2014-06 5enses

Celebrating art and science in Greater Prescott

Alan Dean Foster is going places P. 12

Ty Fitzmorris

thirsts for storms P. 16

Jimmy Polinori steaks his claim on dad’s favorite meal P. 11

Gene Twaronite

addresses the origin of endangered species P. 25

And much 2 more!

illustrious, illustrative Being a consideration of Ida Kendall's frame of mind

P. 13

JUNE 2014 | VOLUME 2, ISSUE 6 | 5ensesMag.Com

arizona landscapes in oil by alice gunter

5enses In which:

4 5 6 7 10 11 12 13

Peter Pierson

rants and raves about a certain murderous troupe of not-so-birdbrained fowl-weather friends.

Ruby Jackson

enjoys somes jazz, folk, Shakespeare, movies, belly dancing, wine, more music, cowboys, and tattoos.

James Dungeon

kickstarts a conversation about outdoor art and outside funding with Julie Adams.

Jonathan Best

preaches against the liturgy of a musical elite and profers a more euphonious egalitarianism.

Heather Houk

cries tears of joy for a multitude of multiplying onions that’ve won hearts and palate’s across the Southwest.

16 18 19 21 22 22 25

Ty Fitzmorris

toughs out some of the roughest weeks in the wilds and spots a silver-lined cloud on the horizon.

Agent Deep Black

prescribes tractor beam therapy for two photogs, one cryptozoological, one extraterrestrial.

Helen Stephenson

smuggles in a trove of Prescott Film Fest flicks for a sneak peak pre-fest screening.

Matt Dean

tackles the tarmacadam’s best-selling jet airliner that’s not in an Earth, Wind & Fire song.

Paolo Chlebecek

files a report from a virus-filled battlefield and laments the fall of a cyber vanguard.

Jimmy Polinori

Lauren Antrosiglio

Alan Dean Foster

Gene Twaronite

stakes a claim and claims a steak for Father’s Day festivities and culinary funnery.

broadens your mind and horizons with wieldy, worldly wonders from his wide, wild wanderings.

Jacques Laliberté

June 2014 • Volume 2, Issue 6

Copyright © 2014 5enses Inc. unless otherwise noted.

Publisher & Editor: Nicholas DeMarino Creative Director: Jimmy Polinori Copy Editor: Susan Smart Read a new 5enses the first weekend of every month.

Visit 5ensesMag.Com, Facebook, & Twitter for more.

Contact us at 5ensesMag@Gmail.Com & 928-613-2076.

Plus

5/6 8 20 26

Flip Photo

A visual puzzle by the Highlands Center for Natural History

Left Brain/Right Brain Find out what’s going on in Greater Prescott

Oddly Enough

Comics by Russell Miller

Spot-on Spotlights

Prescott’s premier happenings and happenstances

“Until Death,” a painting by Ida Kendall.

Fine art photography by Rich Charpentier.

See Jacques Laliberté’s story on Page 13 for more.

keeps her head above water and floats some advice-soaked exsiccation-removal solutions.

hunts for feasible fi xes to stop extant animals from going extinct, naturally.

discusses form, frame, and pictorial storytelling with artist and Prescott proprietress Ida Kendall.

COVER: A detail from “Monsoon,” a painting by Ida Kendall. Fine art photography

by Rich Charpentier. Design by Jimmy Polinori.

�ENSESMAG.COM • JUNE ���� • CONTENTS • �

A Common Raven (Corvus corax) flies afield.

Photo by Danrok, Creative Commons 3.0.

Bird of the Month

The Common Raven

Bellydance Classes with

By Peter Pierson

of New Moon Tribal Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced classes held at Lotus Bloom Yoga Studio

www.ustadzaazra.com

Highlands Center for Natural History Nestled in the Lynx Lake Recreation Area, two minutes from Costco, The Highlands Center for Natural History invites you to explore the wonder of the Central Arizona Highlands.

• Free Naturalist-led walks, Saturdays 8 AM • Year-round kids’ camps and family programs • A Midsummer Night’s Dream June 27-28 • Folk Sessions and Prescott Jazz Summit concerts • Beautiful location for your special event Mention 5enses and get $10 off a Family Membership through June.

Wonder

Explore

928-776-9550 www.highlandscenter.org

Discover

� • FEATURE • JUNE ���� • �ENSESMAG.COM

From

the northernmost reaches of the Arctic, through the mountain and boreal regions of the U.S. and Canada, to the desert highlands of Central America, the Common Raven provides an iconic symbol to the most diverse of places. As the largest member of what’s called “songbirds,” the raven has a wide range of vocalizations, including unique local dialects that can catch experienced birders by surprise.

In his book “Mind of the Raven,” Bernd Heinrich writes that ravens possess what appears to be remarkable intelligence. Their capacity for complex problem solving may contribute to their adaptability to our presence. At 5 a.m. in Nome, Alaska, hordes of ravens pick through the remains of bar trash around the famous wooden arch at the finish of the Iditarod on sunny -27 F mornings during lulls between arriving teams. Just down the road some 600 miles, if a road existed there, employees of Pogo Mine can be disciplined for leaving food in the back of their trucks, as ravens open lunch boxes and scatter their contents across the snow.

In Prescott, they seem to have figured out the meaning of picnic grounds and the relative safety of building a nest in a tall Ponderosa just above the accepting residents of

Prescott College’s student housing.

Let’s just say they’re resourceful.

Ravens, as Heinrich and others have noted, also have a strong inclination for what’s best described as play. At the risk of anthropomorphization, ravens engage in behaviors that have no outward objective other than joy. That should come as no surprise to anyone who’s watched them spin and tumble in the thermals rising up from the depths of the Grand Canyon or a pair circle effortlessly along the cliffs of Thumb Butte, moving us to, at the very least, take our eyes off the trail and pay a different kind of attention. ***** Peter Pierson is a freelance writer and communications adviser who’s made home from northern Minnesota to Regina, Saskatchewan, Nome and Fairbanks, Alaska, and the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado.

A former recipient of a Minnesota Arts Council/McKnight fellowship for his radio essay work, Pierson now lives in Prescott while finishing a belated master’s degree program with Prescott College. He admittedly needs help distinguishing spring birdsongs here in the Arizona Central Highlands.

Contact Prescott Audubon Society at PrescottAudubon.Org, Contact@ PrescottAudubon.Org, or 928-7786502.

Jivin’ June

Around ...

By Ruby Jackson

The Highlands Center for Natural History is always hopping, but this month in particular offers a bevy of happenings for those who seek culture en plein air.

Prescott Jazz Summit kicks off their Howlin’ at the Highlands summer concert run on Saturday, June 7 with guest vocalists Dennis Rowland and Diana Lee. Rowland was the voice of the Count Basie Orchestra for many years, and Lee is an accomplished singer, pianist, and composer. Folk Sessions presents Tucson’s I Hear Voices and Phoenix-based Three-Legged Dog on Saturday, June 14. You can round out the month there with Shakespeare in the Pines on Friday and Saturday, June 27 and 28 with an hors d’oeuvres and wine reception preceding a performance of “A Midsummers Night’s Dream” by Laark Productions.

Movies on the Yavapai County Courthouse lawn are back as part of Prescott’s Summer Concert Series. On Wednesdays starting June 4, you can park your lawn chairs on some of the greenest grass in town and bask in the cool glow of the moon while watching family favorites. Additional free nightly events (Tuesdays-Saturdays) are planned through summer.

If movies under the stars aren’t your cup of tea, but you like your free cinema in unusual places, consider attending a series of films docu-

... the Corner

menting the art, history, and evolution of belly dance through the ages.

Ustadza Azra, director of New Moon Tribal, is hosting the first screening at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 17 at Lotus Bloom Yoga Studio.

I’m usually a sucker for that old cliché “home is where the heart is,” but let’s face it: It’s good to get out of town every now and again. Page Spring Cellars is celebrating their 10th anniversary with the Tilted Earth Wine and Music Festival on Saturday, June 21. It’s a benefit for the Cottonwood Teen Center, “empowering teens to live successful lives,” at Cottonwood’s beautiful Riverfront Park near Old Town.

It’s an all-day shindig, with 16 local wineries, seven live bands, six gourmet food trucks, and a partridge in a pear tree. Kids’ activities include sumo suits (inflatable wrestling suits with tons of hilarity potential), inflatable jousts, jolly jumps, and slides. The pre-party begins the night before with food and wine pairings at Verde Valley restaurants.

Inevitably, this column had to turn to talk of cowboys and whatnot, given that Prescott’s World’s Oldest Rodeo fires up in late June, a traditional precursor to local Fourth of July celebrations. If you’re looking for something else to wrap your lasso around, consider the Silver Screen Cowboy Show at Prescott Center for the Arts on Saturday and Sunday, June 28 and 29. The award-winning Red Hot Rhythm Rustlers are show-

Howlin’ at the Highlands kicks off Saturday, June 7, at the Highlands Center for Natural History. Courtesy photo. casing their brand of western swing in tribute to the celluloid cowboys of years past — way past, going as far back as Tom Mix — but including favorite Western icons from of the ’40s and ’50s, as well.

