MSN June July 2017 by Montana Senior News

Informing • Entertaining • Empowering

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The Osprey Man Of The Flathead: Doug MacCarter

By Gail Jokerst; www.gailjokerst.com Photos courtesy of Doug MacCarter Undoubtedly, childhood events shape lives, and Doug MacCarter’s career as a wildlife biologist testifies to that. During his teen years living in

southeastern Montana, Doug’s capture of a fourlegged bull snake – not a normal snake – indirectly influenced his future when the Billings Gazette ran an illustrated story about it. This drew the attention of a local wildlife biologist who happened to be a falconer. “He called and asked if I would bring the snake over to his house, which I did. It completely surprised him. All he could say was, ‘It had to be a genetic oops.’ He didn’t know how else to explain it,” recounts Doug, who was transfixed by the raptors he saw eyeto-eye at the biologist’s home. Upon learning how eagles, hawks, and falcons could be trained, Doug’s curiosity took wing along with the birds themselves. Prac-

tically overnight, falconry replaced herpetology in his affections, and Doug’s interest in birds of prey, especially ospreys, has flourished ever since. “Ospreys are one of the most widespread raptors throughout Montana and the world. Where there are rivers, lakes, and streams – large or small – you’re going to find them,” says Doug. “They’ll nest by water if a platform or tree is nearby. If not, they will fly miles to water for food if necessary.” As Doug explains, ospreys are the only hawk with three toes in front and one in back with the ability to reverse a front toe to the back, just like owls. This helps them clutch fish, which comprise 99% of their diet. Contrary to what some believe, Montana ospreys are not vying with wader-clad anglers for blue-ribbon catches. According to Doug, ospreys dive only about three feet below the surface for food, which is not where prized trout dwell. “For instance, Flathead Lake ospreys eat mostly trash fish – large-scale suckers, lake whitefish, squawfish, things that are not good to eat,” notes Doug. “Game fish are found much deeper.” Considering that for some 40 years Doug has observed and studied these treetop denizens throughout their life (Continued on page 74)

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Cupid’s Corner Is An Opportunity

Can you skate, and ski and slide, I am writing this note to the many single, wid- Down the wintry mountainside? owed, or divorced men in the state of Montana that Can you skip a rope in Spring? have not found the courage to leave the house Can you make a speed bag sing? and extend themselves to the availability of a new friend or companion. There many hundreds of I answered, as he knew I would, good women from 50-90 looking to share their time No, I can’t – but, I use ta could. and life with someone for fun and companionship. By Robert Manion Whatever your interests, there are active women Circle participating in all kinds of sports – dancing, walkToo Much History ing, fishing, reading, and enjoying the mountains Thank you for the responses to Too Much here in Montana alone. Loneliness is a hollow and History. I learned so much, especially interesting empty feeling that does not have to be part of your was the dialect spoken by my great-grandmother, life and future. Why not take a chance and write an ad about grandfather, and mother. Unfortunately, it was not yourself for the Cupid’s Corner column or contact taught to me so I missed the good stories. your neighbor or friend and become involved in one My great-great-grandfather, J.C. continues of the many activities offered by your community to fascinate me. He was kidnapped by the Iowa and churches? Open up the possibility that there Calvary from Kentucky in 1863. He was released is someone out there that can fill the emptiness in on the Platte River Colorado. J.C. is on the 1870 census in Virginia City Montana. An ambitious and your heart and life. complex man, I fear the Montana Historical Society Hazel Weekes could devote an entire “Jerks of Montana” to him. Hamilton My great-great-great-grandparents, the Strongs, were one hundred percent pioneer. Grandpa’s Lament James probably came to Montana in the 1840s Young sport asks his old grandpa and settled permanently in the 1860s. He worked After listening to him jaw – as a freighter for the Diamond R. His family relocated to its homestead in 1870. James is on the Can you fish and camp and hike? 1870 census in Virginia City. His sons, Mortimer Can you ride a ten-speed bike? Can you shoot a basketball And kick a football in the fall? Can you serve and miss the net? Can you putt to win a bet? Can you swim and dive and float? Can you row a little boat?

Montana Senior News A Hunts Montana Publication

P.O. Box 3363 • Great Falls, MT 59403-3363 406-761-0305 or 800-672-8477 FAX 406-761-8358 montanaseniornews.com Email: montsrnews@bresnan.net The Montana Senior News is published six times each year in February, April, June, August, October and December at 415 3rd Avenue North, Great Falls, MT 59401 and is distributed free to readers throughout the state of Montana. The mail subscription rate is $10 .0 0 per year (6 issues). The Montana Senior News is written to serve the reading interests of mature Montanans of all ages. Readers are encouraged to contribute interesting material. Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles and letters are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance of advertisements for products or services does not constitute an endorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will not be responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within five days of publication. All copy appearing in the Montana Senior News is protected by copyright and may be reprinted only with the written permission of the publisher. Advertising copy should be received or space reserved by the 8th of the month preceding the month of publication.

Robert B. Hunt, Publisher/Editor Janet Hunt Kathleen McGregor Sherrie Smith Lisa Gebo Jonathan Rimmel Peter Thornburg

Business Manager Advertising Sales Production Assistant Advertising Sales Production Supervisor Graphic Designer Distribution

and Havilla, tell about him in Progressive Men of Montana. The other great-greats came from Canada (Quebec and Montreal). Stephen came alone and initially trapped and panned for gold in Yellowstone. He is on the 1870 census at the Cedar Creek Mines (Missoula). He and Julia’s homestead was outside of Augusta. I grew up with the daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters of the pioneers. Vulnerable, domestic, and timid, they were not, and still are not. The education of their children was important to the pioneers, girls included. I am just beginning to compile their histories. One of my aunts is buried in The Bob Marshall because she loved the place. I heard she was a ranger, but I haven’t confirmed it. My female relations were teachers, stenographers, nurses, and trailblazers. My great-aunt Alberta helped establish the first schools in Ravalli County. My great-great-aunt Miranda Voorhees came to Montana in 1876 with her disabled (Civil War) husband, John Voorhees and daughter Jesse. She was a nurse and addicted to fishing. I would love to hear from historical societies in Flathead or Lincoln County. I grew up with stories of Montana, so I can assist you too, as you search your genealogy. Jeannie Bequette Lonepine MSN

Read My Lips

Submitted by Julie Brantley A young ventriloquist is touring Norway and puts on a show in a small fishing town. With his dummy on his knee, he starts going through his usual dumb blonde jokes. Suddenly, a blonde man in the fourth row stands on his chair and starts shouting, “I’ve heard enough of your stupid blonde jokes. What makes you think you can stereotype Norwegian blondes that way? What does the color of a person’s hair have to do with their worth as a human being? It’s

men like you who keep people like me from being respected at work and in the community, and from reaching our full potential as people. It’s people like you that make others think that all blondes are dumb! You and your kind continue to perpetuate discrimination against blondes, pathetically all in the name of humor!” The embarrassed ventriloquist begins to apologize, and the blonde man interrupts, yelling, “You stay out of this! I’m talking to that little twerp on your lap.” MSN

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NW Montana gal 70, 4’10”, 115lbs. Self sufficient, creative. Young minded, retired musician, songwriter seeking a “country boy at heart.” Fishing, exploring, RVing, stargazing, rock hounding, concerts, arts/crafts, and walking with the Lord, is best shared with a like-minded social man. Are your interests similar? Please send detailed letter and photo, and I’ll write back. Reply MSN, Dept. 33501 , c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. DWM, 78, Northeastern Montana, 5’6”, 160lbs, full black hair, blue eyes, Born-Again Christian. I attend a Full Gospel, Spirit Filled, and Prophetic Church on a reservation. Ninety-five percent Native. I live off the reservation, own my own house. Been divorced 7 years. Clean, intelligent, retired military, native Enjoy Senior Living Montanan, not perfect. I like to walk, have a pickup camper, and have Located in beautiful Great Falls, we two cats and a small dog. pair ﬁne comfort and hospitality Like Gaither Gospel music. Seeking Born-Again with exceptional service and lady. I like long hair, slenaccommodations. der, clean, intelligent, not spiritually fearful, forgivSee for yourself why our community ing, trustworthy, a quiet is such an exceptional place to live. spirit, and honest. Reply MSN, Dept. 33502, c/o CALL (406) 727-0447 Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. Brookdale Great Falls

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Can’t you feel summer lovin’ right around the corner? As we dust off our outdoor gear, old high school hot rods, and fresh new summer looks, it’s time to find that special someone to share our beautiful Montana lazy days! Hot days on the lakes and rivers followed by cool evenings under starlit skies are better together, so take a moment and reach out to your fellow lovers and find that friend and companion that makes summer adventures all the more enjoyable. Share a bit about yourself or reach out to someone new in our personal ads section. With our summer thunderstorms, you never know when lightning will strike! To respond to any of these personal ads, simply forward your message, address, and phone number, or email address to the department number listed in the particular personal ad, c/o Montana Senior News, P.O. Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. We will forward your response, including the address, phone number, and/or email address that you provide to the person placing the ad. When you respond to an ad in this section, there is no guarantee that you will receive a response. That is up to the person who placed the ad. Please submit your correct address plainly printed so you can promptly receive replies. Respond to the ads in this issue, and also sit down now and prepare your own ad to run in our next issue. There is no charge for this service, and your ad may lead you down the path of true love and companionship! You may submit your responses to personal ads appearing in the Montana Senior News at any time. However, to place a personal ad in the August/September 2017 issue, the deadline is July 15, 2017.

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outdoors, some travel, home cooking, also I like to eat out a couple times a week. Looking for a lovely lady 65–72 (preferably in Billings area) to be my friend and companion to share the so-called golden years with me. Reply MSN, Dept. 33503, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. SWF in her 70 s would like to find a live in companion to share a three bedroom home. I live about a mile from town. I don’t drive or own a car so do a lot of walking. I don’t drink, smoke, or do drugs. I like to take day trips and go to thrift stores and rummage sales. I like to watch the Yankees play ball on T.V. in the summer time. I like country western music and used to sing with my brother when I was younger. I have been alone for years and would like a companion. If you like what you read, drop me a line and a picture, and I will do the same. Reply MSN, Dept. 33504, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403.

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SWM - Great falls area, retired, educated 57. Looking for a woman 50 to 65 to be my friend, love to spend time with and more. Camping, Road Trips. NO Drugs or Heavy Drinkers Period. Looking forward to hearing from you soon. Reply MSN, Dept. 33506, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. MSN

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Killing Thyme by Leslie Budewitz; Berkley Prime Crime, New York; 2016 Reviewed by Connie Daugherty Summertime and the reading is easy. Big Fork’s favorite cozy mystery writer, Leslie Budewitz, has the perfect recipe for your easy summer reading. A cozy mystery is the sort of book that makes you feel good even while reading about murder and chaos. In 2013, Budewitz started a new series with a new heroine set in Seattle, though she has not abandoned her original series. Killing Thyme is the third, and most recent, Spice Shop mystery. In this new series, this award-winning writer offers readers everything they ever wanted to know about spices – history, geography, uses, and myths. She also takes readers on an insider’s tour of Seattle and its popular Pike Place Market area including plenty of history along the way as she investigates a murder. “I was not about

to close my eyes and ears to troubles around me. I’d been given a latent and a natural curiosity and I had an obligation to follow through.” Beautifully crafted, as usual, Budewitz provides enough background for Killing Thyme to be a stand-alone story, while at the same time piquing the reader’s curiosity about what came before. Also as usual, Killing Thyme offers a section of delicious summer ready recipes at the end including Cocoa-Paprika Steak Rub, Cucumber Cantaloupe Salad, and Tequila-Thyme Lemonade. It is early summer in Seattle and Pepper Reece is busy in her specialty spice shop with her newly established staff. “I knew within days of hiring them that they would be great addition to the Pike Place Market, Seattle’s heart, soul, and stomach.” And Pepper’s Seattle Spice Shop is in the midst of it all. This morning the staff of the shop is discussing the spice of the month – thyme. “The slightest movement of air sent pleasant grassy notes swirling through the shop.” She supplies her blends to local Market restaurants around Seattle. Her own unique tea is brewing for customers as well as the occasional street person who might wander in. Although the Seattle Spice Shop is not her first career, it is her passion, and she is a entrepreneur. She is also a natural magnet for any unexpected drama that occurs in the Market.

JUNE/JULY 2017

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 5

There is a new potter, Bonnie Clay, at the day stalls of the Market. Pepper’s mother has come back from Costa Rica for a visit and reunion. The two situations have nothing in common, until they do. “Something unspoken filled the air between them as they touched, something thick and impenetrable. As though a private history was written in the dust motes and could never be fully read, or understood, by anyone else.” Pepper is curious but her mother isn’t talking. In fact, nobody who apparently knew Bonnie in the past – people who Pepper grew up around – wants to talk including Bonnie. Then Bonnie is found dead in her apartment and Pepper finds herself in the middle of things. She also feels somehow responsible. “I was about to do the thing I had sworn all day that I wouldn’t do. I was going to find a way to work for justice, for Bonnie Pretty Pots.” Although she didn’t really know Bonnie, didn’t remember much about her from the Grace House days, Pepper is convinced that the present murder has something to do with the past. “It had something to do with the house, with my family and our friends. The main focus had been programs for children, the hungry, and those in need… occasionally controversial, but not truly radical.” Nothing that would have to do with an unsolved death that happened in 1985. Still Pepper can’t shake the feeling that it is all somehow connected. With the same determination she uses to research and perfectly blend her unique spices, Pepper sets out armed with plenty of questions. But the answers she discovers have her more confused and worried than before. “Nothing in the Idiot’s Guide advised on how to dig up the past without tearing up your own roots.” Besides tearing at those precious roots isn’t giving her any answers – just a lot of doubt about who she is and where she came from. “I considered my theories. And the holes in them.” It’s much easier to create a unique blend of spices for unexpected and generally delicious results than it is to combine the past with the present and people with passions and find answers. “When it comes to justice I believe in work. But praying never hurts.” So Pepper continues working toward the justice she believes in discovering more about herself and her family along the way. Killing Thyme is a complex blend of the past and the present pulled together in usual Leslie Budewitz style. She won the 2011 Agatha Award for Best Nonfiction and the 2013 Agatha Award for best First Novel for her first Food Lovers’ Village Mystery. Although she has added the Spice Shop Mysteries (Assault and Pepper, and Guilty as Cinnamon) she did not abandon her Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries. Look for Treble at the Jam Fest that will be out in June. Leslie Budewitz lives in Big Fork with her husband. MSN

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Oh, the treasures of our childhoods! Whether beautifully wrapped packages waiting under a tree in December or the unique pleasure of a long desired object accompanying cake and games at a birthday celebration, childhood toys hold a special significance and fascination that stays with us throughout our lives. Do you remember the endless hours of enjoyment from play as you created characters and their lives in the world of your imagination? Enjoy this story of the satisfaction of recreating a classic – long after the flower of youth has fallen. Or does the flower of youth ever fall? This issue’s Remember When winner is Kalispell’s Jesse Malone who shares the trials and tribulations of a project to build a dollhouse from a kit that required hundreds of hours. Thank you,

Jesse for your contribution. Remember When contains our readers’ personal reflections, contributions describing fictional or non-fictional accounts from the “Good ol’ Days” or reflections on life in general. Contributions may be stories, letters, artwork, poetry, etc. Photos may be included. Each issue of the Montana Senior News features the contribution(s) deemed best by our staff. The contributor of the winning entry receives a $25 cash prize. We look forward to receiving your contributions for our August/September 2017 issue. Mail your correspondence to Montana Senior News, P.O. Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403; email to montsrnews@bresnan.net; or call 1-80 0 -6728477 or 40 6-761-0 30 5. Also, visit us online at montanaseniornews.com.

I Always Wanted A Dollhouse Article & Photo By Jesse Malone, Jr., Kalispell A three-story dollhouse with nine rooms, bay windows, a porch, and balcony describes a young girl’s dream. The blue colored siding is individual boards in the scale of one inch equals one foot. The curved Mansard roof is hundreds of shingles stained brown and glued on one at a time. Carpets, wallpaper, electric lights, and see-through windows with white trim add elegance to this oncein-a-lifetime toy. Each of the rooms has miniature furniture and room appointments for little hands to rearrange during hours of fun. This dollhouse is the result of the efforts of two friends who took the time to create a treasure long yearned for as children. Jamie Caltabiano of Whitefish says of the project, “I have wanted a dollhouse since I was a kid. My husband gave me the dollhouse kit for Christmas!” The kit was 1,10 0 + pieces made from thin plywood plus hundreds of tiny boards and roof shingles. The trick is to keep it all straight and put it together according to the plans. Jesse Malone of Kalispell, the other half of the team, says, “I greatly enjoy this kind of work. I’ve done woodworking, electronics and handy work most of my life.” The Beacon Hill dollhouse is one of Greenleaf Company Store’s largest and most detailed pre-cut dollhouse kits (greenleafdollhouses.com). That doesn’t mean that it’s not without challenges. Each piece has to be sanded and edged. The pieces are attached with hot glue or wood glue. For example, the stairs go up three flights with dozens of steps and risers, railings, and trim. That alone required a great deal of time to get it straight and square. No wonder the preparation and construction of the dollhouse took 500+ hours. One has to plan for the hidden electric wiring, painting, and wallpaper. Most of the trim, for example, was painted with three coats before attaching. The main French door and balcony door are hinged so one can play at opening the door for a make-believe resident to enter. Of course, there is a miniature doorbell near the front door that sounds a buzzer when pushed. Of the three fireplaces, two have simulated fire created by colored LED bulbs behind the tiny logs. “I really enjoyed making the room lights. They were crafted from buttons and/or jewelry hardware and beads,” says Jesse. The house is wired with 12 volt DC. The main supply line is flat and is hidden under the flooring material. Since each LED light must have a currentlimiting resistor, it gets to be a challenge to hide the bulb, resistor, wiring, and soldering inside a light fixture just an inch across. And, the Christmas tree in the living room was a special challenge to get 20 bulbs on an eight-inch tree. The floor lamp is five inches tall with the tiny wires (Cont’d page 73)

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PAGE 8 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

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Some of our best chuckles from weekday sitcoms have come from these loveable, often clueless, TV dads as they try to navigate a full house, life on the prairie, or the trials and tribulations of raising a family. We can relate to their experiences even while we laugh at their misadventures. As you think back on beloved characters from your favorite TV shows of yore, enjoy this quiz that will test your memory while recalling great TV moments. Enjoy! Thank you to Melanie Fennell of Great Falls, winner of the $25 prize for submitting the winning featured quiz in this issue. Thank you to all who participated in our Test Yourself With Trivia quiz in the April/May 20 17 issue. The winner of the $25 prize for submitting the correct answers is John Bortz of Billings. Congratulations, John! Thank you also to the many people who found the eighteen Easter eggs that we hid throughout

the April/May 20 17 issue. The $25-prize winner drawn from the many correct answers submitted is Gale Swanson of Great Falls! Two $25 cash prizes are awarded from the “Contest Corner” in each issue of the Montana Senior News. One prize goes to the person who submits the winning answers to the featured quiz from the previous issue. The second prize goes to the person who submits the entry that our staff selects as the featured quiz or puzzle in the “Contest Corner” for this issue. Be creative and send us some good, fun, and interesting puzzles! Please mail your entries to all contests to the Montana Senior News, P.O. Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403, or email to montsrnews@bresnan.net by July 15, 2017 for our August/September 2017 edition. Be sure to work the crossword puzzle on our website at montanaseniornews.com.

TV Dads Need Love Too! Submitted by Melanie Fennell, Great Falls Below is a list of dad characters from television shows followed by a list of actors who played the dads. Match the TV Dads with the actor who

played them. On a numbered piece of paper, write the letter of the actor who played the numbered dad. Mail or email your answers to us, and you may win the $25 prize.

TV Dad Characters 1. Dr. Cliff Huxtable 2. Ben Cartwright 3. John Walton, Sr. 4. Charles Ingalls 5. Steve Douglas 6. Sheriff Andy Taylor 7. Howard Cunningham 8. Steven Keaton 9. Dan Conner 10. Mike Brady 11. Herman Munster 12. Rob Petrie 13. Archie Bunker

Actors Who Played TV Dads A. John Goodman B. Michael Landon C. Tony Danza D. Tom Bosley E. Hugh Beaumont F. Bill Cosby G. Alan Thicke H. Fred Gwynne I. John Astin J. Fred MacMurray K. Carroll O’Connor L. Conrad Bain

14. Ward Cleaver 15. Tom Bradford 16. Jason Seaver 17. Tony Micelli 18. Lucas Adams 19. Gomez Adams 20. Philip Drummond 21. Edward Stratton III 22. Henry Warnimont 23. Danny Tanner 24. Al Bundy 25. Alan Matthews 26. Red Foreman

M. Lorne Greene N. William Russ O. Michael Gross P. Bob Saget Q. George Gaynes R. Kurtwood Smith S. Robert Reed T. Ed O’Neill U. Ralph Waite V. Dick Van Dyke W. Joel Higgins X. Chuck Connors Y. Dick Van Patten Z. Andy Griffith MSN

Answers to Test Yourself With Trivia Submitted by Kelly & Rebecca Wilke, Kalispell 1. Red 2. Whip Inflation Now 3. Kidney failure 4. Bedrock – Where the Flinstone’s lived. 5. “Binkie” Stuart – 1932-2001 6. Elvis Aaron Presley 7. All I Have To Do Is Dream – March 6, 1958 8. Blueberry 9. The Sundance Kid

10. Jughead Jones – a white sheepdog 11. The World Trade Center (Pre 911) 12. Venus – 243 earth days 13. Georgie Porgie 14. Crazy Horse – circa 1842-47 15. A tightrope walker. 16. The Ostrich – about 3.3 lbs 17. Three (3) 18. Eight 19. Gus Gissom – July 21, 1961 20. General Electric MSN

Answers to Gather the Hidden Eggs From page 1, April May 2017 issue

1. 2 2. 9 3. 12

The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls. - Pablo Picasso

4. 18 5. 20 6. 24

7. 28 8. 31 9. 33

10. 36 11. 38 12. 39

MSN

JUNE/JULY 2017

12. Longest division of time 15. *a.k.a. The Little Boy 20. Driver’s 180 22. Had a meal 24. Distance to a golfer 25. Swelling 26. *Meteorologist’s tool 27. Echo sounder 29. Madam, to a cowboy 31. Baron Munchhausen, e.g. 32. Sicker 33. Repeat, in music 34. *____ winds 36. “Stop!” to marchers 38. De Valera’s land 42. Kidney-related 45. Hindustani guitar, pl. 49. “____, the Beloved Country” 51. The Three Stooges and Peter, Paul and Mary, e.g. 54. “The ____” to a bartender 56. Wedding singer, e.g. 57. *____ Bowl 58. Nobel Peace Prize capital 59. Clarified butter 60. *What grass does in the morning 61. *Kind of front 62. Crowning point 63. Trampled 64. Not difficult 67. Exclamation of disgust MSN

All About Weather

ACROSS

1. Request to Geico, e.g. 6. Short for oftentimes 9. Plague carrier 13. *Like a plant in Zone 2 14. Column’s counterpart 15. Exclude 16. *More bitterly cold 17. Computer-generated imagery 18. One of Florida Keys 19. *Fahrenheit alternative 21. Nanking cotton 23. Make web-like fabric 24. Giant Himalayan 25. Geological time period 28. Russian parliament 30. Join the military 35. 100-meter ____ 37. One in a million 39. Crude commodity transporter 40. Icelandic epic 41. Rock bottom 43. Aquarium scum 44. Sends 46. Foal’s mother 47. Tear violently 48. *A blast from the North Pole

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 9

50. Belgian port, in Dutch 52. Fish eggs 53. T on a test 55. “____ we there yet?” 57. *End-of-summer 61. *Average weather pattern 65. Theater guide 66. ET’s craft 68. Capital of Ghana 69. Large numbers 70. Have a cold 71. Audition tapes 72. Little piggies? 73. Bulb type 74. Like a disreputable neighborhood

DOWN

1. Swanky 2. Fabric related to #23 Across 3. Seed covering 4. “That is,” to an Ancient Roman 5. Indefinitely large number 6. Tolkien villains 7. *Cause of low visibility 8. Strong string You may qualify for FREE assistive telephone equipment through the 9. “Don’t give Montana Telecommunications Access Program! me any ____!” 10. Plural of lira 11. U2 guitarist (MTAP) Montana TelecommuEquipment available nications Access Program through MTAP includes: provides FREE assistive • Ampliﬁed telephones telephone equipment to those • Captioned telephones who qualify, making it easier to • Loud bell ringers TTYs use the phone to do business • Artiﬁcial Larynxes or keep in touch with family • And much more! and friends.

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For more information just mail us this form or call toll-free 1-800-833-8503

PAGE 10 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

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How to Prevent Falls at Home By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, My 79-year-old mother, who lives alone, has fallen several times over the past year. Are there any extra precautions we should take that can help prevent this? Worried Daughter Dear Worried, Falls are a big concern for many seniors and their families. Each year, 1-in-3 older Americans falls, making it the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries for those 65 and older. But many falls can be prevented. Depending on what is causing your mom to fall, here are some different tips that can help protect her. Encourage exercise: Weak leg muscles and poor balance are two of the biggest risk factors that cause seniors to fall. Tai chi, walking, water aerobics, and strength training are all good for improving balance and strength, as are a number of simple balance exercises that she can do anytime like standing on one foot for 30 seconds then switching to the to BeeHive Homes of Great Falls Assisted Living other foot, and walking heel-to-toe across the room. For additional balance and leg strengthening exercises, the National Institute on Aging offers free exercise guides and a DVD that you can order at Go4Life. nia.nih.gov. Review her mediGreat Falls has BeeHive Homes to choose from! cations: Does your mom take any medicine or Our BeeHive Homes of Great Falls assisted living services are dedicated to combination of mediproviding a happy and healthy environment for our residents. Our unique cines that makes her approach to assisted living care focuses on creating a family environment in which long lasting relationships can grow and develop. We would love to dizzy, sleepy, or lightintroduce you to BeeHive Homes of Great Falls assisted living. Please contact headed? If so, gather up us for more information or a home tour. all the drugs she takes – prescriptions and over3 Memory Care Homes! the-counter – and take Trained Staff in Dementia Care | Private Rooms with Showers them to her doctor or Courtyard with Fountain, Gazebo & Pergola pharmacist for a drug Our assisted living service includes: review and adjustment. • Individual and Group Activities • Private Rooms Have her vision • House Keeping Services • 24-Hour Staﬃng checked: Poor vision • Dietician Approved Home Cooked Meals • And Much More! can be another contributor to falls, so have your mom’s eyes checked every year. She may be wearing the wrong glasses or have developed a condition such as glaucoma or cataracts that makes it harder to see 888-727-1900 or Visit us at BeehiveHomes.com obstacles on the floor.

Modify her home: There are also a number of household modifications you can do to make your mom’s living area safer. Start by arranging or moving the furniture so there are clear pathways to walk through and by picking up items on the floor that could cause her to trip like newspapers, shoes, clothes, and electrical or phone cords. If she has throw rugs, remove them or use double-sided tape to secure them. In the bathroom buy some non-skid rugs for the floors and a rubber suction-grip mat or adhesive non-skid tape for the floor of the tub or shower, and have a carpenter install grab bars in and around the tub/shower for support. Also, make sure the lighting throughout the house is good, purchase some inexpensive plug-in nightlights for the bathrooms and hallways, and if she has stairs, put handrails on both sides. For more tips, call the Eldercare Locater at 80 0 -677-1116 and order a free copy of its Preventing Falls at Home brochure. Or, get an occupational therapist to come in and assess your mom’s home for fall risks. Medicare will pay for this service if prescribed by a doctor. Choose safe footwear: Your mom should be aware that going barefoot or wearing slippers or socks at home could also cause falls, as can wearing backless shoes, high heels, and shoes with smooth leather soles. The safest option is rubber-soled, low-heeled shoes. Purchase some helpful aids: If your mom needs some help, talk to her doctor or a physical therapist about getting her fit for a cane or walker. Also, to help ensure your mom’s safety, and provide you some peace of mind, get her a medical alert device like Bay Alarm Medical (BayAlarmMedical.com), one of the most reliable and affordable devices available. For less than $1 per day, this offers an emergency alert button – either in the form of a necklace pendent, wristband, or wallmounted buttons placed in high fall risk areas like the bathroom and kitchen – so she could call for help anytime if she were to fall or need assistance. Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book. MSN

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 11

How to Hire a Home Helper By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, I would like to hire a personal assistant/home helper for my mom to assist with some simple household chores like housekeeping, errand running, driving her to the doctor, and keeping her company. But mom doesn’t require personal/ physical caregiving nor does she require any home medical care. Any tips to help us find someone? Looking for Mom Dear Looking, Finding your mom some help at home to handle some of her household chores can make a big difference keeping her independent longer. Here’s what you should know, along with some tips to help you find someone reliable for your mom. For people who could use some help at home – but don’t need a caregiving aide for personal care – there are a bevy of personal assistance/ home helpers out there that can help make life a little easier. Most home helpers can assist with any number of things like shopping, running errands, transportation, light housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation, arranging services (home maintenance, lawn care, etc.), and other household chores, along with providing companionship and support. And, if your mom gets to the point she needs personal/physical care like bathing or dressing, they can usually help with this too. Most home helpers are part time workers who work a few hours a day or a few days per week. You also need to know that while Medicare does cover home health care services if a doctor orders it, it does not cover home helper/personal assistant services. There are two ways in which you can go about hiring someone for your mom; through a home care agency, or you can hire someone directly on your own. • Home Care Agency – Hiring a home helper through a non-medical home care or non-medical companion care agency is the easiest, but most expensive option of the two. Costs run anywhere from $12-30 an hour depending on where you live and the qualifications of the assistant/aide. How it works is you pay the company, and they handle everything including assigning appropriately trained and pre-screened staff to care for your mom, finding a fill-in on days her helper cannot come, and paying employment taxes etc.

