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Saving Sunnyside’s Cedars Lion on the Mickinnick Cold is Coming December 2016 • FREE
STEPHEN F HOWLETT Thank you for your support in Idaho’s 2018 General Election. Please call your Congressmen and tell them to just say “NO” to Betsy Devos
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December 9
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December 2016
THE RIVER JOURNAL
A News Magazine Worth Wading Through
• December 2016 •
~just going with the flow~ P.O. Box 2656 Sandpoint, ID 83864 www.Facebook.com/RiverJournal (Webpage under redesign) 208.255.6957 • 208.266.1112 RiverJournalIdaho@gmail.com
STAFF Calm Center of Tranquility Trish Gannon • trishgannon@gmail.com
Ministry of Truth & Propaganda
Jody Forest • reach him in the great beyond
Sales & Other Stuff
David Broughton• 208.290.6577 • davidcbroughton@gmail.com
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Aristotle Proudly printed at Griffin Publishing in Spokane, Wash. 509.534.3625 Contents of the River Journal are copyright 2016. Reproduction of any material, including original artwork and advertising, is prohibited. The River Journal is published the first week of each month and is distributed in over 16 communities in Sanders County, Montana, and Bonner, Boundary and Kootenai counties in Idaho. The River Journal is printed on 40 percent recycled paper with soy-based ink. We appreciate your efforts to recycle.
6. SEE YOU IN MARCH! The River Journal’s planned winter break this year will take place in January and February.
6. COLD IS COMING It’s looking more like “warmer than normal” won’t happen this winter. TRISH GANNON 7. A LION IN THE HILLS We share this place with lots of critters. Know how to take care of yourself. TRISH GANNON
8. GEARING UP FOR WINTER. Friends of Scotchman Peaks have a plethora of plans through the winter season. - Britta Mireley 9. SAVING SUNNYSIDE’S CEDARS. Sunnyside residents come together to save this majestic group of trees. - Ali Hakala 10. GOING THROUGH THE GRIEF. With election results opposite of what he would have liked, Gil is working his way through grief. GIL BEYER - IN THE MIDDLE 12. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH US? Sandy offers the first planks in his platform. SANDY COMPTON - THE SCENIC ROUTE 13. THE JOURNEY CONTINUES. After
ten years, Gary retires is faith walk but only the column. GARY PAYTON - GARY’S FAITH WALK
14. A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PARKINSON’S WARRIOR. AC’s friend Pete struggles, but does not give up in the face of this relentless condition. A.C. WOOLNOUGH - ALL SHOOK UP 15. SKIP THE PARASITES THIS CHRISTMAS. There’s a lot to be said for tradition, but not if you want to keep your trees alive. NANCY HASTINGS - GET GROWING 16. BRING BACK SANTA POINT. David encourages someone new to pick up the banner for a good cause. After all, he could use the money. DAVID KEYES - AS I SEE IT 18. GRAY JAY. Mike says despite their nickname of camp robber, these birds are quite fun to have around. MIKE TURNLUND - A BIRD IN HAND 19. THE BEST DARN CHICKEN Trish is now down three flocks, this time thanks to a wiley raccoon. TRISH GANNON- POLITICALLY INCORRECT 20. LEAF ME ALONE. The tree named Grendel is keeping Scott busy. SCOTT CLAWSON - ACRES N’ PAINS
Cover Photo of cedar grove at Sunnyside by Ali Hakala
Our Thanks to these fine businesses where you can pick up a copy of the River Journal: Coeur d’Alene North Idaho College Athol Athol Conoco Westmond Westmond Store Sagle Sagle Conoco Sandpoint Waterfront Conoco The Panida Theater Vanderford’s Books Eichardt’s DiLuna’s Cafe
Columbia Bank Dairy Depot Burger Express Sandpoint City Hall Sandpoint Super Drug Gas n’ Go Super 1 Foods Ponderay The Hoot Owl Cafe Babe’s One Stop Co-Op Country Store The Bonner Mall Schweitzer Conoco Hope
Holiday Shores Clark Fork Hay’s Chevron Monarch Market Clark Fork Beverage Samuels Samuels Service Station Elmira Elmira Store Naples Naples Gen. Store Bonners Ferry Super One Foods Safeway
Bonner Books Bonners Visitor Center Noxon Big Sky Pantry Aitken’s Quik Stop Noxon Mercantile Trout Creek Trout Creek Local Store Thompson Falls Town Pump Harvest Foods Plains Conoco The Printery
December 2016