The inaugural Northern Arizona Tattoo Fest was a huge success last year, resulting in what’s surely become a yearly event. It’s still early, with plenty of irons in the fire, but the date is set for Friday through

Turn in this ad for $1 off well & domestic drinks Offer expires July 5, 2014

Sunday, July 4-6 at the Prescott Resort & Casino. Check their website for details as the weekend nears. ***** A native of the Windy City, Ruby Jackson is a freelance writer and collector of Norfin Trolls. In her spare time, she’s an aspiring actress (drama queen) and millionairess (donations gladly accepted). Contact her at RubyBJackson@Gmail.Com.

Whiskey Row’s ROCKIN’ Irish Pub 112 S. Montezuma St. Upstairs on Whiskey Row 928-771-0997

Highlands Center for Natural History’s

pilF Photo

How many flowers do you see? One. ... Two. ...

�ENSESMAG.COM • JUNE ���� • COLUMN & FEATURE • �

Picture it

MV Art Market kickstarts a plan The Miller Valley Indoor Art Market mural concept (pre-people and critters). Courtesy image.

By James Dungeon [Editor’s note: The follows excerpts are from a conversation between the reporter and Julie Adams, owner of the Miller Valley Indoor Art Market.]

So, why do you want a mural on the exterior of the Art Market?

Visibility. That’s our biggest challenge on this street. We’re not on Whiskey Row, so we’re not as tied into the tourist side of things. There are a lot of small businesses that pop up here but soon disappear.

We started in November of 2011, so we’re creeping up on our three-year anniversary. One of my goals is to make this mural project a jump-

ing off point for other businesses to make their own murals. We could make this road a destination for people to come and see murals. At the Art Market, we’re in a tough spot. People in town know about us, but don’t necessarily know where we are. Another common misconception is that we’re a swap meet, because that’s what was here before us. People still come in looking for that. We’ve worked really hard on the interior, opened it up and redone things so it looks like an art gallery and has a comfortable, cozy atmosphere. We have more than 100 local and area artists and have live music here, too. Our biggest goal is

Highlands Center for Natural History’s

Flip otohP

... Skip a few. ... 99. ... More than 100!

Flowers within the Sunflower family, such as this Fleabane Daisy, have highly complex flowers. At first glance, these composite flowers seem like one beautiful flower.

In fact, each petal is a ray flower, and the center is composed of hundreds of disc flowers. So how many flowers are there? More than you’d want to stop and count, but never too many to stop and smell.

� • FEATURES • JUNE ���� • �ENSESMAG.COM

to help out the artists, so making this place more visible means they can make a living with their art.

It’s kind of a stepping stone gallery, in a way. Our artists sign a threemonth agreement, then it’s month to month. Another part of this are the windows with the light boxes. While the mural will be unchanging once it’s completed, we plan to have area college and high school students submit art for a contest based on a theme — maybe flora and fauna of the Prescott National Forest, for instance — and the winner’s work will be up in the windows, illuminated at night, for a year.

What’s the mural concept and why did you chose it?

Well, we couldn’t figure out what we wanted to do, at first, but we knew we needed to do something. The outside’s just a giant rectangle and it needed some character. I won’t get too much into local history, but there’s a Victorian aspect to a lot of the architecture in town, so we wanted to draw on that. There was a picture of a blue door in Venice that Juliana Hutchins showed me; when I saw that, I knew that was the way to go. We don’t want a Venice-style house in the middle of Prescott, but we borrowed from that. We also borrowed from the architecture of Hotel St. Michael — the brick structure on top. It’s local lore, you know, that those gargoyles up there are all the founding fathers of Prescott. Whether or not that’s true. … We also borrowed some from the balconies at The Palace. Basically, we want something that doesn’t look like a sterile warehouse. All of these ideas have a basis in historical architecture. It all goes back to the Greeks and Romans. That means it’s all ultimately the Greeks, right?

You’re crowdsourcing this via Kickstarter for $20,000. Tell us about the incentives at various donation levels and how you decided on this route.

Kickstarter is a way for people to donate money directly to the project online and, as you mentioned, there are incentives for all the different levels of backers. One of the hgihest ones is $500: You or a loved one can be painted into the mural, maybe sitting at the café or walking with your pet on a leash. Our muralists, Juliana Hutchins and Dana Cohn, are quite skilled. They’ll be painting people in the classical style, a term that, I know, covers a wide variety of approaches. Oh, and the pets, they’re $250: You can have your pets in the mural, maybe on the balcony or eying the pigeons. There’ll be pigeons and other birds, too, and you can name them for $100. For $50 or $75 you can buy a brick with your name on it that’ll be painted into the mural. We have a lot of bricks, of course. This started out as an idea for a $4,000 project, but it grew into something for this entire 120-foot wide by 20-foot tall building front “canvas.” The deadline is the end of June, and we’d love your support. ***** Visit Kickstarter.Com/projects/ 1794857423/the-miller-valleymural-project to find out more about The Miller Valley Mural Project. Visit Facebook.Com/pages/ Miller-Valley-Indoor-Art-Market/1445614982352243 to find out more about the Miller Valley Indoor Art Market.

James Dungeon is a figment of his own imagination. And he likes cats.

Contact him at JamesDungeonCats @Gmail.Com.

Who’s musical?

Hint: Everyone

4 4FRIDAY

ART WALKS

’S

Go outside and listen to the musical terrain.

Start walking and listen to it change as you take part in its rhythm.

The terrain is vast. It extends as far as the ear can hear. Listen to the distant reaches. Maybe there’s a chainsaw barely audible in the mountains trading riffs with a cocker spaniel in the second floor apartment to your left. Keep walking and notice the rhythm in your step. Listen to its relationship to the sounds around you. Now listen to the music in your head. To hear it you might have to quiet your mind, which can be pretty loud and overpowering. This can take some practice to hear the music in your head. The first step is to trust that it’s there.

Where does that music come from?

My belief is that it’s built in. It’s part of the design. Our bodies are designed to make music. We depend on rhythm to stay alive. Our hearts beat a rhythm to get the blood circulated throughout our bodies. Our lungs need to be in sync with our hearts. And there is a melody to our breath. Walking and running rely on rhythm. So does eating.

Our bodies compose music day and night whether we know it or not.

We also rely on music to stay connected with one another.

Once you start paying attention to the music of our bodies it becomes hard to ignore. And why ignore it? Why not sing along?

When I first meet someone I often ask them if they play music. The responses are quite diverse but they usually contain some kind of caveat about their lack of musicianship. They’ll say things like, “I haven’t got a musical bone in my body” or “I can’t carry a tune in a hand basket.”

Sometimes it’s more benign such as, “I played the piano when I was a kid, but then I got a job” or “I play the guitar, but I just strum.”

COT T

By Jonathan Best

PRE S

Jonathan Best.

Photo by Ramona Smith.

Professional musicians aren’t supposed to make sical skill to add is confidence in your musicality. these caveats because if they show vulnerability This allows you to freely make music whenever they might lose work. But buried deep within you please and with whomever you’d like. We need them is their own list of shortcomings such as “I more people like this in our world. can’t read too well” or “I can’t play Latin Jazz” or You may comment that these aren’t really “I can only play what’s on the music stand.” musical skills. But when you see the universe as So what denotes a musical person? Is it how something made of music, as I do, then you’ll see many notes per minute they can play? Is it how these attributes as more intrinsic to music making high they can sing? Is it about whether they can than traditional skills such as sight reading, music sing perfectly in tune? How about reading skills? theory, keyboard technique, and everything else My set of criteria is very different. taught in music school.

Let’s start with listening because that may be I used to say that a musician is a person who the most important. And it’s one that everyone hustles for gigs. Now I say that just like a Chrisdevelops throughout their life. It’s an important tian who worships Christ, a Musician is one who part of conversation. Music is a conversation. worships Music. We all make music, and anyone Loving your sound may be just as important, can choose to worship music and be a musician if though. And it’s not easy to do. If there is one they want to. quality that all of our favorite singers share it’s a Who is musical? Everyone. love of their own voice. You can hear that love in every note. One way to develop that love in your ***** own voice is to sing with groups. This way you Jonathan Best, music gardener, is a graduate of don’t have to be singled out. You can be part of the Music for People’s Musician Leadership Program greater whole and just experience the sympathetic and is founder of comMUSIKey, a non-profit vibrations between everyone’s vocal cords. Loving organization dedicated to building community the sounds of the people singing with you is also through all-inclusive, participatory music. Find important. And it’s easier to do. out more at ComMUSIKey.Org. Creativity is imperative to any artistic Prescott’s 4th Friday endeavor. But what if creativity is nothing more than a willingness to make mistakes?

Maybe creativity is the making of mistakes.

So how about we add EVERY mistake making to the TH list of useful skills for making music?

