominent Prescott-based fire ecologist, has established not only that our different vegetation communities tend to burn in different ways and at different intervals, but that some require regular fires to remain healthy and prevent larger, more destructive fires. Ponderosa Pines are fairly tolerant of low- to medium-intensity fires, and their forests tend to burn as often as every eight to 13 years, while research on Pinyon-Juniper forests suggests that they burn as rarely as every 200-400 years and tend to kill all of the trees there. FloydHanna stresses, however, that the research on the intervals of the Prescott area have not been completed because of lack of funding. So, she says, “We will have to wait and see what exactly the consequences of the fire will be.” We do know, however, that at least one of the oldest trees in the Prescott area, an Alligator Juniper 14 feet in diameter, survived the fire thanks to the efforts of Jason Williams,
LEFT TO RIGHT: Glorious Scarab, photo by Poul Beckmann; Cecrops-eyed Silkmoth, photo by Ty Fitzmorris.
a U. S. Forest Service trails and wilderness manager. When rains come, we enter the second massive proliferation of life, which continues until September. Look especially for the wild, and more or less unstudied, explosion of insect life during this time, especially at night. Beetles fly in huge diversity — from the rhinoceros beetles to the Glorious Scarab (Chrysina gloriosa), considered to be the most beautiful beetle in North America. Thousands of species of moths, from giant Saturn moths to small bird-dropping mimic moths to beautiful Cecropseyed Silkmoths are also flying now, and can be drawn to porch lights for close observation.
***** Ty Fitzmorris is an itinerant and often distractible naturalist who lives in Prescott and runs Peregrine Book Company and Raven Café as a sideline to his natural history pursuits. Contact him at Ty@ Peregrine Book Company. Com.
A brief survey of the wilds ... High mountains • Badgers (Taxidea Taxidea taxus taxus)) begin courting and soon form pairs and mate. These remarkable creatures are important predators of pocket gophers, venomous snakes, and mice and rats. • Orange Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) flowers, attracting fritillary and checkerspot butterflies. Visit: Spruce Mountain Loop Trail, No. 307.
Ponderosa Pine forests • Bergamot (Monarda menthaefolia) flowers. The beautiful lilac flowers of this plant draw in native bees in large numbers, giving it its other name, Beebalm. The flowers of Bergamot are edible, and spicy to taste, used in salsas, while the leaves are fragrant, and often used as a mint-like spice.* • Several species of ants have their annual nuptial flights within days after the first rains. Some species are so consistent that they fly almost the same day every year. Early in the morning, winged males and females fly in tremulous clouds from the previously unobtrusive colony entrance. After mating, the males die, and the females shed their wings and start their own colonies. Visit: Schoolhouse Gulch Trail, No. 67.
Pine-Oak woodlands • In the wake of the Doce Fire on Granite Mountain, this fire-based ecosystem will just
begin to show signs of growth after the first rains come but not before the end of the month at the earliest. Look for the green shoots of grasses and herbaceous plants poking through the burned leaf litter, and keep very clear of standing dead trees. • Western Bluebirds and other birds move into the burned area in flocks, looking for insects. • Arizona Thistle (Cirsium arizonicum), one of our few red thistles, flowers. Watch for hummingbirds, most often Anna’s, Broad-tailed, and the small Black-chinned Hummingbird, visiting thistle patches. Visit: Little Granite Mountain Trail, No. 37.
Pinyon-Juniper woodlands • Juniper berries proliferate on some trees but other trees have none. This is because some of our species, such as One-seed Juniper (Juniperus monosperma) and Alligator Juniper (Juniperus deppeana) have their male and female flowers on separate plants, while others, most notably Utah Juniper (Juniperus osteosperma) have both on the same plant. These berries, which are actually cones surrounded by fleshy tissue, are important food sources for many birds and mammals. Visit: Tin Trough Trail, No. 308.
Grasslands • Bluestem Pricklepoppy (Argemone pleiacantha), also known as “tissue-paper flower” for obvious reasons, blooms.
• Parry’s Agave (Agave parryi) seed pods begin growing by the end of the month. Visit: Mint Wash Trail, No. 345.
