Cocktail of the Month: Dark & Stormy

Mixed by Jill Rowe/Staff Writer

The scariest things I can think of are those we don’t fully understand, things that have remained a mystery over time. So, gather around close for a special spooky edition of Cocktails of the Month and place yourself in one of the creepiest settings I can think of: the Bermuda Triangle! Submitted for your approval from the Midnight Society, I call this, The Tale of the Dark ‘N Stormy. Due to mysterious disappearing people, ships and planes, the legendary Bermuda Triangle in the Atlantic Ocean has captured people’s attention for decades. Many ships were discovered completely deserted for no apparent reason, while others made no distress calls and vanished without a trace. It is the world’s shipwreck capital, covering an area of 200 square miles. This watery graveyard is home to 300 known sunken ships and is where our story of the Dark ‘n Stormy begins — a rather unsettling scene to picture. In 1806, James Gosling set sail for America aboard the Mercury, a chartered ship carrying 10,000 pound sterling in wines and spirits. I’m no mathematician, but that’s just shy of a million dollars in booze today. The voyage of the Mercury, however, did not exactly go to plan. After 91 turbulent days at sea and successfully crossing the havoc-wreaking triangle, they landed in Bermuda. Gosling decided to stay and start a business after falling in love with Bermuda shortly after arriving there. The Goslings improved their blending technique over time and eventually created one of the best and most distinctive dark rums in the world. Gosling’s rum was sold in barrels until World War I. People would

Spooky season is upon us, and I’ve been waiting (not bring their own bottles to be filled. Black Rum was eventually so patiently) for fall since mid-July. Not just because sold in champagne bottles reclaimed from the Royal Navy it’s been blazing hot this entire summer (I can barely keep up with my electricity bill), but because I LOVE Officers Mess, with corks sealed with black sealing wax, – thus earning it the name “Black Seal.” Halloween and all things creepy! Through trial and error, the sailors discovered that a hefty splash of the local Gosling’s Black Seal Rum was a great addition to ginger beer. The name Dark ‘N Stormy is said to have been coined by a sailor who said, while enjoying the cocktail, that it was “the color of a cloud only a fool or dead man would sail under.” Goslings and the Dark ‘n Stormy became synonymous, and not just in Bermuda. As the company gradually expanded its rum export business, the cocktail followed it to the United States and beyond. Gosling Brothers Ltd. successfully applied for two trademarks on the recipe in 1991, which is incredibly difficult to do! Only three other cocktails are similarly trademarked – the Hand Grenade, Painkiller and Sazerac. So technically, if you use any other rum Dark ‘N Stormy 2 ozs. Gosling’s Black Seal Rum 1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice Can of Gosling’s Ginger Beer In a highball glass, add 2 ozs. of Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, 1/2 oz. of lime juice, pack with ice and top with Gosling’s Ginger Beer. Give it a stir and enjoy! in a Dark ‘N Stormy, you’re breaking the law! The Dark ‘N Stormy is a simple, yet refreshing, combination of dark rum, ginger beer and lime. A simple recipe that evolved through the mists of time into a legendary tale that any sailor would be proud to tell.

Source: breastcancer.org

Breast Cancer became the most common cancer globally in 2021 In 2022, approximately 333,250 women are expected to be diagnosed in the U.S. About 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer in their lifetime

Common warning signs of breast cancer are: New lump in the breast or underarm Skin irritation or dimpling Breast or nipple pain Nipple discharge

Source: cdc.gov

Mammograms are recommended every two years for women 50 - 74 years old who are at average risk.

Women between 40 - 49 years old should begin talking to their doctor about when to start screening and how often.

Women should regularly perform breast self-examinations to check for warning signs and notify their doctor of any changes.

Story by Kayley Spielbusch/Staff Writer

The Kaw Women’s Health Program provides free breast and cervical screenings to any woman who does not have health insurance. The program receives funding from a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The grant was authorized through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Mortality Prevention Act of 1990.

According to the American Cancer Society, so far in 2022, there have been an estimated 3,280 new incidents of breast cancer in Oklahoma, with 570 breast cancer-related deaths. There have been an estimated 210 new cases of cervical cancer with 90 related deaths.

“Our goal with this program is to help any woman with no health insurance be able to get her yearly breast or cervical cancer screenings at no cost,” said Project Director Lori George. The program covers the cost of mammograms and PAP smears. If there are any follow-up services needed, such as diagnostic labs, biopsies or further images, those costs are covered as well.

“We want women to receive timely diagnostic and treatment services,” added George.

All uninsured, low-income women are qualified for the program. Patients aged between 40 and 64 are eligible for a mammogram. Those aged between 21 and 64 can receive cervical cancer screening. It is open to any woman in the state of Oklahoma.

Women with any questions or who wish to book an appointment with the program can contact Lori George at Kanza Health Clinic, lori.george@ ihs.gov, or (580) 362-1039 ext. 207, to fill out the paperwork.

Story by Chelsea McConnell/Staff Writer

Ponca City is the beneficiary of over 20 such soul messages from Birger Sandzén. We are a city of hidden gems. Many of them hide in plain sight. We’ve grown so accustomed to them being there, we forget to drink in their presence. On occasion, we must be reminded.

