IT’S YOUR PAPER www.claytonpioneer.com
May 21, 2010
925.672.0500
Triple play launches summer in May
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
THREE BIG COMMUNITY EVENTS ON MAY 8 SIGNALED THE START OF THE SUMMER SEASON IN CLAYTON. Left: The Farmers Market opened with the season’s first fresh produce. Center: Bonus garden on the Garden’s Tour included the historical Frank Family Farm and home of Charmetta Mann who operated a daycare on the farm for many years. She is shown here with Max Marcil on the ship that Marcil and the other children built on the property. Right: Rain-weary Claytonians turned out in droves for the season’s first Concert in the Park. See the full story and more photos on page 2.
Time to recall wars’ heroes
HANK STRATFORD
MAYOR’S CORNER
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA PERMIT 190
In 1943, Oral Clark Lee (known as O.C. by many) left his young wife and baby daughter to serve in the U.S. Air Force during World War II. Most of his military service was spent in Guam as an airplane mechanic. At the conclusion of the war, my grandfather was reunited with his young family. Many years later, while touring his hometown of Brigham City, Utah, I remember my grandfa-
ther pointing out the childhood homes of his friends who did not return from the war. As Memorial Day approaches, I can’t help but feel grateful for and indebted to those men and women who lost their lives in service to our country. Throughout our nation’s history, there have been times when peace was sacrificed in order to gain or ensure freedom. On May 31, the nation will celebrate Memorial Day. Each year, the local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) puts on a ceremony at 10 a.m. in downtown Clayton. Each year, I get choked up when I see the veterans in attendance and remember those who died in our defense. Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day – a day to decorate the graves of Civil War soldiers. After World War I, all fallen soldiers were honored. In 1971, Memorial Day became a national holiday to be observed on the last Monday of May. I hope you take some time to
See Mayor, page 9
Horses small in stature but big on fun TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Just when you thought Clayton couldn’t get any more Norman Rockwellian, along comes a tiny horse and cart, clipclopping along the Cardinet trail. Look closely—it’s likely driven by Karen Farlow and pulled by one of the eight miniature horses from her Morgan Territory Road ranch. Farlow’s love affair with the minis began in the early 1980s, when she saw them marching in the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena. By 1985, she had found Sweet and Fancy, a black mare she dubbed Mama who came with high expectations. When she was 6 months old, Mama was stolen from her original owners and spent the next six months hiding inside the thieves’ house. When her captors were arrested, Mama was in the living room, asleep on the sofa. After coming to Farlow’s ranch, Mama quickly adjusted to the horse life and the great outdoors, eventually having two babies. “These guys make great companion pets,” says Farlow. “They live to play. They don’t bark and
What’s Inside Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Church News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
their poop doesn’t stink. “They are so much fun,” she adds with a laugh. “They’re pranksters and won’t leave anything alone.” The most fun she has with the minis is out on the trail in the cart. The 300-pound miniature
horse can pull three times its weight, and the small carts fit just fine on the walking and bicycling trails around the county. The little horses are quite useful as draft horses, Farlow says. In Europe, they are used in the coal mines and as plow hors-
es. The miniature horse is extraordinarily gentle and calm, especially around children. “Little ones up to about 60 pounds can ride them,” Farlow
See Horses, page 6
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
KAREN FARLOW
back to the barn at her Morgan Territory Road ranch. Farlow and “Mama” (left) will be at the Janet Read Memorial Miniature Horse Show on May 22 and 23 for hands-on demonstrations with the versatile companion horses.
Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Clayton History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Community Calendar . . . . . . . . . . .14 Directory of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . .5 Food for Thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
LEADS THREE OF HER EIGHT MINIATURE HORSES
Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Safety Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Senior Moments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
School News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Time to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4