Riparian areas • As the monsoon rains arrive, our intermittent creeks, such as Granite, Butte, Aspen, and Miller Creek, begin running, sometimes in turbulent flash floods. • Arizona Blackberry (Rubus procerus), which is, in spite of its name, not native to Arizona, begins bearing its delicious berries along the perennial streams of the Verde Valley.* Visit: Lower Wolf Creek Falls Trail, No. 384.
July weather Average high temp: 89 F, +/-2.8 Average low temp: 57.7 F, +/-2.7 Record high temp: 105 F, 1925 Record low temp: 34 F, 1912 Average precip: 2.87”, +/-1.72” Record high July precip: 8.8”, 1908 Record low July precip: 0”, 1993 Max daily precip: 2.96”, July 24, 1970 Source: Western Regional Climate Center
Deserts/Chaparral • Tarantulas emerge with the rains, sometimes in large numbers. These spiders are harmless to humans, but should not be handled because of the stinging hairs on their abdomens. • Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus pectinatus) and Buffalo Gourd (Cucurbita foetidissima) flower. Visit: Agua Fria National Monument. ***** *Always consult with a trained professional before ingesting any part of a wild plant. This information is not intended to encourage the attempted use of any part of a plant, for either nutritive or medicinal purposes.
July skies July 8: New moon at 12:14 a.m. July 20-22: Conjunction of Mars and Jupiter in the predawn skies to the east and conjunction of Venus and Regulus, the brightest star in Leo, in the western, post-dusk skies. July 22: Full moon at 11:15 a.m. July 28: Delta Aquarid Meteor Shower peak, after midnight.
�ENSESMAG.COM • JULY ���� • FEATURE • ��
With Libertines & Just Us Fatales People
recognized differences between the sexes long before “Men Are From Mars, Wo Women Are From Venus” was published in 1992. T There are sociological components to these distinctions, bu but some of them are also rooted in biology. Separating the these influences is difficult, if not impossible, but researchers don’t necessarily have to do that — all they’ve got to do is d describe the mechanisms by which they occur. W Without reference points, it can be difficult to discuss the inherent and inherited differences between women and men, me but science has you covered. The T scientists who conducted the studies cited in this article art would likely balk at the over-generalizations and omissions om committed here in the name of infotainment. Just Ju remember, this guide is intended to engage, entertain, and an incense the reader to seek out additional information. The T editor of this section has set aside this paragraph for an exhaustive list of apologies regarding the bifurcation of the sexes and conflation of sex, gender, and identity seemingly, ing though not intentionally, implied in this article. The word wo count of this errata, however, exceeded that of the entire publication, and was thus omitted. Sorry guys. en You Y experience the world through sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. Why not peak through the window of tou those tho five senses into the world of women?
Touch Women tend to have a better sense of touch than men. In science-y terms, they have better “passive tactile spatial acuity,” which means they can better distinguish surface textures like, say, the bumps on a basketball or the textures of handmade paper. The reason why, is not because of their sex per se — it’s because women tend to have smaller hands, according to a 2009 article in The Journal of Neuroscience.
16 • GUIDE • JULY 2013 • 5ENSESMAG.COM
Scientists from Ontario’s McMaster University and Pittsburgh’s Duquesne University discovered that touch sensitivity, which is related to special receptors under sweat pores called Merkel cells, is more acute when those cells are packed tighter, e. g. in smaller hands. Women and men who have the same size hands probably have similar senses of touch. Knowledge of this may or may not come in handy.
Smell Women have much more incentive to change clothes, bathe, and wear fragrances than men. That’s because women have much better senses of smell. Many studies in this arena involve underarm sweat (read: stinky armpits), including one from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s Monell Chemical Senses Center published in the April 2009 issue of Flavour and Fragrance Journal. Incidentally, it’s easier to mask
female body odor to women than male body odor — even deodorant isn’t up to the latter. Scientists attribute this sensitivity to estrogen (because women are women) and think it’s related to mate selection (because sweat contains beaucoup amounts of genetic immunity data, apparently). Despite their better-than-the-averageJoe sniffers, women are captive to extreme fluctuations in their
smelling ability. One influence is love, according to a February 2009 study from the Monell Center published in Hormones and Behavior. Women in romantic relationships with men had trouble identifying their platonic male friend’s odors. At the opposite end of the spectrum is pregnancy, which can super charge a women’s sense of smell, according to any number of sources, and, probably, your mom.