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PAGE 12 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

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Some of the drawbacks, however, are that you may not have much input into the selection of the aide, and the helpers may change or alternate, which can cause a disruption. To find a home care agency in your area, Google “non-medical home care” followed by the city and state your mom lives in, or you can use Medicare’s home health agencies search tool Medicare.gov/hhcompare. Most home health agencies offer some form of non-medical home care services too. You can also check your local yellow pages under “home healthcare services.” • Hiring Directly – Hiring a personal assistant/ home helper on your own is the other option, and it’s less expensive. Costs range between $10 20 per hour. Hiring directly also gives you more

control over whom you hire so you can choose someone who you feel is right for your mom. But, be aware that if you do hire someone on your own, you become the employer so there’s no agency support to fall back on if a problem occurs or if the assistant doesn’t show up. You’re also responsible for paying payroll taxes and workers compensation premiums. If you choose this option make sure you check the person’s references thoroughly, and do a criminal background check. To find someone, ask for referrals through friends or check online job boards like Care.com, CareLinx.com, or CareSpotter.com. Send your questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book. MSN

Experiencing Information Overload? Check Out These Record-Keeping Tips By Lisa M. Petsche As caregiver to a frail senior relative, one of your challenges involves managing a wealth of information relevant to his or her health and well-being. This includes medical, financial, legal and other important details. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by all the data there is to keep track of, such as schedules, appointments, due dates, identification numbers, names, locations and phone numbers of health care professionals, and so on. The resulting

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disorganization may lead to missed appointments or unnecessary expenses, among other consequences. On the other hand, keeping information organized and centralized makes it quick and easy to access, saving you time and energy and avoiding frustration. It also facilitates communication with service providers, ensuring timely, thorough and accurate sharing of key information. In addition, a good record keeping system helps ensure continuity of care when you take breaks from caregiving and in the event of a crisis should you become unable to look after your loved one. The following are various types of information regarding your relative that are important to keep easily accessible. • Vital statistics: Date and place of birth, immigration and citizenship papers, military service records, employment history, and marriage and divorce records. Keep birth certificates and other identification together in a safe place.

JUNE/JULY 2017

• Medical information: Height, weight, blood type, allergies, immunizations, family health history and personal health history including tests, diagnoses, treatments and results, hospitalizations and surgeries. Keep a log of doctors and other health care professionals seen and recommendations made. For example, keep track of lifestyle changes, medications, or referral to a specialist. Also, maintain a listing of home care providers and other healthcare organizations and services involved with your relative. This is also the place to include medication information sheets from your loved one’s pharmacy; punch holes in them or store them in top-loading page protectors if you decide to use a binder. Do the same with disease related information in the form of brochures and other literature. • Financial information: Bank accounts, safety deposit boxes, investments, assets, income, debts, credit cards, insurance policies, income tax records, and funeral prearrangements. Include contact information for banks, financial planners, insurance brokers, and accountants. Also include household bills if your relative lives on his or her own and you are assisting with their management. • Legal documents: Information pertaining to powers of attorney, advance directives, and estate planning falls into this category. Include contact information for lawyers and any other legal professionals that have been consulted. • Personal information: Contact information for relatives and friends is key here. Be sure to obtain work and cell phone numbers in case you need to reach them right away. Some other contacts to include neighbors, especially if your loved one lives alone, churches, clubs, and groups to which your loved one belongs. This is also a good place to record your relative’s wishes around funeral arrangements if there are no prearrangements in place. • Other information: Anything else that doesn’t fit into the above categories, including your loved one’s daily routines and weekly schedule, and miscellaneous community resources he or she accesses like specialized transportation. It’s a good idea to create a listing of various types of emergency contacts, both family and professional, to post by the phone. Store it in a

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 13

plastic sleeve or have it laminated to ensure it stays in good condition. Make a copy to keep with you. Likewise, carry a current list of your relative’s medications and dosages in your wallet or purse so you’ll always have this vital information handy during medical appointments and in case of an emergency. How To Organize Information One option for organizing information is a portable file box containing hanging file folders with plastic tabs and manila file folders. Another idea is a three-ring binder equipped with dividers, lined paper and transparent sheet protectors, a three-hole punch is also helpful. Label hanging folders or dividers according to major types of information; medical, financial and so on. You may wish to subdivide each of these categories, using separate sections or folders for medications, medical visits and hospitalizations in the medical category, for example. Charts are the best way to organize information such as medication use. Most pharmacies have a medication log available for customers, which saves you from having to create your own. To centralize vital statistics and financial and legal information, consider utilizing one of the estate planning booklets distributed through funeral homes and financial planning firms. The final phase after collecting and organizing information is maintaining it so that it remains up to date. Set aside a monthly time to review information and make a habit of updating records immediately after medical visits and hospitalizations. Another caregiver necessity is a large grid wall calendar with plenty of space for keeping track of appointments, events, and other important dates such as application deadlines and due dates for bills. These can be found at major bookstore chains. Lisa M. Petsche is a social worker and a freelance writer specializing in elder care. MSN

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PAGE 14 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2017

Old Photos Worth More Than Just Memories

By Judith Remington Q: My daughter and I love to attend estate sales. The last one we attended my daughter spotted this set of desert wine glasses and matching decanter. There are no chips or cracks on any of the pieces. She paid $65 dollars for the set. The decanter has a paper label on the front neck that says “Imperial Glass” and on the bottom it has an “I” with a “G” over it. I think that is what it is; I had to use a magnifying glass to read it. What can you tell me about this set? A: What a stroke of luck, you have indeed found a sparkling treasure. Your decanter and wine glasses are pressed glass made by the Imperial Glass Company, which started to use the G over I mark in 1951. In 1960, they bought out the molds from the Heisey Company and became a subsidiary of Lenox. The original Imperial Glass Company was founded in 1901. The values of your items are figured in the individual pieces as follows; the glasses are approximately worth $25 dollars each and the decanter is valued at $75 dollars. Your total value in today’s market is about $250. Raise your glasses and celebrate your daughter’s good eye for treasure hunting. Q: I found this picture in the family album at my aunt’s house while we were moving her to an assisted living apartment. She told me it was my great-grandmother who worked picking fruit in the early 1900s. Do these old pictures have any value, except for family history? A: You found a wonderful piece of family history. This picture shows how the real west was

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won and how strong and hardworking our ancestors were. Many families worked in the fields up and down the coast in the early 1900s picking fruit and living in campsites. Your great-grandmother had a flair for the dramatic, draping the vines of hops around her neck. According to the dress and the hat, I think this picture was taken about 1919. There is a growing market for original photos from the early days of the West. I suggest you show your photo and donate a copy to the Oregon State Historical Society. They would be the ones who would truly appreciate the history of this lovely old photograph. Monetary value would be in the $10-$20 range, but the history this image evokes is priceless. Q: My great-uncle brought this unusual humidor back from Germany after World War I. It has been passed down in the family and now it is mine. It is really a conversation piece, but that is all I know about it. Can you help me? A: You should be proud. Veterans of all branches of the Services deserve our utmost respect. They truly earned it. Now, to the hand-carved humidor. This is a gloriously gruesome piece of tobacco memorabilia. The carving and the creativity of the carver lead me to believe this piece comes from the Black Forest area of Germany. The piece dates from about 1916-1917 and it has a good value of at least $200. Keep it away from sunlight and let the little ones in your family know the history of this unusual family treasure. Q: My grandmother left me her teacart when she passed away. I know it is not very old, but I sure love using it to serve deserts with afterdinner tea and coffee. Can you tell me anything about my teacart? A: The teacart era was re-visited in the 1950s and your teacart appears to be from that era. The condition looks wonderful. There are still quite a few to be found at estate sales and auctions. The wonderful thing about your teacart is that you use it. Now, I like chocolate cake with my coffee after dinner, so let me know when high tea or desert is to be served. The value of your teacart is about $125. Enjoy it! MSN

JUNE/JULY 2017

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 15

Related How Again? By Mark John Astolfi ©2017 On “The Andy Griffith Show,” did Barney Fife’s girlfriend Thelma Lou have a last name? Of course she did, but it was never mentioned. This is curious because many less important recurring characters, plus countless other characters who appeared just once or who never appeared but are only mentioned, did have last names. In fact, two of those one-shot characters were Thelma Lou’s cousins: Mary Grace Gossage, whom they fix up on a blind date with Gomer, and Karen Moore from Arkansas, who shows Andy a thing or two about skeet shooting. So Thelma Lou’s cousins have last names, but she doesn’t. As I said, curious. Now assuming these are first cousins, it’s possible that Thelma Lou’s last name was either Moore or Gossage. This would mean either Karen’s father or Mary Grace’s father was the brother of Thelma Lou’s father. So at the very least there’s more reason to think Thelma Lou’s last name is Moore or Gossage than say Winscowicz or Kricfalusi. One intriguing twist: Sheriff Andy Taylor has cousins with the same last names as Thelma Lou’s cousins. There’s Evan Moore, whom Andy suggests they visit in Asheville, and Ollie Gossage from Raleigh, whom Ernest T. Bass impersonates at the singles dance. Could Andy and Thelma Lou be somehow related? If they are, it must be very distant. For one thing, there is never the slightest hint on the show that they are relatives. But more importantly, Andy has a romantic interest in Karen Moore, who could be related to Andy if Thelma Lou is. For the sake of argument, suppose Thelma Lou is a Moore and is Karen Moore’s first cousin. We know Evan Moore and Andy are also first cousins. Karen and Evan could be distantly related, say fifth cousins, the great great great grandchildren of two Moore brothers. This would make both Thelma Lou and Karen Moore fifth cousins to Andy. Genetically, fifth cousins can be considered as closely related as two strangers off the street, so there would be no real impropriety in Andy’s and Karen’s getting together, although tongues will wag, especially in

the genealogy reading room. I recently read that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are third cousins. Does that mean he is somewhere in the line of succession to the British Crown? Good catch! Elizabeth and Philip are both great great grandchildren of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and as such are third cousins. The line of succession includes close to 6,000 people. It’s hard to give an exact number for Philip because as we speak babies are being born and pushing him down the list, not to mention people dying and moving him back up, but he’s somewhere around #700. Send questions and comments to relatedhowagain@gmail.com. And visit the World’s Most Fascinating Genealogy Blog at relatedhowagain.wordpress. com. MSN

Ease into Gardening with a Raised Bed By Melinda Myers Raise your garden to new heights for easier access and greater productivity. Raised beds allow you to overcome poor soil by creating the ideal growing mix, plus make gardening time more comfortable thanks to less bending and kneeling. Whether you purchase a kit or build your own, there are a few things to consider when creating a raised bed garden. Locate the garden in a sunny area if possible. Most plants require at least six hours of sun, and

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PAGE 16 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

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vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, and melons produce best with a full day of sunlight. Select a long-lasting material such as interlocking block, fieldstone, plastic lumber, or naturally long lasting wood like cedar. The material selected will influence the shape and size of your garden. Some materials allow for curved beds while others are limited to squares, rectangles, and other angular shapes. Design your raised bed to fit your space and your needs. A three- or four-feet width makes it easy to reach all parts of the garden for planting, weeding, and harvesting. Raising your planting bed at least 8 to 12 inches improves drainage and provides an adequate space for most plants to root and grow. If you want to minimize bending, go higher. Add benches to increase your gardening comfort and ease. Bonnie Plants has free downloadable plans (bonnieplants.com/library) for building a raised bed garden with benches in just one afternoon. Roughen or loosen the existing soil surface if your bed is built on compact, slow-draining soil. This will allow water readily to move from the raised bed into the soil below. Cover the bottom of the bed with newspaper or cardboard, if needed, to suffocate existing weeds and grass. Line the bottom of your raised bed with hardware cloth to reduce the risk of animals burrowing into your garden. Lay the hardware cloth over the ground and bend it up along the inside of the raised bed walls. Fill the bed with a quality growing mix that is well drained but also able to retain moisture and nutrients. This may be a mixture of quality topsoil and compost, a quality potting mix, or a

planting mix designed specifically for raised bed gardens. Grow any plants that you normally would grow in ground. Just make sure the plants are suited to the growing conditions (such as sunlight, heat, and wind) in your area. Since the soil mix and drainage are ideal in a raised garden, you will be able to grow more plants per square foot. Just be sure to leave room for plants to reach their mature size. Keep your plants healthy and productive with proper watering. This is critical for growing any garden, but even more crucial in a fast-draining raised bed. The simple act of raising the garden height increases drainage, and a raised bed filled with planting mix means more frequent watering. Consider using drip irrigation or soaker hoses for watering ease. Always water thoroughly when the top inch of soil is dry. Add some mulch to help reduce watering and the need for other garden maintenance. Spread a layer of evergreen needles, pine straw, shredded leaves, or other organic matter over the soil surface. This helps conserve moisture, suppresses weeds, and adds nutrients to the soil as it decomposes. You’ll spend less time watering and weeding throughout the season. Add an organic fertilizer at planting if your planting mix does not already contain one. Apply again mid-season if the plants need a nutrient boost. Always follow the label directions on the fertilizer container. The time and effort invested in creating raised beds will be returned many times over with years of healthy and productive gardens. Gardening expert Melinda Myers hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything: Food Gardening For Everyone” DVD set and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio segments. MSN

Grow a Bigger Garden in a Smaller Space By Melinda Myers Whether in the ground or on a balcony or deck, there’s always room to grow your own garden fresh produce and beautiful flowers. Space saving gardening techniques and products can help you increase productivity in any available space. Consider elevated gardens and planter carts that not only save space, but make gardens more accessible. Movable carts like the Demeter Mobile Planter Cart allow you to grow flowers and produce in narrow spaces, store garden accessories and move the garden into the sunlight or out of the way of guests as needed. Save more space by going vertical. Look for containers and raised garden beds with built in trellises and plant supports. Just plant your pole beans,

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peas, cucumbers, or tomatoes and attach them to the supports as they grow. Support the large fruit of squash and melons with cloth or macrame slings. Just cradle the fruit in the sling and secure it to the trellis. You’ll not only save space, but also reduce disease problems and make harvesting a breeze. Double your planting space by growing shade tolerant greens under cucumbers, growing on a cucumber or a frame trellis. Set the trellis in place and plant the greens in early spring as soon as the soil is workable. Plant your cucumbers next to the trellis as soon as the soil warms. As your cucumbers grow they shade the greens below keeping them a bit cooler and extending the harvest season. Just make sure you can reach the greens beneath the supports for planting, weeding and harvesting. Extend the growing season with a Year Round Kitchen Garden. Grow greens and herbs under lights attached to a raised bed on wheels. When the outdoor planting season arrives, remove the lights and roll your garden onto the patio or deck. Continue planting and harvesting outdoors until it is time to roll it back inside to start your indoor garden. Or top your raised bed and containers with frost protective coverings. Many have built in frames to support greenhouse covers, allowing you to plant earlier and harvest later in the season. And once the weather warms switch out the cover for an insect-protective fabric or mesh. These fabric coverings prevent insects like cabbage worms

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 17

from damaging cabbage, broccoli, and brussels sprouts and keep root maggots off radishes. Select planters that complement your landscape design and gardening style. Wood, metal, and colorful raised beds and containers add beauty, durability, and growing space. Galvanized planters, cedar raised beds, and those in eye catching colors found at Gardener’s Supply make your raised bed a beautiful focal point in the garden. Or fill your planters with tall grasses, cannas, elephant ears and other plants to create an attractive screen. Look for multi-purpose furnishings and accessories to maximize your space and enjoyment. Fire pits that become a table or bench can double as a cooler, making relaxing and entertaining in small gardens a real possibility. Or consider investing in planters with built-in hidden storage. You’ll enjoy the convenience of having your garden tools handy, yet out of sight. Use these space saving ideas to help increase the beauty, productivity, and enjoyment your garden can provide. With the right combination of growing techniques and garden accessories you, your family and guests will create beautiful memories throughout the gardening season. Melinda Myers is the author of more than 20 gardening books, including Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything: Food Gardening For Everyone” DVD set and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers’ web site is melindamyers.com. MSN

Antique Quilts Make Cozy Collectibles By Teresa Ambord There’s not much that’s cozier than a quilt. Better, still, an antique quilt handed down from prior generations of your family. If you’re fortunate enough to have such a quilt, be sure you know how to care for it in order to preserve it for your own grandchildren. Quilt Care Bugs and mold love antique quilts. If you see scattered spots on your quilt, called “foxing,” this may be from mold damage. According to Quilthistory.com, if your antique quilt looks like it has old bloodstains, chances are, these are actually the remains of dead bugs. Unfortunately, these spots are almost impossible to remove.

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Wet Washing? Quilts from the late 19th century were often made with unstable dyes; so wet washing could cause serious problems. The colors may bleed together or disappear. Be sure to test it by wiping with a damp white cloth before you do anything else. Don’t assume that because one area doesn’t bleed, the others won’t. Test each print separately. And keep in mind that even if the colors don’t bleed when tested, they might do so when saturated with water. Regardless, the fibers in an antique quilt are delicate and may be damaged, so proceed with great care. Sally Ambrose, a professional appraiser of antique quilts, suggests that you avoid dry cleaning. Unless a quilt is made of wool, dry cleaning can cause irreparable damage. Vacuuming the Dirt Away The better way to clean an antique quilt is to give it a gentle vacuuming to remove dirt and bugs. Lay the quilt out flat and use a hand held vacuum to give the quilt a thorough going over, but keep the nozzle a half-inch above the fabric. You might consider laying a thin screen over the quilt to keep from snagging any lose threads. Fresh Air Yes, Sunshine No! According to the Antiques Roadshow (AR), where quilts are concerned, “less is more.” They recommend that if your quilt is somewhat smelly but not really dirty, a good airing will help. But don’t

hang it on a clothesline. Instead, spread a sheet flat on the ground and place the quilt on top, then put another sheet over it. The sun’s rays are too hard on the fibers to let the sun hit it directly. In fact, AR recommends that you beware of sun coming through windows and hitting your quilt, whether it is on your bed or hanging on a wall. Don’t Fold! If old quilts are folded and put away for years, they can develop brown stains that probably cannot be removed. This happens when the quilt is subject to temperature changes that cause the dye to migrate. It’s better not to fold quilts at all, but if you must, AR recommends that you fold it a different way each time. Or, stuff the creases with scrunched up acid-free paper to prevent color migration and broken fibers. Before You Begin, Read On Here are some links to get more detailed instructions on cleaning or caring for your antique quilt. Whether your old quilt is a family heirloom or a prized purchase, the last thing you want to do is cause irreversible damage, so arm yourself with good advice. For more information on antique quilts visit quilthistory.com, quiltweb.com, antiquequilts.com, caroltelferantiques.on.ca, and pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow. MSN

The Row by Row Experience™ began in 2011 with 20 quilt shops across New York State. In the past six years, the event has grown to include quilt shops in Canada and 34 US states with thousands of stores now participating. With such enthusiasm from quilters across the 50 states and Canada too, 20 17 promises to be another big year! Here’s how it works: Although the quilt shops are organized by area, quilters have no borders! Travel, shop, collect patterns, and add rows to your quilt from anywhere! It’s like a shop hop, but it’s not: no fees, no cards to stamp, and all summer to play! Simply visit in per-

son any of the participating quilting shops and receive a free pattern for a row in a quilt. Combine your rows in any way to create a unique quilt that represents the fun you had traveling throughout the summer. Travel with friends, discover new quilt shops, and have fun collecting rows! Once you’ve stitched your masterpiece, enter to win prizes! You can collect rows from participating shops from June 21 to September 5, and submit quilts until October 31 for prizes. Prizes and collectibles! Create a quilt using at least eight different 20 17 rows from eight different participating RxR shops and be the first to bring it into a participating shop to win a stack of 25 fat quarters (6-1/4 yards of fabric!). Use that shop’s row in your quilt and win a bonus prize! Kids can play too! Those age 6–14 can recieve a free pattern, designed just for kids, from participating Row by Row Junior stores. Many shops are also participating in the 9th Row project. In making a donation to the Make a Wish Foundation, shops recieved an exclusive pattern. Purchase a 9th Row kit to help the local children’s charity. Each area has its own Facebook page. Like the page from the areas you visit to see pictures of the rows, shop displays, winning quilts, and fabric plate projects. Visit rowbyrowexperience.com to find quilt shops in your area or on your travel itinerary and find out where to start collecting your free patterns! MSN

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 19

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Location, Location, Re-location By Patrick M. Kennedy Some people might think I’m describing the permanent position of your cloud-like recliner in its proportionate alignment, and more importantly, its relationship and visual path to the never-never land behind the TV; as well as being geometrically positioned at the intersection of all noise being projected from the sound-system speakers. Kidding aside, this is a significant lifestyle decision when considering where you want to be in the years to come: But it is only part of the answer. Life should be more fun than living in neutral gear while sitting in your Ferrari. Others may think I’m discussing the location of a white, dimpled, little hard ball after it has jumped off a pine tree into the rough. Then, some in the entertainment industry are thinking about fascinating movie sets when I mention location, and those in commerce may suppose I’m considering a prospective customer base. Nope, none of the above: I’m talking about the placing of that recliner near a golf course, a movie theater, and a shopping mall. That is, the location of your soon-to-be domicile of leisure and relaxation from this day on. It’s almost as important as those mentioned above. When we retire, we move, or most of us do. It seems to be a law of survival of some sort: like a moth being attracted to the heat of a light bulb, or as in some disastrous cases an active flame, we tend to follow the sun. Change is not always bad; sometimes it is really only a horrifying process. But it is an essential decision that can influence your future wardrobe and the newspaper you read every day for the next 20 years or so. The historical dream is rocking in a chair on a porch while soaking in the year-round sun, wading in the surf while inhaling ocean air, or reading a book, or playing checkers or golf with the neighbor; then you’re hit it the face with a reality nine-iron. You may find you’re really soaking in the smog-filtered sun and inhaling the cut-it-witha-knife air of the industrial age; reading a book online; surfing the net and not the tides (it’s a long walk through traffic from the deck to the ocean’s

surf). And the real, real nightmare, there are no more porches; they followed the Edsel and Highway Patrol into the sunset; only decks on the side of the building. Careful thought must be put into the type of air you breathe from now on. Moving to maybe warmer weather and downsizing from a luxury level to a more comfortable level and leaving behind a lot of doodads is a hard decision. Or maybe like some citizens, just deciding not to move and staying in one of the snowbound areas of the world, which is just as appealing to some; especially those inclined to believe that snow and cold nine months out of the year are invigorating (sort of like the occasional root canal). It’s a difficult decision, almost as hard as “Less filling? – More taste?” Really, though, it is an unproven fact that most people would rather be warm than cold, unless they want to carry a carton of ice cream or a shrimp cocktail in their pocket or purse. Then there are the fence walkers, or euphemistically called, snowbirds, who chose the best of both worlds; that is, eating tacos in the winter and fish and chips in the summer. This is the copout decision between change and continuity, choosing both. Or the genuine victims of wavering (and possibly the most

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adventurous of us) choose life on the road forever in an RV; wherever they park is where they are. Seriously, on the side of marginal common sense, some things should be considered before the Big Move; so many questions should be asked: What do you want to do when you grow up? Do want to call yourself retired or semiretired? Do you want to retire at all? Do you really want to be near your irritating family and friends,

or only put up with them when you have to? Do you desire to live on Fantasy Island or Devil’s Island? Can you solve crossword puzzles while wearing a parka and muffler? Do you want to appear tan and healthy? Is it a swing dance, or a walk down the beach?

Just make lists, and check them twice; it’s easy. Or simply follow the advice of the philosopher/writer, Mark Twain, “A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.” Patrick Kennedy has recently relocated from Las Vegas to Boise, Idaho. MSN

Making a Case for Accessory Housing By Marilyn Adamo It’s 8:00 a.m. and the visiting nurse is ringing the doorbell. When she leaves at 9:00, she’ll meet either the physical therapist or the occupational therapist in the driveway. Thankfully, the aide, coming to help my mother shower, won’t be here until 1:00, giving me, the primary caregiver, three uninterrupted hours to manage the household. I love the help both my mother and I get from these people, but considering they need the kitchen, the bathroom, the laundry room, the living room, and the bedroom to do their job, their presence has me feeling displaced in my own home. Two years ago, when my husband and I built the home we intended to share with my mother we were thinking like most other baby-boomers. We wanted to downsize before retiring, and we wanted a house that provided functional ease: first floor bedrooms, a main floor laundry room, and an attached garage. At the time, I had no idea

how complex things would get if my mother fell ill. Today, I would do things differently. Rather than plan a bedroom/bathroom suite for mom, I’d have built a tiny apartment where I could care for her just as easily, yet allow both her and us some much-needed privacy. With the wisdom of hindsight, I’m now thinking anyone entering the second half of life ought to consider housing that comes with secondary living space. Sometimes called in-law set-ups, or accessory housing or auxiliary units, these are small apartments or cottages attached or adjacent to the main house for purposes of sheltering someone other than the principle owners. It could be a mother, a father-in-law, a son or daughter, a grandchild, or caretaker who lives in the space. Three sets of numbers make the case for adding accessory housing to a new home: the first is about building costs; the second concerns probabilities; third is the shocking price of alternatives. Let’s assume you anticipate building a 2000 square foot, three-bedroom home at a price of $140 per square foot. By allocating approximately 400 square feet of that space to a second unit, you can create a small apartment with minimal additional building costs. You could have your main house reduced to a two-bedroom with 1600 square feet of living space, create a studio apartment with the 40 0 square feet, add a separate entrance, and now you have an additional dwelling that offers built-in insurance for a myriad of circumstances that statistics predict you will encounter. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging,

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staggering numbers of us are already caring for persons other than ourselves. More than 25 million U.S. households are serving in family care-giving roles for persons over the age of 50, and these counts are rising rapidly. More than one of every four Americans is a caregiver for a family member or friend. And since boomers are expected to live beyond age 85, there is likely to be a time when they will require in-home care to maintain their own independence. An extra apartment can provide shelter and cost reduction for a healthcare aide down the road. The cost of alternatives like placing yourself or a loved one in an assisted living facility is high. In the United States, rent for assisted living housing averages $40 0 0 - $60 0 0 per month, a cost not covered by most long-term care insurance. Additionally, if you have an aging parent living with you who needs medical assistance, necessary financial help from Medicaid may be withheld based on your income. Not so if the elder is living in his/her own apartment. Given that homenursing costs about $25 per hour, the economic value of the accessory unit can quickly become an extraordinarily sound financial investment.