One of the more notable but often overlooked gems is the Richard Gordon Matzene Art Collection housed within the Ponca City Library. Upon his death in 1950, Matzene donated a large portion of his personal art collection to the Ponca City Library. Over the years, the Library has been gifted other pieces, making the collection what it is today. The collection boasts well over 150 pieces of art including oil paintings, gouache, watercolor, lithographs, linocuts,

clay pottery, sculptures and more. The collection is often highlighted for its many pieces of fine Asian art. Our Library has created a wonderful guide of the collection that is free to the public. The guide is available at the front desk and makes a selfguided tour of the collection a true delight. Visitors can also contact the Library in advance for a staff-led tour. Also worth noting, the collection includes over 20 pieces of Birger Sandzén’s work, making him one of the biggest contributors to the collection. 1932 Birger Sandzén portrait by Library Director Holly LaBossiere Gordon Matzene. Photo credit: has this to say about Sandzén’s Sandzen.org work and the collection, “Birger Sandzén’s work is amazing. Imagine how awesome it is to

Birger Sandzén Oil on Canvas – Sunset, Smoky River, Kansas; Period – 1921

BIRGER Continued from Page 79 work in a place filled with so much to inspire. We have been fortunate to host the permanent display of Mr. Sandzén’s creations for over 60 years. For many children in Ponca City, a trip to the Library is their first exposure to worldclass art in a very intimate setting. Being so close to the works always provides opportunities to have discussions about the process of creating – viewing the brushstrokes or looking at the crisp lines of the prints, or consider the reasons you might prefer the bold colors or the minimalist monochrome. For the very interested, we can even look closer at how he mixed his paints and how these choices can affect how paintings evolve over time as they age and are exposed to light and air.” Birger (Sven Birger) Sandzén was born in Sweden in 1871. He studied art in Stockholm and Paris before moving to Lindsborg, Kansas, in 1894. Sandzén worked for Bethany College in Lindsborg for over 50 years teaching art. According to the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery, “Throughout this period, and after he retired as Professor Emeritus, he was a prolific painter and printmaker until his death in 1954. During his lifetime, he completed in excess of 2600 oil paintings and 500 watercolors. He created 207 lithographs, 94 block prints and 27 drypoints, which when the editions are totaled amount to over 33,000 prints. In addition, he was a consummate draftsman, filling over 80 sketchbooks.”

Sandzén painted in an impressionistic style, reminiscent of Van Gogh, using bold strokes. It

Birger Sandzén Oil on Canvas – Aspen in Colorado; Period – 1923

Head of R. Gordon Matzene – Bronze Sculpture on green marble base by Claude A. Northcutt; Period – 20th Century

“Mr. Matzene and Li Jingfang” – photo; Period – 1924. Mr. Matzene visits his friend, a Chinese diplomat who hid him during the Boxer Rebellion. *Photo possibly set by Matzene himself. Arthur Vidal Diehl, Oil on Multi-ply Paperboard; Period – 1926. Chelsea’s caption – This piece is stunning and well worth the trip to the lower level.

BIRGER Continued from Page 81

seems he saw painting landscapes as a challenge worthy of his life’s work as an artist. He was on a journey to find truth and beauty and was determined to do so wherever his travels took him. Pieces in the Matzene collection feature representations

of Kansas, Colorado, Arizona and more. He referred to nature as his “great teacher.” In a paper he wrote entitled, “The Southwest as a Sketching Ground” Sandzén says, “The real artist will find beauty in almost any kind of surroundings. He sees with the curious eyes of a child, his naïve love and admiration touch nature with a magic wand and conjure up marvelous visions.”

Sandzén’s curious eye is evident when viewing his art. His use of color is breathtaking, truly like a magic wand gently kissing the Colorado Rockies and rolling hills

Birger Sandzén Oil on Canvas – Arapahoe Peak; Period – 20th Century

Birger Sandzén Oil on Canvas – Summer Evening; Period – 1922

of Kansas. As a longtime art teacher, it is no surprise he had strong opinions on the use of color saying, “It is no pleasure to work with a poverty-stricken palette. The color-gourmet wants the individual flavor of his beloved pigment to be left alive on the canvas. Again I say: let us experiment and learn to know the joy of orchestral color.” A true practitioner of what he taught; you can see symphonies of color in each of his pieces. Spend a few minutes in front of “Sunset – Smoky River, Kansas.” This massive oil painting graces the east wall

of the Children’s Section of the Ponca City Library. The reflection of the hills and trees on the river are stunning. The colors are warm and inviting, as if you can feel the setting of that Kansas sun. Another favorite, located on the south wall of the Children’s section is entitled “Summer Evening.” It depicts a copse of trees and a cottoncandy sky that makes it hard to tear one’s eyes away. “Arapahoe Peak” is another striking piece. While the colors used in this piece are slightly more muted than his others, the outcome is no less exquisite.

Sandzén’s lithographs are impressive as well, especially given what he’s able to convey in

that style of medium. Sandzén was one of the founding members of a society called the Prairie Print Makers that focused on making art more accessible. Many prints could be made from a single carved lithograph. Sandzén once said “The sooner the young artist realizes that there are no shortcuts in serious art, that he has a long and hard road before him, the better.” Sandzén did not shy away from the long and hard road. He taught art for a living and pursued it in other ways during his free

Birger Sandzén Lithograph – Solitude; Period – 1916 See BIRGER Continued on Page 84

Various pottery from various Indian tribes ranging from 1920-50 Oil on Canvas Painting by Nicolai Ivanovich Fechin. “The Princess,” is believed to be a painting of Fechin’s daughter, Eya, who died in 2002.

time, ever the student and teacher. During his career he exhibited his works all over the United States and Sweden. According to www.sandzen. org, his works can be found today at many notable locations including, “every major Kansas art museum and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe, the Library of Congress, the Chicago Art Institute, the Denver Art

BIRGER Continued from Page 83 Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the National Museum of Stockholm.” Add Ponca City to that list. Our city is a more magical place today because of Birger Sandzén’s dedication to creating personal messages from his soul to the soul of anyone who admires his work. Next time your soul needs a personal message, visit the Children’s Section of the Ponca City Library. Spend some time with Birger Sandzén.

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