CLOCKWISE: Retro lady winking; 1890s fashion image; portrait photo of three Japanese women, 1908. Via TheGraphicsFairy.Com and VintagePrintable.Com, public domain.
Sound
Taste
TTT
Women’s sense of taste is more acute than men’s. That’s because they usually have more taste buds than men. About half of adults have 2,000-10,000 taste buds (not all of which are on the tongue). A quarter have more; a quarter have fewer. The quarter with 10,000-plus taste buds — “supertasters,” as coined by Yale University’s Linda Bartoshuk in 1991 — aren’t evenly split. About 35 percent of women fall into that category versus 15 percent of men. This isn’t just true for grownups: Girls are better tasters than boys. Danish school girls and boys, specifically. In a study from Danish Science Communication and Denmark’s University of Copenhagen, some 8,900 students took part in a national taste test. Girls detected sourness with 10 percent less intensity than boys and sweetness with 20 percent less intensity. Incidentally, northern Jutland students are the best tasters among Danish school children.
Sight Women literally see the world different from men. Specifically, women are better at distinguishing color and have keener peripheral vision. There’s plenty of indirect evidence, but recent studies isolate these abilities apart from possible cultural and linguistic biases. One, from Brooklyn College, City of New York, shows women have more sensitive retina cones that are associated with X-chromosomes, as presented in the September 2012 issue of Biology of Sex Differences. Another example is women’s ability to see differences in the green-yellow
spectrum in their peripherals, as described by University of Manchester, England researchers in the January 2012 issue of Journal of Vision. Androgen-receptive cells in the visual cortex (which are sensitive to testosterone), appear to be able to effectively mute color distinction and peripheral vision in favor of movement-related sensitivity in a deeper, narrower field. Perhaps that wield of vision is what allows Erica Barry to string along Julian Mercer while she’s still got her eye on Harry Sanborn in “Something’s Gotta Give.”
Women and men are born with equal hearing ability but, as they age, women retain more of their hearing. The watershed study — which also found nearly one-fifth of Americans age 12 or older have significant hearing loss — was conducted by Baltimore, Maryland’s Johns Hopkins University and published in the November 2011 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers theorize estrogen may have a protective effect on the inner ear, though more study is necessary. If that’s not music to your ears, try having a women read it to you. Women generally have shorter vocal cords and smaller larynxes than men, and vary their pitch and volume more, thus accounting for their “natural melody.” Female male voices are so musical al that men, who process cess male voices in the part of their brain related ed to imaging, process female emale voices in the part off their brains that process music and similarly complex sounds. That’s what scientists from England’s University of Sheffield cataloged in their September 2005 study in NeuroImage. Although it was widely reported that this means men have trouble deciphering women’s voices, the study’s authors told Discover magazine that the opposite, in fact, may be true — that women’s voices pack a more memorable vocal punch.
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A Gulfstream IV refuels at Ernest A. Love Field. Airport courtesy photo.
Bird Watching (No, the Other Kind)
Having a field day By Matt Dean Aircraft spotting at Ernest A. Love Field in Prescott has its moments. The best, for me, are less about aircraft spotting and more about the first-class times my daughter and I are sharing. Early Saturday mornings, we load ourselves and the dogs in the Chevy and head over to MacCurdy Drive for a few hours of pure aircraft spotting joy. My daughter is 3-years-old and her name is Edythe. She calls aircraft spotting by its rightful name and points out aircraft details as she spots them. We usually share homemade chorizo burros and watermelon on the tailgate of the truck. This father-anddaughter duo has discovered more than a pastime; we’ve established a potentially lifelong family tradition.
Our
first spotting trip was on a warm March morning. I knew we’d see some of the first pilots and aircraft emerge after winter. The airport was busy with multiple single engine planes departing for unknown
locales and inbound planes landing in Yavapai County. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University trainees practiced touch-and-go landings and a helicopter buzzed about. Our initial adventure at the Prescott Regional Airport was scouting out good spotting locations. I’d done some preliminary reconnaissance on Google Maps and had a specific area in mind — one that promised an expansive view of the airport and surrounding area, as well as the opportunity to spot take offs and landings. The site provided all the amenities I was hoping for and more.