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 21

Should you find you don’t need the unit for caregiving, consider renting it to supplement retirement income, or using it for private workspace. Though most model homes won’t display an accessory unit, one can be added with little spatial sacrifice. For example, a model patio-home that already has a first floor master suite can easily have that suite modified to include a small kitchen/living area, and private entry. A garage with what is often called “bonus space” can be as easily converted to a studio. A private lot can have a small cottage built in the yard. In some parts of the country, pre-fabricated cottages are sold for this purpose. If enough builders are asked for accessory units, future communities will find them already built into the model. Recognizing that boomers are the fastest growing segment of the home building market, and that longevity often comes with a caretaking component, we can help future generations and ourselves by creating housing that really works. MSN

Moving Services To Help Get You Into That New Home Or Condo By Patricia M Johnson Yes, TLC – tender loving care – actually exists! There are many movers across the nation that are getting hugs from their clients. Their clients are seniors and many are... well, older than I am! I’ve talked with several who provide outstanding services as part of a moving package and some just know that individual touches calm those with mover’s anxiety! Moving can be stressful as one usually has a lifetime of personal belongings that need to be sorted through. If you are downsizing, you’re bound to experience a loss of what has given you security for many years. Packing, tossing, and sorting items are both physical and emotional challenges. Finding a space to hold new items is equally challenging. Space must work for you more than ever because smaller homes have less storage space. You really don’t want to store too many items any longer. Life is to be lived – the less clutter and storage, the better organized you’ll feel. Don’t put off relocating too long. The longer you wait, the older you get – and the sooner you move to a new home the sooner you’ll have something more accessible, less cluttered, and easy to clean. When a spouse passes, you realize you may have waited too long and you now have a grieving process to go through as well. There are several relocation services today, many offered by real estate firms specializing in senior clients. In my survey of over 50 relocation

businesses, here’s what they may offer to make your life easier in a move. Moving Assistance from Start to Finish 1. Some relocation experts will work hand in hand with you sorting and clearing out household clutter. They’ll organize items to keep, donate, or discard. Each day they’ll help alleviate anxiety by removing items to donate, tossing out old unwanted things, and sealing the boxes with items to keep. 2. They can help spruce up the home for sale after clearing out the clutter. Minor paint touch-ups and general cleaning can be all that’s required. 3. Most senior relocation services coordi-

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nate moving day. They make all the arrangements with a mover, whether it’s a block away or across the country. Some will arrange for another service to take over at your new home, even if it’s thousands of miles away. They’ll unpack moving boxes and help get you settled into the new home. 4. For those who do not have family or do not wish to be involved with having them help, firms such as these are a good decision. Sometimes children have different ideas of what will give their aging parents comfort; a trained expert understands that photos and mementos are very important. 5. A good moving service will even help you shop for new furniture and have been known to arrange the decorations to match the rooms of your former home if you like. Many unpack, hang pictures, and arrange accessories, including placing books onto bookshelves. 6. Many of these moving specialists are middle-aged women, who are on their second or third careers. Their backgrounds are varied – interior design, real estate, nursing, gerontology, psychology, or social work. And I’ve been told that many even give you a hug. After all, you get to know each other pretty well after this experience. You’re sharing a lifetime of memories, not just moving “stuff.” 7. Lucky you if your specialist has interior design capabilities. She can develop a floor plan of your new home and have it ready for the movers to place your furniture in each room. You’re ready to move in the same day! Some will grocery shop, put away your products, transfer phone service, cable TV, and other utilities. How about Rover? They will arrange for pets, plants, and other special needs. Their goal is to give you peace of mind, comfort, and trust in this very personal move. The fees and contracts vary among senior relocation/moving managers. The more you need assistance with, the more it is going to cost you. But, consider what the cost would be to try to do it all yourself – especially if you have a health problem. Or consider what peace of mind it will give to you! How to Find a Relocation Firm: • Contact National Association of Senior Move Managers at nasmm.com. • Call local moving companies for their senior relocation division. • Call local realtors to investigate the senior relocation services they provide or companies with whom they contract for senior relocation. MSN

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By Jim Miller For people who do not use their cellphone very often but still want one for emergencies or occasional use, there are a many super-cheap plans available, or depending on your income level, you may qualify for a free cellphone. Here is where to find some of the best deals. Super Cheap Plans. For light/infrequent cellphone users, “prepaid” or “pay as you go” plans can save money. With these services, you buy a certain amount of minutes (for talk or text) that must be used within a specified period of time. While many cellphone providers still offer these lower cost plans, the very best/cheapest James Day, Realtor® deal available today is through T-Mobile’s pay 406-544-2309 as you go plan (T-Mobile.com, 800-501-0952). jimday@inkmt.com For just $3 per month, this plan provides any combination of 30 minutes of talk or 30 text messages. If you want more, you can pay an additional 10 cents per minute/message when you sign up, or you can make adjustments later. You also do not have to worry about overage charges with this plan, because once you reach your talk/text limit for the month, the phone stops working. And, if you have a compatible device, you will not need to purchase a new cell phone. If you’re looking for a little more talk time or text messages, another low-cost option is Pure Talk USA (PureTalkUSA.com, 877-820 -7873), which offers a Senior AddVantage 80 Plan. This plan provides any combination of 80 minutes of talk or 240 text messages for only $5 per month. Pure Talk also accepts unlocked phones and they do not have overage fees. Easy-to-use Cellphone. If you would rather have a phone with a large keypad and simplified features, and an “SOS” emergency alert button, the Doro PhoneEasy 626 sold through Consumer Cellular (ConsumerCellular.com, 888-532-5366) is the best, low-cost option. It runs $50 for the phone, with calling plans that start at $10 per month. Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 730 70 , or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book. MSN

MontanaSeniorNews.com

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 23

TROUT CREEK MONTANA

I Got Rhythm by The Happenings – June 1967 By Randall Hill George and Ira Gershwin’s iconic I Got Rhythm came from the 1930 musical Girl Crazy, which saw Ethel Merman make her Broadway debut and Ginger Rogers become a star. Three versions of the song soon ran up the hit record charts. Fast-forward to 1967. The popular music world is often defined by psychedelic experimentation, drugs, long hair, and funky outfits. Enter a vocal group of four clean-cut, short-haired, suit-wearing New Jersey guys looking more Wall Street than Woodstock. They say they want to record older songs – some from as far back as the 1920 s and 1930 s – in the hope of achieving success alongside the Doors, Jimi Hendrix, and Jefferson Airplane. Hmmn. Well, good luck, guys. For the Happenings, this offbeat approach landed them on Billboard’s Hot 10 0 nine times from 1966 to 1969. The cocky quartet liked to take oldies and add their own spin – rich, tight vocal harmonies wrapped around upbeat tempos, elaborate orchestration defining each punched-up remake, and the strong, confident tenor/falsetto of Bob Miranda out front. Somehow, this worked. “We all came from Paterson, New Jersey,” Miranda explained on classicbands.com. “We met one night at a dance in East Paterson. We actually met in the men’s room, ‘cause that’s where all the singers were. The echo. We sounded pretty darned good, so we decided to get together.” They became the Four Graduates and for a couple of years sang in Catskills resorts (“for peanuts”) to gain exposure and experience. Miranda later became a $25-a-week songwriter in the music-publishing office of the Tokens, former singers who had hit Number One with The Lion Sleeps Tonight years earlier. When the Tokens started a record label called B. T. Puppy,

they cast about for talent. Miranda brought in his other three Graduates and auditioned. “They loved us!” he said later. The Four Graduates morphed into the more modern-sounding Happenings and were soon on their way to AM radio stardom. For the group, choosing to record the jazz standard I Got Rhythm probably struck many in the music business as being odd at best or, at worst, just plain crazy. But the New Jersey crew firmly believed they were on the right track. For their remake, Bob Miranda composed a brief introduction: In this vast and troubled world, we sometimes lose our way But I am never lost; I feel this way because… Once the Happenings’ version kicked into high gear moments later, the listener was hopelessly hooked. “I Got Rhythm was a natural for us,” Miranda explained. “There was so much space in the song for us to put these unique vocal hooks… We just knew when we played it back that it was a hit. It just sounded so natural, and everything seemed to be there.” And it was. The original tune was, of course, unfamiliar to most Happenings fans. When Bob Miranda was asked who wrote the song and he would answer that it was George Gershwin, the response was sometimes, “Oh, is he in the group?” Bibliography: Books: Cresswell, Toby. 10 0 1 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time. New York: Thunder’s Mouth Press, 2005. Internet: allmusic.com, classicbands.com, en.wikipedia.org, songfacts.com, thehappenings. com. Printouts: Happenings, I Got Rhythm (song); Rentner, Simon. Evolution of a Song: I Got Rhythm. NPR, Feb. 9, 2011. MSN

Comic Capers By Bill Vossler As a kid, the week of July 4 was no different for me than earlier weeks. Even in snow, once a week I rattled my bike three blocks up to Wiest Drug Store. The store was filled with exotic figurines on glass shelves, alien scents swirling in the air… and a magazine rack. I dallied by the figurines, picking up and examining one or two, causing Eugene Wiest to frown, because some were expensive. If I dropped one, who would pay for it? I filed through the record albums, edging toward the magazine rack, keeping a wary eye on Eugene behind the pharmacist’s counter. Though we both knew what I was up to each time, we continued the charade. When he turned his back to work on a prescription, I grabbed a couple of comics and dropped

onto the floor, behind the book rack, out of sight, and sighing with satisfaction, sat there crosslegged, and started reading. Superman battling Lex Luthor, crime, and deadly kryptonite; the Justice League of America tackling foes; The Lone Ranger and Tonto; and the dynamic duo of Batman and Robin fighting fiends. In a willing suspension of disbelief, I lost myself in the fantastic stories while faint footfalls of customers trod around me. Occasionally Eugene might angle to observe me from behind the counter, eyeing me with a sad look. During that era, pretty much everybody believed they were poor, and our family, my single mother with three active boys, was no exception.

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Sometimes Eugene bore down on other comicreading youngsters: “Long enough!” Or “This isn’t a library, you know!” But he never admonished me. Sometimes he gave me stacks of coverless comic books, and for years, I didn’t think about the incongruity. Lost in the dream worlds created by those pages, my imagination started to soar, and I began writing my own stories. Twenty years later, I owned a store, Books ‘N Things. I was waiting on a customer at the back of the shop when the bell above the door tinkled. A moment later a middle-aged man stood at the magazine rack, his back to me, sifting through magazines, then comics. His posture and gray head reminded me of someone. But who? I shrugged. “A grandpa buying comics for his grandkids,” I thought. “How nice.” He selected one, opened the cover, and to my astonishment, sat down on the floor cross-legged, and began reading, occasionally rattling the pages. My jaw dropped. What mature adult would do such a thing? I rang up the other customer‘s books, continuing to FLEX 4 PASS $85 glance at the man out of the side of my eye,

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and when the door clicked shut on my buyer, the comic reader turned his gray head, and with eyes alight said, “Remember when you used to do this in my store?” “Eugene!” I said. A couple entered just then, and eyed him dubiously, edging around him, but Eugene stayed on the floor reading comic books. When we were alone once more he heaved himself up and we shook hands. He held my hand for a long time as we reminisced about the old days, smiling and chuckling. He glanced at his watch, and said it was time to go. “We’re proud of you, Billy,” he said. “You’ve done well.” I fought tears as he disappeared out the door. Seconds later he poked his head back in, pointed at the comics, and said, “Now we’re even.” Even? Hardly, Eugene. Hardly. A Life section columnist for the St. Cloud Times, Bill Vossler produces four daily Facebook photos, as well as discussing gondola rides, or foggy trees. One of the Writer-in-Residence’s ebooks is Polishing Your Prose: How to Write Better, along with 15 others. MSN

It Is Curtain Time Across Montana This Summer

The Bigfork Summer Playhouse will celebrate its 58th Season of live professional theatre thru September 10, 2017 with exciting productions of The Marvelous Wonderettes, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Mamma Mia!, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and The Drowsy Chaperone, followed by a late summer show, Hits From the 50s, 60s, and 70s. The theatre is located at 526 Electric Avenue in Bigfork. Visit bigforksummerplayhouse.com or call 406-837-4886 for more information. For over 60 years, friends and strangers have gathered through Billings Studio Theatre, a volunteer-based community theatre located at 1500 Rimrock Road. Productions this summer include Ruthless! the Musical in June and Lion King Jr. in July. Visit billingsstudiotheatre.com or call 406248-1141 for more information. Once Upon A Mattress runs from July 14-30 at Bozeman’s historic The Ellen Theatre, 17 West Main Street. Since its renovation, The Ellen has presented not just live theatre but a variety of programs, including: comic Paula Poundstone, New York’s The Acting Company, music legends Arlo Guthrie and Judy Collins, The Paul Taylor Dance Company, Ed Asner performing a one-man-show as FDR, and classic movies. Visit theellentheatre.com or call 406-585-5885 for more information. Considered the Jewel of the Prairie, the Fort Peck Theatre will celebrate its 47th season of professional theater thru September 4, 2017 with Arsenic & Old Lace, Lionel Bart’s Oliver, Million Dollar Quartet, Grease,

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and Souvenir. The theatre is located at 201 Missouri Avenue in Fort Peck. Visit fortpecktheatre. org or call 406-228-9216 for more information. In the Bitterroot, the Hamilton Players at 100 Rickets Road will present She Loves Me, Enchanted April, and All the World’s a Stage through September 16, 2017. Visit hamiltonplayers.com or call 406-375-9050 for more information. High on the Hi-Line in Havre you will find the Montana Actors Theater at the MSU-Northern Theater presenting the remainder of its 20 1620 17 season with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee July 27-29 and August 3-5. Visit mtactors.com for more information. “It’s hard to imagine community theater could get any better than this!” says the Independent Record about Helena’s Grandstreet Theatre at 325 North Park. Upcoming productions include Getting to Know...Once Upon a Mattress, Buyer & Cellar, Tarzan, Cry Baby, Fun Home, and Baskerville: a Sherlock Holmes Mystery through October 29, 2017. Visit grandstreettheatre.com or call 406-447-1574 for more information. For over four decades the Blue Slipper Theater has been entertaining Livingston area audiences with delightful live theater. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, Blue Slipper will be presenting Harvey June 21-July 9, Baskerville August 25-September 10, and The Woolgatherers October 27-November 12. Visit blueslipper.com or call 406-222-7720 for more information

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 25

The 1891 Opera House Theatre in downtown Philipsburg at 140 South Sansome St. is recognized as the oldest continually operating theatre in Montana! The 2017 season runs from June 22 to August 27 and will feature Vaudeville Variety Show, The Tin Woman, and Getting Sara Married. Visit operahousetheatre.com or call 406859-0013 for more information. The Port Polson Players celebrates its 42nd summer theatre season with music and comedy at the beautiful 1938 John Dowdall log theatre at Port Polson Golf Course on Flathead Lake, 111 Bayview Drive. The 20 17 season through August 27, 2017 includes Guys on Ice, Murder at Howard Johnson’s, Pump Boys and Dinettes, and Death by Golf. Visit portpolsonplayers.com or call 406-883-9212 for show dates, curtain times, and ticket information. In the West Yellowstone area, take in live productions at the Playmill Theatre at 29 Madison Ave, which will present The Little Mermaid, Singing in the Rain, and Peter and the Starcatcher through August 2017. Visit playmill.com or call 406-646-7757 for more information. With more than 75 performances scheduled, the 45th season of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks will present Macbeth and You Never Can Tell through September 5, 2017 in every corner of Montana – 61 cities! Visit shakespeareintheparks. org or call 406-994-3303 for the touring schedule and more information.

Since 1948, the Virginia City Players Theatre Company has been performing authentic 19th century melodramas and a varied, vigorous, vagary of vivacious vaudeville variety acts in the Virginia City Opera House located at 338 W. Wallace St. in one of the best-preserved Old West towns in the country. Productions include Sweeney Todd, Robin Hood, and Murder Before Tea through September 3, 2017. Visit virginiaciMT Senior News Ad 2017:Layout 1 4/7/17 1:14 PM typlayers.com or call 800-829-2969. MSN THE ARTS COUNCIL OF BIG SKY PRESENTS THE SEVENTH ANNUAL

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AUG. 13 | Bill Engvall with Special Guest

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Museum of Idaho To Feature Astronomical Exhibit Space: A Journey to our Future The Museum of Idaho will be hosting the NASA inspired exhibit Space: A Journey to our Future, June 23 – November 25, 2017. The greatest adventure in the history of humankind is now your once-in-a-lifetime adventure! This enthralling, totally immersive exhibit takes you from the dawn of man’s earliest visions of space exploration to the heroic achievements of the past. Explore the unfolding discoveries of today and the frontiers of the universe that lie ahead. Space: A Journey to our Future uses the most advanced interactive exhibits, state-of-the-art projection, and audio technology to bring this epic experience to life. Guests will be invited to touch actual meteorites from the Moon and Mars and to take a spin on a human powered centrifuge that produces a force of 2G. Step into the 360-degree theatre and look far

into the future of space exploration, then check your weight on both Mars and the Moon. Discover the nature of light by looking through different telescopes and step in front of an infrared camera to see the variations in your body’s temperature by the colors on the screen. Increase your knowledge of the fleet of starships exploring our solar system, and test your hand at designing a mars base camp. Space: A Journey to our Future is one of the largest, most spectacular exhibits on space exploration ever to tour. It will delight and expand the minds of everyone who has ever gazed at the stars and wondered what mysteries lie in the Universe. Do not miss this unique opportunity to experience our Solar System and the technology that will be used to explore the next frontier! For additional information, visit museumofidaho.org or call (208) 522-1400. MSN

Respect: Aretha Franklin, May 1967 It’s funny how one throwaway line of conversation can prove to be important later. One day in 1965, when Otis Redding returned from a particularly grueling tour, he complained to his pal, drummer Al Jackson, of the exhaustion he felt. In Behind the Hits, Jackson recalled, “I said to Otis, ‘All you can look for is a little respect when you come home.’ He wrote the tune from our conversation. We laughed about it quite a few times. In fact, Otis laughed about it all the way to the bank.” Redding created “Respect” in a single day. He had promised the song to “Speedoo” Sims, his road manager and leader of a soul group called the Singing Demons. In the studio, though, Sims’s band couldn’t fully capture the gritty feel that Otis had in mind, so Redding decided to record the song himself. It proved to be a good career move. His “Respect” reached Number Four on the 1965 Billboard R & B charts and even made Billboard’s Top Forty pop, or white, singles list. Two years later, Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler felt that a redone “Respect” by the label’s rising star, gospel singer Aretha Franklin, had the potential to break big with a white audience as well as a black one. Aretha enthusiastically agreed and cut her version on Valentine’s Day of 1967. Just before the tape rolled, she and her sisters Erma and Carolyn made a few changes. Aretha and Carolyn suggested adding the “Sock it to me” line, a future catch phrase on TV’s legend-

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ary Laugh In show. Carolyn alone came up with the idea of spelling out “RESPECT” in the song. Aretha had come to Atlantic after a six year stint at Columbia Records. An eighteen year old high school dropout with two out of wedlock sons, Aretha had signed with Columbia in 1960 . She saw only middling success there with mainstream pop before the switch to Atlantic put her on the right commercial track. “We were [recording] Aretha in gospel and blues tradition, unlike the elegant production things she had been doing at Columbia,” Atlantic recording engineer Tom Down explained in The Billboard Book of Number One Hits. Some major differences are readily apparent in the two versions of “Respect.” Redding’s song is a plea from a man almost begging for appreciation when he comes home. But Aretha, banging out gospel chords on a piano, makes her “Respect” an

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In Every Corner of Montana There is Something Fun to See and Do Summer is almost here, and now is the time to fill up your calendar with entertaining, fun, and educational events that the coming months promise. There are definitely too many fairs, rodeos, festivals, art shows, car shows, benefits, concerts, star-gazings, parades, music events, wine tastings, and sporting events for us to list them all here. Nevertheless, we have provided a sampling of fun things that may pique your interests, and with a little searching on the web, you can fill in the gaps. To start, we would suggest readers contact visitmt.com; visitbillings.com; discoverkalispell. Dates Jun–> Jun–Aug Jun–Oct Jun–Oct Jun–Oct Jun–Oct Jun 1 Jun 2 Jun 3 Jun 3 Jun 3 Jun 4 Jun 9 Jun 9 Jun 9 Jun 9 Jun 9 Jun 9 Jun 10–> Jun 10 Jun 10 Jun 10 Jun 10 Jun 14 Jun 15 Jun 16 Jun 16 Jun 16 Jun 16 Jun 16 Jun 17 Jun 17 Jun 17 Jun 18 Jun 20 Jun 23 Jun 23 Jun 23 Jun 23 Jun 23 Jun 23

City Helena Billings Charlo Missoula Missoula Missoula Ekalaka Hankinson, ND Glasgow Great Falls Malta Plentywood Billings Culbertson Helena Hot Springs Hot Springs Poplar Lewistown Billings Hot Springs Kalispell Lewistown Havre Helena Deer Lodge Frazer Hamilton Polson Wolf Point Billings Fort Peck Wolf Point Hot Springs Billings Deer Lodge Fort Benton Hardin Hot Springs Idaho Falls Livingston

com; glaciermt.com; visitbigskymt.com; centralmontana.com; virginiacity.com; southeastmontana.com; southwestmt.com; and visityellowstonecountry.com. These are just a few of the regional and community resources that you can consult in order to make this a most memorable summer 2017! Many of the events listed run on multiple days, but we have listed just the first day of the event. Please call the listed phone number or visit the website for more details. Most of all enjoy your summer!

Event Community Walks Art In Action Ninepipes Museum Artists Saturday Farmer’s Market Out to Lunch Downtown Tonight Geological Society Meet 4th Annual Polka Fest Bike Camp Event Pet-A-Palooza Car Show, Dino Days Big Muddy Rally Studio Theatre: Ruthless! Frontier Days & Reunion Once Upon a Mattress Ocelet Wizard Homesteader Days Wild West Days Charlie Russel Chew Choo Strawberry Festval Andrea Harsell Vets Appreciation Day BBQ Charlie Russell Chew Choo Sounds of the Square Theatre: Buyer & Cellar Territorial Days Red Bottom Celebration She Loves Me Guys on Ice Poker Run & Car Show Jack Gladstone: Blackfeet Longest Dam Race Brewfest Fathers’ Day Dinner Paul Simon Concert Collector’s Gun Show Summer Celebration Little Big Horn Days Pamela Van Kirk Folk Space: A Journey to Future Blue Slipper: Harvey

Phone 406-442-6255 406-256-6804 406-664-3435 406-274-3042 406-543-4238 406-543-4238 406-775-6886 701-899-3087 406-228-2222 406-454-2276 406-654-1776 406-765-8500 406-248-1141 406-787-5271 406-447-1574 406-741-2361 406-741-2361 406-768-3916 406-535-5436 406-459-2454 406-741-2361 406-756-7304 406-535-5436 406-265-4383 406-447-1574 406-846-3111 406-768-2300 406-375-9050 406-883-9212 406-653-2012 406-256-6804 406-228-2222 406-653-2012 406-741-2361 406-256-2400 406-846-3111 406-750-2918 406-665-1672 406-741-2361 208-522-1400 406-222-7720

Web Address treadlightlyhelena.com artmuseum.org ninepipesmuseum.org missoulafarmersmarket.com missouladowntown.com missouladowntown.com cartercountrymuseum.org hankinsonnd.com glasgowchamber.net greatfallsmt.netanimalshelter maltachamber.com sheridancountychamber.org billingsstudiotheatre.com culbertsonmt.com grandstreettheatre.com symeshotsprings.com symeshotsprings.com montanadinnertrain.com billingsdowntown.com symeshotsprings.com veteransfoodpantry.com enjoylewistown.com havrechamber.com grandstreettheatre.com pcmaf.org fortpecktribes.org hamiltonplayers.com portpolsonplayers.com wolfpointchamber.com artmuseum.org glasgowchamber.net wolfpointchamber.com symeshotsprings.com metrapark.com pcmaf.org fortbenton.com hardinchamber.com symeshotsprings.com museumofidaho.org blueslipper.com

empowered declaration from a woman both steel strong and supremely confident. Never one to plead, she demands the proper respect, which she calls her “propers,” that she feels is her due as a partner, a friend, a woman. Franklin’s disc reached Number One on both the R & B and pop charts, and her appeal for dignity became a landmark for both the Women’s Rights and Civil Rights movements. “Respect” also fetched two Grammy Awards. The ultimate respect Aretha earned? Two decades later, the Queen of Soul deservedly became the first woman to be inducted into the prestigious Rock Hall of Fame. Bibliography: Bronson, Fred. The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (Third Edition). New York: Billboard Books/Watson-Guptill Publications, 1992. The Dowd quote is from page 225. Cresswell, Toby. 1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time. New York: Thunder’s Mouth Press, 2005. Franklin, Aretha and David Ritz. Aretha: From These Roots. New York: Villard Books/Random House, 1999. Marsh, Dave. The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 10 0 1 Greatest Singles Ever Made. New York: Penguin Books, 1989. Wenner, Jann S. (Editor). Rolling Stone 50 0 Greatest Songs of All Time (Special Collectors Edition). No publication information/2010. Wexler, Jerry. Rhythm and the Blues: A Life in American Music. New York: Knopf, 1993. en.wikipedia. Printouts: Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Respect (song) songfacts.com. MSN

On DVD: Skyfall – Outstanding James Bond By Mark Fee Skyfall is easily one of the best of the Bond films. From beginning to end, the film is a high-octane thriller with an intelligent, cinematic adrenaline rush and extreme polish. Despite some derivative scenes, the film is hypnotic and has a savage kick. Director Sam Mendes’s film runs rings around most Bond films of the decade. This time MI-16 is bombed in London. A terrorist hacks into the British Secret Service database. Bond is called to protect M (Judi Dench), who is extremely vulnerable. Ralph Fiennes (Schindler’s List, 1992) plays M’s new boss, Gareth-Mallory calls M’s character into question – even her ability to lead. Bond journeys to Macao, to find the unknown assassin. Pretty Naomi Harris plays Bond’s watchful copartner, Eve, and Javier Barden plays the terrorist, Silva. Lethally seductive, Bernice Marlohe leads Bond to Silva, a former British agent, who feels betrayed by his government and former superior, M. In his role as Silva, Barden is deliciously malicious – like Bond, a force of nature. He tracks M and Bond to Bond’s family home in Scotland, Skyfall, to eliminate them. Acting icon, Albert Finney (Murder on the Orient Express, 1974; Tom Jones, 1963) plays the groundskeeper of Skyfall, Kincade who

JUNE/JULY 2017

joins Bond and M in the final shootout with Silva and his band of terrorists My Dad took me to my first Bond film and probably the best, Goldfinger (1964). Like Goldfinger and other classic Bond films (You Only Live Twice, 1967; Spy Who Loved Me, 1977), Skyfall is awash in action, gadgetry, and stunning photography. Neil Purvis’ and Robert Wades’ screenplay is razor sharp, and Daniel Craig is ruthlessly efficient as Bond. I will always miss Sean Connery’s dry, clever humor as the original Bond (1963-71; 1983) – both brutal and sardonic. Craig’s Bond never changes, giving him a somewhat mechanical, unflinching persona. Roger Moore (1973-85) was the most urbane and sophisticated Bond. He was supposed to be more like the Bond, Ian Fleming had in mind for the cinema. Moore became bored with Bond and his age began to show. He was 60 when he made his last Bond film, A View to a Kill (1985). Other Bonds over the years included Timothy Dalton, a Shakespearean actor. He never adjusted to Bond (1987-89). George Lazenby was a model before he became Bond (1969), and his acting was stilted. Pierce Brosnan (1995-2002) was superb as Bond. Woody Allen, of all people, played Jimmy Bond Jr. in the inane and ludicrous Bond farce, Casino Royale (1967). The Bond series keeps rolling, and Skyfall is one of the best and a rollercoaster ride of thrills and excitement you’re sure to enjoy. Rated PG-13 3.5 stars. MSN

Navy’s Blue Angels To Perform In Nearby Idaho Falls

Russell Johnson It takes a lot to tickle the fancy of a Montana resident. With an abundance of natural resources, a western lifestyle and a famous Big Sky canopy to stare at – most other things seem a bit passé. But even a Montanan might admit to getting goosebumps at the sights and sounds of naval jets soaring above in perfect formation. This summer, your neighbors in eastern Idaho, will be hosting the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration team. We’d like to invite you to this thrilling aerial event. As board chair of Idaho Falls Air Show, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, I’m excited to invite you to this year’s Extreme Blue Thunder Air Show. This event is going to be outstanding, and with current ticket prices below the national average for a comparable show of this caliber, making a purchase now will guarantee the best price. To be awarded an air show of this magnitude is a rare feat for a region of our size, but the military and private stunt pilots alike have always been impressed by the support and attendance our city generates every time they take to the east Idaho skies. This summer, Montana communities from Baker to Big Sky will have the chance to witness some of the Navy’s best pilots flying six impeccable F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets. Every year, the Blue Angels perform at 35 different venues in front of millions of spectators. Most communities wait seven to 10 years to be awarded this type of air show. That makes this summer’s event the closest Blue Angels performance for at least the next two years. Idaho Falls is also one of only 12 cities in North America to be awarded an Air Force F-35 Heritage Flight. The F-35 is the military’s latest stealth attack fighter, and its capabilities are unmatched. Add in a physics-defying performance by Utah stunt pilot Brad Wursten, and at least six additional aerial routines, and the thrilling two-day air show July 2223 at Idaho Falls Regional Airport will undoubtedly be something to talk about. For months, a dedicated group of volunteers, corporate sponsors, and city officials has worked day and night to prepare for this event. We are so excited to bring you this spectacular show. And in the words of the famous Blue Angels, Smoke On! Russell Johnson is board chairman of the Idaho Falls Air Show, Inc. Tickets to the airshow can be purchased at the gate or at idahofallsairshow. com. MSN