Any musical group needs a leader. A leader can be the conductor, but it can also be the person who incites 2014 everyone to go for it. It January 24 can be the person who February 28 is paying close attention March 28 April 25 to the group’s dynamics.

Beginning at 5 PM May 23 Maybe it’s the one who June 27 can see the hidden poJuly 25 tential of a shy person, August 22 September 26 or the one whom people October 24 follow when she gets November 28 quiet or slows down.

December 26 People sometimes don’t even know who the real leader is. It’s often the bass player.

The last and certainly not least important mu-

See Special Events

www.ArtThe4th.com

�ENSESMAG.COM • JUNE ���� • COLUMN • �

Left Brain: June’s mind-full events Scrabble group • 1-4 p.m. Thursdays, June 5, 12, 19, & 26: Play Scrabble and Upwords with friends old and new.

(Prescott Public Library, Bump Conference Room, 928-777-1500)

PHOTO: These stacked letter tiles were assembled from an older Dutch edition of Scrabble.

Take a look at the letters’ point values. Notice anything odd?

Letters like D, F, and Z have alternate values. Only six points for a Z?! You’ve got to be kidding.

Photo by Dascandy, Creative Commons 3.0.

Events

4

Reports on Meteor Crater Field Trip & SciTech Fest • 6:30 p.m. Wednesday: Corinne Shaw and Stephen Eubanks discuss recent events of interest at monthly Prescott Astronomy Club meeting. (Prescott Public Library, Founders Suite, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500)

7 10

“Dare to Dream” • 2 p.m. Saturday: Award-winning author Heidi Thomas reads from her new book and talks about using family history to write novels.

(Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000) “GMO in My Food” • 1 p.m. Tuesday: Shea Richland discusses GMOs, plus a screening of “Genetic Roulette.”

(Yavapai College Building No. 1, Room 200, 1100 E. Sheldon St., 928-776-2000) “Plant Intelligence & the Indigenous Worldview” • 5:30 p.m. Tuesday: Carla Woody talk about Native wisdom regarding the traditional use of plants at monthly Slow Food Prescott meeting. (Prescott College Crossroads Café, 220 Grove St., 877-350-2100, $5)

13 14

Moonlit Naturalist Walk • 7:30 p.m. Friday: Experience the wonder of nature at night. (Highlands Center for Natural History, 1375 S. Walker Road, 928-776-9550)

Prescott Audubon Society Bird Walk • 7:30 a.m. Saturday: Monthly Audubon bird walk. (Highlands Center for Natural History, 1375 S. Walker Road, 928-776-9550)

“Desert Trader” • 2 p.m. Saturday: Carolyn O’Bagy Davis discusses Goldie Tracy Richmond at monthly Second Saturday talk. (Smoki Museum, 147 N. Arizona Ave., 928-445-1230)

“Stilwater” • 2 p.m. Saturday: Rafael de Grenade reads from her memoir about her life on a remote cattle station in Australia. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000)

21 22

“Write Your Book in a Weekend” • 2 p.m. Saturday: Tom Bird’s free, three-hour writing workshop. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000)

Prescott Orchid Society • 1 p.m. Sunday: Monthly meeting. (Prescott Public Library, Founders Suite, 928-777-1500)

� • EVENTS • JUNE ���� • �ENSESMAG.COM

24

“The Municipal Budget” • 5:30 p.m. Tuesday: Lindsay Bell, former Prescott City Council member, discusses the budget process, city revenue, and tax collection at monthly Prescott Good Governance meeting.

(Yavapai Title Co., 1235 E. Gurley St., 928-642-6788)

26 27 28

“Quality Seed Saving for the Home Gardener” • 10 a.m. Thursday: Stephen and Cindy Scott of Terroir Seed/Underwood Gardens talk.

(Yavapai College Building No. 1, Room 204, 1100 E. Sheldon St., 928-776-2000, $50)

“Outdoors in the Southwest” • 5:30 p.m. Friday: Author, editor, professor, and outdoorsperson Andy Gulliford discusses the Arizona Wilderness Act. Via the Arizona Wilderness Coalition. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000) “Mary, Mary Quite Contrary” • 1 p.m. Saturday: Marsha Painton discusses artist and architect Mary Elizabeth Colter.

(Phippen Museum, 4701 Arizona 89, 928-778-1385, $5-$7)

“Using Ephemera for Genealogical Research” • 2 p.m. Saturday: Author and genealogist Sharon Atkins reads from her new book.

(Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000)

Multi-day Bird walks • 7 a.m. June 6, 12, 18, & 25: Bird walks at Banning Creek, Stricklin Park, Granite Basin, and White Spar. (Jay’s Bird Barn, No. 113, 1046 Willow Creek Road, 928-443-5900, RSVP) Prescott Area Boardgamers • 5 p.m. June 11 & 25: Play board games.

(Prescott Public Library, Founders Suite, Bump and Elsea conference rooms, 928-777-1500) Mindfulness meditation • 6:30 p.m. informal sit, 7 p.m. formal sit Tuesdays: Meditation group open to people of all faiths and non-faiths followed by optional discussion. (601 Miller Valley Road, park in back, PrescottVipassana.Org) Naturalist City & Field Walks • 8 a.m. Wednesdays & Saturdays: Learn about local birds, geology, plants, and more.

(HighlandsCenter.Org., 928-776-9550) Drop in chess • 2 p.m. Saturdays: Play chess, all ages and skill levels welcome. (Prescott Public Library, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500)

June’s art-full events :niarB thgiR Events

Art

Poetry discussion group • 1 p.m. Wednesday: Dr. Janet Preston’s monthly poetry discussion group.

(Prescott Public Library, Elsea Conference Room, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500)

“Cheaper Than Psychotherapy” • Through June 14: Printmaking, mixed media, jewelry, and irreverence by Deb Alberty, Brenda Diller, and Susanne Straussner. (’Tis Art Center & Gallery, 105 S. Cortez St., 928-775-0223)

4 5 7 14 25 27 28

Poets Cooperative • 6:30 p.m. Thursday: Share your poetry at this monthly meeting. (Prescott Public Library, Bump Conference Room, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500)

“A Nightmare in the Garden: Two Sides of an Artist” • From June 15: L.T.D. and garden art by Leslee Oaks. (’Tis Art Center & Gallery, 105 S. Cortez St., 928-775-0223)

“Comedy for a Cause” • 6:30 p.m. Saturday: Headliner comedian Brian Kohatsu with Kevin Rose, Mike James, and Cynthia Sobo. Benefits Arizona’s Children Association. (’Tis Art Center & Gallery, 105 S. Cortez St., 928-775-0223, $20)

“Arizona Plein Air Painters” • Through June 19: Art show featuring 28 painters. (Mountain Artists Guild & Gallery, 228 Alarcon St., 928-445-2510) “Art Escape” • From June 19: Art by Paula Cooperrider.

(Mountain Artists Guild & Gallery, 228 Alarcon St., 928-445-2510)

Quilt show • 10 a.m. Saturday: Lonesome Valley Quilt Guild show. Benefits quilt guild’s community projects. (Tim’s Toyota Center, 3201 N. Main St., Prescott Valley)

“Furthering the Experience” • Through June 21: Alumni photo show featuring 14 artists from shared teacher Tom Gerczynski. (Yavapai College Art Gallery, 1100 E. Sheldon St., 928-776-2031)

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)

“Timeless Meditations” • Through June 21: A well-rounded art show featuring mandalas and patterns in nature.

(Prescott Center for the Arts Gallery, 208 N. Marina St., 928-445-3286)

4th Friday Art Walk • 5 p.m. Friday: Monthly art walk including more than 18 galleries, artist receptions, openings, and demonstrations.

(ArtThe4th.Com)

Contra Dance • 7 p.m. lessons, 7:30 p.m. dance Saturday: Contra dancing. Calls by JP Thom Gronachan with music by Scrub Oak at monthly Folk Happens event. (First Congregational Church Annex, 216 E. Gurley St., 928-925-5210, $4-$8)

Multi-day Les Femmes Des Montage • 11 a.m. June 27 & 28: Group art show. Ten percent of proceeds benefit the Yavapai Humane Society. (Hassayampa Inn, 122 E. Gurley St., 928-778-9434) Saturday Night Talk Series • 7 p.m. Saturdays, June 7, 14, 21, & 28: Weekly talk series including “Who Am I Kidding? The Practice of Self-Enquiry,” “When More is Not Enough,” “Spiritual Work as Counter-Intuitive,” “Great Spiritual Figures of the 20th Century: Where Do We Go From Here?” (The Courtyard Building, 115 E. Goodwin St., 928-771-0205, $5) Writers workshop • 9:30 a.m. Saturdays: Weekly critique group. (Prescott Public Library, Bump Conference Room, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500)

“Ancient Sri Lanka” • From June 21: Art by Willis Peterson.