The
terminal parking lot is an excellent place for plane spotting. Edythe and I like to park in front of the fence separating the parking lot from airport operations. Our first time there, I identified a Liberty XL (two seats, bubble canopy, low mount wings, single engine, and tricycle landing gear with wheel pants) taxied up to the mooring area directly on the other side of the fence. The rapidly spinning propeller and engine noise at close range was thrilling. Edythe thought so, too. Another great place for aircraft spotting is Susie’s Skyway Restaurant. Susie’s is a classic terminal restaurant with big windows overlooking the
18 • COLUMN • JULY 2013 • 5ENSESMAG.COM
main runway. It’s laden with aircraft models and memorabilia including photographs of local pilots and their planes throughout the years. I enjoy the eggs, hash browns, and bacon breakfasts. Edythe is a big fan of toast and jam. Susie’s also offers opportunities to meet pilots and other aircraft enthusiasts while enjoying a good breakfast and great views. When Edythe and I go spotting, we bring the comprehensive plane spotting manual, “A Field Guide to Airplanes” by M.R. Montgomery and Gerald Foster, and a pair of inexpensive 10-by-50 Bushnell binoculars. “A Field Guide to Airplanes” is an excellent identification handbook with descriptions that detail accurately the distinguishing features of aircraft and pencil drawings that note the specific distinctions. I’ve had great luck identifying aircraft with this manual, which claims to catalog every fixed wing aircraft and helicopter you’re likely to see in North America.
Ernest
A. Love Field is a wonderful place for aircraft spotting. There’s usually a diversity of single engine aircraft and, every once in a while, something special shows up on the flight line like the V-22 Osprey that stopped to refuel in February of 2011. Recently we saw
a Dassault Falcon corporate jet (it was a trijet, though I’m not certain of the variation) and, owing to my home being close to one of the flight paths, I’ve seen many military aircraft and other planes. The upcoming fire season may also present the opportunity for spotters to see an array of fire fighting aircraft. The Prescott Regional Airport hosts the Prescott Fire Center and Y.H. Kim Aviation Facility where fire retardant is mixed and loaded onto fixed wing and rotary aircraft to help stamp out destructive forest fires in the Southwest. The Prescott Regional Airport is Edythe’s and my new best friend. We haven’t yet heard or felt a Marine F/A-18 Hornet roar off the runway and scream through the sky above us, but we’ve had those father-and-daughter moments that are the marker beacons of well-lived lives. ***** Matt Dean is a Prescott native and a teacher for Prescott High School’s online program who enjoys spending time with his family and walks with the dogs. When he’s not aircraft spotting, you can find him steadily working on projects at his home and property. Contact him at Matt.Dean@ PrescottSchools.Com.
The
Gene Twaronite’s The Absurd Naturalist
How (not) to read a label By Gene Twaronite Now that it’s weed and bug season, people will be spraying chemicals into every conceivable corner of their homes and landscapes. Not only is pest spraying a vital part of the American economy, it has become a national pastime, surpassed only by football and ranting on Facebook. But before using any pesticide in your garden, bedroom, or spouse’s cereal, it’s important to read the label. Since chemical companies use such labels primarily to avoid lawsuits, you might find some valuable information that you could use against them, such as not specifying the hazards of using the product on cereal.
first part of the label lists ingredients, which are given freakish chemical names meant to scare you like Superglamamine-nitromegakill-triphosphate. If you read the fine print, however, you’ll see that only 0.0000000001 percent of the product actually contains this chemical. The rest is perfectly safe, inert materials like water, used kitty litter, and a surfactant, whatever that is. The next section lists important phone numbers. There’s a product information number so you can complain when the product leaves purple stains on your living room carpet, and there’s a medical emergency number so you can complain when, in the course of using the product, you suddenly stop breathing. Invariably, there is a warning to “keep out of reach of children.” So, if you were thinking of having the 4-year-old bratty niece that your sister dropped off for the weekend do the spraying, just forget it. Next, there are a whole bunch of prissy precautionary statements like, “If you ingest 10 gallons of the pesticide you might experience minor gas pain, diarrhea, or complete paralysis.” Look for a signal word in upper case letters; if it says “DANGER,” this means maximum toxicity, and that’s good because you’re getting the maximum bang for your buck. There’s also stuff about environmental hazards such as killing fish or causing long-range permanent damage to the gene pool of all life on Earth, but that’s not your problem. This section is followed by a terse statement that it’s a violation of FEDERAL LAW to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling, which means you could be facing serious jail time for using it to kill that nasty foot fungus.