Jun 24 Hot Springs Black Mountain Band 406-741-2361 Jun 24 Lewistown Charlie Russell Chew Choo 406-535-5436 Jun 24 Scobey Pioneer Days/Antique Show 406-487-5965 Jun 30 Hot Springs Wayo & Keiku: Originals 406-741-2361 Jul–>Sep Missoula Tuesday Farmers’ Market 406-274-3042 Jul 1 Cardston, AB McLaughlin Carriage Display 403-653-5139 Jul 1 Charlo Artist David Dragonfly 406-664-3435 Jul 1 Hot Springs Euphonium Spaceship: Folk 406-741-2361 Jul 1 Lewistown Charlie Russell Chew Choo 406-535-5436 Jul 2 Hinsdale Rodeo & Street Dance 406-228-2222 Jul 4 Hot Springs BBQ - Live Fireworks 406-741-2361 Jul 5 Polson Murder at Howard Johnson’s 406-883-9212 Jul 6 Fort Peck Governor’s Cup Walleyes 406-228-2222 Billings Summerfair 40 6-256-680 4 Jul 7 Jul 7 Helena Tarzan 40 6-447-1574 Jul 7 Hot Springs Shiloh Rising: Acoustic Folk 406-741-2361 Jul 7 Whitefish Whitefish Arts Festival 406-862-5875 Jul 8 Havre Havre Farmers Market 406-265-4383 Jul 8 Charlo 2nd Annual Cultural Arts Fair 406-664-3435 Jul 8 Hot Springs John Kelley: Blues 406-741-2361 Jul 8 Red Lodge Art in the Beartooths 406-446-1370 Jul 8 Sidney Sunrise Festival of the Arts 406-433-1916 Jul 14 Hot Springs Wayo & Keiku: Originals 406-741-2361 Jul 15 Helena Chalk Up Helena 406-447-8493 Jul 15 Hot Springs Mark Chase: Americana 406-741-2361 Jul 15 Lewistown Charlie Russell Chew Choo 406-535-5436 Jul 19 Havre Great Northern Fair 406-265-7121 Jul 20 Polson Pump Boys and Dinettes 406-883-9212 Jul 21 Anaconda Art in the Park 406-563-2422 Jul 21 Hot Springs Kevin Ray 406-741-2361 Jul 22 Hamilton Bitterroot Brew Fest 406-363-2400 Jul 22 Hot Springs Out on Bail: Rock 406-741-2361 Jul 22 Idaho Falls Blue Thunder Airshow 208-983-7701 Jul 22 Lewistown Charlie Russell Chew Choo 406-535-5436 Jul 23 Livingston Harvey 40 6-222-7720 Jul 26 Helena Last Chance Stampede 406-457-8516 Jul 26 Livingston Park County Fair 406-222-4185 Jul 27 Plentywood Sheridan County Fair 406-765-8500 Jul 28 Great Falls Montana State Fair 406-727-8900 Jul 28 Hot Springs Hot Springs Blues Festival 406-741-2361 Jul 29 Ekalaka Dino & Fossil Shindig 406-775-6886 Jul 29 Hamilton Bitter Root Brew Fest 406-363-2400 Jul 30 Ekalaka Fossil Field Expedition 406-775-6886 Jul 30 Scobey Daniels County Fair/Rodeo 406-487-2061 Aug 1 Livingston International Fly Fishing 406-222-9369 Aug 3 Helena Cry Baby 406-447-1574 Aug 4 Billings Art Walk & at the YAM 406-256-6804 Aug 5 Charlo Edgar S. Paxson Day 406-664-3435 Aug 5 Lewistown Charlie Russell Chew Choo 406-535-5436 Aug 10 Polson Death By Golf 406-883-9212 Aug 11 Big Sky Classical Music Festival 406-995-2742 Aug 11 Billings Montana Fair 800-366-8538 Aug 11 Trout Creek Huckleberry Festival 406-827-3227 Aug 12 Polson Aber Day Reunion Concert 406-544-2478 Aug 17 Lewistown MT Cowboy Poetry 406-538-4575 Aug 18 Cardston, AB Minature Horse World 403-653-5139

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 29 symeshotsprings.com enjoylewistown.com scobeymt.com symeshotsprings.com missoulafarmersmarket.com remingtoncarriagemuseum.com ninepipesmuseum.org symeshotsprings.com enjoylewistown.com glasgowchamber.net symeshotsprings.com portpolsonplayers.com glasgowchamber.net artmuseum.org grandstreettheatre.com symeshotsprings.com whitefishartsfestival.org havrechamber.com ninepipesmuseum.org symeshotsprings.com carboncountydepotgallery.org sidneymt.com symeshotsprings.com helenapublicarts.com symeshotsprings.com enjoylewistown.com greatnorthernfair.net portpolsonplayers.com facebook.comcoppervillagemuseum andartcenter symeshotsprings.com bitterrootchamber.com symeshotsprings.com idahofallairshow.com enjoylewistown.com blueslipper.com lastchancestampede.com parkcounty.org sheridancountychamber.org goexpopark.com symeshotsprings.com cartercountrymuseum.org bvchamber.com cartercountrymuseum.org scobeymt.com fedflyfishers.org grandstreettheatre.com artmuseum.org ninepipesmuseum.org enjoylewistown.com portpolsonplayers.com bigskyarts.org montanafair.com huckleberryfestival.com grizalum.com montanacowboypoetry gathering.com remingtoncarriagemuseum.

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Fifty Years Ago – Penny Lane by the Beatles, March 1967 By Randal Hill In November 1966, the Beatles met at London’s Abbey Road Studios to begin work on an untitled album about their Liverpool childhoods. The first two songs recorded were Paul’s Penny Lane and John’s Strawberry Fields Forever. However, when producer George Martin – under pressure from the band’s record label – released both tunes as the Beatles’ next single, the album concept was scrapped. The band’s recordings – now featuring mind-bending, drug-fueled experimentation – continued but without a focus. Penny Lane was named for an infamous Liverpool slave trader named James Penny. The area (not one particular street) was an ordinary – some would say dull – suburban Liverpool district where young John Lennon had once lived with his mother and often-absent father. John eventually moved to the upscale Woolton neighborhood nearby to live with his aunt and uncle. The Penny Lane roundabout (bus shelter) was where Paul often changed coaches on his route from his Allerton suburb home to downtown

Liverpool. Later, he and John would sometimes meet in Penny Lane on their way downtown or to a music gig. Paul brought the area to life with snapshot-like images that could have been gleaned from a children’s picture book. Penny Lane recalled the places of his and Lennon’s youths, which we visualize through McCartney’s vivid memory and imagination in some now-familiar scenes. There’s the barbershop (with photos of hair styles but not, as Paul wrote, those of actual customers), a nurse volunteer selling Armistice Day poppies, the fire station, the bank. McCartney wrote the song in two-hour bursts on a small upright piano he had painted in a rainbow of psychedelic colors. Some of his more bizarre Penny Lane scenes – children laughing at a coatless banker in the rain, a fireman with an hourglass and the queen’s portrait in his pocket – are fictionalized in surreal terms so Paul could incorporate some thentrendy psychedelic images. McCartney elaborated in The Billboard Book of Number One Hits saying, “It’s part fact, part nostalgia for a place which is a great place, blue suburban skies as we remember it, and it’s still there.” The lyrics weren’t entirely his. “John came over and helped me with the third verse, as was often the case,” McCartney admitted in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. “We were writing recently faded memories from eight or ten years before.” Today Penny Lane is a popular Liverpool tourist destination with few changes having being made since the 1960s except for the street signs. So many were stolen after the song became a worldwide hit that replacements had to be screwed onto walls and placed out of reach. Many music critics have since labeled Penny Lane / Strawberry Fields Forever as the greatest Beatles 45 ever. It’s a Capitol Records work as close to pop-music perfection as George Martin ever produced. The Beatles’ original album concept that was scrapped? The recordings that followed didn’t go to waste; they eventually emerged collectively as Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, hailed by many music lovers as rock’s defining artistic moment. Bibliography Books: • Beatles. The Beatles’ Anthology. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2000. • Bronson, Fred. The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (Third Edition). New York: Billboard Books/Watson-Guptill Publications, 1992.

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Edition. No publication information/2010. Bibliography Internet: • beatlesbible.com: Penny Lane • en.wikipidia.org. Printouts: Beatles, James Penny, Penny Lane • songfacts.com. Penny Lane. MSN

By Mick Holien It is bound to be the Mission and Flathead Valley’s event of the summer as old friends and new ones journey to the Polson Fairgrounds on the banks of the Flathead River for the 2017 Aber Day Reunion. The Montana’s most iconic Mission Mountain Wood Band returns for the first time in more than a decade to highlight a bill that includes Las Vegas sensation Sam Riddle, the son of M2WB bassist Steve Riddle, and Andrea Harsell and Luna Roja. Andrea’s Dad, Rod, played the same venue with his own band in the seventies. With the Summerfest car show downtown and Art in the Park in front of the Lake County Courthouse, get ready for a wild weekend with more than a few surprises in store.

Sam Riddle spent his summers in Polson, a mainstay at the 3-on-3 Tournament where his slam-dunks thrilled the summer throngs. “It’s been a source of a lot of things I have become – breathing in that air and looking at those (Mission) mountains,” he said recently. “It’s my favorite place in the whole world.” And sharing the same stage with his dad? “My whole life I’ve known about Aber Day,” he said. “I am honored, humbled, and a little overwhelmed to be part of it.” Missoula native Harsell, a mainstay of the western Montana music scene, opens the familyfriendly show at 3 p.m. with their blend of rock, Americana, and R&B – guaranteed to smooth the stage for M2WB and Sam Riddle. For more information visit aberdaykegger.com. Tickets available at grizalum.com. MSN

June 10

8am–4pm

26th Annual

Strawberry Festival

August 12 Aber Day Reunion Concert Promises Fun & Festivities

Under Skypoint at 2nd Ave N & Broadway • Arts & Crafts Shopping • Food Trucks • Free Kid’s Activities • 65’ Strawberry Shortcake • Live Entertainment • Pancake Breakfast • Fresh Produce

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• Spitz, Bob. The Beatles: The Biography. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2005. • Turner, Steve. The Beatles: A Hard Day’s Write: The Stories Behind Every Song. New York: MJF Books/Fine Communications, 2009. • Wenner, Jann S. (Editor). Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (Special Collectors

Top Ten Reasons Farm Trucks Are Never Stolen 10 . They have a range of about 20 miles before they overheat, breakdown, or run out of gas. 9. Only the owner knows how to operate the door to get in or out. 8. It is difficult to drive fast with all the fence tools, grease rags, ropes, chains, syringes, buckets, boots, and loose papers in the cab. 7. It takes too long to start and the smoke coming up through the rusted-out floorboard clouds your vision. 6. The border collie on the toolbox looks mean. 5. They’re too easy to spot. The driver’s side door is red, the passenger side door is green, the right front fender is yellow, etc. 4. The large round bale in the back makes it hard to see if you’re being chased. You could use the mirrors if they weren’t cracked and covered with duct tape. 3. Top speed is only about 45 mph.

57th Annual

LAST CHANCE STAMPEDE & FAIR July 26-29, 2017 • Helena, MT

PARK COUNTY

FAIR Celebrating the Bounties of Park County

2. Who wants a truck that needs a year’s worth of maintenance, u-joints, $3,000 in bodywork, taillights, and a windshield? 1. It is hard to commit a crime with everyone waving at you. MSN

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PAGE 32 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

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Trail Access Effortless With Jackson Hole Tram

While some passengers pile into the tram to return to the base, othBy Dianna Troyer Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s aerial tram offers almost instant gratifi- ers opt to paraglide back down to the resort. There, aerial aficionados find cation to hikers who appreciate a stunning 360-degree alpine view without the Adventure Park with a drop tower, a ropes course, bungee jump, climbing wall, and ziplines. huffing and puffing up a steep trail. Sometimes, nature tosses a curve ball Nicknamed Big Red, the tram whisks of sleet, rain or snow, Morgensen warns. passengers 4,139 feet skyward in 12 min “Living in Wyoming, you learn to make lemutes. Stepping out of the 100-passenger tram onade and have a sense of humor whatever at 10,450 feet on Rendezvous Mountain, it’s the weather,” says Morgensen. hard to decide what to do first. In case of inclement weather, she sug A panorama of western Wyoming’s moungests spending an afternoon at the National tainous scenery begs to be photographed. Museum of Wildlife Art (wildlifeart.org). The Hiking trails beckon. The scent of warm fresh museum overlooks the National Elk Refuge, waffles leads passengers to Corbet’s Cabin where birds, antelope, and coyote can be seen snack shop. through the spotting scope during summer. While most tourists visit this spectacular Back in town, popular events begin nightly spot once a year, Zo-an Morgensen says at the square from Memorial Day to Labor Day. she feels blessed to have been able to call it At 6 p.m., villains and heroes confront each her backyard for nearly two decades. other in a shootout, a tradition since 1957. At “It’s an amazing place to live and 8 p.m., a 75-minute downtown ghost tour work,” says Morgensen, 69, concierge since begins. December 2000 at the resort’s Teton Club at One special event, the total solar eclipse, the mountain’s base in Teton Village. Morgensen often leads summer hik- Zo-An Mogensen leads hikers along countless trails on Rendez- will be visible throughout the Jackson area on ers and winter skiers along a vast network of vous and Apres Vous mountains at Teton Village near Jackson, Aug. 21. The event will last from about10:14 more than 10 0 trails crisscrossing Rendez- Wyoming. Tram riders are rewarded with scenic vistas [Photo by a.m. to 12:45 p.m. with the total eclipse occurDianna Troyer] ring at 11:35 a.m. and lasting about 2 minutes vous and adjacent Apres Vous mountains. The trails, leading to gourmet and casual restaurants, are as familiar to her and 15 seconds. Year-round, popular free western swing and two-step dance classes as the lines on the palm of her hand. She tells about the tram’s history. When the resort opened 50 years ago, are offered for beginners from 7:30 to 9 p.m. every Thursday at the Cowboy it quickly became an icon of the valley. At age 40 in 2006, it was replaced, Bar in nearby Wilson. an endeavor that cost $31 million and took two years to complete. It was “It’s all fun and easy,” says Morgensen, who helps teach the classes. “There’s so much to do here.” built to withstand 70 mph winds. When Big Red reopened in 2008, eager passengers filled it. During its The tram’s fall season runs through Oct. 8. More information may be inaugural year, it carried 102,000 people in the summer and 310,000 in the found at jacksonhole.com/summer-tram.html. A list of town events is posted at jacksonholechamber.com. MSN winter.

JUNE/JULY 2017

Try British Columbia’s Scenic And Therapeutic Hot Springs Circle Route By Bernice Karnop People looking for ideas for an early spring road trip usually think of going south. But, the British Columbia tourism website, hellobc.com, suggests heading north to the Canadian Rockies where hot water bubbles naturally out of the earth year round, no matter what the fickle weather may do – a different way to welcome the new season and cleanse and revitalize the body after a long winter. The Hot Springs Circle Route starts about an hour north of the Idaho border at Cranbrook and follows a series of developed, lesser developed, and undeveloped springs to Golden, over Roger’s Pass to Revelstoke, south to Nakusp, and finally Creston. More than a dozen of these occurring geological phenomena dot this rough terrain, and there are more, in both B.C. and south of the border. Here are seven of the most accessible. Choose one as a destination resort and luxuriate in the water over several days, or stop briefly for a soak and continue to the next one. In any case, compare the various mineral cocktails and decide your favorite. Hellobc.com says that mineral content of the waters “may increase metabolism, accelerate healing, soothe muscles, improve blood circulation, and detoxify the body’s lymphatic system.” Truth is, it’s hard to tell specific benefits of “taking the waters,” but not hard to agree that it’s pleasant. In addition to the healing waters, travelers will cruise through the spectacular Canadian Rockies, with opportunities to visit several Canadian National and Provincial Parks. Colorful towns small and large tempt travelers to their fun shops and invite folks to learn their unique local lore. For those who like enormous mountain scenery, forests, lakes, rivers, and a chance to soak in the mineral hot springs, this is a trip to repeat annually. Fairmont Hot Springs Resort on Highway 93 about an hour north of Cranbrook is one of the biggest and most popular hot springs resorts in Canada. One can sit in the massive hot springs pool and lose oneself in the beautiful scenery of the Columbia Valley and the mountains beyond. Expect a comfortable stay at the resort and wonderful food. Overnight guests have access to a private pool and spa. Grandchildren and folks of all ages will find activities for many interests at the year-round resort – so hike the trails, ride horses, go mountain biking, and, seasonally, ski or play golf. Lussier Hot Springs, in Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park, lets visitors relax among the boulders in three small pools next to the river. It is north of Kimberly on the park turn-off beyond Skookumchuck. The well-marked springs are about 11 miles from the turn off. Plan to change clothes in the restroom and take a five-minute walk down a well-maintained trail to the Lussier River. The pools range from 110 degrees to about 94 degrees. Don’t worry about being too hot. Just slip over into the snow-fed river water to cool off in a hurry. Radium Hot Springs is one mile east of the west entrance to Kooteney National Park, a UNESCO Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 33

Heritage Site. This plunge is run by the Canadian Parks service and is tucked in to the spectacular rocky cliffs of Sinclair Canyon. This is the place for those who are bothered by the rotten egg smell of the thermal hot springs of Yellowstone National Park. They say the water here is odorless, because it’s exposed to oxygen before it hits the surface. Canyon Hot Springs are in the mountains between Glacier and Mount Revelstoke National Parks. Mineral waters are piped to the location from several miles away. Signs along the TransCanada Highway about 20 miles east of Revelstoke direct travelers to the hot springs, and around 200 campsites and cabins. This makes a great base from which to enjoy the parks and cities when not sitting in a steamy pool.

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PAGE 34 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

8 Hotels in the heart of the Canadian Rockies

BANFF HOTEL ROOMS SUITES CONDOS

JUNE/JULY 2017

Halcyon Hot Springs is located on highway 23, just south of the Galena Bay ferry landing. The resort, located in a narrow canyon of the Kootenay Rockies, opened as a luxury hotel back in halcyon days of the 1890s. The hotel burned in 1955, and sat until 1998, when the entire resort was rebuilt with new pools and state-of-the-art water treatment. They didn’t replace the old-fashioned name, which means tranquil or calm. One finds a variety of accommodations including chalets, cabins, an RV park, and camping. A restaurant and spa are in the main building. Nakusp Hot Springs is located near Nakusp, at the top of a well-maintained road. The circular warm pool encloses a small hot pool, making it easy to keep an eye on others in your group. Camping and cabins accommodations are available at the site.

1-800-563-8764 www.bestofbanff.com

Ainsworth Hot Springs sits on the west shore of Kootenay Lake between Balfour and Kaslo, about half an hour north of Nelson. Here a person can soak in the majestic views of the lake and the Purcell Mountains while soaking in the water. At Ainsworth, the hot water gushes out into a unique horseshoe-shaped cave, the hottest of its three pools. Bathers sit on an underwater ledge in the steamy cavern. Guests cool down in the outdoor warm pool and swim in the cool plunge. Fine accommodations and dining are available year round. The property is proudly owned by Yaqan Nukiy, the Lower Kootenay Band of the Ktunaxa Nation, who welcome guests to enjoy the good medicine hot springs for healing the body and restoring the spirit. MSN

Grand Canyon’s North Rim Rocks With No Crowds And Oh Wow Moments

By Dianna Troyer Kitty Marr, our witty wrangler who has led mule rides for 26 years, forewarns us at Oh My God Corner on the North Kaibab Trail of the Grand Canyon. “Riding past here is a lot like a horror movie,” says the 60 -year-old at a hairpin turn as she peers over a cliff. “You want to shut your eyes, but at the same time you still want to peek. Do what our mules do. Close your eyes and hope for the best.” That was our attitude – hoping for the best – when deciding to vacation at the canyon’s 8,800-foot-high North Rim. We had no idea what to expect. During our week there, we realized the North Rim rocks with its uncongested trails, uncrowded roads, and a modern trading post 30 miles away where octogenarian Navajo rug weavers and silversmiths still sell their superb wares. We had no idea what to expect either when we signed up for a mule ride. Although hot and dusty, it was worthwhile. Our sure-footed, long-eared companions never stumble as they zigzag down 1,400 feet from the North Rim to Supai Tunnel and climb back up. I’m grateful to be aboard Shirley-Belle, a 9-year-old rose gray roan named for a wrangler and cook who refused to let diabetes slow her down. Kitty relies on Shirley-Belle to rescue dehydrated hikers from the canyon depths, a task she performs “anywhere from

a couple of times up to a dozen times depending on the season.” During our three-hour ride, Kitty tells us about the canyon’s intriguing geology, flowers, early inhabitants, and even points out petrified footprints of a dog-like creature beside the trail. At the Supai Tunnel, we take a break and marvel that Roaring Springs further down in the arid canyon provides water for the lodge complex perched on the rim. Water from this artesian spring is pumped at 100 gallons a minute 4,000 feet up to thirsty travelers. After the ride, we wander along the rim near the park’s historic lodge at Bright Angel Point. Here, the canyon’s immensity and depth are indescribable. While the North Kaibab Trail is a huff and a puff, the Transept Trail, starting at the lodge, is a leisurely, shady stroll with breezes and postcard perfect views. Some sections seem like scenes from a Tolkien book with lush dark green ferns and towering Ponderosa pines that could be Ents. Some creatures along the trail are unique, like the Kaibab squirrel with its long, tufted elfish ears, white fluffy tail, and black body. Returning to the lodge, we stop at the gift shop and meet a cashier, Barb, a retired second grade teacher from Nebraska. She tells us she cherishes spending her summers here, working in the shop, a job she found at coolworks.com and foreverresorts.com. Instead of staying at the canyon’s lodge, we opted for the family-owned Jacob Lake Inn 30 miles from the park entrance. In on-line reviews, travelers had raved about the homemade food – from soups and hearty entrees with fresh sauces, to delicious desserts. They were right. Since opening in 1923, four generations of the Rich family have operated the property, which includes a hotel, motel, cabins, gas station, and a store with the restaurant and trading post. In the gift shop, owner John Rich’s daughter, Julie Langi, tells us about the rugs she buys from

Presented by

OCTOBER 4-8, 2017

JUNE 23 - NOVEMBER 25, 2017 Exit 118 off I15 Idaho Falls, ID

JUNE/JULY 2017

Navajo weavers who drive from as far away as Phoenix, bypassing dozens of other trading posts to deal with her and her father. “I’ve known them since I was a little girl,” says Julie. She shows a rug she had recently bought from Mae Morgan, who at age 93 is still weaving, using wool she has spun from her sheep and dyed. Julie says Mae credits her craft with helping her to recover from a stroke and has told people weaving is what keeps her alive. One weaver, as energized as the hummingbirds that zip around outside, excitedly pointed out the new color in a rug that was a mixture of leftover dyes he had combined. Like weavers, some silversmiths speak more Navajo than English and bring a translator. “How can I call this work?” asks Julie. For the next day in the park, she advises us to go to Point Imperial and Cape Royal, where her uncle, Matt Rich, has taken gallery-quality

photos that decorate the walls. Best viewed at sunrise, Point Imperial is 48 miles away off a winding side road and offers views of the eastern end of the canyon.

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 35

Nearby Cape Royal, on the other hand, is best viewed at sunset. A peninsula, it offers a 270-degree view of the canyon, the widest panorama of any overlook in the park. A paved trail leads to Angels Window, a natural arch in stone that frames the Colorado River 5,000 feet below and six miles away. Formations in the distance resemble sacred structures and were named for temples: Vishnu, Venus, and Juno. The ancient canyon’s statistics cannot prepare you for feeling its immensity in person. A mile deep, up to 18 miles wide and 277 miles long, the canyon truly is the greatest earth on show. Equally unfathomable is its age: 2 billion years old at the bottom and 280 million years old at the top. We stand in awe along with a few Europeans and Asians and are grateful the crowds stay at the South Rim. With plenty of trails still to exA hiker stands in quiet awe along the Transept Trail at the plore, we’ll be back. MSN north rim of the Grand Canyon. [Photo by Dianna Troyer]

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Exploring Watkins Glen: A Treasure Trove Of Everything From Fast Racing To Slow Hikes And Lots More In Between By Sandra Scott Watkins Glen in New York State has been listed as one of the most beautiful destinations in the world, the third best state park in the USA, and the best NASCAR Track in the country. 1. The Glen: Watkins Glen State Park is a two‑mile gorge that descends 40 0 feet past 0 0 2 ‑foot cliffs and 19 waterfalls. The park placed third on the USA Today Reader=s Choice Poll for Best State Parks in the U.S. There are informative storyboards along the Gorge Trail. The Gorge Trail is closed in the winter, but visitors can still walk the Rim Trail. At the top is a campground with an Olympic‑size pool. 2. The Lake: The village of Watkins Glen is located at the south end of Seneca Lake, the largest of the Finger Lakes and the deepest lake in the state. For those without a watercraft, there are kayak, canoe, and pontoon rentals. The fishing is great, especially for trout. Captain Bill=s has sightseeing cruises as well as a do‑not‑miss dinner cruise.