(Prescott College Art Gallery at Sam Hill Warehouse, 232 N. Granite St., 928-350-2341)

“Les Misérables” • 7:30 p.m. May 29-31 & June 5-7 & 12-14, 2 p.m. June 1 & 8: A story of redemption and revolution in 19th century France based on Victor Hugo’s novel. Directed by Don Langford. Musical direction by Linda Sheehan.

(Prescott Center for the Arts, 208 N. Marina St., 928-445-3286, $13-$22) IMAGE: Cosette sweeps in this image from the first edition of Victor Hugo’s “Les Misérables.” Engraving by Émile Bayard, 1886, public domain.

Theater & film “Seussical, the Musical!”

• 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. June 7: Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat, and more Dr. Seuss characters spring to life on stage.

(Yavapai College Performing Arts Center, 1100 E. Sheldon St., 928-776-2000, $15) “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” preview • 5 p.m. June 7: Laark Productions performs sections of Shakespeare’s classic play in preparation for their June 27 and 28 performance at the Highlands Center for Natural History’s Shakespeare in the Pines event.

(Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000)

Sneak Peek Preview of Short Films • 6 p.m. June 14: See finalists chosen for the upcoming fifth annual Prescott Film Festival.

Screenings include “A Lovely Treat,” “Titanic Love,” and “Woody.” (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000) “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” • 6:30 p.m. reception, 7:30 p.m. show June 27 & 28: Laark Productions performs Shakespeare’s classic play at the annual Shakespeare in the Pines event.

Hors d’oeuvres and wine at the reception, dessert and coffee at intermission.

(Highlands Center for Natural History, 1375 S. Walker Road, 928-776-9550, $50)

“Novel Approach” • From June 23: Artists pay homage to their favorite book, literary genre, or author.

(Prescott Center for the Arts Gallery, 208 N. Marina St., 928-445-3286) Native American art show • Through June 24: Annual Native American art show presented by ’Tis Art Center & Gallery and Smoki Museum. (’Tis Art Center & Gallery, 105 S. Cortez St., 928-775-0223) “Eclectic” • From June 26: Eclectic works in various media. (’Tis Art Center & Gallery, 105 S. Cortez St., 928-775-0223) “Journey Into Colors” • Through June 28: Art show.

(Mountain Artists Guild & Gallery, 228 Alarcon St., 928-445-2510) Gunter • Through July 1: Arizona landscapes

by Alice Gunter. (Method Coffee, 3180 Willow Creek Road, 928-777-1067)

�

Tears of joy Introducing ... the I’itoi Onion

By Heather Houk As spring races into summer and the world of gardening explodes in the Northern Hemisphere, there’s a humble friend you should consider adding to your garden — or, at the very least, your diet. Allow me to introduce you to Allium cepa var. aggregatum, more commonly known as the I’itoi Onion.

The I’itoi, pronounced “ee-toy,” is a spectacular specimen with a rich history. The humble, oft-overlooked I’itoi goes by a few other names;

perhaps you’ve already met this friend as the O’odham I’itoi Onion or the Papago Onion.

The

I’itoi onion has been around in the desert Southwest for a few centuries and is believed to have been brought to the New World from Spain in 1699. One telling of the history states the Spaniards traded the onions for Tepary Beans. I’itoi onion is considered an endangered vegetable on the Slow Food Arc of Taste. An alternate history believes that this prolific multiplier onion was nurtured by the Tohono O’odham and cultivated from a wild ancestor on the slopes of I’itoi Mountain (or Baboquivari Mountain) – what they believe to be the “navel of the world,” the place where the earth opened and people emerged. Regardless of its history, the I’itoi onion is well-adapted to the dry desert climate and is sacred to the culture and cuisine of the Sonoran Desert native peoples, and (in the author’s humble opinion) should be sacred to us all.

You may’ve wondered about the peculiar name of this onion. This, too, has a fun little history.

I’itoi is a deity of the O’odham people that is believed to live on Baboquivari Mountain.

He is known as “Elder brother of the mountain,” and the story says that when he descends from the mountain, he’s surrounded by maize, and when his people would try to catch him, they’d become lost in the maize. I’itoi was so revered by his people that it was out of honor and respect that they named this favorite plant after their god.

As

�� • COLUMN • JUNE ���� • �ENSESMAG.COM

mentioned earlier, the I’itoi is a multiplier onion that can divide very fast, even in our hot, dry climate. Once planted, the onion grows a lovely shallot or chive top and the bunch grows rapidly. To harvest, pull the entire bunch or break a bunch apart, replant a few onions, and expand

I’itoi onions are alive and well at Crooked Sky Farm, in Phoenix.

Photo by Heather Houk. your bounty for the future.

All parts of this plant are delicious. The tops make a great chive or shallot and the bulb has a fantastic peppery bite that is wonderful in Southwest cuisine. They’re great in almost any recipe that calls for onions, but you’ll need quite a few I’itoi to substitute for one large bulb onion.

Though

we don’t know the exact history of how this gem ended up in the Southwest, I can share a story about my favorite onion and one of my favorite farmers.

Frank Martin, owner and operator of Crooked Sky Farm, in Phoenix, has a special love for this particular plant. Approximately 15 years ago, the head of the master gardener’s program was cleaning out a desk at the University of Arizona’s Cooperative Extension in Phoenix and came across a few old, dusty Native Seed Search seed packets.

She knew Frank to be an excellent farmer and caretaker of the land, so she gave the packets to him to see what could be salvaged. Frank said the I’itoi onion packet had five shriveled, sad-looking little onion bulbs that didn’t look like they would grow at all. But, ever the optimist, Frank planted them and three of those hardy devils grew. Now, 15 years later, Frank is the largest producer of I’itoi onions, producing over a million onion bulbs this year alone. Many of these onions go back into packages and are sold to Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (the largest heirloom seed company in the world), which specialize in rare, unique vegetable varieties. The rest are sold through Frank’s various CSAs around Arizona and, of course, at the Prescott Farmers Market. ***** Heather Houk is an agriculture instructor at Prescott College and a volunteer and former Managing Director for the Prescott Farmers Market. For more information on the Prescott Farmers Market email Info@PrescottFarmers Market.Org.

brain food Whiskey rib eye worthy of The ’Row

By Jimmy Polinori — The Culinary Composer Making dad happy on Father’s Day is most oft a simple task. A day off from work, quality time with the family, and a good meal tend to do the trick.

When people ask me for Father’s Day recipes or ideas, I tell them it’s no secret that a big juicy steak is usually a safe bet.

This Father’s Day, might I recommend a steak with a little more kick and a lot more flavor. This recipe takes the steak experience up a notch and adds some flare without being pretentious and still looking and tasting like a manly meal.

To make this recipe extra fun and special, visit some establishments on Whiskey Row and get some local input on best whiskey choices for a steak marinade. Also, visit the Prescott Farmer’s Market for fresh summer corn and asparagus.

First, select four nicely marbled rib eyes, (about 8 oz. each) and then follow these steps:

Dry rub

1/4 cup coffee grounds 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp ground black pepper 1 tsp garlic powder (Mix ingredients, rub a little of mixture on each steak.

Wrap each steak tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 hours.)

Marinate

2/3 cup low sodium beef stock 1 cup whiskey 1/2 cup crushed pineapples 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup diced onion 1/3 cup teriyaki sauce 1/3 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon minced garlic (Mix ingredients, unwrap steaks, and place at bottom of Tupperware container. Pour marinade on steaks, cover tightly, and refrigerate for 24 hours.)

Cook On a grill or skillet, place steaks directly on pre-heated surface and cook to desired temperature. Do not turn the steaks too often as it will toughen the meat. Allow steaks to rest at least 10 minutes before cutting or you will lose all of the natural juices.

The topper

1/2 cup (~1 stick) of cold real butter 1 tbsp whiskey 1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbles 1/4 cup diced scallions 1 tsp parsley (Work ingredients into cold butter and refrigerate until steaks are cooked. Spoon a small amount onto each steak before serving.)

PRESCOO FARMERS MARKET Saturdays, May 10th - October 25th 7:30 a.m. - Noon Yavapai College “parking lot D” 1100 E. Sheldon St.

CHECK OUT OUR OTHER MARKET!

CHINO VALLEY THURSDAYS June 6- October 17 3:00 - 6:00 P.M. Walgreens, corner of Highway 89 and Rd. 2 North

Fresh, quality produce, from local farmers, plus salsa, honey, local meat, farmers cheese, tamales, baked goods, hand-made soup, live plants, fresh herbs, cut owers, and more.

Come meet the folks who grow your food in a lively community atmosphere that’s fun for the whole family!

The Prescott Farmers Market accepts FMNP coupons (WIC), Food Stamps (EBT), credit and debit cards.

Seeking local growers, musicians, and volunteers.