sensible person, such as mixing, filling tanks or aerial sprayers, and manner of application, which you can largely ignore. Who doesn’t want to use pesticides safely? Do read the part about how much of the product to use per gallon of water. Plan on at least tripling this amount for more killing power. You might also want to review the part that lists the kinds of pests actually targeted by the product. Don’t worry if the pests you’re trying to eliminate aren’t mentioned. Just increase the dosage. For really serious pests, like telemarketers, you may have to go full strength to achieve long-lasting control.
Lastly,
there’s a section called “Re-entry Intervals.” This tells you how long to wait after application before it’s safe to enter the area again. This is a personal judgment call. Some people are more chemically sensitive than others. If you suddenly start to bleed through your facial orifices or notice a dense green cloud in the area, you may want to wait at least a few minutes. © Gene Twaronite 2013 ***** Gene Twaronite’s writing has appeared in numerous literary journals and magazines. He is the author of “The Family That Wasn’t,” “My Vacation in Hell,” and “Dragon Daily News.” Follow Gene at TheTwaroniteZone.Com.
Under
“Storage and Disposal” is a warning not to store the chemical in food or beverage containers and to avoid contaminating foodstuffs, especially those you happen to be eating. Recommended disposal procedures are also provided, which, at bare minimum, include triple rinsing the empty container, wrapping it in impervious, all-weather plastic, encasing it in solid concrete, placing it in an unmarked bag, then dropping it off at the nearest EPA-approved Extreme Hazardous Material site or, if one isn’t nearby, in your neighbor’s trashcan. The “Directions for Safe Usage” is a long, overblown section full of stuff obvious to any normal,
5ENSESMAG.COM • JULY 2013 • COLUMN • 19
Prescott Astronomy Club presents: Astronomy 101
Theoretically speaking By Wyatt Frazee
“The
Big Bang Theory” — great TV show right? The actual scientific theory it’s named for is even wittier. The Big Bang theory is a model that explains how everything, absolutely everything, came into existence. Though illustrative — Bang! Universe! — the name itself doesn’t sound particularly scientific. (It kinda sounds like something you’d say to a toddler who falls down or throws a toy.) That’s because the name was born of sarcasm. A few centuries ago there were two competing scientific theories about how the universe came into being and what it was doing. The rule of the day, the so-called Steady State theory, stated the universe was neither contracting nor expanding. It was, well, static. Albert Einstein himself backed this theory, ultimately leading to his ill-fated cosmological constant. The competing theory stated the universe started as an infinitely small, infinitely hot, infinitely
dense matter squished into infinite density, called a singularity. After the singularity’s appearance it began inflating and cooling off, and continues to do so. This idea, the Expanding Universe theory, was pioneered by astronomer Edwin Hubble. As the 20th century wore on, the notion of an expanding universe eclipsed the static model. British astrophysicist Sir Fred Hoyle wasn’t convinced. In the 1950s, while taping a series of TV lectures called “The Nature of the Universe,” Hoyle tried to explain that the universe had no beginning or end, that it came from a continual pattern of development. Hoyle had been coming under a lot of fire from scientists who’d converted to the expansion theory, so he decided to fight back. In the final episode of the series, he delivered the zinger “Big Bang” as a tongue-in-cheek term for the idea behind his opponents’ theory. He was making fun of it. “Big Bang” stuck, but not the way Hoyle intended. Essentially, he gave the Expanding Universe series a catchy shorthand, a dynamic slogan that made it easier to understand than the obscure idea of static
infinity. Soon “Big Bang” became a household term divorced from its lampooning coiner. There’s a lesson here: Don’t waste your best insults on your enemies because you may inadvertently give them top-notch marketing advice for free. ***** Wyatt Frazee is manager at Think4Inc, vice president of the Prescott Astronomy Club, a science student at Yavapai College, and a hopeful future science teacher. aA
BACKGROUND: Hubble Sapce Telescope and Spitzer Space Telescope composite image of Messier 104, aka the Sombrero galaxy, 2003. Image by NASA, WikiMedia. Org, public domain.