3. The Race: The purpose‑built Watkins Glen International is a mecca for racing enthusiasts hosting a variety of events from Can‑Am, Trans‑Am, INDYCAR Grand Prix, and even concerts. ADrive The Glen@ allows people to drive their personal vehicle two laps around the 3.4‑mile Grand Prix circuit behind a pace vehicle. 4. History: The historic Brick Tavern Museum in Montour Falls is home of the Historical Society and has many exhibits relating to Schuyler County=s history. There are exhibits dealing with Native Americans, the Victorian Era, musical instruments, and textiles. The Glorious T is a

National Historic District in Montour Falls with many 19th century structures. 5. Arts: The arts are alive and well. There are several galleries including the Franklin Street Gallery and Quintus Gallery that features innovative artworks and offers workshops. The Old Havana Courthouse Theater in Montour Falls offers several original plays each season. 6. Nature: Other than Watkins Glen there are many other falls including the 449‑foot Montour Falls, which is right in the village. Havana Glen Park is home to Eagle Falls, accessed by a short hiking trail. The 9,085‑acre Sugar Hill State Forest is home to the 40‑mile Six Nations Recreational Trail System. Hiking is popular on the 7.5‑mile Queen Catherine Marsh Loop Trail; it is part of the Finger Lakes Trail System. 7. Imbibing: Schuyler County is part of the Seneca Lake Wine Trail and the Finger Lakes Beer Trail. Check out Castel Grisch Winery, Silver Spring Winery, and Lakewood Vineyards. Finger Lakes Distilling is a NYS Farm Distillery that makes handcrafted whiskey, gin, and other spirits. Grist Iron Brewing Company makes a variety of craft beers. 8. Shopping: O=Shaughnessy Antiques has estate jewelry and does appraisals. T.J Antiques also has handcrafted furniture. Every piece of Colonial Pottery is unique and stamped by the artist. Skyland Art Barn in Burdett displays an amazing variety of unique items created by 30 0 different artists. A must for the fishermen is a stop in Montour Falls at the Rod & Reel where they custom make fishing rods. 9. Events: The Watkins Glen Waterfront is the place for a variety of festivals year round including the Cardboard Boat Regatta. There are farm tours, craft shows, Cheese Festival, and First Fridays. Watkins Glen International hosts a variety of races and concerts. 10 . Unique: Farm Sanctuary is the only

farm sanctuary on the East Coast that cares for injured farm animals. There is a short video explaining their point of view B some of which is quite graphic. They offer guided tours and have reasonable accommodations for two or four people. MSN

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Sept. 18-Oct.4 Motor Coach Tour: Our hallmark tour including fall color and NYC; from Boston to Maine to Niagara Falls and Mackinac Island. www.satromtravel.com/items/detail/95/

NEW YORK CITY THEATRE TOURS! Oct. 19-23: Two Broadway musicals, NYC City Tour, 9/11 Museum, and much more! www.satromtravel.com/items/detail/212/

Nov. 30-Dec. 4 & Dec. 7-11: Broadway musical “The Nutcracker Ballet” at Lincoln Center, NYC City Tour, 9/11 Memorial, Radio City Christmas Rockettes Spectacular & much more! Nov Tour: www.satromtravel.com/items/detail/47/ Dec Tour: www.satromtravel.com/items/detail/222/

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Missoula

Senior Center

2017

UNDERGROUND CITY

TRIPS & TRAVEL

7 BRIDES FOR 7 BROTHERS

June 28–29 | Havre, MT

July 16 | Bigfork Playhouse

CRATER LAKE OREGON July 24–28

CENTER HOURS: Monday thru Friday 8:00am–4:00pm 705 South Higgins | Missoula | 406-543-7154

PAGE 38 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2017

Plan a Vacation to Remember... Call your Travel Agent Today! ESCAPE TOURS P.O. BOX 3833 Missoula, MT 59806 406-240-8687

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JUNE 2017 15–22 Ireland Tour Satrom Travel & Tour

JULY 2017 1–2 Phantom of the Opera Escape Tours

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8–29 Underground City 2 Missoula Senior Center

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9–20 Portugal & Spain Satrom Travel & Tour

9–29 Germany & Martin 1 Luther Reformation Satrom Travel & Tour

11–21 Blue Danube River Cruise Satrom Travel & Tour

4–28 Crater Lake Oregon 2 Missoula Senior Center

4–16 Coeur d’Alene Casino 1 Big Sky Bus Tours

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7/22- Alaska Land & Sea Tour 8/5 Satrom Travel & Tour AUGUST 2017 9–13 Winnipeg Folkorama Satrom Travel & Tour

to Coeur d’Alene Casino JULY 14-16, SEPT 15-17, NOV 3-5

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2–17 Roll’n on the River 1 A&B Tours 5–17 Coeur d’Alene Casino 1 Big Sky Bus Tours 9/18- New England Fall Folliage 10/4 Satrom Travel & Tour 9/20- Fall Foliage 10/1 A&B Tours 9/18- Montana to New England Fall Foliage 10/4 Satrom Travel & Tour 9/27- Chicago Air Tour 10/1 Satrom Travel & Tour OCTOBER 2017 3–10 Normandy/WWII & Paris Satrom Travel & Tour 8–15 Albuquerque Balloon Festival Satrom Travel & Tour 2–22 Italian Highlights 1 Satrom Travel & Tour 4–20 Fall Branson 1 Satrom Travel & Tour 9–23 New York City Theater Tours 1 Satrom Travel & Tour

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 39

PAGE 40 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2017

DISCOVER MONTANA BIG SKY COUNTRY

COUGAR CANYON

FREE ADMISSION OPEN YEAR ROUND 9am–5pm daily (June 15–Sept 15)

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11AM–5PM Wed–Sun 12PM–4PM Fri–Sun

Fort Benton Museums The Birthplace of Montana welcomes you to visit its world class museums. “Make Time for Fort Benton’s fine History Museums” National Geographic Traveler– 20 Best Trips in the World 2013

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Old Fort Benton The Starr Gallery of Western Art Museum of the Upper Missouri Museum of the Northern Great Plains Homestead Village Hornaday Smithsonian Bison Strand Gallery of Western Art Upper Missouri River Breaks Interpretive Center While you are in Fort Benton, take time to stroll around “One of the Prettiest Small Towns in America.”

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 41

Natural Wonders On The Face Of Montana By Bernice Karnop It started with Lewis and Clark and their amazement at the natural wonders they beheld. The unidentified varieties of plants, the abundance of animals and birds, the rivers, the trees, and the mountains astonished them. The Northwest Passage they sought was nothing like they expected. Funny part is they only saw a fraction of the natural wonders we know about today. They did not even see the fire and brimstone of Yellowstone! However, the question is have you seen the natural wonders of Montana? They can overload the senses, not just sight, but also sound, smell and touch. Here are some to put on your summer list as you take to the highways and byways. Twenty miles east of Butte there is a large natural pile of reddish grey rocks that are part of a mountainous region called the Boulder batholith. No one knows for sure why, but these rocks ring like bells when struck with a hammer. To add to the mystery, not all of the rocks ring when struck, and they do not ring at all when they are removed from the site. These ringing

rocks are a rare phenomenon. In Pennsylvania is the only other place in the U.S. where there are ringing rocks. Traveling along 1-90 between Butte and Helena, motorists see signs for a series of Health Mines. The helpful substance in the mines is radon gas. Yep, the one the EPA says causes cancer. It is said that people who sit in the mines find natural relief from such conditions as arthritis, sinusitis, migraine, eczema, asthma, hay fever, psoriasis, allergies, and diabetes. The radon gas is absorbed into the blood stream through the lungs, supplying a small quantity of internal radiation to the visitor. Exposure is believed to stimulate the pituitary gland, the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s master endocrine gland, which improves the function of other endocrine glands and results in a natural increase in the hormones ACTH and cortisone. Several hours after visitors come out of the mine, all the radon has been exhaled, but the relief of symptoms lasts for months. The Montana health mines are the only ones in the United States; however, radon therapy has been practiced in European countries since the late 1800s.

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PAGE 42 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2017

MONTANA

BIG SKY COUNTRY

The Montana Vortex and House of Mystery east of Columbia Falls claim to be on a site where powerful spirals of magnetic energy alter the natural laws of physics. Slanted houses and odd angles create an illusion of people growing and shrinking, objects rolling up hill, and other mind bending anomalies. Whatever your take on the “spin” at the Montana Vortex, it’s an entertaining way to spend an afternoon and a place to take some silly family photos. Not all Montana phenomena took eons to create a long time ago. Less than 60 years ago a huge earthquake dramatically changed the look of an area 27 miles from West Yellowstone, and it happened in a matter of minutes. It also killed 28 people. The 1959 earthquake triggered a massive landslide which, trav-

eling at 100 miles per hour, crashed 80 million tons of rock into the Madison River, damming it up and creating Quake Lake. The visitor center describes this earth-altering event and the results that are easily seen today. Teddy Roosevelt called the Medicine Rocks southwest of Baker “fantastically beautiful,” and they are both fantastic and beautiful. More than 100 sandstone pillars, arches, and towers rise from the prairie as high as eight feet tall, with vertical sides. Wind-eroded tunnels and holes give them the look moldy mushrooms. Humans, both Native people and early settlers, carved messages into the soft surfaces, but they weather away quickly. The monuments erode so fast that slow-growing lichen can’t get a toehold.

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The weird forms at Makoshika, on the outskirts of Glendive, are nothing like the wind-formed monuments of Medicine Rocks. Rainsplash and surface runoff erosion carved these soft mudstones and sandstone into fairyland castles and giant toadstools. Stop here to see how water erosion formed hoodoos, softly rounded towers, and pillars with caprocks that look like strange people wearing hats. Makoshika State Park contains the most spectacular badlands in the state. Finally, Lewis and Clark camped near the caverns that bear their name today, but they traveled west without the slightest hint of fantastic limestone caverns beneath their feet. Readers don’t want to make the same mistake. The ornamental dripstones in the

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 43

variety of shapes and hues leave one breathless. Over the centuries, water seeped into the limestone cave and formed hanging icicles of mineral deposits called stalactites. Stalagmites form from water dripping from the stalactites to the floor of the cave. Other formations create “curtains” along the walls. These lovely natural caves far surpass similar commercial caves in the Northwest. The guided tour takes a couple of hours, so it’s a good way to spend a hot summer afternoon in this naturally air-conditioned underground wonder. We live in a in a gloriously wonder-filled state. Get out and enjoy it in all its variety and richness. MSN

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PAGE 44 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2017

How To Locate Senior Discounts As Early As Age 50 By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, What types of discounts are available to baby boomers, at what age do they kick in, and what’s the best way to go about finding them? —Almost 50 Dear Almost, One of the great perks of growing older in America is the many discounts that are available to boomers and seniors. There are literally thousands of discounts on a wide variety of products and services including restaurants, grocery stores, travel and lodging, entertainment, retail and apparel, health and beauty, automotive services and much more. These discounts – typically ranging between 5 and 25 percent off – can add up to save you hundreds of dollars each year.

So, if you don’t mind admitting your age, here are some tips and tools to help you find the discounts you may be eligible for. Always Ask The first thing to know is that most businesses don’t advertise them, but many give senior discounts just for the asking, so don’t be shy. You also need to know that while some discounts are available as soon as you turn 50, many others may not kick in until you turn 55, 60, 62 or 65. Search Online Because senior discounts frequently change and can vary depending on where you live and the time of the year, the Internet is the easiest way to help you locate them. To do a search, start by visiting SeniorDiscounts.com, which lists thousands of discounts that you can search for by city and

JUNE/JULY 2017

state, and by the category you’re interested in, for free. You can also look for discounts at TheSeniorList.com, which provides a large list of national and regional business chains that offer them, or you can Google them individually. Just go to Google. com and type in the business or organization you’re curious about, followed by “senior discount” or “senior discount tickets.” If you use a smartphone, another tool is the Sciddy app that lets you search for senior discounts and can send you alerts when you’re at an establishment that offers them Join a Club Another good avenue to senior discounts is through membership organizations like AARP, which offers its 50 and older members a wide variety of discounts through affiliate businesses.

If, however, you’re not the AARP type, there are other alternative organizations you can join that also provide discounts such as The Seniors Coalition or the American Seniors Association. Or, for federal workers, there’s the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. Types of Discounts Here’s an abbreviated rundown of some of the different types of discounts you can expect to find. Restaurants: Senior discounts are common at restaurants and fast food establishments – like Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Subway, Wendy’s, Applebee’s and Golden Corral – ranging from free/ discounted drinks, to discounts off your total order. Retailers: Many thrift stores like Goodwill, and certain retailers

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JUNE/JULY 2017

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like Banana Republic, Kohl’s, Michaels and Ross stores offer a break to seniors on certain days of the week. Supermarkets: Many locally owned grocery stores offer senior discount programs, as do some chains like Albertsons, Kroger, Publix and Fry’s Supermarkets, which offer some discounts on certain days of the week but they vary by location. Travel: Southwest Airlines provide the best senior fares in the U.S. to passengers 65 and older, while Amtrak offers a 15 percent discount and Greyhound offers 5 percent off to travelers over 62. Most car rental companies provide discounts to customers who belong to organizations like AARP. Royal Caribbean, Celebrity

and Carnival cruise lines offer discount rates to cruisers 55 and over. And, most hotels offer senior discounts, usually ranging from 10 to 30 percent. Entertainment: Most movie theaters, museums, golf courses, ski slopes and other public entertainment venues provide reduced admission to seniors over 60 or 65. And the National Park Service offers a lifetime pass for those 62 and older for $10. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. MSN

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PAGE 48 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2017

Happy

I N D E P E N D E Day NCE Atomic Bombing Veteran Jack Widowsky Supports Preservation Projects At Utah’s Historic Wendover Airfield Where He Trained By Dianna Troyer Jack Widowsky, 94, a navigator during missions to drop atomic bombs on Japan during World War II, never knew the type of explosive that fell on Hiroshima until his crew had returned to a base on Tinian Island. “President Truman announced to the world that an atomic bomb had been dropped, and that’s how we found out the specifics of our mission,” says Jack, who lives in New Jersey. “We had a job to do, trained intensely, and executed it thoroughly. I’m honored and proud to have been part of the missions.” On August 6, 1945, at 9:15 a.m., the bomb Little Boy was dropped from the B-29 Superfortress plane Enola Gay flying at 30,000 feet over Hiroshima. It exploded 43 seconds later. On August 9, a second bomb nicknamed Fat Man was dropped from the plane Bockscar over Nagasaki. As a result of the bombings, the Japanese surrendered on August 15. “I think about those missions every day,” says We support our Military with Thanks and appreciation! Jack. “We did some good Ask about our Veteran discount

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and saved lives. I want to pass on the information about them.” To help preserve details about the historic assignments, Jack recently recorded oral history interviews with the Atomic Heritage Foundation and Rutgers University’s Oral History Archives. During the Hiroshima mission, Jack was the navigator of the Big Stink, a backup strike plane. “We flew to Iwo Jima in case the Enola Gay couldn’t complete the mission. If that happened, the bomb would have been transferred to our plane.” On the Nagasaki mission, he flew as the navigator of the Laggin’ Dragon, a weather reconnaissance plane. Jack believes dropping the atomic bombs helped shorten the war. “I give talks to different groups, and after I’m done speaking, I always have people coming up to me thanking me and saying, ‘My uncle, my father, my cousin would have died if the bombs weren’t dropped and the U.S. had to invade.’ There’s no doubt in my mind the bombs saved hundreds of thousands of lives. If the Japanese or Germans had the technology, there’s no doubt they would have bombed us.” Jack donated his personal wartime memorabilia to a museum at the Historic Wendover Airfield in remote northwestern Utah, where he and others with the Air Force’s 509th Composite Group trained for their secret missions. The museum is open Monday to Saturday, and tours of several restored buildings at the airfield are offered during the week. A renovated service club can be rented for community meetings, reunions, and proms. Recognizing the airfield’s historical significance, Jim Petersen established the nonprofit Historic Wendover Airfield Foundation in 2001 to preserve World War II history and give visitors an idea of what it was like to live on the base. Established in 1943, the base was home to 17,500 military personnel and 2,000 civilians. Of the air base’s original 668 structures, more than 90 remain.

Veterans

Stella’s

Appreciation Day

A Day to Visit & Honor Veterans & Their Families!

DATE : June 10, 2017 | Saturday PLACE : Kalispell Expo Building at the Fairgrounds TIME : 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM EVENTS : BBQ, Games for Adults and Children, Picnic Atmosphere, DOD Surplus Available to Homeless and At Risk Veterans

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“Nationwide, there are only a handful of these air bases left, but none are the size and scope of Wendover,” says Jim. “It’s a national treasure.” The sprawling airfield is so impressive Hollywood filmmakers have used it as a backdrop for seven movies since 1984. One of the airfield’s most significant buildings is a cavernous 50,000-square-foot hangar that housed the Enola Gay. In 2009, the hangar was placed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Public Places. With grants and donations, Jim was able to stabilize the hangar and prepare it for the second phase of its restoration. “The hangar still needs some asbestos removal, roof replacement, and repair of the east hangar doors,” he says. Ultimately, Jim would like to see the base become a living history museum patterned after Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. “People could walk from the barracks to the dining hall, the Enola Gay hangar and squadron buildings,” he says. “There’s so much potential here. We’ve made tremendous progress, but still need volunteers and corporate sponsors.”

Another popular attraction is the annual Historic Wendover Air Show, held at the Wendover Airport adjacent to the historic airfield. The show is scheduled Sept. 9. Jack says he supports Jim’s restoration efforts. Reflecting on his WWII experience and the justification for using atomic bombs, Jack shares a favorite expression. “If there wasn’t a Pearl Harbor, there wouldn’t have been a Hiroshima.” More information about the historic airbase, restoration projects, and tours may be found at wendoverairbase.com. MSN

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PAGE 50 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2017

Why Your ‘Connected’ Car Could Become a Hacker’s Dream Machine By Bill Siuru Today, computer hacking is a big topic, especially after the last election. In the future, cars could be hacked because cars, like computers and smartphones, are becoming connected to the Internet. Good-guy hackers have remotely taken over steering, brakes, and other functions in testing new vehicles. Also they have shown malware can be installed so that later it can do bad things like set off air bags, lock the doors so you can’t get out, or even take control of the vehicle. Most automakers now offer connectivity systems, such as BMW ConnectDrive, Ford Sync, Cadillac Cue, and Chrysler Uconnect. Vehicles come with Internet radio and Wi-Fi hotspots. In the future vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications will allow vehicles to “talk” to each other to prevent, for example, intersection, passing, and left turn accidents. With vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), traffic signs and signal lights could automatically adjust speeds or control cars at intersections. Like Windows and Apple computers as well as smartphones that are periodically updated, the software in vehicles will be updated via the Internet. Connectivity allows access for hackers and so do simple items like remote and keyless entry, factory-installed garage door openers, Bluetooth, and even tire pressure monitors if they are connected to vehicle computer systems, which is now usually the case. Right now, a vehicle hacker is more likely to be a computer nerd doing it as a prank. Professional hackers go where the money is—bank ac-

counts, credit cards, etc. So far, there is no profit motive for vehicle hacking, but hackers are probably looking for one. One possibility is holding you ransom by locking doors or not allowing engine starting until you send some money via your bank account or PayPal. Naturally, car companies and their suppliers are taking cybersecurity seriously as connectivity to the Internet becomes more common, but they are latecomers to the cybersecurity business. The military, the computer community, telecommunications companies, financial institutions, and other high-risk entities have been concerned about cybersecurity for decades. Automakers are taking advantage of this vast experience. For example, Continental, a major auto-parts supplier, has joined with IBM and Cisco to create firewalls that control information flow among a car’s devices. Harman/Kardon adds its own layers of security to separate its entertainment systems from the rest of the vehicle’s digital network. Isolating Internet-connected infotainment systems, Internet radio, and Wi-Fi hotspots, as well as other points of access is key to cybersecurity. For instance, something called hypervisors are being used to isolate vehicle systems from one another so nothing is shared. Semiconductor and computer chip manufacturers can include encryption to prevent malware from altering programs. Semiconductor manufacturer Intel has established the Automotive Security Review Board to conduct vulnerability tests and identify designs for cybersecurity. A testing platform is also being provided so that good-guy hackers can test new hardware and software for vulnerabilities. MSN

Fifth Annual Dino Shindig This July 29-30, the Carter County Museum in Ekalaka will be holding its Fifth Annual Dino Shindig. The Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development’s 2017 Event of the Year award winner is a two-day, paleo extravaganza with talks from leading paleontologists, kids’ games/activities, a street dance celebration, and a paleontological field expedition into the heart of the Hell Creek Formation. On Saturday, participants will enjoy lectures by leading paleontologists including Dr. John Scanella, Interim Curator at the Museum of the Rockies, and Dr. Kirk Johnson, Sant Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC. Junior paleontologist attendees will enjoy dino-themed games including mini-golf, egg toss, arts and crafts, atlatl demonstrations, and a coconut-crushing robotic T. rex. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Shindig without a street dance! Attendees and paleontologists commune at the end of the day for live music and dancing outside the town’s favorite sports bar, the Dawg House Pub. Don’t stay out too late, however; Sunday’s expedition into the Hell Creek is a rare opportunity to prospect for and excavate fossils that may end up in a museum with your name on them! For more information, visit cartercountymuseum.org or call 40 6775-6886. MSN

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Not Touchy, Not Feely By Jim Brown Television announcers, golfers, and teaching pros like to talk about “great touch” and “soft hands.” But golf pro Mike Perpich thinks the term is more of a popular expression than a description of what should happen with the short game between the hands and the club. Touch is Overrated “Touch is overrated,” he claims. “The only responsibility I give the hands during a swing is to hold the golf club. I carry a writing pen with me when I teach and use it to illustrate that you don’t have to squeeze it to write with it. Just hold onto to it with the thumb, index finger, and middle finger and let the other muscles and motions make the pen move.” “Same thing with the golf club,” Perpich continues. “The pressure between your fingers and the club should be constant from beginning to end. There is no reason to squeeze harder on some shots than on others. Just hold, get the right grip, and hold on.” Perpich, head teaching professional at RiverPines Golf Club in the North Atlanta suburbs, isn’t finished. “Most (right-handed) Golf after 50 players were taught to hold the club diagonally in the left hand with too much of the palm holding onto the club. If a player doesn’t hold it in his or her fingers, the club cannot be cocked up. When you hold the club in the palm of the left hand and too high in the right hand, you end up rolling the wrists. Without the cocking position, you can’t get the ball up in the air. The reason Tiger Woods could hit those flop shots around the green is the cocked position of his wrists.” Grip Beats Hands “One more thing about the wrists,” says Perpich. “They should only work in one direction up and down, cocked or uncocked, either toward your face or away from it. They shouldn’t be bending toward the left or right of your body. Getting a good grip, not sensitive hands, is what allows you to have great touch and feel around the greens.” You may not agree with Perpich, but he does make you think about the mechanics of “touch” shots. A Swing for Bad Backs The combination of advancing age and the cumulative effect of thousands of golf shots has placed those of us in the Golf after 50 crowd in the highrisk group for low back pain. But help is on the way. Charles Sorrell, retired teaching professional at Golf Meadows in Stockbridge, Georgia, gained a reputation as the golf pro for players with bad backs. He taught a golf swing that fit each person’s needs, but there were

some common denominators in his methods that worked for golfers who might not have been able to continue without his help. Arms First “People who have back injuries,” explained Sorrell, “have heard a lot about the importance of body motion in the swing. But we prefer those who are over 50 to allow their arms to swing and for their bodies to respond to that motion. I’m not talking generating power with your arms only, but letting the body move with them. Most teaching pros place a heavy emphasis on winding or coiling the body, but most After 50 golfers don’t have enough flexibility to wind up into anything. “We encourage letting the left heel lift off of the turf on the backswing. That doesn’t mean consciously lifting the heel, but rather allowing it to be lifted by the motion. At the same time, we recognize that the head will respond to the winding motion of the shoulders. It moves slightly back as the club begins to move back.” Sorrell said that swinging this way, the person with a bad back should not feel any tension as the backswing is completed. “At the top of the backswing, you should be relaxed and able to flex the right knee. You have to have some flexibility, but not as much as younger golfers. Don’t be afraid to allow the hips to rotate somewhat on the backswing.” Don’t Bruise the Apple The drill that Sorrell used to teach this motion is called, “Don’t Bruise the Apple.” He put an apple in the bottom of a sock and asked his students to swing the weighted sock like a club. If the backswing is correct, the end of the sock with the apple

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in it touches softly between the shoulder blades. On the follow through, the apple-in-the-sock again comes in for a soft landing at the same place. “It’s a wonderful drill to teach senior golfers timing and rhythm. It gets them out of the thought of moving the arms with the body, instead of letting the body react to the movement of the arms,” added Sorrell. “This advice is strictly for older players. We would love you to be a body player if possible. If not, put more emphasis on the arms and let your body follow along. If you are an average senior golfer in reasonably good health, you should carry the ball 220-225 yards off the tee.” For more golf tips, visit mikeperpich.com. MSN

Who Needs A List? Submitted by Julie Hollar An elderly couple noticed that they were getting forgetful, so they decided to go to the doctor. The doctor said they should start writing things down so they would not forget. After they returned home, the lady asked her husband please to get her a bowl of ice cream. “You might want to write it down,” she said. He replied, “No, I can remember that you want a bowl of ice cream.” “Could you put whipped cream on it, too? And write it down,” she added. “No. No, I can remember you want a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream,” he replied. “One more thing,” she added again. “And a cherry on top please. Write it down, dear.” “No, I’ve got it. You want a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry on top.” The husband disappeared to the kitchen, but was gone an unusually long time. When he returned, he handed his wife a plate with eggs and bacon. His wife smiled, thanked him, and then looked at the plate and then asked, “Where’s the toast?” MSN

Fifth Annual Dino Shindig

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Mamala’s Notions About S.E.X. By Saralee Perel My mother and I had a talk in 1977, one week before my marriage to my husband, Bob. It wasn’t just any talk. It was THE talk. We were shopping for wedding gloves for me at a fancy shop. Pretending to be nonchalant, Mom cleared her throat and whispered, “It’s time we have a talk about – you-know-what.” I ran my fingers across a pair of white satin gloves that appeared to have a hundred tiny pearls on them. I loved them, but when I saw the price tag, I put them back. “About what, Ma?” She looked around, and then spelled out, “S.E.X.” That surprised me. Mothers know nothing about sex. I said, “Fine. Let’s talk. You start.” “Not now, Saura Leah (my Hebrew name). Everybody’s listening. Shtil! (‘be quiet’ in Yiddish).” She pushed me out the door. Back then, Friendly’s was called Friendly Ice Cream. We both needed ice cream – badly. Mom chose the booth tucked away in the corner. She said, “You’ll probably have it.” “Have what?” I replied.“You know – relations.” She took a deep breath, and then started in, “When a momma bear and a poppa bear love each other –” “Ma, I’m 26 years old!” I interrupted. She squeezed my cheek. “And I’m proud you waited this long.” Then we both sat in silence. She mumbled, “Your father and I –”

I flushed bright red. “Ma, please. A different topic?” I couldn’t help but picture my parents having sex. An absolutely revolting picture. Flustered, she said, “Bob was married before. They probably had sex, so he knows what goes where.” She firmly took my hand. “Sex is not all fun and games, my child. Just close your eyes and pretend you’re having a Reuben.” “Can we please change the subject?” “It was hard for your father that Bob’s not Jewish.” She swirled melted ice cream into the fudge. “And from New Hampshire yet, where everybody lives in trailer parks. Plus, Bob’s not even a doctor’s assistant, much less a doctor. And he has no real money. Oy, don’t get me started.” “Mother!” I retorted. “He loves me and I love him. That’s what matters most.” “Who told you that?” Regardless of Mom’s mindset, all she truly wanted to do was help me. After our ice creams, we held hands as we ambled down the street. The last thing we did was go back to the fancy shop, where she took a tiny purse out of her handbag, counted single dollar bills, and bought me those expensive white satin gloves. MSN

Montana Senior Olympics Healthy And Fun In Polson Area, June 15-17

By Bernice Karnop Although registration is closed, wouldn’t this be a good time to get some inspiration by watching fellow seniors compete. Competition inspires people to put a little more effort into their workouts and it makes the workouts more fun. Physically, the increased activity helps for quality products and services from these online advertisers. prevent falls through improved flexibility, balance, and muscle tone. Books Harmon’s Agate & Silver agatemontana.com And, the benefits of Montana Senior Olympics Caregiving Autumn Springs Assisted Living autumnspringsassistedliving.com don’t stop there. Socially, it’s an opportunity to Caregiving Highgate Senior Living highgateseniorliving.com make new friends, maintain social connections, and Entertainment Arts Council of Big Sky bigskyarts.org/festival.php interact with other people thus reducing stress and Bigfork Summer Playhouse bigforksummerplayhouse.com improving emotional well-being. Huckleberry Festival huckleberryfestival.com The Montana Senior Olympics offers an op Idaho Falls Airshow idahofallsairshow.com portunity for men and women over 50 to compete Philipsburg Rotary Club philipsburgrotary.org in more than a dozen different events including Funeral Smith Funeral Chapels smithfuneralchapels.com archery, badminton, basketball, bowling, cycling, Health Barrett Hospital & Healthcare barretthospital.org golf, horseshoes, road race, swimming, tennis, table Helena Eye Clinic helenaeyeclinic.com tennis, pickle ball, and track and field. Pickle ball The Eye Clinic theeyeclinicsurgicenter.com was added a couple of years ago, and it brought Home 4G Plumbing & Heating 4gplumbing.com more entrants than any sport in the game’s history. Intermountain Heating & A/C intermountainheating.com Athletes compete with their peers in five-year age Sexton Group Builders sextongroupbuilders.com brackets. Lodging Rimview Inn rimviewinn.com So, readers, put a little more muscle into your Goose Ridge Monuments gooseridgemonuments.com Monuments workout, whether it’s swimming, biking, or playing Property Mgmnt Be Smart Property Management besmartpm.com ping-pong. Then travel to the Polson area to watch Real Estate Exit Realty – Helena exitrealtyhelena.com your peers compete at the Montana Senior Olym Fort Benton Realty fbrealty.com pics. If you can’t participate this year, make it a goal Ink Realty Group inkmt.com for next year – you will be glad you did. Jade Furman – Landmark Realty montanaproperty.com/ For additional information, visit montanasenioro author/jfuhrman lympics.org or call Kay Newman at 406-586-5543. Jeff Getman – Realty Executives reexecs.com MSN Jennifer Stewart – Windermere jenniferstewart@withwre.com Joy Earls Real Estate joyearls.com Kim Kripps – Havre Hi-Line Realty havrehilinerealty.net Kootenai Creek Village kootenaicreekvillage.com Marty Sage – Brokers First Real Estate brokersfirstrealestate.com McPartlin Realty facebook.com/pages/ mcpartlin-realty PEDE & Associates Real Estate pedeandassociates.com Property West propertywest.com Tony Croteau – Montana Brokers tonycroteau.com Vickie Amundsen – Clark Fork Realty clarkforkrealty.com Wright Real Estate westernmontanaland.com Restaurant Peking Gardens West pekinggardenswest.com Perkins perkinsrestaurants.com Retirement Living Timber Creek Village timbercreekvillagecommunity.com Social Services Alzheimer’s Association alz.org/walk Travel A & B Tours abtoursonline.com Big Sky Bus Tours bigskybus.com CapeAir capeair.com Escape Tours escapetoursmt.com Missoula Senior Center themissoulaseniorcenter.org Satrom Travel & Tour satromtravel.com MSN