Contact us at 713.1227 or info@prescoofarmersmarket.org

WWW.PRESCOOFARMERSMARKET.ORG

5ENSESMAG.COM • JUNE 2014 • COLUMN • 11

Alan Dean Foster’s Perceivings

By Alan Dean Foster The closest I’ve come to writing a travel book is “Predators I Have Known” (Open Road Media). Useful perhaps if you expect to encounter tigers or leeches or great white sharks. Not so efficacious if you’re having trouble deciding on a rental car or an airline.

For that, I heartily recommend Christopher Elliott’s new book “How to be the World’s Smartest Traveler,” an extensive and enlightening tome from National Geographic Books. It’ll walk you through just about everything you need to know from before you leave until the time you get home … and afterward, if there are subsequent problems.

But as I have picked up a few observations of interest in 40-plus years of world travel, I thought it might be worth sharing them. Since these don’t relate to dealing with lions or snakes or whale sharks, I’ll call ’em the art and/or science of

Travelerisms: Part I overseas traveling and drop them off here. Maybe they’ll do some travelers some good. I don’t think I’m duplicating any of the stuff in Chris’s book.

Passports & visas: Always make sure you have plenty of extra empty pages in your passport.

Because where one country’s visa will be the size of a postage stamp, the next one will require two entire blank pages (for entry & exit). Interestingly (and tellingly), the more third-world the country, the larger their visa stamps.

Planes: If you’re in economy, get seats as close to business class as possible. It’s quieter. If you’re considering an unrestricted economy class ticket, always check out business class: it often only costs a little bit more. Economy plus seats offer more space and are, to me, always worth the extra money. Never sit in the last two or three rows because your aisle will eventually be full of lines of people waiting to use the rearward restrooms. The worst seat on a plane is the last aisle seat.

Don’t be afraid to buy airline tickets when you are overseas. When I flew from Kiev to Odessa, I bought my tickets on the spot from a local airline.

Cost much less than if I had purchased the very same tickets in the U.S., even utilizing the same airline’s website. Same thing happened in Malaysia.

Why? Because it’s assumed that mostly local people will be using local versions of an airline’s website, and the airlines price tickets on those sites accordingly.

Budget airlines overseas can be a real mixed bag.

Dragonair, for example, is excellent. So is Air Asia.

Ryanair, not so much. Ask around before you fly.

Luggage: If you have to pay for a checked bag, use hard-sided luggage if you can. The difference in weight probably won’t matter. The difference in protection of your stuff always will. Always put a strap around your checked luggage: protection in case TSA forgets to relock it or latches break. Where luggage wrapping (with clear plastic wrap) is available overseas, always use it. You’ll see the service offered at numerous airports. The heavy-duty wrap pro-

tects against casual thievery, luggage damage, and the intrusion of water and dust. The cost is minimal compared to the potential losses you prevent.

Never overpack. Include a small folding bag or case in your checked luggage. Better yet, if you need more luggage (to bring home all those extra goodies you’ll buy overseas), buy a bag or suitcase there. Secondhand stores and flea markets are a great place to find cheap but good luggage.

If traveling light and flying only with carry-ons, consider backpacking luggage. This is backpack-style gear where one or more components zips off the main bag. This is particularly useful if you find yourself transferring from a large aircraft to something like a commuter jet. Zip off the smaller bag and, hey — presto — both bags fit in the tiny overhead luggage compartment. Zip them back together again for convenience while walking. And always, always, buy luggage with wheels! No matter how small the bag is.

Medicine: Three things I never travel anywhere without: aspirin, for general pain as well as headache. Imodium (loperamide), for diarrhea. Aloe vera gel, which is dirt cheap and can be used to treat everything from sunburn to cuts to itching to the stings of tropical ants. Plus, a little goes a long way.

Taxis: Always make sure your driver knows how to get to your destination before getting into his cab. Always agree on a fare ahead of time if there is no meter. If there is a meter, make sure the driver turns it on. If he says it’s broken, find another taxi.

Never put all your luggage in a taxi without ensuring that you can get in the car before or as rapidly as the driver. Years ago a nephew of mine arrived in Madrid, loaded his luggage into the trunk of a taxi, and watched dumbfoundedly as the driver got back in the car and drove off with all his stuff. ***** 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.

FROM LEFT: Dancers celebrate Independence Day in Tuvalu; the author stands outside Marrakech, Morocco, heading to the Sahara; a Snow Leopard licks the author’s hand in Darjeeling, India. Courtesy photos.

12 • COLUMN • JUNE 2014 • 5ENSESMAG.COM

Illustrious, illustrative Being a consideration of Ida Kendall’s frame of mind

By Jacques Laliberté

Energy.

Verve. Motion. Her paintings have all these. They’re emotive and occasionally provocative.

Take “Monsoon,” a spare composition brimming with an amazing swirling spiral of feeling, moving quickly the way “a monsoon comes in abruptly and washes it all away” as its painter, Ida Kendall, explains.

If Kendall is caught up in it, this monsoon, and if the figure huddled at its center is indeed her own, naked and vulnerable, it doesn’t appear she’s overwhelmed by it or suffering its consequences.

You could argue the woman is in her element – perhaps even impelling the elements around her to suit her purpose or whim. A metaphorical ray of sunshine brightens her hair in toasty flames, a stunning focal point to the work’s cooler blue tones.

Another giveaway: All is not as it seems. Her arm rests in soft repose across her knee and her hand is naturally relaxed. But we’d be wrong.

“For me ‘Monsoon’ exhibits a very dark feeling, showing that change is a part of our lives,” Kendall says.

She points out the under painting, whose gestured lines reinforce the rain clouds’ flowing course down a deep crevasse into the earth.

Indeed: All is not as it seems.

CONTINUED ON PAGE �� >>> “For Life,” a painting by Ida Kendall. Courtesy image.

�ENSESMAG.COM • JUNE ���� • PORTFOLIO • ��

... FROM PAGE 13 Wherewith, wherefrom, & whatnot Kendall’s working style hews closely to the illustrators who inspire her. It’s art that says something.

The painting “Monsoon” has that book-jacket immediacy, that instant story, that telling punch.

Good, effective illustrations have simple compositions and recognizable forms that grab the eye. And usually more: an archetypal resonance that speaks to our subconscious because it

springs from the subconscious.

In her studio, Kendall conjures just such a state that allows her creativity to emerge. It’s usually nighttime with an industrial music accompaniment.

“Music’s a tool and can provoke a thought,” Kendall explains. “I start with a mark on the canvas and how I am feeling at the time.”

Often that mark begets a figure as the source of her inspiration.

“I took a bit of life drawing over the years,” Kendall says. “I use figures to express the feeling I want.”

In her startling piece “Self Obsession,” her process becomes evident.

“The man is in thought, his eyes closed,” Kendall explains.

His thoughts grow from his selfawareness, his arm branching upward, and take the form of an apple – a classic nod to the Garden? Ida exposes his eventual downfall: “And then he consumes the fruit – a self-perpetuating cycle.”

Tautly rendered, the ashen man is truly a victim of his own devising.

We “get” it. We may even recognize ourselves in him. Perfect illustrative technique. Essentially self-taught, Kendall continues to grow and improve her technique, searching for the elevated concept with which to better express herself.

“Sometimes I surprise myself,” she

14 • PORTFOLIO • JUNE 2014 • 5ENSESMAG.COM

says. “I’ve been tapping subconscious imagery and dreams more. They’re often metaphorical. They strike a chord.”

Her palette is limited. And there’s no black paint. The simpler the better, and she lets the paint have its way. Her technique is precise, the way illustration works best.

In her heart series, small works on Masonite board, Kendall’s alacrity and spontaneity — not to mention a hint of her Catholic upbringing — are unmistakable. Here’s a Sacred Heart flickering with flames and bristling with

thorns; there’s a heart pierced with rays of light, a flame for a halo. Two cooler iterations float in the clouds, each with its own personality and repose. Completed at a one-a-week pace, there are more to come Kendall assures us.

A maven’s-eye view Back in the world of consensus reality, what does Kendall think about the state of the arts in her area?

As owner and master framer of The Frame & I, she’s seen and mounted a fair share of local art. She loves the forceful work of Slade Graves, admiring her passion, and believes there’s incredible talent around.

Often however, she sighs, “Folks feel the best artwork is the cheapest artwork,” an opinion that works against Kendall’s craft of framing.

Prices may be low, but Kendall is seeing a lot more original work coming through her door — a sign that sales are active.

In this role, Kendall says, “I’m a big facilitator for other artists, titling and pricing pieces with artists.”

She promotes a modern approach to framing, sometimes suggesting no frame at all, opting instead to wrap the canvas around the edges or use shadow boxes.

In addition to traditional artistry,

“I’ve mounted amazing things for people, artifacts, awards, old newspapers and letters,” Kendall says, all with museum-caliber results.

From further afar And how does Kendall feel about her own work and future?

She’s shared some pieces on Facebook for kicks and feedback.

“It’s a risky place to show work that’s not so good,” she confesses, laughing.

She’d like more time to paint, and do more serious work. Commit. She

knows what that means; it’s at the core of her being, raised Catholic and all.