Passable passwords
Diagnosis: Technology With Paolo Chlebecek By Paolo Chlebecek
Passwords,
pass-
phrases, and passcodes — nowadays everything you do electronically requires security. How can you be sure your choice is secure but easy enough to remember? Education. The strength of any password is relative to how many different types of characters and symbols it has. The more, the better. Microsoft has a great website dedicated to security and password creation at Microsoft.Com/Security/ Online-Privacy/Passwords-Create. Aspx. It advises that good passwords are a minimum of 14 characters. Need an example? Here’s a
very strong, Microsoft-approved password: 2*jU6z@c9+c32!Bq\75d. Most people, however, can’t remember such an obscure password.
According
to multiple studies, passwords based on phrases that use the first letter of each word in that phrase are easier to remember. They’re also just as hard to crack or bypass as randomly generated passwords like the example above. Here’s a strong, Microsoft-approved example: 2bGwtwD!-!1939. That’s based on the 1939 film “Gone with the Wind.” Notice that it’s got both lower and upper case letters, numbers, symbols, and is 14-characters long. There are some seemingly clever
20 • FEATURES • JULY 2013 • 5ENSESMAG.COM
password techniques to avoid. Don’t use simple number-letter substitutions such as 3 for E and 1 for L. These are well known to invaders. Simply typing your password one keyboard row higher or lower than normal is likewise feeble. Hackers easily break weak passwords. I get calls weekly that someone’s email account has been hacked, and simple passwords are often involved. The most common password: password1. Avoid these common password pitfalls: • whole, dictionary words from any language, forward or backward. • people or pet names. • personal numbers such as phone numbers, social security numbers, birthdates, and licenses. • common number and letter series like 9999999, 12345678, abcdefg, and asdfjkl;.
You
may be asking yourself, “Why all the fuss?” If someone obtains your passwords he or she may see your private data (even more than the government) including email, bank accounts, pictures, etc., and could alter or destroy your files, spam your contacts, and perform illegal activities using your name. It’s not easy to apprehend such assailants, and you might even be culpable. The best way to avoid password trouble is to routinely trade weak passwords for stronger ones. ***** Paolo Chlebecek is founder and owner of PaoloTek, which he started in 2003. He enjoys technology of all kinds and, in his spare time, likes to go on adventures with his wife and four-legged children. Contact him at Paolo@PaoloTek.Com.
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PATRIOTIC PRIMER To commemorate the ‘founding’ of the U.S. of A. during this month of July, we provide you with a quick guide to celebrating in style, and with appropriate, proper and suitably enthusiastic patriotism. Take your FREEDOM and rock it!
4rTPagE jacques laliberté
Apparel- Modes of Display
DO!
DON’T!
This gal’s understated style of ‘dress’ is ‘Patriot Appropriate’ and proves ‘less can be more’ and still be sexy.
This ‘over-the-top’ approach to patriotic display only cheapens the sentiment, and leaches toxic chemicals into your bloodstream.
SONGS- Lyrics
History- in the Making
politicians have been colorful characters for most of our country’s
Everywhere around the world They're coming to America Every time that flag's unfurled They're coming to America Got a dream to take them there They're coming to America Got a dream they've come to share They're coming to America Neil Diamond - America
history- even making a
We got a thousand points of light For the homeless man We got a kinder, gentler, Machine gun hand We got department stores and toilet paper Got styrofoam boxes for the ozone layer Got a man of the people, says keep hope alive Got fuel to burn, got roads to drive. Keep on rockin' in the free world
bit of it. Georgewashington (shown here w/horse & A. Hamilton) made it
onto our dollar bill. this page dedicated to nancy
22 • FEATURE • JULY 2013 • 5ENSESMAG.COM
Neil YoungRockin’ in the Free World
Flags- Colors The colors Red, WHite & Blue are a powerful triad of our national identity. The ‘stars + bars’ are shown here in a variety of new arrangements.
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