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Millions Of People With Metabolic Syndrome May Need More Vitamin E By David Stauth, New research has shown that people with metabolic syndrome need significantly more vitamin E. In light of the millions of people who have this condition, which is often related to obesity, this is a serious public health concern. A study just published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition also made it clear that conventional tests to measure vitamin E levels in the blood may have limited accuracy compared to tests made in research laboratories. In fact conventional tests can actually mask an underlying problem. Vitamin E, one of the more difficult micronutrients to obtain by dietary means, is an antioxidant

important for cell protection. It also affects gene expression, immune function, aids in repair of wounds and the damage of atherosclerosis, is important for vision and neurologic function, and largely prevents fat from going rancid. Nutrition surveys have estimated that 92 percent of men and 96 percent of women in the United States fail to get an adequate daily intake of vitamin E in their diet. It is found at high levels in almonds, wheat germ, various seeds and oils, and at much lower levels in some vegetables and salad greens, such as spinach and kale. This study was done by researchers in the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University

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and the Human Nutrition Program at The Ohio State University, as a double blind, crossover clinical trial focusing on vitamin E levels in people with metabolic syndrome. It was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Dairy Council, and DSM Nutrition. “The research showed that people with metabolic syndrome need about 30-50 percent more vitamin E than those who are generally healthy,” said Maret Traber, a professor in the OSU College of Public Health and Human Sciences, and Ava Helen Pauling, a professor at the Linus Pauling Institute, “In previous work we showed that people with metabolic syndrome had lower bioavailability of vitamin E. Our current work uses a novel approach to measure how much vitamin E the body needs. This study clearly demonstrates that people with metabolic syndrome need a higher intake of this vitamin.” More than 30 percent of the American public is obese, and more than 25 percent of the adults in the United States meet the criteria for metabolic syndrome, putting them at increased risk for cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes, the primary causes of death in the developed world. Metabolic syndrome is defined by diagnosis of three or more of several conditions, including abdominal obesity, elevated lipids, high blood pressure, a pro–inflammatory state, a pro–thrombotic state, and insulin resistance. By labeling vitamin E with deuterium, a stable isotope of hydrogen, scientists were able to measure the amount of the micronutrient that was eliminated by the body, compared to the intake. The advanced research laboratory tests, which are not available to the general public, showed that people with metabolic syndrome retained 30 -50 percent more vitamin E than healthy people, indicating that they needed it. When the body doesn’t need vitamin E, the excess is excreted. But in the group with metabolic syndrome, even as their tissues were taking up and retaining the needed vitamin E, their blood levels by conventional measurement appeared about the same as those of a normal, healthy person. “We’ve discovered that vitamin E levels often look normal in the blood, because this micronutrient is attracted to high cholesterol and fat,” Traber said, “So vitamin E can stay at higher levels in the circulatory system and give the illusion of adequate levels, even as tissues are deficient. This basically means that conventional vitamin E blood tests as they are now being done are useless.” The findings support the conclusion that people with metabolic syndrome have higher levels of oxidative and inflammatory stress, scientists said in their conclusion, and require more antioxidants such as vitamins E as a result. MSN

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It’s Never Too Late to Protect Your Skin from Cancer By Gayle Shirley, Lewis and Clark Public Health After winter gloom and spring showers, who doesn’t want to bask in a little summer sun? Sunshine does provide Vitamin D, which can help keep bones from getting thin and brittle. Studies show that it might even lower a person’s risk of heart disease and diabetes. But it’s much safer to take a vitamin supplement than to expose your skin to the damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun and risk skin cancer when you head outdoors. Because skin cancer can take decades to develop, some older adults might be tempted to think it’s not worth worrying about anymore. This type of rationalization can be deadly. The longer a person lives, the more likely he or she is to develop skin cancer and die from it. Between 40 and 50 percent of Americans who live to age 65 will have skin cancer at least once, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Studies show that getting just five sunburns in your lifetime more than doubles your chances of developing melanoma, the most serious and potentially deadly form of skin cancer. A bad sunburn when you’re older could be the one that triggers the disease. Several factors put older adults especially at risk from the cancer-causing rays of the sun: • We grew up in the “old days,” when a suntan was considered a sign of good health. Many people never used sunscreen, or they slathered on baby oil or tanning lotions that didn’t provide much protection. We know now that a tan, like a sunburn, is a sign of skin damage. • We migrate to sunnier climes like Florida and Arizona where we can enjoy more outdoor activities. • As we age, our skin becomes thinner and drier, which allows UV light to penetrate more deeply and cause more damage. We become more sensitive to sunlight and can burn faster than we used to. • Our immune system also declines naturally with age, making it harder to fight off diseases like cancer. Some medical conditions, like heart disease and type 2 diabetes, also limit our immune response. • We take medications that increase our sensitivity to sun. These include antibiotics, antidepressants, antihistamines, blood pressure drugs, cholesterol drugs, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) like aspirin.

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So what to do? Protecting your skin is not a big burden, but here are some simple steps to take: • Stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. when UV rays are at their strongest. • Hang out in the shade whenever possible. • Wear sun-safe clothing, including a wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirt, long pants, and UV-filtering sunglasses. • Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Apply it generously several minutes before you go outside. Reapply at least every two hours or immediately after swimming or heavy sweating. • Watch for suspicious skin growths. Show your doctor any growth with an irregular border, multiple colors, persistent pain or itching, bleeding, or increasing size. You and your partner can take turns examining parts of your bodies that you can’t see yourself. • Visit a dermatologist at least once a year for a full-body exam. It’s never too late to reduce your skin cancer risk. The sun will come up tomorrow. Rejoice and be ready! For more information, visit skincancerprevention.org. MSN

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A Macro-Mineral with a Mighty Punch By Wendell Fowler Macho American men are not getting enough zinc in their diet and far too many procrastinate until their prostate is the size of a bowling ball before they visit their family physician for the dreaded one-digit “test.” Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America, affecting 1 in 6 men. One new case of prostate cancer occurs every 2.25

minutes and a man dies from prostate cancer every 19 minutes. It is the second most common cause of cancer-related death among American men, and more than half of all men over 50 years of age suffer from an enlarged prostate and its symptoms Race and family history are significant as well. African American men are 61% more likely to develop prostate cancer compared with Caucasian men, and are nearly 2.5 times as likely to die from the disease. Every year about 400,000 men have prostate surgery; adding billions annually to our national health care bill Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignant tumor in men. There are no apparent symptoms in the early stages of the disease. Because your prostate becomes larger as you age, does not mean you have cancer. The non-cancerous version is known as be-

nign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH for short. For some lucky guys, the prostate gland grows large without causing problems with urination. This may be because their urethra is wider than average, or because the gland tends to enlarge outward. In many, however, enlargement of the prostate gland squeezes the urethra and interferes with urinary flow Genes are responsible for about 5-10 % of prostate cancers but a diet insufficient in macronutrients from plant foods and animal protein (especially beef), is the main culprit. Overweight, sedentary men have a greater chance of developing prostate cancer. Symptoms include: • A need to urinate frequently, especially at night; • Difficulty starting urination or holding back urine; • Weak or interrupted flow of urine; • Painful or burning urination; • Difficulty having an erection; • Painful ejaculation; • Blood in urine or semen; and • Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs. Zinc and Good Nutrition Fight Prostate Cancer Foods that contain zinc include oysters, the ancient grain, quinoa, beef tenderloin, pot roast, turkey breast, chicken leg, fortified cereals, chickpeas, baked beans, plain yogurt, and pecans. According to The Berkeley Wellness Letter, zinc—the most ubiquitous of all trace elements— defends us from free radicals, is essential for health, and is needed for the enzymes that regulate cell division. It protects DNA from damage, enhances wound healing, and the proper functioning of our immune systems. Also, the brain must also have adequate zinc to keep our thoughts organized and balanced. Zinc helps tissues grow and repair themselves, and in addition to helping heal wounds faster, zinc is probably the most important mineral for keeping the immune system strong. Too little zinc can lead to a drop in infection-fighting white blood cells, which can increase your risk of getting sick. If you are a vegan over 60 years of age, you might consider taking a multivitamin supplement with zinc. The American Cancer Society recommends that men with a high risk and with a strong family history should begin testing at age 45. For additional information visit pcf.org. MSN

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Five Tips to Keep Your Eyes Healthy (StatePoint) Want to improve your wellness? Start with your eyes. Here are five ways to help keep your eyes, vision, and body healthy. 1. Get an eye exam. An annual trip to the eye doctor is critical for the entire family to ensure healthy and sharp vision. But did you know your visit to the optometrist is important to your overall health too? A routine eye exam can potentially detect signs of chronic diseases like diabetes, high cholesterol, and more. Because many symptoms of health conditions often don’t appear until damage has occurred, eye exams are a powerful, preventative health tool to monitor what’s happening in your body. An eye exam is a small investment for your eyes and body that’s well worth it, and a vision plan can help you keep the cost down. To search for a vision plan, visit vspdirect.com. 2. Eat an eye-healthy diet. You probably know carrots are good for your eyes, but so are dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and collard greens. Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables for a hefty punch of key vitamins and a vision protecting-substance called lutein. 3. Quit smoking (or never start). Smoking cigarettes has many well-known associated health

risks, such as cardiovascular problems and cancer. Did you also know that smoking can contribute to the cause of many vision problems? Research links smoking to an increased risk of developing agerelated macular degeneration, cataracts, and optic nerve damage, all of which can lead to blindness. 4. Maintain a healthy weight. Weight is a contributing factor for your overall health as well as your eyes. Conditions such as obesity and diabetes can lead to vision problems, like cataracts. By eating healthy portions and exercising regularly, you can reduce your risk. 5. Protect eyes from blue light. Much of our days are spent with our faces glued to devices like smartphones, computers, and televisions. Those digital screens emit high-energy blue light, which causes digital eyestrain that leads to headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes, and even neck pain. Ask your eye doctor about the best options to help you reduce eyestrain, including using lenses with coatings that reflect and absorb blue light. You can also follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, spend 20 seconds looking at something at least 20 feet away. With a balanced approach to preventative care, you can help keep your eyes and body healthy. MSN

Maintain Your Mouth, Strengthen Your Health By Tait Trussell The Oral Cancer Foundation estimates that someone in the United States dies every hour of every day from oral cancer. It’s a fact that dental care can save your life. Be particularly aware of dental dangers because older people are most susceptible. A research study by the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) found that diseased gums released much “higher levels of bacterial proinflammatory components into the bloodstream of patients with severe periodontal disease compared to healthy patients.” Early detection of oral cancer is possible with something called VELscope. It uses light to detect oral cancers—florescent light that supposedly hones in on tissues that glow when abnormal cells appear. Because the condition of your mouth mirrors the condition of your body as a whole, your dentist may be the first health-care provider to spot signs of a health problem. The lips, tongue, gums, salivary glands, and oral tissue all can warn of trouble in your general health. “Studies have shown that people with severe periodontal disease, an inflammation of the gums that affects an estimated 200 million Americans, are more

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PAGE 58 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2017

likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those without gum infection,” says the Michigan dental Association. Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, is the reduced flow of saliva that can cause extensive dental problems. You need enough saliva in your mouth to wash away food particles and reduce plaque by neutralizing acids that plaque produces. Gingivitis, gum disease, and tooth decay often occur with dry mouth. Other problems linked to dry mouth include hoarseness, sore throat, problems swallowing, and dry nasal passages. If you suffer from dry mouth, talk to your dentist about it. Simple saliva substitutes include sugar-free candy. Tooth erosion is the wearing away of tooth enamel by acids. And talking about acids, soft drinks can cause extensive damage to your teeth. Root beer is the safest soft drink. And you may be pleased to know that red wine is good for your teeth. Researchers from Quebec City Laval University found in a study that a component in red wine should help to prevent and reduce periodontitis, the advanced stage of gum disease that results in bone loss. If you wear dentures, brush them with a soft brush daily. The same goes for your gums and tongue. When handling your dentures, hold them over a soft towel or a sink to avoid breakage. When you’re not wearing them, dentures

should always be kept in water or a solution recommended by your dentist. Keep your dentures out of reach of children and especially dogs. You know how dogs will chew on anything. Tooth sensitivity is a common problem for millions of people, dentists say. Tooth sensitivity means suffering pain or discomfort from cold air to cold drinks. Sensitive teeth can be treated, however. Dental problems never seem to fall into the “fun” category. But they can be prevented easily by regular brushing, flossing, and eating and drinking properly. Slacken off the soft drinks. And have regular checkups from your dentist. Periodontal diseases are serious bacterial infections that destroy the attachment fibers and the supporting bone that hold your teeth in your mouth. When this happens, gums separate from the teeth, forming pockets that fill with plaque and even more infection, the AAP explains. If you inflict bad breath on others, you aren’t alone. Bad breath (halitosis), however, can be embarrassing. About 85 percent of people with bad breath have a dental condition. Gum disease, cavities, dry mouth, and bacteria on the tongue are some of the problems that can cause bad breath—along with garlic. Using a mouthwash or chewing gum to cover bad breath only masks the problem when a dental problem is the most likely the source of bad breath. Smoking (yes, some people still do) is another source of offensive breath. MSN

Save the Feet!

By Dr. Gregg Neibauer, DPM Alpine Foot & Ankle Clinic Most of us are familiar with Save the Whales, the conservation effort to educate us about marine mammals, the risks they face, and the opportunities for their preservation. Similarly, you or a loved one may have diabetes, so it is important to consider this article an opportunity to learn to “save the feet.” What is the connection between diabetes and feet, and why do we need to save them? Many people may not realize that their feet are at risk when they have diabetes, which can cause nerve dysfunction and such damage that the feet become numb to the point that a person cannot feel pain. Unchecked, a person may continue to walk and go about normal activities, unaware of wounds and infections that can result in amputation. Fortunately, education can prevent many of the unwanted consequences. This diabetes-caused nerve dysfunction in the feet is called diabetic peripheral neuropathy and typically starts in both feet (most often in the toes), causes numbness to the feet and toes, but can also cause pain, shooting pains, burning, a hot sensation, tingling, or pins and needles. The sinister part of this disease is numbness that leads to damage that is not perceivable to the patient. Dr. Paul Brand is quoted as saying, “Pain is God’s greatest gift to mankind.” The loss of this ‘gift’ is precisely what occurs with diabetic neuropathy. Another consequence of diabetes is decreased blood flow to the feet, which decreases skin quality and integrity and amplifies problems such as blisters or cuts. Decreased blood flow to the feet reduces the healing potential of injuries or wounds, can cause pain due to reduced oxygen or nutrients being delivered to the feet, and lead to more critical concerns such as gangrene.

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Patients with diabetes often develop foot deformities such as bunions or hammertoes. These deformities change the shape of the foot/feet, making fitting into shoes more difficult. If a shoe does not fit well, friction or rubbing may occur on a foot deformity. This in turn may lead to a blister or sore, which may then lead to an infection or amputation. Given these risks to the feet from diabetes, what can prevent their occurrence? First, a diabetic patient should work with their doctor to control their blood sugar. Emphasis should be placed upon diet and exercise, very effective strategies in blood sugar control. Although medication or insulin may be required to control blood sugar, the key is to control blood sugar. Second, diabetic patients should establish care with a podiatrist and at the very least have an annual foot exam where the podiatrist will evaluate for neuropathy, poor circulation, foot deformities,

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 59

and skin integrity. The purpose of this exam is to establish the patient’s risk level as a basis for the closeness of monitoring. It also gives the patient knowledge of the particular risks and how to remain vigilant against any potential foot complications. Remember that many of the diabetic foot complications can be prevented. The old phrase “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” really rings true when talking about diabetic foot disorders. So please, get your or a loved one’s feet checked, and Save the Feet! For more information, contact Dr. Gregg Neibauer, DPM; Alpine Foot & Ankle Clinic at alpinefoot.com or 40 6721-4007. MSN

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Acid Blockers May Lead To Gluten Sensitivity By Suzy Cohen There are billions of pills swallowed each year with the sole intent to reduce stomach acid. I’m referring to the category of acid blockers and antacids. These medications play a huge role in gluten-related illness due to their well-documented interference with the digestion of your food. Undigested food proteins like gluten can leak into your bloodstream and cause problems all over your body. I think these medications are causing a lot of gluten sensitivity (not celiac which is autoimmune). With acid blockers, how are you supposed to digest fully your meals without your stomach acid? You can’t. Soon I will tell you about three common symptoms that come from eating gluten-based bread, pasta, cookies, muffins, bagels, soy sauce, and so forth. When the protein gluten breaks into smaller proteins (gliadin for example), it leaves your digestive tract through microscopic holes and get into your bloodstream. Therein lies the problem. Your body makes antibodies to gliadin and attacks whatever tissue that gliadin has attached itself too. Your immune system is just doing its job, attacking the invader, but it’s your body that pays the price. For years, we’ve heard anecdotally about people who test negative for celiac disease but whose symptoms dramatically improve when gluten (and preferably all grains) are eliminated. We are now starting to get some answers, because a separate condition called Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) has recently been officially identified. Patients with NCGS will absolutely test negative for the autoimmune condition of celiac disease, because they don’t have a classic allergy to wheat. But people with NCGS experience all the same unpleasant symptoms, and respond favorably to a glutenfree diet. NCGS is more common than celiac. I’m sure you know that gluten sensitivity contributes to irritable bowel problems, obesity, as well as rapid transit time (i.e. you probably have diarrhea and gas soon after eating!) But there are other common symptoms you’ve probably not considered. So with that said, I’d recommend 6 months off gluten (and preferably all grains) if you have any of the following: 1 . Brain fog. Perhaps you keep forgetting thoughts mid-sentence and have word-finding

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difficulties? Cognitive dysfunction is extremely common among gluten sensitive folks. 2. Skin problems. A painful rash called dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is unique to celiac disease, but NCGS can also drive other common skin conditions, itchy unexplained rashes, rosacea, and eczema. 3. Bad moods. Gluten can affect your neurotransmitters. Our brains are exquisitely sensitive to fluctuations in our environment and our body’s general health. The neurotransmitters serotonin and GABA are more prevalent in your gastrointestinal tract than in your brain. If your gut lining is damaged due to extended use or misuse of potent acid blockers, or gluten, then your brain chemicals are imbalanced. This leads to depression and anxiety. If you think you have problems with gluten, the simplest, most inexpensive thing to do is reconsider your antacids, and stop eating gluten for 6 months and see how you feel. MSN

JUNE/JULY 2017

Overactive Bladder

By Dr. Holly Carling Two studies reveal acupuncture to be as effective as drugs, and without side effects for the treatment of over-active bladder. Two research teams, the first from Whipps Cross University Hospital and University College of London Hospital and the second from the Department of Urology in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guiyang College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, found that acupuncture was extremely effective in treating overactive bladders. Overactive bladder is the sudden urge to urinate that is difficult to control, urinating eight or more times per day, or waking two or more times per night. Some people lose control altogether or leak and need to wear incontinence liners. The Whipps Cross study compared acupuncture to the drug solifenacin, also known as Vesicare. The results were 86.9% effectiveness with the drug, which is impressive, however, the acupuncture was 90% effective. The drugs side effects including dry mouth with extreme thirst, dry eyes, blurry vision, constipation, stomach pain, nausea and vomiting, burning or painful urination, difficulty breathing, and extreme exhaustion. The side effects for the acupuncture were none. That was notable. It was determined that acupuncture was safe, free from side effects, and effective. The Guiyang College study had a tighter acupuncture point selection. The same three acupuncture points were used for each subject

in the study. This is referred to as a protocolized approach and is quite common in research. In real practice, however, acupuncture points are selected with wider variation and customized to each individual person. Given the limitation of acupuncture sites, this study found a 79% effectiveness. In this study, the patients selected had already tried and failed to benefit from conventional treatments. For such a group, a 79% success in impressive. There are also nutritional components that can aggravate the bladder. Contributing nutritional factors include any food that can be an irritant. This includes spicy foods, acidic fruit juices, caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, sugar, carbonated drinks, tomato sauces, MSG, and too little water or too much fluid intake. Acupuncture and nutritional therapies are effective in the treatment of patients with overactive bladder. This is especially true of those sufferers for whom medical measures, such as medications, have failed and they are not candidates for more invasive therapies. The bottom line is that there are other choices, and acupuncture heads the list. Dr. Holly Carling is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Licensed Acupuncturist, Doctor of Naturopathy, Clinical Nutritionist, and Master Herbologist with nearly four decades of experience. Dr. Carling offers natural health care services and whole food nutritional supplements in her Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho clinic. Visit vitalhealthcda.com or call 208-765-1994 to learn more. MSN

Secret To A Happy, Long Life: Embrace Aging When it comes to aging, have confidence in your future. If you have a negative attitude about aging, odds are your attitude will have a profound impact on your later years, even on how long you’ll live, says Dr. Noelle Nelson, author of the new book Happy Healthy Dead: Why What You Think You Know About Aging Is Wrong and How To Get It Right (MindLab Publishing). A 2014 University College London (UCL) study

interviewed over 9,000 people with an average age of 65. Those who had an overall sense of wellbeing—defined as having control, doing something worthwhile and having a purpose in life—were 30 percent less likely to die over the following 8 years than their least well being counterparts. UCLA Professor Andrew Steptoe, who led the study noted, “The findings raise the intriguing possibility that increasing well-being could help to im-

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prove physical health. There are several biological mechanisms that may link well-being to improved health, for example through hormonal changes or reduced blood pressure.” “What do you value about getting older? If you say ‘Nothing!’ you’re in trouble,” says Nelson. “If what you see before you as you advance through your 70s, 80s, 90s, and beyond is deterioration, ill-health, and decrepitude, well then, you’re in for a very unhappy time, and probably won’t live that long.” Another UCL study from 2015 found even further proof: after suffering a heart attack or angina, the most pessimistic patients were twice as likely to suffer from additional health conditions over the next four years than were optimistic patients. “If all you see before you is a depressing future, it’s not too late to change that perception,” says Nelson. “Take on an appreciative and optimistic attitude. Seek out what makes you happy and fulfilled. If you do, you’ll find plenty of reasons to

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live a long and purposeful life. Be appreciative every day for who you are. Train yourself to talk differently, positively, to yourself. You’ll be amazed at just how quickly your mind responds, and how your experience of your life shifts into a much happier place, the precursor to gratifying long-life.” This shifting perception is critical, says Nelson. “From birth, we are changing every second of every day. What society calls aging, is nothing more than another change in our life’s journey. Whatever your chronological age, maintain and practice appreciation. As is true of any good habit and practice, the more diligently and sincerely you embrace appreciation, the more you will enjoy its physical and psychological benefits.” MSN

If You Suffered A Brain Injury, Then What? By Ann Geiger, Executive Director Liberty Place, Whitehall Imagine for a moment that you have been working on your home, getting everything ready for summer visitors. There’s all the yard work to do, flowers to plant, trees to trim, paint that needs touching up; your “to do” list is growing and your time is shrinking. Fast forward now to the day that you’ve pulled out all the paintbrushes, paint, and ladder—ready to get after those eves! You’re up on the ladder and feeling proud of all that you’ve accomplished. There’s one little spot left and you reach just a bit further than you should have… CRASH! You have taken a major fall and your world is now black! Months later, you find yourself in an unfamiliar place with severe memory issues, having to relearn how to walk and feed yourself and dealing with extreme fatigue. Your brain has been so severely impacted by the fall that you cannot function on your own yet. Your therapists tell you that they aren’t seeing enough progress and you’ll have to go into assisted living. You feel such a sense of loss and can’t understand why you can’t just go home and “get over it.” You may be told that you’ll never be able to be alone again. What now? In southwest Montana, there is Liberty Place—designed to provide a continuum of care for people working through the sometimes long and arduous process of recovery from a brain injury. Liberty Place meets people where they are and helps them reach forward to what they can become. The process of recovery depends a great deal upon learning—survivors must learn how their injury has caused issues and learn ways to overcome them. It is more than just “identifying problems”, it is about regaining “self identity” and moving forward with hope. Music Therapy combined with other therapies and activities, cognitive stimulation, socialization, vocational readiness training and practice at daily life in a real world setting, helps to point a person recovering from a brain injury to a more positive outcome. “Freedom to Try” is the motto, and the dignity of risk helps each person explore their post-injury self and to express the “Courage to Soar” as new levels of independence emerge. For more information about Liberty Place and its programs, please contact the Brain Injury Help Line at 866-241-6442 or visit biamt.org. Through the Brain Injury Help Line, the Brain Injury Alliance of Montana provides education and guidance for individuals that have sustained a brain injury—and for their families. MSN

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Boulder Museum

Article & Photo By Patricia Swan-Smith One Sunday morning I was walking by The Heritage Center when the brightly lit “OPEN” sign caught my eye, so I entered and was greeted by Ellen Rae. I stayed for over an hour. Ellen showed me around the museum, and mentioned that they do genealogy—free. I told her a little bit about a traumatic event that has haunted my 94-year-old father all of his life, and she offered to see if she could find something. I gave her family names and never really thought much about what my stop might uncover. After all, who would care about my family history, maybe even more than I care? Three women tucked away in tiny Boulder between Helena and Butte—that’s who! Nancy Alley, 75, Ellen Rae Thiel, 77, and Shirley Rogers, 65, all say they love the history of this area and welcome any chance they get to research someone’s family. They are proud to be

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a part of one of the three museums in Jefferson County. Their passion of history and genealogy started long before the old bank building in Boulder was being eyed for demolition due to disrepair. Built in 1888, the bank was forced to close in 1933 during the Great Depression which gripped America, Europe, and the world until 1939. “I wanted to save the building and have a home for the genealogy. When I heard they would tear the building down, I knew that would leave a big, ugly hole here,” Nancy explains. After she bought the building, the three got together, formed a non-profit organization, and their dream came true in 20 0 9. Open seven days a week, the Heritage Center is closed about eight days a year—a couple of which include the State Genealogy Conference. Ellen Rae adds, “I just love the people who were the pioneers of the town and all the things that they brought us. Without them we wouldn’t have all this.” “We all love what we do here. We’re all busy on different projects. Officially we’re open from 1-3 p.m., but unofficially we’re open whenever we’re here,” says Shirley with a laugh. They credit the other residents of Jefferson County for the museum, although that’s not entirely true! Many of the great exhibits stem strictly from their creativity. For example, the mannequins. They were headless bodies until Nancy brought a bag full of heads back from Alaska and Ellen Rae scored a couple from the beauty school. The ones from

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Alaska were nothing more than white foam forms, but with a little bit of paint, they are now beautiful women dressed in yesteryear’s fashions. The building houses remarkable exhibits, stories, photography, and newspaper articles about World War I and II, the Boulder Hot Springs, prize fighters, the Amazon Tunnel, the Comet Ghost Town, and the antique bottles found by the Outhouse Patrol to name a few. The museum has a section of Jefferson County authors such as author Christy Leskovar’s book One Night in a Bad Inn that tells the family’s story about the 1923 crime that would mark the last hanging in Jefferson County. A Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound bottle reminds us of natural remedies that helped “guard against any derangement of the female organs, which include general weakness, nervousness, constant fatigue, and utter inability to properly care for her child.” The WWII uniform of Charles Dulaney hangs neatly next to an article dated August 22, 1942. Nearby, sits a World War I helmet worn by Patrick Thomas Dawson that weighs two and a half pounds. On another counter rests the old school bell rescued during a fire in 1924. It sits next to an old sepia photograph of the school. Other old photos include the Alhambra Hot Springs that burned in 1959, the Hotel May in 1891 (now the Boulder Hot Springs), and the Beavertown Boxers who came to Boulder to train; one boasting, “James John ‘Gentleman Jim’ Corbett. Heavy Weight Boxing Champ from 1892. 6’1” with a reach of 73 inches.” Another project involves copying the vital records from the local newspaper, the Boulder Monitor, dating back to 1885. The US Census has all this information, but cannot release the information for 72 years after each census under a law meant to protect privacy. Since my questions about my dad dated back to 1928, I was in luck. About a month later, I went back in to see if Ellen Rae had found anything. I left with a two-inch-thick binder overflowing with my family’s history. Among the copies of US Census reports, death certificates, photos, and other documentation, the answer to the question my dad had asked me about fifteen years ago was answered. Where was his brother buried?