To illustrate she references a work called “Until Death,” a portrait of two giddy skeletons dressed for a wedding.

It’s a happy piece Ida assures. The vow.

The commitment. For her, taking the time to create.

“We improve ourselves and the world,” Kendall says, “by doing the things we have a desire to do.” ***** Visit Ida-Kendall.ArtistWebsites.

Com to see more of Ida Kendall’s artwork. Visit The Frame & I at 229 W. Gurley St. in Prescott or online at FrameAndI.Com and on Facebook.

Visit The Art Store, her other venture, at 537 Sixth St. in Prescott or online at ArtStore.FrameAndI.Com and on Facebook.

TOP ROW, FROM LEFT: “Self Obsession,” a portrait shot of Ida Kendall, “Pressure,” and “The Nursemaid,” Fine fine art photography and portrait photo

by Rich Charpentier.

BOTTOM ROW, FROM LEFT: “Forbidden Fruit,” “Pierced,” “Little Big Love,” and “Prayers for Rain.”

Fine art photography

by Ida Kendall.

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.

15

News From the Wilds Prescott weather Average high temperature: 85.9 F, +/-3.0 Average low temperature: 49.7 F, +/-3.7 Record high temperature: 104 F, 2013 Record low temperature: 25 F, 1899 Average precipitation: 0.38”, +/-0.52 Record high precipitation: 2.46”, 1972 Record low precipitation: 0”, 36 percent of all years Max daily precipitation: 1.35”, June 26, 1954

Night skies Praying mantises are seeking out sites to lay eggs before the rains of the monsoon season come. Photo by Ty Fitzmorris.

By Ty Fitzmorris

June

can be a pretty tough time in the Central Highlands. It is reliably the driest month of the year, with nearly two out of five years receiving no precipitation at all, and most others receiving only the most minute amounts.

If there is any rain, it comes at the end of the month with the first of the monsoonal storms. The drought of June is, in fact, critical in bringing the rains of July, as the hot, dry air in the Sonoran Desert and the Interior West rises and draws the moist, humid air from the Sea of Cortez to this region.

Over the course of the month, you can observe these storms building in the Central Highlands via the appearance of different species of clouds.

June mornings tend to dawn clear and bright, but, especially toward the end of the month, cumulus clouds appear and build in the hot afternoons. These clouds may start as relatively small Cumulus humulis, wider than they are tall, and uni-

formly white, and then turn to Cumulus mediocris, as tall as they are wide, and with gray bases, and eventually to towering, 30,000-foot-tall Cumulus congestus storm clouds.

This is the moment many residents of the Central Highlands — animal, plant, fungus, and even bacteria — wait for. And when the first massive raindrops fall, the whole of our human and non-human community celebrate.

Until

that time, however, the wilds remain very dry, with most of the creeks of the Prescott area not flowing at all — though the perennial streams of the Verde Valley, such as Beaver, Clear, Fossil, Sycamore, the Verde, and the Agua Fria, do continue running during this time. These few wet areas around the Central Highlands are burgeoning with life, and now is the time to see some spectacular migrant birds, including tanagers and orioles, as they finally come into our region from the south. Mule Deer and Abert’s Squirrels are giving

�� • FEATURE • JUNE ���� • �ENSESMAG.COM

birth now while the eggs of many species of birds hatch, and adult birds tend their young in anticipation of the coming time of plenty, when the rains finally come.

One

year ago this month two catastrophic fires swept through our region—the Doce Fire on Granite Mountain and the lethal Yarnell Hill Fire, the latter of which claimed the lives of 19 members of our community. June is our single most dangerous month for fires, because of extremely low fuel moisture (water content in woody and herbaceous plants), the increase in lightning late in the month, and the number of people in the backcountry that mishandle fire. In fact, fuel moistures of live plants in deserts can sometimes drop below fuel moistures of dead wood, making live plants more flammable than downed deadwood. As the only denizens of this climatically variable ecosystem who are able to manipulate fire, it’s profoundly important that we use

• June 7: Conjunction of the Moon and Mars. The waxing first-quarter Moon will be within 2 degrees of Mars.

• June 12: Full Moon at 9:11 p.m.

• June 21: Summer Solstice in the northern hemisphere. The northern hemisphere of the Earth is at its maximum tilt toward the Sun, and the Sun appears to be at its furthest north, directly above the Tropic of Cancer.

This is the longest day of the year and marks the beginning of summer.

• June 27: New Moon at 1:08 a.m. fire with extreme caution and not complicate the already difficult situation that our firefighters and land management agencies face.

Fire is a vital force in the wilds, but it must be respected. ***** 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@PeregrineBook Company.Com with questions or comments.

News From the Wilds, too A very brief survey of what’s happening in the wilds ...

By Ty Fitzmorris High mountains • Butterflies proliferate in the high altitudes. Look for metalmarks, blues, and admirals.

• Silverstem Lupine (Lupinus argenteus), with its tall, lilac flower spikes, blooms, drawing our one bumblebee species, Bombus sonorus, to its flowers.

Visit: Maverick Mountain Trail, No. 65.

Ponderosa Pine forests • Ponderosa Pines release their wind-borne pollen during this conspicuously windy season. Strong winds carry pine pollen for long distances, thereby increasing genetic diversity through outcrossing of pines from different regions.

• Abert’s Squirrel (Sciurus aberti) give birth. These squirrels are important for Ponderosa Pine health, as they consume and disperse truffles and other mushrooms, which pines rely on for nutrient uptake.

• New Mexico Locust (Robinia neomexicana) flowers in the pine understory. This gorgeous leguminous shrub fixes nitrogen in the poor soils of the pine forests, which is critical for the growth of other species.

• Dalmatian Toadflax (Linaria dalmatica), one of our most aggressive non-native invasive plants, flowers. This is one of the few plants in the Central Highlands that can be removed without qualm. Look for its semi-succulent, rubbery leaves and bright yellow flowers, which give it its other name, Butter and Eggs, and try to remove whole root systems when possible.

Visit: Miller Creek Trail, No. 367.

Pine-Oak woodlands • Arizona Thistle (Cirsium arizonica) flowers. This is one of the few hummingbird-pollinated thistles.

• Bobcat kittens emerge from dens, following their mother as she hunts, and often preventing her from hunting by their playing and clumsiness.

• Canyon Wrens tend their young, which remain helpless in their

moss and lichen nests in the sides of canyon walls. These lovely wrens form monogamous pairs that last for years, and can be seen exploring granite boulders in areas such as the Dells for spiders and insects.

Visit: Little Granite Mountain Trail, No. 37.

Pinyon-Juniper woodlands • Gophersnakes (Pituophis catenifer), important grassland predators of rodents, lay eggs in large clutches, and hatchlings appear starting in August. These very long constrictors (up to 8-9 feet!) sometimes mimic rattlesnakes when threatened, but have no true rattles, and are not venomous or dangerous.

• Mule Deer give birth to their spotted fawns, which weigh as little as eight pounds, and will remain hidden for the first month of their life.

Visit: Tin Trough Trail, No. 308.

Grasslands • Evening primroses (Oenothera spp.) flower in profusion.

• Young Badgers emerge from dens for the first time to play, especially in the evenings.

• Ringtails, cat-like relatives of Raccoons, begin giving birth after a seven-week pregnancy.

• Mexican Free-tailed Bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) give birth to a single, nearly helpless pup, which remains in its nursery with the young of other bats. When the mother returns to the nursery with food, she finds her child among the throngs by its unique song. Mexican Free-tails can live up to 10 years, and eat as much as 80 percent of their body weight per night of insects.

Visit: Mint Wash Trail, No. 345.

Rivers, lakes, & streams • All of the creeks in the Central Highlands, with the exception of spring-fed perennial streams, stay dry until monsoon storms come.

• Black Hawk eggs hatch, and young can be seen perching on nests, watching for their approaching parents.

Juvenile Great Blue Herons are fishing on their own for the first time now and sometimes follow Common Mergansers to learn where fish are. Photo by Ty Fitzmorris.

• Young Great Blue Herons begin fishing alone for the first time, often following other fish-eating species, such as Common Mergansers, to find the best fishing grounds.

• Common Mergansers, meanwhile, can sometimes be seen with their young ducklings riding on their backs.

Look for them especially in lower Granite Creek, Willow and Watson lakes, and the rivers of the Verde Valley.

• Yellow Monkeyflowers (Mimulus guttatus) flower by perennial creeks in the Verde Valley.

• Chick Lupine (Lupinus microcarpus) flowers in wet stream-side seeps in the mountains, such as Butte Creek, Miller Creek, and Aspen Creek.

• Young Botta’s Pocket Gopher (Thomomys bottae) leave their parents’ dens and establish their own.

These gophers are fundamental in the maintenance of soils through oxygenation and nutrification.

Visit: Willow Lake Loop Trail, off of Willow Creek Road in Prescott.