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The headline dated July 10, 1928 reads, “Motorist Captured By Posse.” This article explains the specifics of the hit and run that claimed the life of my dad’s 12-year-old brother. My four-year-old dad and two of his siblings witnessed it. Their brother died at home a few hours later, and it was never talked about again. After ninety years of uncertainty and vivid memories, fortified by the unfortunate tradition of not showing feelings or discussing traumatic events, my father knows where his brother was buried.

Shirley, Ellen, and Nancy give some sage advice, saying, “Talk to your relatives about their lives before they’re gone. Ask them about their childhoods.” I also learned that family history could be gathered by complete strangers and then shared with family before it’s too late. The women at the Heritage Center continue to donate their time to preserve and share history. They hope to remodel the second story someday, but for today, they are happy with what they have—a Montana museum that is well worth the drive! MSN

Montana’s Intriguing History Is Accessible To All At Montana Historical Society Museum

By Bernice Karnop And grandchildren are welcome at Montana Bruce Whittenberg, director of the Montana Historical Society Museum. Most displays have Historical Society, wants Montanans to know this: intriguing interactive components for kids, and the Historical Society belongs to them. the Please Touch gallery gives them a place to “It doesn’t matter whether you’re in Great Falls, try on cowboy gear, see how it feels to sit in an Helena, Glendive, or Glasgow, we do work in your authentic saddle, and test myriad activities that community. We support your teachers. We support are on their level. your museums.” Coming in NovemThe Montana Hisber is a major exhibit torical Society is unique. on Montana’s specifOther historical societic experience during ies were created in the World War I. An online rear view mirror, 50 or presentation tells many more years after the of the stories of local events become “hispeople affected by this tory.” In Montana, the event. Viewers may be men in the First Territosurprised to learn that rial Legislature created a greater percentage the Montana Historical of Montanan’s served Society at the same in WWI than most other time as they created states—and more died. the history. The hand- Montana Historical Society Director Bruce Whittenberg A bill introduced in written document, which points out the detail, accuracy, and the hidden grouse in the Montana Legislathe museum owns, is C.M. Russell’s masterpiece When the Land Belonged to God. ture this past session dated February 2, 1865, People from all over the world come to Helena to use the would have sold some world-class collections at the Montana Historical Society 24 years before Mon- Museum in Helena. “That makes it a pretty exciting place of the Montana Historitana became a state. to be,” says Whittenberg. [Photo by Bernice Karnop] cal Society’s collection Imagine the great vision to pay for upgrades and of these people, creating the Montana Historical renovations. It was a bad idea that was quickly Society to preserve the events as they were hap- tabled and died, but it reminds Montanans of pening. our heritage and why it is important to value and For this reason, the Montana Historical Soci- preserve it! ety holds one of the best repositories of western Whittenberg says history anywhere in the country. People come this shows that some from all around the globe to spend time with this have a misunderstandexcellent collection, acquired over 152 years. From ing about the Society. a historical perspective, that’s not a long time, “Our role is to prehowever, Montana’s history is amazingly rich and serve these things and varied—and just plain exciting! make them available to With a few exceptions, the collection includes our kids and grandkids every newspaper published in the Territory and and great, great grandState of Montana, beginning with the Montana kids and generations Post in 1864. Most are preserved on microfilm, down the line, not sell many are hard copies, and well over a million them off to the highest pages have been digitized and are available online bidder,” he says of the at mhs.mt.gov where there is free access to some collections for which the remarkable reading, 300 YouTube videos of public Historical Society is the lectures and museum programs, 600,000 photos, steward. “Everything and much more. here is owned by the While much is accessible from home, the best people of Montana so way to enjoy the Montana Historical Society is to it’s really not our place visit the museum at 225 North Roberts across to get into the brokering the street from the Capitol building in Helena. and dealing of art and The Museum’s Mackay Gallery of Russell Art has artifacts,” he notes. one of the great collections of Montana’s Cowboy Artist’s work, including masterpieces like Laugh Cures Lonesome, and Charlie with Friends, once used for a Montana Stamp. The collection includes the unfinished painting left on his easel when he passed away. It not only shows how he worked, but also gives visitors a chance to imagine how he would have completed the painting. Other current displays include Big Game, Big Stories: Montana’s Hunting Heritage. It’s designed to spark family stories that viewers can share with grandchildren. In the same vein, the Hooked: Fishing in Montana exhibit celebrates our fishing legacy. Fans of Norman MacLean’s A River Runs Through It will find the writer’s gear and fishing flies, on loan from the Maclean family.

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 63

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Whittenberg has been at the helm for five years following a career as a newspaper publisher with Lee Enterprises and service as director of Leadership Montana. He believes these positions prepared him in many ways for this exciting and rewarding job that gives him a deep appreciation for Montana history. How can people enhance a visit to the museum? “Don’t be bashful about asking one of our staff questions,” says Whittenberg who urges visitors to ask staff about their favorite part of the museum and to stop by the research center on the second floor. “People there are masters at finding information and helping you do research,” he adds. To help support the museum, talk to legislators and community leaders about how important our history is. This summer visit the Montana Historical Society with the grandchildren, spend a few hours on the Society’s website, and by all means, visit your local museums, too! For more information visit mhs.mt.gov or call 406-444-2694. MSN

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JUNE/JULY 2017

Find Montana’s Military History At Fort Harrison

By Bernice Karnop again,” writes Joseph Kinsey Howard, in Montana: Ray Read, director of the Montana Military High, Wide and Handsome. During World War I, Museum at Fort Harrison, claims to be a “second men of the 163rd Infantry Regiment, Montana level dumpster diver.” That means he’ll jump in National Guard were the first to reach the South the dumpster twice to retrieve the second pile. It Pacific and won the first major victory against the also means that Ray is passionate about saving Imperial Forces. Called the Jungleers, they did the stories and unique objects from Montana’s more jungle fighting than any other unit. In other military past. Montana has a lot of military history Great War displays, one may see one of the iconic and Montana has many veterans. “40 and 8” boxcars behind the museum. Ray would rather During this cententhe military artifacts not nial year of the U.S.’s be put in the dumpster entry into World War I, the in the first place. He Museum is participating knows there are Monin a project to find and tana families who have record all the World War an old box or trunk sitI memorials, cemeteries, ting in the back of the and monuments, and put house that they don’t them into a national dataknow what to do with. base. They also want to “Bring it here and let repair these same strucus take a look at it,” he tures, which are nearing says. Not all will be of 10 0 year old and have value to the museum, few left to care for them. but they would like the President Franklin opportunity to make that Roosevelt created the decision. They are interFirst Special Service ested in oral histories, Force early in World War stories, and writings of II. Made up of Canadian individual Montanans. The broad stripes and bright stars of Old Glory are shown and American personnel, They accept unique mil- here, “gallantly streaming” over the Montana Military they planned a secret itary artifacts, military Cemetery at Fort Harrison. [Photo by Bernice Karnop] operation using teams art, and one-of-a kind of sled dogs in Norway. books. The dogs and men trained at Camp Rimini near Military history in Montana started in 1805 and Helena. Their enemies called them the Devil’s 1806, when Captains Lewis and Clark’s expedi- Brigade, a name that they quickly embraced. tion spent more time in what would become our Elsewhere in that war, a Montana Marine and state than any other state along their journey. Native American, Private Louis Charlo, is rememAfter Lewis and Clark, there’s more early his- bered as one of the Marines raising the American tory than one might expect. For example, how flag at Iwo Jima. many know that the First Regiment of Montana The collections at Montana Military Museum Volunteers was authorized in 1867 by Montana were gathered over many years, but in 1994 Territorial Governor Green Clay Smith? Or that museum space was granted for them at Fort HarFort Harrison was established in 1892? Before rison. The all-volunteer staff set up exhibits and the Great War, Montana forces participated in organized the research library. Since then the such conflicts as the Spanish-American War, the museum’s grown to include four buildings. Mexican Border Conflict The 8,500 acres that make up Fort Harrison in 1916 and more. The includes Soldiers Park and Medal of Honor Park museum covers all this near the front gate, and the Montana Veteran’s and World Wars I and II, Cemetery. This is the original, and first, of three Korea, Vietnam, the Cold state veteran’s cemeteries. The other two are War, Desert Storm, and in Missoula and Miles City. Federal Veteran’s the continuing War on Cemeteries include Custer Battlefield, one at Fort Terror. Missoula, and one in Laurel. “More Montana boys Fort Harrison is on the west end of Helena, not marched away in propor- far from Spring Meadow Lake State Park. Visitors tion to the population stop at the gate and show a driver’s license or other than any other state, and picture ID. Real ID is not required at this state facilmore than any state, pro- ity. Individuals may bring a sandwich and eat on a portionately, would never refurbished Special Forces picnic table, or picnic march anywhere else under a tree. The two restaurants on the post are also open to the public. Today, Fort Harrison is the Montana National Guard training facility and home to the Fort Harrison VA Medical Center. Visitors may do a walking tour of the historic fort, reading interpretive panels in front of the buildings. The museum is open on Thursdays from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. and by appointment. Ray encourages people to call ahead and arrange to visit. The all-volunteer staff makes every effort to An innovative laser treatment for accommodate visitors. The museum is free to visit vaginal health for post-menopausal but money donations are welcomed. The gift shop patients and breast cancer survivors. carries military related items and books. Historically, patriotism ranks high in Montana, and not just on July 4. We have a proud history of service and a high number of veterans and active duty military. The folks at the Montana Military Museum make sure their stories are not forgotten nor relegated to the dumpster. They invite our readers to support the Montana Military Museum this year with a visit. Call the Montana Military Museum at 40 6-324-3550 or Ray Read at 40 6-458-9847. The Museum’s mailing address is Montana Military Museum, P.O. Box 125, Fort Harrison, MT 59636.

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 65

Knowing What’s Worth Saving By Bernice Karnop Bill Gehring lives on a ranch out of Helena that his great grandfather established in 1864, a year before the gold rush drew hordes of miners to Last Chance Gulch. There’s a lot of equipment and tools around the place after 150 years, but when Bill hauled some of it to the recycler a few years ago, his dad was not pleased.

Bison have been at home on the Gehring range for nearly 60 years. They didn’t go out looking for a buffalo. Instead, one came to them in 1959 when Bill was about 5 years old when a man stopped by and talked to his mom. “I have a heifer buffalo calf and I need to get rid of it,” he said. Although his dad made the decisions in those days, this time his mom took the bull by the horns. She didn’t have any money, but she traded a beef calf for the buffalo. She waited for her husband to come home. “Guess what I did today?” she asked. To everyone’s relief, his dad was intrigued by the novelty of it, saying, “That’s not such a bad deal.” They named that first buffalo Chaser and with good reason. She was mean. Bill’s dad fed her from a bucket, but he taught Bill to respect the animals and to be on guard. A buffalo, and for that matter, any animal, can turn on you and hurt you. Bill’s dad bought more bison from the National Bison Range. Today the herd numbers around 70 head, as many as the pasture can sustain. Most of them were born on the ranch.They are not aggressive if they are content, but he still keeps a safety net, like a pickup, a tree, or a fence, between him and the animals. No one has been hurt by a Gehring buffalo. Bill says the majestic animals are low-maintenance and easy to raise. Bison meat is low in

Bill Gehring’s family received the first buffalo on their historic ranch near Helena in 1959. He also raises cattle. His Waygu bull allows him to produce Japanese Kobe-style Waygu beef. [Photo by Bernice Karnop]

“You never know when you’re going to need that!” he said. Bill’s mom agreed, saying, “People who lived through the depression were more careful about what they threw away.” Bill chuckles about earlier generations’ inability to throw things out, but at the same time, he has his eye on things worth saving. One of them is the land in its natural state, wide open and free of human scars. He protected the Gehring ranch with a conservation easement to keep it from being subdivided or mined. The ranch is also being considered for the National Register of Historic Places. He won’t throw away what his great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and he have put into it. Nor things like the thick-walled log house, big red barn, stable, chicken house, or other outbuildings. Nor the ancient plow, worn down whetstone, scarred anvil, or dusty blacksmith bellows that fanned the flames in the blackened brick fireplace. Nor stories—many stories. As Bill says, “It’s been a journey and I think it’s been a very exciting journey.” For example, the Gehrings were ahead of their time, raising bison long before Ted Turner popularized the idea.

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cholesterol and fat, making it a healthy choice. The market, however, dips and dives, so marketing them can be a challenge. Still, the bison are just a compliment to raising cattle. Bill isn’t stuck in the past. Like his ancestors, he’s intrigued by new possibilities. He bought a Wagyu bull and raises Japanese Kobe-style Wagyu beef. This meat is known for its superior marbling, which makes it tender, flavorful, and juicy. The small Wagyu bull, however, is feisty. Bill trusts this pointy-horned animal less than he does the buffalo. Bill Gehring doesn’t claim to know what the future holds for his ranch, but he knows what’s worth saving—the land, the native animals, the antique equipment, stories of family and Montana. He won’t throw away these things we not only “might need,” but things future generations “do” need. MSN

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The Trails-Less-Traveled: Discover These Highline Hikes By Bernice Karnop West of Shelby, one finds the well-known mountain trails in Glacier National Park. Moving east along the Highline, the public lands where people can freely walk are less familiar. This spring we suggest readers seek out some of the trails-less-traveled, those on Montana’s prairie and island ranges, National Wildlife Refuges, State Parks, and National Historic Sites. Shelby recently created a paved, five mile trail which loops through town, out on the prairie, and back again. Walkers, runners, or bicyclists may see foxes, coyotes, ground squirrels, badgers, deer, or antelope. Native plants include many that Lewis and Clark cataloged when they came through here 20 0 years ago. The trail builders added pet stations, exercise stations, trash receptacles, and benches, but don’t expect to find bathrooms. For the curious, signs tell about such things as the floods that initiated the 1969 Lake Sheloole Watershed Project, the coming of the railway, Shelby’s beginnings, and more. In Havre, walk the trails at Wahkpa Chu’gn National Historic Site and see how the buffalo hunters lived. If it’s too hot to be outdoors, go below the shops and sidewalks downtown for a tour of the fascinating Havre Beneath the Streets. This tour shows life in the early days of this bustling railroad town. South of Havre is Beaver Creek Park, the largest county park in the nation and a real treasure for those who love it. This strip of protected land along the slopes of the Bear Paw Mountains is a grand place to hike, especially during wildflower season. Hikers who carry a fishing pole like it as well. Hikers with fishing poles can also get their exercise at the reservoirs across the Highline, including Tiber, Fresno, and Nelson reservoirs as well as the big one, Fort Peck Lake. Just out of Chinook, one can hike the trails of the Bear Paw Battlefield National Historic Park, where the Nez Perce War ended in 1877. History and exercise combine to make for a satisfying day. Continuing east to Fort Belknap, leave Highway 2 and drive south on U.S. 66 into the Little

Rockies. The gold rush towns of Landusky and Zortman are generally quiet places to revisit the rollicking gold rush days. Back on U.S. Highway 2 near Malta, birders may check the trails in Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge, a haven for all kinds of feathered flyers. Migratory birds rest here, and as many as 1,700 white pelicans nest and raise their young here. Drive 75 miles south of Malta to the C.M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge along Fort Peck Lake. Here hearty souls may hike through a unique mixture of prairie landscapes, forested coulees, river bottoms, badlands, and more. The Bitter Creek Wilderness Study Area on the windswept prairie north of Hinsdale takes hikers into a great, wild, and lonely land without power lines, paved roads, or cell service. Not many see this natural area of Montana and those who do never forget it. Between Plentywood and Culbertson on Highway 16, one can stretch their legs and enjoy the birds and wildlife at Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Montana’s newest State Park sits right on the North Dakota border, north and east of Bainville. Brush Lake is a mile-long, deep, clear lake surrounded by prairie grass, formed when the last of the glaciers melted. It’s a fascinating place to stroll the sandy shore and look at wildlife and birds. Don’t bring your fishing pole. The fish don’t like the mineral-rich, low-oxygen environment. While visiting the trails of eastern Montana, drive south to Makoshika State Park just out of Glendive. The one-mile long Kinney Coulee Trail and the even shorter Cap Rock Trail take one into the badlands. It’s a fun place to bring a sketchpad and recreate the hoodoos on paper. Bring the grandchildren and let their imagination run free as they walk through the otherworldly shapes of the weirdly weathered landscape. The trails are steep in places but possible for most people to navigate because they are short. MSN

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 67

Missouri River Country Is Gearing Up For A Fun And Exciting Summer Our museums will be opening up in May. Most of our communities have a museum that features dinosaurs, history, early pioneer days, and Native American artifacts. Fort Peck Power House tours will start Memorial Day weekend. Spring and summer events are getting underway. The first weekend in June starts off with a car show, Dino Days, and the Phillips County Motor Sports Races in Malta. Don’t miss the fun activities in Culbertson at Frontier Days June 9 and 10 and while in the area take in Wild West Days in Poplar the same weekend. The third weekend in June is a busy one. The weekend kicks off with the Fort Union Rendezvous. This is a 19th Century Fur Trade Fair that includes a variety of period arts, crafts, and music. Further down the road to the West, Wolf Point will be bustling with the Rods and Rides Poker Run and Car Show and a Brewfest Saturday evening. Traveling further west, Frazer will host their annual Red Bottom Celebration. See the beautiful costumes and dancing of the Assiniboine Indian Tribe. Fort Peck will once again be host for the Longest Dam Races. A fun time had by all. If you like rodeos you’ll enjoy the Match Bronc Ride in Jordan on Sunday June 18th. Scobey is the place to be June 24 and 25 for the Pioneer Days and the Dirty Shame Show. The second weekend in July has two major events. Wolf Point’s Wild Horse Stampede won’t disappoint you with parades and a rodeo July 6, 7, and 8th. Fort Peck will once again bring anglers to the sold out entries of the Montana Governor’s Cup Walleye Tournament and don’t miss the Sunrise Festival of Arts in Sidney. Fairs and rodeos take place in all the counties of Northeast Montana. Check out the Sheridan County Fair and rodeo July 27 through 30. Right next door take in the Daniels County Fair July 30 through August 2. Glasgow will be the place to be August 2 through 4 for the NE MT Fair, Concert, Carnival, Rodeo, and Derby. Sidney will host the Richland County Fair August 3 through 6. The Phillips County Fair is August 4 through 7 in Dodson and Culbertson will be holding the Roosevelt County Fair August 10 through 12. Further to the south in Garfield County Jordan will host their county fair August 10 through 12 and just down the road take in the McCone County Fair and Rodeo in Circle August 17 through 19. August 4 through 6, Wolf Point is home to the Wadopana Pow Wow. The costumes and dancing is worth a trip to Wolf Point the first weekend in Aug. If you like the water and sailing, the Cam Am

Sailing Regatta will take sail on Fort Peck Lake August 11 and 12. Labor Day finishes off the fun filled summer events with Wagon Trains in Malta and Culbertson, Saco Fun Days in Saco, and on September 23 and 24, view the antiques at the NE MT Threshing Bee in Culbertson. Don’t forget the Fort Peck Summer Theatre Live Performances throughout the summer. Visit their website for shows, dates and reservations. fortpecktheatre.org Some of the local attractions in Northeast Montana include the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum, Phillips County Museum, and Garfield County Museum all along the Montana Dinosaur Trail. The Fort Peck Interpretive Center is another facility on the Dinosaur Trail that features Peck’s Rex, a giant cast of a T Rex found in the area. In Glasgow if you stop at the Children’s Museum of NE MT, you’ll be able to see a world wildlife exhibit. A must see. While traveling through Wolf Point, stop at the Museum right on Hwy 2 to view some fabulous history. North to Scobey is Pioneer Town with restored buildings made into an early 1900’s town. Plentywood has the Sheridan County Museum, Culbertson is a Visitor Information Center along with the museum, Bainville and Circle also have museums, and don’t forget the MonDak Heritage Center in Sidney. There is so much fun and excitement in Missouri River Country. Spend a weekend with us. Stay at our local motels and eat at our home style restaurants. Visit missouririver.visitmt.com for more information and be sure to call the local Chambers for exact times. Circle Chamber • 406-485-4722 Culbertson Chamber • 406-787-5271 Daniels County Chamber • 406-487-2061 Fairview Chamber • 406-742-5259 Garfield Chamber • 406-557-6158 Glasgow Area Chamber • 406-228-2222 Malta Area Chamber • 406-654-1776 Poplar Chamber • 406-768-5204 Saco Chamber • 406-527-3218 Sheridan County Chamber • 406-765-8500 Sidney Area Chamber • 406-433-1916 Wolf Point Chamber • 406-653-2012 Missouri River Country • 406-653-1319 MSN

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Wet A Line In Montana’s Missouri River Country If you are an angler, Montana’s Missouri River Country in Northeast Montana is heaven on earth. This is the land where men built a dam across the mighty Missouri River creating the largest body of water in Montana, known as Fort Peck Reservoir. More than 50 different species of fish inhabit Fort Peck Lake and they all have room to grow. The walleye fishing is world class and there are opportunities for catching lake trout, Chinook salmon, northern pike, sauger and smallmouth bass. Ling, prehistoric paddlefish, and two species of sturgeon also inhabit Fort Peck Lake. Fort Peck’s diverse fishery continues to gain nationwide recognition. Stories of five pound bass, ten pound walleye and 20 pound northern pike are not uncommon. To accommodate anglers, Fort Peck Lake has three marinas and nine boat ramp access areas Independent & Assisted Living that are scattered along the reservoir, but as large as Fort Peck is at 1600 miles of shoreline, those seeking solitude and quiet waters can easily find them here. The world class walleye can be found throughout the lake, but experienced anglers suggest focusing efforts on the bays and points of the lake and Big Dry Arm. Trolling with bottom bouncers and spinners tipped with minnows, leaches, or night crawlers or using crank bait and jigs are advised as approaches for luring walleye to your hook. Expect the walleye to be between two and four pounds, but be prepared for eight to ten pounders.

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Anglers looking for a fight may want to target the smallmouth bass. They are one of the scrappiest freshwater game fish that can be caught anywhere on the lake. They will bite on jigs, crank bait, spinners, or flies. Look for them near rocky points and islands between Devil’s Creek and Hell Creek. Most of the bass are between two and three pounds, but it’s not uncommon to find a five pounder and if you do be prepared for a fight on your hands. Another favorite is northern pike. Expect four to eight pound pike and hope for one of the 20 pounders in all parts of the lake. Lake trout are abundant in the spring and fall and Chinook salmon are continuing to be stocked. In the late summer and fall of 2015, the salmon were an awesome catch. Downriggers are recommended on the face of the dam in deep water. Snagging season for salmon starts October 1, when they are getting ready to spawn. They head for the Fort Peck Marina where they were originally released. The Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers in Northeast Montana are also thick with their own possibilities, including the chance to land more than a 100 pound paddlefish. On the Yellowstone near Sidney and the Missouri between the Fred Robinson Bridge and Fort Peck Reservoir, you can find enormous paddlefish. Fishing for these require an additional

state license, big treble hooks, heavy weights, and a heavy rod. Nelson Reservoir near Malta is home to record setting pike, yellow perch and walleye. In open water or on the ice Nelson Reservoir can produce some awesome fish and send you home with stories to tell about your experience in Northeast Montana. Fishing in Northeast Montana is the ultimate dream come true for any fishing enthusiast from around the world. Make Montana’s Missouri River Country in Northeast Montana your next destination. You’ll take home a fishing experience to last a lifetime. A Montana fishing license is required for all fishing and a secondary special license is required for paddlefish. Two-day and ten-day fishing licenses are available for nonresidents. Before heading out on the water, check the Montana fishing and boating regulations at fwp.mt.gov/fishing. Other contact information for areas to fish, outfitters and guides contact: Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (40 6-228-370 0 ) and the Charles M. Russell Wildlife Refuge (406-538-8706). The US Army Corps of Engineers in Fort Peck (406-5263411) can provide additional information on Fort Peck Lake. MSN

Visit Glasgow’s Valley County Pioneer Museum

You can’t miss it! The T-33 Jet Trainer on the front lawn draws your attention right away, a reminder of our Air Force history. Once inside, your eyes light upon the authentic elk hide Assiniboine tepee, the centerpiece of the museum and an important part of the Native American influence to the area. Up and down any of the aisles, you will see carefully planned displays that tell Valley County’s history from rawhide to railroads, from cowboys to homesteaders, and from schools to businesses. But that’s not all! The archives provide extensive information about genealogies, the community, and many other subjects. Area history compilations complement the files and

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provide not only raw information but also delight for those hunting for their ancestors. Virtually every day, folks are uncovering interesting facts about their forebears. The outdoor machinery display and the Quast homestead offer additional sites of interest. Still underway, but already viewable, is the Niedringhaus Center, where a street scene replicates 1915. Surely, these offerings make Glasgow and its museum a must-see destination as you travel in Montana. Summer hours are 9 to 5, Monday through Saturday. Please call 406-228-8692 for more information. MSN

Three Beers Submitted by Julie Brantley One day a Texas cowboy new to Montana walked into a bar and ordered three mugs of Bud. He sat in the back of the room and drank a sip out of each one in turn. After finishing them, he returned to the bar and ordered three more. The bartender advised the cowboy, “You know, the beer gets warm and goes a bit flat after I draw it. It would taste better if you ordered one at a time.” The cowboy replied, “Well, you see, I have two brothers. One is an Airborne Ranger, the other is a Navy Seal, and they’re both serving overseas somewhere. When we all left our home in Texas, we promised that we’d drink this way to remember the days when we drank together. So I’m drinking one beer for each of my brothers and one for myself.” The bartender acknowledged that this was a nice custom, and the cowboy became a regular at the bar always drinking the same way – ordering three mugs of beer at a time and drinking from each in turn. However, one day the cowboy came in and ordered only two mugs. All the regulars took notice wondering why the change. When the cowboy ordered the second round, the bartender said, “I don’t want to intrude on your grief, but I wanted to offer my condolences on your loss.” The cowboy looked puzzled for a moment followed by a look of understanding and a laugh. “Oh, no. Don’t worry; my brothers are just fine,” he declared, “It’s just that my wife and I joined the Baptist Church so I had to quit drinking. But it hasn’t affected my brothers at all. MSN

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Saint Rita’s Traveling Bookstore

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Article & Photo By Connie Daugherty Yes really, a traveling bookstore! St. Rita’s Amazing Traveling Bookstore and Textual Apothecary is what you get when you cross a booklover living in Eureka without a bookstore and creative, adventurous, fun, and energetic St. Rita, AKA Rita Collins. And the bookstore, well it’s anywhere and everywhere St. Rita wants it to be. “I can do that,” says Rita, 65, and she has done many things including working as a cook before going to college; working with the Red Cross in Washington D.C. after getting her bachelor’s degree; earning her PhD; and teaching English and sign language in the Czech Republic. Although Rita is a go-withthe-flow type person, once she drifts ashore she takes a stand, makes her mark, and touches the hearts of the people around her. “I have lived in nine states and two countries,” Rita explains, but Montana, “really suits me… I like the weather, the people, the geography… I really, really like it.” A part of Rita’s embracing her Montana experience is the joy and satisfaction she gets from giving back or paying it forward as the recent saying goes. When Rita first moved to Eureka, she taught at Flathead Community College in Kalispell. And while she enjoyed the college and working with the students, the commute was a bit of a challenge. She also taught in Trego for a while. One day Rita and three friends were discussing what they liked and didn’t like so much about their small town. “Four of us determined Eureka needed more social services; even basics like local access to food stamps, arts, and education (like GED classes),” she recalls. Randy Beach While Eureka is reMirna Bowden mote – one of the things Kathleen Lewison they liked about the area – they decided it did not

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need to be isolated. So the four can-do women started the Sunburst Community Service Foundation in 1995. At first, they continued to work their day jobs and operate a bakery/café to finance the nonprofit foundation. Now Sunburst is in five locations and has about eighty employees. With the bakery sold, the foundation on its way, and her life changing, Rita was ready for change, so she accepted a job teaching English and American Culture at a university in Romania. Her short time there led to the six-year position in the Czech Republic, which is where she first learned about St. Rita. “It’s a big day over there… they have special masses where people bring roses and have them blessed because St. Rita is the patron saint of impossible causes… like roses blooming in December.” When she moved back to the states, Rita found herself drawn back to Eureka, this time well aware of its remoteness and its lack of employment opportunities. But her heart was there, so she returned to the Sunburst Foundation, writing grants and reaching out to people around the state to make a difference. And then the local bookstore closed. “I always thought it would be nice to have a bookstore,” Rita explains. But it was clear that trying to make a go of a brick and mortar bookstore in Eureka was not feasible – the reason the former store closed. Still, Rita couldn’t quite let go of the dream. Then, thinking outside the box as usual, came the idea of a traveling bookstore. “It makes so much sense because the overhead is minimal,” she exclaims, the excitement growing in her voice. “I can still do my day job and just take the bookstore out when there’s an event with people.” There is something about owning a printed book, keeping it on a shelf, and reading it again that appeals to readers everywhere. There is also something about browsing a bookstore that touches the imagination in a unique and exciting way. And if you are already attending an event like

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a festival, a tiny bookstore adds to the whole aura. Events, people, books – what could be a better combination? As the dream grew into a plan, Rita says, “I just decided to go for it.” Exploring the Internet, she discovered one other traveling bookstore – in Wales. “I feel like they are my role model… we follow each other on Facebook.” In 2014, she found a used 2004 Sprinter van with a Mercedes diesel engine to house the bookstore. “It’s like it was made for me – just the right size,” she declares, and things just fell into place. A friend designed special shelves, another friend built the inside, another set up a solar panel to run lights to save the van battery. Meanwhile Rita started collecting books, getting donations from as far away as Florida. Readers like to share their favorite books and they obviously know that Rita will continue the tradition. “It is so much fun opening the boxes,” she says as she considers each box a treasure. “I never know what will be inside.” “When I was thinking about what to name this business it seemed like St. Rita’s was perfect because it is really going to be an impossible cause...

and then I decided to make it more like an old time medicine show.” Thus, St. Rita’s Amazing Traveling Bookstore and Textual Apothecary became a reality, and in June 2015, Rita took the bookstore on its maiden excursion. And it has been an exciting, not-soimpossible adventure including book festivals from Missoula to Brooklyn, New York with fun stops along the way. She has attended art walks, music festivals, and even a child’s birthday party – much more fun for all than a clown or a blow-up bounce house. She has parked near the local brewery for an afternoon, and had people call at her house. She opened the doors by request when stopping for lunch in Ovando. She has taken the bookstore to Bozeman, Havre, and Billings for Humanities Montana meetings. At a friend’s suggestion, she added greeting cards and postcards to her inventory. “It keeps evolving,” she says. “There are a lot of possibilities and I’m just scratching the surface.” And for Rita it’s about the people she meets along the way and the stories she hears as much as the books she sells. It’s about reaching

Steve Eckels Is Like Fred Astaire with a Guitar Article & Photo By Gail Jokerst, gailjokerst.com If you had to choose a quality to describe guitarist Steve Eckels, patient would certainly fit. So would gifted and inventive. However, anyone trying to pigeonhole Steve with a handful of adjectives would have almost as much difficulty as a tenor trying to sing bass. This recording artist, teacher, and composer is also a performer and poet. And don’t forget weightlifter and Zumba dancer. He feels as passionately

about ballet and the verses of Ralph Waldo Emerson as he does about gospel and mariachi tunes. And he can sum up his music style in five words, Fred Astaire with a guitar. When you hear Steve’s foot-tappin’ interpretation of the folk song Keep Your Hand on the Plough, you understand the reference. His jazzy inflections practically dare you to sit still. Likewise, his version of Shady Grove engages every fiber of the listener. Initially, Steve’s elegant playing is deceptively simple; the melody is so purely rendered. Yet, closer listening reveals an unexpected sophistication in his take on the Appalachian classic. You can detect Segovia-esque expression along with the sound of guitar wood adding a percussion dimension. “I play the strings. The strings play the wood. The wood plays the air. The air plays the listener. And the listener receives the music with his whole body,” says Steve, who attributes his success to his wife Barbara’s behind-the-scenes support and to his tenacity.

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 71

out, connecting, and sharing. “I do the whole social media thing – Facebook. I blog and have a twitter account; I have a splash page and I just learned Instagram. I feel like it’s an age thing that I feel so good about accomplishing this,” she explains, adding, “This is people helping me figure it out. “At this point I could live anywhere in the U.S.” Rita says. For now, she calls Eureka, her home, but you never know when St. Rita’s Amazing Traveling Bookstore and Textual Apothecary might be in your area – so keep watching. MSN

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PAGE 72 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

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Libby Area In Northwest Montana Awaits Discovery

By Bernice Karnop Libby grew up as a scattering of houses tossed on the banks of the Kootenai River at the base of the Cabinet Mountains and crowded with streams, rivers, lakes, trees, wildlife, wildflowers, and a few hearty people. The Kootenai

National Forest makes up more than two million acres in this northwest corner of Montana, public lands that ordinary folk can all enjoy. Hikers trek hundreds of miles on hiking trails and find dozens of special places to camp among the wildflowers and huckleberries. Anglers try their luck in high

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mountain lakes, meandering streams, the Kootenai River, and Lake Koocanusa. Hunters stalk deer, elk, moose, bear, and mountain sheep. It’s a great place for the active sportsperson, but those who enjoy nature at a more leisurely pace also should not miss this quiet corner of Montana. A person can learn the story of the area at the Heritage Museum, about half a mile south of town. This unusual 12-sided log structure brims with displays, including stories of the Kootenai Indians, the explorers and trappers, the logging and mining industries, and the early settlers. The Shea Steam locomotive in the front of the building makes a memorable photo, and visitors will learn about other mining and logging equipment. Wildlife displays include a silver tip grizzly and bald eagles. Downstream from Libby, the Kootenai River enters a canyon and roils over the largest freeflowing waterfalls in the state. Makers of the 2015 movie the Revenant, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as mountain man Hugh Glass, chose to shoot a dramatic river scene here. The River Wild, starring Merle Streep was filmed here in 1994. The falls is adjacent to U.S. Highway 2 between Libby and Troy and is a worthwhile stop for motorists. Just beyond the parking area, enjoy a picnic and a walk over the railroad on a high bridge to the river. Navigate over rocks and tree roots as you walk

past brush, tall trees, and sandstone cliffs along the river’s edge. Go upstream to see the rapids and falls and downstream to the one-person-wide swinging bridge across the canyon. From the bridge, you will have a perfect view of extreme kayakers tackling the whitewater. The Ross Creek Cedars is a grove of ancient red cedars, many of them eight feet in diameter and around 500 years old. Local loggers discovered the grove, and then worked to protect it. In 1960, the Forest Service declared it a scenic area of scientific and recreational value. They built a meandering one-mile trail, which many visitors find to be a spiritual place as they rub shoulders with these ancient giants. Bird species who love it here include the pileated woodpecker, Steller’s jay, chestnut-backed chickadee, brown creeper, golden crowned kinglet, varied thrush, red crossbill, and the tiny winter wren. Turn off Highway 2 onto Montana 56 west of Libby, just before you get to Troy. About a mile south of Bull Lake turn west at milepost 15 and follow the winding, single-lane, paved road for about four miles to the Ross Creek Cedars. The whole family can try panning for gold at the Libby Creek Gold Panning Area, 23 miles south of Libby in the Kootenai National Forest. Imagine your grandchild’s excitement over the possibility of finding “colors.” Of course, you can take home

any precious metals you find. Libby Dam, completed in 1972, is an enormous recreational area that holds back 90 miles of the Kootenai River. It was a joint project between the U.S. and Canada to provide flood protection and to generate hydroelectric power. Lake Koocanusa’s strange name isn’t so strange when one understands that it is a combination of words – KOO for the Kootenai River, CAN, for Canada the USA for the United States. It is a recreationists dream with campgrounds, picnic facilities, marinas, and hiking or fishing trails on both sides of the lake. The dam site has a nice day-use area and boat dock. Dam tours are available during the summer. Lake Koocanusa Scenic Byway follows the Kootenai River and Lake Koocanusa for 67 miles along Montana 37 connecting Libby and Eureka. A side loop on the east side of the lake is a leisurely, two-lane paved road that is closed in the winter. In addition to the spectacular scenery, expect to see plenty of wildlife. Watch for bighorn sheep in the rock outcroppings and ledges along the road. There’s much more tucked into this corner or Montana and plenty to see and enjoy in Libby and smaller places like Eureka, Troy, and Yaak. It’s nice to know there is so much wild country, wildlife, wild flowers, and wild experiences available here. Discover the Libby area this summer. You will be glad you did! MSN

Steve Eckels - continued from page 71 “Fortunately, I can pick a project and see it through. Not everyone can fixate on something long enough to master it,” says the classically trained musician. Testament to that are the seven books for guitar instructors and ten books for selfinstruction that Steve has written, along with the 11 CDs he has recorded. He devoted three years to one of those CDs alone, Romantic Arias. The compilation includes 26 favorite operatic arias that he arranged for guitar. Steve spent two and a half years producing Cowboy Classics. As far as he knows, it is the only full album of cowboy tunes for solo guitar instrumentals. While teaching guitar at New Mexico State University, he chose the playlist, found a key for each song, arranged melodies, created sets of variations, revised, polished, and finally tested the results with audiences. From his teen years in local bands when he was growing up in Virginia to his college years at Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory of Music, Steve has steadily honed

his skills and expanded his repertoire. And the quest continues to this day. As he says, “I’m a lifelong learner.” Ever since he began playing guitar at the age of 10 , he has had eyes for no other instrument. According to him, nothing else holds the same promise. “It’s the only chordal instrument that can mimic the nuance of a singer. It also has many of the harmonic opportunities of piano plus the melodic possibilities of the violin,” Steve explains. “You can’t slide or change tone on the piano; you just have volume and harmony. With violin, you can slide and have the subtlety of the strings but without the use of chords. Guitar combines both.” Undoubtedly, Steve credits Spanish guitarist Andres Segovia as having the biggest influence on his style. “He is the master of classical music and expression on a solo guitar,” says Steve. “Segovia brought Bach and other classical composers to the instrument and toured worldwide.”

From studying Segovia’s recordings, Steve identified playing techniques that he could adapt and teach others. Whether he is writing new arrangements or scores, these contrasting elements of volume, tempo, and tone have effectively communicated his sense of guitar poetry and dance. For the past 16 years, Steve has used his expertise and accreditation as a music instructor to teach guitar to Kalispell high school students. He enjoys the job for a host of reasons beyond the youthful influence of teens and their culture. Importantly, it gives him the chance to empower students to produce music quickly. “Learning notes on a guitar can be laborious and time consuming. So I invented a less painful system that simplifies music reading. Students can make music right away and learn the details later. You can play guitar without being able to read music,” Steve adds. “But you have to like simple songs and be able to sing.”

JUNE/JULY 2017

Given the popularity of his classes, Steve’s method has proven itself. It also has helped students develop exceptional manual dexterity, a skill they can transfer to other careers. And it has encouraged teens to think for themselves. “Because of the complexity of learning to read music and play with a group, we’re in the braingrowing business,” he explains. “I see studying music as an antidote to over-dependence on digital devices. Thankfully, my students are having second thoughts about how much time to spend with the screens of their smart phones. They are at a great learning age and are open to new ideas.” The History of Rock and Roll is the newest class Steve teaches. To his delight, he has found

that students at both Flathead and Glacier High Schools are as intrigued by the material as he is. “These kids love history. They love getting a different insight into the lives of their grandparents,” observes Steve. “Many of them are already familiar with much of the music from watching it performed on YouTube.” What fascinates his students most is how quickly music fads segued from the Elvis-Buddy Holly era to folk, rhythm and blues, and the Beatles. “The followers of early rock got older and wanted something more sophisticated,” says Steve. “They also were interested in authenticity, which morphed into the rock of the 1960s.”

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 73

This past April, Montana PBS’s music show 11th and Grant featured Steve as a guest artist in recognition of his contributions to guitar playing in Big Sky Country and beyond. He counts his appearance on this Emmy-winning performance series among the greatest honors he has received. If you missed it, be sure to catch the replay at watch.montanapbs.org/show/11th-and-grant. For more information, visit guitarmusicman.com. MSN

I Always Wanted A Dollhouse- continued from page 6 through the pipe stand. There is even a light in the cellar window revealing three resident mice. The

roof has a tower with lights shining that show a ghostly figure. Sorry, the kitchen sink and bathroom tub don’t have running water! Most rooms have wallpaper with carpet, parquet, oak-board, simulated linoleum flooring. The main floor ceilings feature embossed simulated tin tiles giving them a three-dimensional appearance. Some of the windows have lace curtains. Very classy. Most of the furniture is commercial, however some is hand crafted. The grand piano is a windup that plays a tune. The tiny dishes, tableware, and other appointments are glass, plastic, porcelain, or metal. The five-foot-tall dollhouse is mounted on a custom-built cabinet with two drawers to store extra dollhouse furniture and supplies and a turntable allowing the dollhouse to turn to show the contents of the rooms. “This is the kind of project that creates lifelong memories. But, it is also the kind of project to do only once!” says Jaime with a chuckle. “It’s great to get my shop back again,” remarks Jesse, “but this isn’t for the faint of heart!” MSN

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The Osprey Man - continued from cover cycle, he can make such statements with confidence. During the 1960 s he became concerned about osprey’s declining numbers nationwide. Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring had alerted the world to the dangers of DDT, which worried Doug and his twin brother Don. Both held degrees in wildlife biology, so in conjunction with the University of Montana’s Flathead Lake Biological Station, they volunteered to conduct a 10-year study of osprey numbers. “Our intent was to see if ospreys in the West were reproducing at the same rate as those in the East. Populations were dwindling in both parts of the country,” Doug explains. “The two things we focused on were the effects of DDT and food resources. We found that food wasn’t a limiting factor but the use of DDT was.”

Spraying DDT and other insecticides to reduce mosquito and cherry-orchard fruit-fly populations had adversely affected the Flathead’s ospreys. Most critically, it affected their eggshells by making them thinner so they cracked more easily during parental brooding. With the eventual ban of DDT, osprey numbers rebounded to the point where Doug could dub it the icon bird of the Flathead Valley. “They’re so numerous and frequently seen because we have so many watershed areas,” declares Doug. “People know what osprey are but most probably couldn’t tell the difference between a hawk and a falcon.” As you might imagine, conducting on-site raptor studies comes with its share of precautions and perils. Protective adult birds never welcome nest intruders of any ilk, for the sake of the nest as well as its inhabitants. “It’s been said that ospreys have a stronger fidelity for their nest than for their mate. This is one reason I think they return to their nests,” says Doug, “especially if they’ve had a successful breeding season the previous year.” Those tending eggs or chicks will leave the nest temporarily for two purposes: to go fishing or to gain enough elevation to dive-bomb the threat. “When doing our field research, one of us stayed on the ground watching for the adult’s return while the other one climbed to the nest and quickly counted and weighed the chicks,” recalls Doug. “If the adult reappeared, the spotter would shout a warning, and whoever was up the tree would hunker under the nest, which can be large enough to hold two men, to shield himself.” Doug never had any close encounters of the dangerous kind with osprey parents. However, Don was not as fortunate. As Doug explains, ospreys attack in flight by balling their talons and aiming at the intruder’s head or shoulders. Don was surprised only once, but was stunned by the blow and almost lost consciousness. The brothers made sure that never happened again! Although DDT use is no longer an issue, seemingly innocuous discarded baling twine has become a problem. The bright colors attract the birds, who find the long lengths conducive to lining nests. Regrettably, the abandoned twine from fields and fence posts comes with sad consequences – it kills about 10 per cent of chicks and many adult ospreys. “Adults as well as chicks have sharp talons, which get tangled in the nest’s twine. It wraps around their legs, bodies, and wings. Since they can’t move, they either starve to death or accidentally hang themselves,” Doug explains. “Some nests have been found to include over a quarter mile of baling twine.” Thankfully, the problem is fixable. Two of the most beneficial partnerships in working toward a solution formed last year when Doug sought help from Chris Hammond at Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks in Kalispell. Chris, in turn, asked Flathead Electric Coop if they would send linemen in bucket trucks to remove the twine from empty nests perched atop utility poles and platforms. The Coop gladly accepted and admirably met the challenge. While most of our readers do not own bucket trucks or have the inclination to shinny up cottonwood snags to clear nests, picking up discarded baling twine left on the ground or on fences and properly disposing of it is a simple and effective remedy. It takes just minutes to cut long strands into smaller pieces and throw them away somewhere invisible from an osprey’s perspective. Every problem should be so easy to solve. For an up-close glimpse of Montana ospreys, you can view live images of the nesting raptors at cams.allaboutbirds.org/channel/27/ Hellgate_Ospreys/ or snappysportsenter.com/ osprey-camera.html. MSN

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 75

Social Security Advice for Soon-To-Be Retirees By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend any services that help pre-retirees decide when to start drawing their Social Security benefits? My wife and I are approaching retirement age and want to weigh our options to make sure we’re maximizing our benefits. Approaching Retirement Dear Approaching, Deciding when to begin collecting your Social Security benefits could be one of the most important retirement-income decisions you’ll make. The difference between a good decision and a poor one could cost you tens of thousands of dollars over your retirement, so doing your homework and weighing your options now is a wise move. As you may already know, you can claim Social Security any time between the ages of 62 and 70, but each year you wait increases your benefit by 5 to 8 percent. But there are other factors you need to take into account to help you make a good decision. Consider your health and family longevity, whether you plan to work in retirement, along with spousal and survivor benefits. To help weigh your claiming strategies, you need to know that Social Security Administration claims specialists are not trained or authorized to give you personal advice on when you should start drawing your benefits. They can only provide you information on how the system works under different circumstances. To get advice you’ll need to turn to other sources. • Web-Based Help—Your first step in getting Social Security claiming strategy advice is to go to SSA.gov/myaccount to get your personalized statement that estimates what your retirement benefits will be at age 62, full retirement age, or when you turn 70. These estimates are based on your yearly earnings that are also listed on your report. Once you get your estimates for both you and your wife, there are many online tools you can turn to that can compare your options so you can make an informed decision. Some free sites that offer basic calculations include AARP’s Social Security Benefits Calculator (AARP.org/socialsecuritybenefits), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Planning for Retirement tool (ConsumerFinance.gov/retirement) and SSAnalyze that’s offered by United Capital (BedrockCapital.com/ssanalyze). But if you want a more thorough analysis check out Maximize My Social Security (MaximizeMySocialSecurity.com) or Social Security Choices (SocialSecurityChoices.com), which both charge

$40. These services, which are particularly helpful to married couples as well as divorced or widowed persons, will run scenarios based on your circumstances and show how different filing strategies affect the total payout over the same time frame. • Personal Advice—If you want human help, there are specialized firms and financial advisors that can advise you too. One such firm is Social Security Solutions (SocialSecuritySolutions.com, 866-762-7526). They offer several levels of web-based and personalized service (ranging from $20-500) including their $125 “Advised” plan that runs multiple calculations and comparisons, recommends a best course of action in a detailed report, and gives you a one-on-one session with a Social Security specialist over the phone to discuss the report and ask questions. Or, you can get help through a financial planner. Look for someone who is a fee-only certified financial planner (CFP) that charges on an hourly basis and has experience in Social Security analysis. To find someone, use the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors online directory at NAPFA.org, or try the Garrett Planning Network (GarrettPlanningNetwork.com), which is a network of fee-only advisers that charge between $150 -30 0 per hour. Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book. MSN

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for most Part B beneficiaries in 2016 is $104.90 per month, while new beneficiaries pay $121.80/ month and higher earning couples—those with incomes over $170,000 per year—pay more. Older Spouse If your wife is older than you are, she can qualify for Medicare on your work record at age 65, even if you’re not getting Medicare yourself, but you must be at least 62 years old. You also must have been married for at least one year for your wife to apply for Medicare on your work record. If you are still working and your wife is covered by your employer’s health insurance, she may want to enroll only in the premium-free Medicare Part A until you retire or your employer coverage ends. Part B—along with its premium—can be added later without penalty as long as your employer’s group health plan is your “primary coverage.” Check with your employer’s human resources department for details. If your wife is more than three years older than you are and has no health coverage, you can buy her Medicare Part A until you turn 62 and the premium-free benefit kicks in. The Part A monthly premium is $411 in 2016. Younger Spouse If your wife is younger than you are, she will need health insurance until she turns 65 and becomes eligible for Medicare. This may be through your employer if you are still working, through COBRA, or through the Health Insurance Marketplace (see healthcare.gov) or outside the marketplace through a private insurance company. Other Medicare Options In addition to Medicare Parts A and B, when you and your wife become Medicare eligible, each of you will also need to enroll in a Part D prescription drug plan if you don’t have credible drug coverage from your employer or union. And, you may want to purchase a Medicare supplement (Medigap) policy too—to help pay for things that aren’t covered by Medicare like copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles. Or, you may want to consider an all-in-one Medicare Advantage plan. For information on Medicare visit Medicare. gov or call 80 0 -633-4227. You can get help through your State Health Insurance Assistance Program. Send your questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 730 70 . Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book. MSN

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Ask Rusty-How Is My Benefit Amount Calculated? By the Social Security Advisory Staff of the Association of Mature American Citizens Dear Rusty: A friend and I, both approaching 62 years old, were discussing Social Security the other day, and he said that they take the average of your highest 10 years of earnings to figure out what your benefit is. I told him I thought the formula is a lot more complicated than that, but he insisted he was right saying his cousin has a friend who works for Social Security. Is my friend correct? Signed: Skeptical Dear Skeptical: You are right not to take your friend’s opinion as correct. Social Security rules are quite complicated, and are easily misinterpreted, even by some folks working for the Social Security Administration. Most of the time, the mistaken opinion about the 10-year factor is due to what that factor actually is used for by Social Security. It is used to determine your eligibility to collect benefits in the first place. A worker must have earned wages for a total of 40 quarters, which is at least 10 years, in order to receive Social Security benefits on their own work record. There are other ways to be entitled to Social Security benefits (e.g., spousal, survivor and disability benefits), but to claim on your own work record you must have earned at least 40 quarter credits (10 years times 4 quarters per year = 40 quarter credits). You only have to earn a certain dollar amount to get credit for a quarter; you don’t have to work the entire calendar quarter. So how does Social Security actually figure your benefit amount? They first use the 35 highest earning years in your lifetime work record, but only earnings up to the amount on which you paid Social Security taxes. They then adjust (index) each

of those year’s earnings for inflation, add them up and divide the total by 420 (the number of months in 35 years) to arrive at something called your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME). If you didn’t have at least 35 years of earnings, they will put zeroes in for the years you didn’t earn, which means that your AIME will be smaller if you didn’t work at least 35 years. Now your AIME isn’t the amount of your benefit either but it is used to calculate what Social Security calls your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA)—the amount of benefit you will be entitled to at your Full Retirement Age (FRA). In true government fashion, the calculation of your PIA uses a formula that includes something called “bend points.” These are several points at which a different percentage of your AIME is used to figure the amount of benefit you would get if you took benefits at your FRA (age 66 for most people retiring today, but more if you were born after 1954). And that’s where it stops—if you start taking your benefit at your full retirement age. If you retire earlier, your benefit will be reduced, and if you retire later, your benefit will be increased. The information presented is intended for general information only. The opinions and interpretations expressed in this article are the viewpoints of the AMAC Foundation’s Social Security Advisory staff, trained and accredited under the National Social Security Advisors program of the National Social Security Association. The AMAC Foundation and the Foundation’s Social Security Advisors are not affiliated with or endorsed by the United States Government, the Social Security Administration, or any other state government. The AMAC Foundation and its staff do not provide legal or accounting services. The Foundation welcomes questions from readers regarding Social Security issues at info@amacfoundation.com or by calling 888-750-2622. MSN

It is Better To Have Lusted And Lost Than Never To Have Lusted At All

By Pearl Hoffman Clair was the widow Sidney. She mourned him for many a year. Then one day she said, “Dear Sidney is dead, and though he’s up there, I’m still here.”

She searched for new faces and places, joined classes at a neighborhood park. ‘Twas there she met Kent, a charming old gent. Though no fire, she felt a small spark.

The man with the best job in the country is the vice president. All he has to do is get up every morning and say, “How is the president?” Will Rogers

Claire noted when Kent sat beside her, He’d puff, he’d pant, and he’d sigh. So she moved closer still. And when his breathing got shrill, Her allure gave seduction a try.

She candidly made the first move. He responded in gentlemanly fashion, “I’m so flattered, my dear, but sadly, I fear you’ve mistaken my asthma for passion.” MSN

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 77

Maybe he’s not ready for it just yet. But someday he will be. WILLS • GENERAL & FAMILY LAW • ESTATE PLANNING

K.D. BERST, LAW 406-248-3900 2722 Third Ave N, STE 325, Billings

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JUNE/JULY 2017

Donations To Charity - Are Yours Going To The Cause You Intended? By Tait Trussell You may not be wealthy. But you are among the 70 percent of Americans who gave nearly $350 billion to more than 1.5 million charitable organizations in the country last year. These figures come from the Center for Philanthropy at Indiana University, which collects such donation data. But whether you gave your local hospital, your college, your church, the United Way, or whatever $10 0 or $10 0 ,0 0 0 , you want to make sure your money will be used for the purpose you intended. That's what Charles Robertson thought, too. The story of Robertson and his family will undoubtedly determine whether, in the future, a donor's money will be used as intended. The Robertson Story begins in 1961. Charles Robertson and his wife, Marie, heeding President Kennedy's call: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country,"

decided to create a foundation for that purpose. Robertson was a 1926 graduate of Princeton University. He donated $35 million in stock to support a graduate school program at Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs to prepare students for careers in the Foreign Service and related government agencies. But the Robertsons' surviving son and daughters contend that Princeton never made good on $250 million dispersed to conduct the program. The Robertson children sued the university to get control of the foundation and its endowment. Over the years, the Robertson endowment ballooned to $600 million. At issue is what's known as "donor intent." In the world of philanthropy, it applies to nonprofit, philanthropic organizations. If you give money to your college for the business school, you don't want it going, instead to the girls' soccer team, for example, no matter what the amount you gave.

Great news! You can invest your IRA distributions to support great programs—and reduce your taxes Taxpayers 70½ and older have a wonderful opportunity to support the Benefis Foundation and other charitable organizations now that Congress has made the IRA Charitable Rollover permanent! Charitable gifts of any amount up to $100,000 may be made from your IRA each year. The best news is that these gifts count toward your Required Minimum Distribution and are not subject to income taxes. The benefit is available even if you don't itemize your federal tax returns. The charitable distribution must be sent directly from the IRA administrator to the charity. Ask your IRA administrator how this option works or contact us at the Benefis Foundation. You choose how you want your gifts put to use through the dozens of vital funds and healthcare programs the Foundation supports. Please contact your financial advisor or Marilyn Parker Certified Specialist in Planned Giving Benefis Health System Foundation 406-455-5836 or marilynparker@benefis.org

Montana’s Future is in Your Hands.

Learn how planned giving can help you, your loved ones and the charities you care about. Also, save up to $10,000 on your taxes with the Montana Endowment Tax Credit.

www.mtcf.org

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www.mtcf.org 406.443.8313

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406.443.8313

The nation's charity system is built on trust. The American Association of Fund Raising Counsel, the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and the Counsel for Advancement and support of Education adopted a code of ethics, a "donor's bill of rights” so to speak. It declared that donors have the right "to be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given." What made the Robertson case important was that the money given to Princeton was to be used for a specific mission or purpose. According to the Robertson foundation's charter of incorporation, the money was to be used to "maintain and operate...as part of" the Woodrow Wilson graduate school, a place "where men and women dedicated to public service may prepare themselves for careers in government with particular emphasis on those areas of the federal government that are concerned with international relations and affairs." The money was to go toward making us less ignorant of other cultures in the face of the world situation’s creating a great need. But the Princeton and the Woodrow Wilson School did not live up to its part of the bargain, the surviving Robertson relatives contended. They pointed to the school’s alumni directory showing only 7.6 percent of the graduates pursuing foreign policy careers. Not what the senior Robertsons intended by any stretch. Princeton argued that it has fulfilled its “legal” obligations. They claimed that the senior Robertsons’ mandate was merely an “aspirational” goal. The Robertson descendants challenged whether Princeton used the money in good faith as it was intended and as assured in the “Donor Bill of Rights.” An example of the university’s audacity: In 20 0 1, Princeton-appointed trustees of the Robertson Foundation, without notifying the familyappointed trustees, withdrew $13 million from the foundation to construct a building housing the Department of Sociology, a center for child well being, and an office of population research—none of which is related to the Robertson Mission. And maybe the only “victory” to come out of the case is the renewed focus it has put on the phrase “donor intent” – and the fact that, even a half-century after a gift is made, a tax-exempt beneficiary (however illustrious) can be called to account for perceived violations of the donor-beneficiary relationship. That’s a lesson that donors and recipients alike would do well to take seriously. MSN

JUNE/JULY 2017

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 79

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PAGE 80 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2017

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