Deserts/Chaparral • Ocotillos flower, providing important nectar resources for hummingbirds. Ocotillos have lost their leaves

now, which is their primary drought adaptation. They can still perform photosynthesis without leaves, using photosynthetic bark which contains chloroplasts.

• Manzanita fruits are nearly ripe, and are edible and delicious even when green. Beware the large seeds, however, which are hard and inedible.* • Praying mantids reach their winged, adult stage, and begin searching for sites to deposit their resinous egg pouches. Mantids are important predators of many types of insects.

• Crucifixion-thorn (Canotia holacantha) “flowers” on hillsides, though strictly speaking this species is more related to pines and junipers than to the flowering plants.

• Saguaros, the second largest cactus in the world, continue to flower, attracting Mourning Doves by day and Mexican Free-tailed Bats by night.

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, either for nutritive or medicinal purposes.

17

Two ‘things’ considered

Agent Deep Black casts an eye on a pair of peculiar images

Image No. 1, allegedly taken near Thumb Butte.

By Agent Deep Black

wishes to remain anonymous.

US S YO HI UR P GO LD

[Image No. 1] Recent photograph taken near Thumb Butte, Prescott, Arizona, USA. Photographer

GOLD SILVER

Analysis: Photographer claims to be “a hiker” traversing trails near Thumb Butte.

Hiker’s dog barking drew attention to this GE S T A EL “Bigfoot”- type bipedal LO L OR creature approximately AN ON 30 feet from the trail.

IT Hiker shot this photo with a cellular phone camera before creature rapidly left the area.

Hiker also noted a “foul smell.”

GUNS COINS

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703 E. GURLEY STREET, PRESCOTT, AZ 86301

Conclusion: After interview with nervous hiker. Agent Black concludes hiker is a hoaxer. Furthermore, this picture is simply of too high quality to be shot by a cellular phone.

Recommendation: Use cell phones for making telephone calls; use cameras for photography.

End of report.

18 • FEATURE • JUNE 2014 • 5ENSESMAG.COM

Image No. 2, allegedly taken at the Grand Canyon.

[Image No. 2] This photograph was recently received in a plain manila envelope and contained no return address.

Analysis: There are approximately 75 people in this photograph and none of them noticed the UFO. This is not unusual; studies of vacationers has shown that most don’t actually look at the place they’re visiting longer than it takes to make a photograph. Most vacationers’ attention is fixated on mealtimes or inappropriately dressed scantily clad (usually French) female tourists, in that order. Discoveries of anomalous objects are often discovered only upon returning home and viewing pictures on big-screen TVs. Computer analysis of the image shows the scene to be in sharp focus but the UFO itself is motion-blurred.

Given the metadata of 1/1000 second shutter speed measured against the blur

of the UFO an airspeed of 20,000 mph is estimated.

Conclusion: The photographer’s timing was lucky. Library crossreference shows this to be a Pleiadian Beamship type craft. Pleiadian Aliens are known to be Enlightened Beings and are not the probing type of Greys usually encountered by humans. Analysis of trajectory indicates a landing site in Sedona which is a frequent “recharging station” for the beamships’ crystal drive. A secondary theory could be that they were making a beer run for a VIP passenger formerly known as Elvis Presley.

End of report. ***** Agent Deep Black files reports from The Bunker at an undisclosed location somewhere underground in Yavapai County. Contact him at Dale@Cybertrails.Com.

Prescott Film Festival’s SCRIPT NOTES

Sneakier peak

Final film fest feature four play

By Helen Stephenson

A

special sneak peek of July’s Prescott Film Festival flies into Peregrine Book Company at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 14 in downtown Prescott.

The screening is comprised of four short films that are official selections of the fifth annual fest. Additionally, screening attendees enjoy special, onenight-only discounts on festival passes.

One of the films is “Titanic Love,” a romantic comedy that has won 39 awards on the film festival circuit (so far). The short is about Lucy, an ardent fan of the film “Titanic.” She discovers a very expensive Titanicthemed love cruise and desperately wants to attend. Her boyfriend, Jack, feels they can’t afford it and Lucy is furious. Their relationship hits rough waters and Jack calls on his best friend Delroy for advice and a cheap alternative. True to form, Delroy and his trusty sidekick Jaz come up with a cunning plan that could change all of their lives forever. Delroy is going to bring the Titanic to Birmingham, but can disaster be averted?

Another film is “A Lovely Treat,” a romantic comedy about high expectations love, and that fine line between reality and fantasy.

There’s also “Woody,” a stop-motion animated film about a wooden artist model who dreams of playing piano. The problem is that he only has wooden paddles for hands. Stuck

in a job he doesn’t want, he dreams of being a concert pianist. His dreams are big, but they’re about to get out of hand.

Also,

the Prescott Film Festival is pleased to announce that, as of June 1, we’ve started our first-ever matchingfunds fundraiser. Donations made to the festival during June will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $5,000. And, as if you needed more incentive, you’ll be donating to a 501(c)(3) organization.

Another way to support the fest is to choose the Prescott Film Festival when you shop at Amazon. Simply go to Smile.Amazon.Com and choose

Prescott Film Festival.

And

now for the big news: Prescott Film Festival’s fifth annual fest is July 23–27 at Yavapai College, with most screenings at the Yavapai College Performing Arts Center. For more details about the fest, specially discounted passes at Peregrine Book Co., and the matching-funds fundraiser, visit us online at Prescott FilmFestival.Com. Follow us on Facebook to get the

latest details. ***** Helen Stephenson is the founder and executive director of the Prescott Film Festival and the director of the Sedona Film School at Yavapai College.

TOP TO BOTTOM: The movie poster for “A Lovely Treat”; a promotional image from “Titanic Love”; and a promotional image from “Woody.” Courtesy images.

Be ire vigilant If you see it, report it.

Call 911.

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Millions of years ago, in the ancient waters of Earth, strange fish swam, including bony fish such as the Gorgonichthys. This bony plated placoderm is believed to have been a predator and reached lengths of more than 20 feet. Fossils of heavily armored fish such as this have been discovered in North America, Morocco, China, Latvia, and Australia.

ODDLY ENOUGH ... Some of these bony plated fish even had bones in their eyes.

An unassuming fish, the Pony Fish, is found in marine, brackish, and fresh water. It can grow larger than a human hand and feeds on prawns and small fish as well as worms and crustaceans. It is often caught commercially and is considered a tasty fish. It also has a bioluminescent light organ.

ODDLY ENOUGH ... The light is inside of its body. Scientists remain baffled as to why it needs an organ to illuminate its own guts. ***** Russell Miller is an illustrator, cartoonist, writer, bagpiper, motorcycle enthusiast, and reference librarian. Currently, he illustrates books for Cody Lundin and Bart King.

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Bird Watching (No, The Other Kind)

Here & there

A promotional image of Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ 737 MAX, set for release in 2017.

Photo by Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Creative Commons 0 (i.e. public domain).

By Matt Dean

On

the tarmac this month is the most popular and numerous passenger aircraft in the history of, well, passenger aircraft.

The Boeing 737 has been flying short-haul routes for almost 50 years. The newest version of the airframe is slated for delivery in 2017. If you’ve ever found yourself squeezed into a three abreast seating arrangement on a quick flight to the coast, you were probably riding on some version of a 737.

Despite being considered a narrow-bodied aircraft, the original 100 version of the plane appears short and stubby to the laymen. Subsequent versions have included an extended fuselage that diminishes its squat posture. The latest 737 MAX even ekes into the eloquent department with larger, longer wings and distinct flowing winglets.

My

first experience with a 737 was in the late spring of 1983. Summer vacation was on the horizon, and I was going to get to spend some of it with my grandma and grandpa in Farmington, New Mexico, where they were running horses. Durango, Colorado was only a short drive from Farmington, and America West had a direct little over an hour flight from Sky Harbor.

As my mom relates it, she was worried about her 6-year-old son, despite his protests he didn’t need her to hold his hand down the jetway. The stewardess assured her she’d look out for me and even make the connection on the other end with my grandparents. I was wide eyed and excited after a tour of the cockpit, a set of plastic wings, a soda, and a little, long-since-vanished, bag of peanuts.

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Boeing 737 will surely be one of the most historically significant aircraft of all time. More efficient engines, improved wing design, and advanced avionics are only the latest refinements in a long evolution that’s kept the 737 relevant well into the beginning of the 21st century. ***** 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. Contact him at Matt.Dean@ PrescottSchools.Com.

Be ire vigilant If you see it, report it.

Call 911.

Granite Mountain Outtitters 320 W. Gurley | Prescott 928-776-4949

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Diagnosis: Technology

Last cyber rites Antivirus exhales death rattle

By Paolo Chlebecek

aim is to spot them and mitigate the damage.

Antivirus

When

“is dead.” So says Brian Dye, Symantec’s senior vice president for information security.

It’s time to plan for the funeral.

The war against viruses is still on, but we seem to be losing on some fronts. More and more, we see computers compromised in various ways that keep Antivirus manufactures on their collective toes. Sometimes it’s just an inconvenience. But once there’s an untreated threat on a computer it’s like inviting a bad person into your house: They’ll invite their bad friends, who probably are worse.

This leaves the door open for more problems.

In reality, no computer is completely safe from attack.

Yes, even Mac and Linux computers can be infected.

Antivirus products, however, aim to prevent hackers from getting into a computer. But hackers often get in anyway these days. Dye wants to redirect efforts at Symantec. This reflects a major shift in the $70-billion-a-year cybersecurity business.

Rather than fighting to keep the bad guys out, new technologies assume hackers get in. Now the

Holistic Fitness

antivirus software was in its infancy 16-or-so years ago, there were very few competitors in the antivirus market. Most antivirus companies back then had a limited staff whose job was to dissect new virus specimens as they emerged. Later, they’d write reports about these new nasties and ship “detection signatures” that would apparently protect computers that hadn’t already been compromised.

Often, it was too late for those hapless enough to already be infected.

Now, traditional antivirus makers such as McAfee, and Intel Corp.’s security unit have moved in a different direction: dealing with viruses after they’ve already invaded. For example, International Business Machine Corp. (you know them as IBM) said they plan to unveil their own security suite that looks for irregular behavior in computer networks.

Does

this mean antivirus software is a waste? No way! Most of the time, your antivirus product will detect an unfamiliar

virus or malware as something comparable to a threat it has seen before. This is done by quasiartificial intelligence called “heuristic detection.”

Security is about layers. It can’t depend on any one technology or approach.

The question remains worth asking: What is the most important layer in security defense? It’s you.

Most threats succeed by taking advantage of our weaknesses (laziness, indifference, ignorance, etc.) rather than because of their complexity.

That’s why viruses are still made. Their makers hope you’re duped into believing the attachment from your friend stuck in Brazil is really safe.

In sum, be on the lookout for odd computer behavior and, as always, double check your antivirus software and make sure your computer is up to date. ***** Paolo Chlebecek is founder and owner of PaoloTek, which he started in 2003. He loves dogs of all sorts and oddly finds himself driving around town between 2 and 3 pm every weekday. Wave hi when you see him or contact him at Paolo@ PaoloTek.Com.

... nor any drop to drink

By Lauren Antrosiglio

Every

day, the average person loses about three or four liters of water.

If you’re physically active, if you sweat, if you’re at a high altitude, 0r if you’re in high temperatures inside or outside, you lose even more water.

And if you’re thirsty, that means you’re already dehydrated.

Are you dehydrated?

The best way to test your level of hydration is your urine. If you’re hydrated, your urine is clear; there’s no yellow. If you’re dehydrated, your urine is yellow, and the darker the yellow, the higher the level of dehydration. If you have orange urine, you’re dangerously dehydrated.

The eight cups myth A big part of the problem with inadequate water intake in America is mis-education and misinformation.

For years, the FDA has been recommending that people drink eight cups of water a day. Unfortunately, that’s far from enough. You should be drinking half of your body’s weight in ounces of water every day. For instance, if you weigh 200 pounds, you need to be drinking 100 ounces of water a day.

Coffee isn’t water Even if you’ve had the correct amount of water, you can still be

�� • FEATURE & COLUMN • JUNE ���� • �ENSESMAG.COM

dehydrated from drinking dehydrating beverages (such as alcohol, tea, anything with caffeine, and soda), sweating, or physical exercise.

Again, urine color is your best test of hydration, so see for yourself.

Water, fat loss, and muscles When you’re dehydrated, your metabolism slows down and you burn fewer calories when resting.

Professional bodybuilders know that drinking enough water increases strength and helps build new muscle fibers. If you’re dehydrated, you can actually increase your strength by 19 percent just by replenishing fluids. ***** Lauren Antrosiglio is an ASUdegreed personal trainer in Prescott who specializes in weight loss, increasing muscle mass, rehabilitative fitness, functional exercise, and senior fitness. Contact her at Info@ PrescottPersonalTraining.Com.

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Gene Twaronite’s The Absurd Naturalist

By Gene Twaronite The last big extinction event was around 65 million years ago, when a giant asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs along with much of the rest of life on Earth. During the past few centuries, however, hundreds of species have vanished as a direct result of human activity, and the rate is accelerating. While not as messy or sudden as an asteroid, our hairy ape species seems hell-bent on creating the next big wave of extinctions.

According to one source, the total number of species threatened with extinction is nearly 17,000. Since we still don’t even know how many species of plants and animals are on the planet — it could be 3 million or 10 million — this number likely represents a fraction of the true number.

Some animals are so critically endangered that it’s hard to see how they’re going to make it. Take rhinos, for example. According to the website SaveTheRhino.Org, black rhinos have plummeted from an estimated population of 65,000 in 1970 to just 5,055 today. Asian species are even worse off with numbers only in the hundreds.

But try telling this to the millions of people who still believe that powdered rhino horn can cure everything from cancer to foot fungus — despite there being not a shred of scientific evidence that it serves any medical purpose at all. Powdered rhino horn remains an integral part of traditional Chinese pharmacy and can fetch tens of thousands of dollars per kilogram.

For their own good Desperate

times require desperate solutions.

Namibia, for example, was the first country to use “dehorning” as a means to protect their rhinos from poaching. On the face of it, it sounds pretty disgusting. What’s a rhino without its horns? But maybe it’s for their own good. Indeed, ever since Namibia began its program, no rhinos have been poached, though other countries have been less successful. Since the horns grow back over time, rhinos have to be monitored and dehorned every 12-24 months. For the Namibians, however, a rhino without horns is better than no rhino at all.

Recently a turtle conservancy in California employed a similar technique with two of its rare ploughshare tortoises, valued by exotic animal collectors for their beautiful golden domed shells.

They disfigured their shells by branding them with identification markers, making them easier to track and less appealing to collectors, who often pay tens of thousands of dollars for an unblemished tortoise. They hope to brand all of the fewer than 700 specimens still alive in the world. Other rare tortoise species are likewise being uglified.

And, perhaps the idea of removing the source of the problem could be applied to other animals.

Simply remove the tusks from elephants, for example, to keep them from being poached for ivory. They won’t like it very much, but it’s for their own good. Unfortunately, this approach wouldn’t work with some species such as endangered tigers as each of their body parts right down to their bones is valued for traditional folk medicine.

On the other hand, with musk deer, which are killed for their musk glands, surgical removal just might work.

And animals killed and threatened for their fur, such as spotted cats, fur seals, and South American otters, could be regularly shorn, which is probably a lot more difficult than it sounds.

While the prospect of naked jaguars and otters running around isn’t exactly appealing, it’s, again, for their own good.

problem, perhaps we should start with us. Our human population of more than 7 billion is projected to reach 9.6 billion by the year 2050. This means that an additional 2.5 billion people will require more land, food, water, and other resources. Ironically, this isn’t only bad for other species, but for us as well. As species go extinct, we’ll lose a host of natural products used for real medicines, food, and building materials, along with the vital services that wild plants and animals provide, including air and water purification and pollination of our food crops.

As such, I propose that every fertile human being on the planet undergo a little operation — one much simpler than removing musk glands or horns — to keep us from reproducing. Maybe someday, when human numbers have returned to less harmful levels, we could allow a few of us to breed under carefully controlled conditions. Some of us might not like it very much, and achieving this goal will not be easy. But it’s for our own good. ©Gene Twaronite 2014 ***** 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.

Of

course, if we wish to remove the real source of the

�ENSESMAG.COM • JUNE ���� • COLUMN • ��

Highlands Center for Natural History and Laark Productions present

Shakespeare in the Pines

A Midsummer Night’s Dream What: “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” a Shakespeare in the Pines show via the Highlands Center for Natural History and Laark Productions When: 6:30-7:30 p.m. reception (hors d’oeuvres and wine) 7:30-9:30 p.m. performance Friday, June 27 and Saturday, June 28 Where: The Outdoor Amphitheater at the Highlands Center for Natural History 1375 Walker Road, Prescott, on the way to Lynx Lake Worth: $50 Why: Proceeds go to nature-based education programs at the Highlands Center. Plus, it’s Shakespeare.

Web: HighlandsCenter.Org/Calendar-of-Events, June 2014 What else: Dessert and coffee served during intermission.

Dutch Holly What: Psychedelic indie folktronica duo When: 9 p.m. Thursday, June 5 Where: The Raven Café 142 N. Cortez St., Prescott Worth: No cover charge Why: They’re really, really good.

Web: DutchHolly.Com, Facebook.Com/DutchHolly

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Two Performances Friday, June 27th and Saturday, June 28th 2014 in the beautiful Highlands Center Outdoor Amphitheater Reception 6:30 - 7:30 PM Performance 7:30-9:30 PM

133 N. Cortez St., Historic Downtown Prescott 928-776-8695 Facebook.Com/pages/Snap-Snap/316941635545

�� • FEATURE • JUNE ���� • �ENSESMAG.COM

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