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See You in March! Although snow has barely arrived here in the lower elevations of Bonner County as we go to print, and the solstice is still on the horizon, it is “winter” nonetheless, which means it’s time for the River Journal and her crew to take their much-anticipated winter break. Which means you can look for us again on your favorite newsstand sometime around March 1. What will we do with our time off? Probably less than what we’d like to achieve, but hopefully there will be some time for rest and reflection, so that when we return in spring it will be with reserves of energy and enthusiasm! This issue marks the end of our Faith Walk series, which as Gary notes is now into its tenth year. It seems like yesterday that I spoke with the various Faith Walk writers, asking them if they would share their journey through life as it was informed by their abiding faith in something beyond this physical plane. I hope you all enjoyed the journey with them as they faced birth, death, and change with grace and compassion. In the new year, we will be giving additional focus to the issue of climate change; and yes, I do believe the climate is changing, and some of that change is driven by our own activities. We have certainly seen warmer (and much windier!) weather here in our neck of the woods; in itself, this may not seem so “bad,” but in so many other ways the impacts of a changing climate will test not only our own resilience, but that of our country as well. This month also marks the 23rd year that we have been publishing the River Journal. Yes, Virginia, time really does fly. Hopefully we will all have the energy, and the continued support, to make it to the quarter century mark, and maybe even beyond. Many of you who read these pages have been with us since the beginning, and we thank each and every one of you for your continued willingness to read what we have to print. The same is true for our advertisers; new or old, our thanks are boundless. -TG Page
Get Ready for Cold Weather by Trish Gannon After an unusually warm November, weather forecasters are suggesting it’s time to batten down the hatches. Cold weather is on its way and with it is likely our snow. In the November issue of the River Journal, we shared an uncertain forecast for the winter ahead: wet seemed to be likely but cold — and therefore snow — had too many variables to predict. In the 30 days since we published the wet prediction held true; cold weather, however, didn’t show up, though colder temperatures are expected to arrive in the area in the next few days. The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center, in fact, is forecasting temperatures 5 to 10 degrees below normal for the first week in December, throughout much of the West. The predominant explanation for our warm November was a persistent low pressure system that sat off the coast, driving warm and wet weather inland. This warm weather has left snow totals in our higher elevations at just 50 percent of normal throughout the region. Hopefully, this will change. Currently, NOAA’s long-term (three month) forecast for our area remains mostly unchanged from last month: wetter than normal is likely, but there are equal chances for temperatures
either warmer or colder than normal, though some trends are suggesting colder than normal temperatures for the area, particularly later in the winter. The Weather Company is saying we should expect December, at least, to be much colder than average. Dr. Todd Crawford, their chief meteorologist, pins this prediction on a blocking high pressure system up near the Aleutian Islands, which allows cold air to “pool” in Canada, dipping south with the jet stream. Combined with wet weather, there’s a chance we could see snow levels this month creep back up toward the normal range. Dr. Judah Cohen, of Atmospheric and Environmental Research, explains uncertainty in weather models as a result of a currently weak Polar Vortex, but he agrees that “Strong ridging/ positive geopotential height anomalies centered over the Aleutians” is going to make December a chilly month in our region, with the below normal cold to potentially last into early January. All in all, it looks like for December, at least, winter is going to arrive. Which means it’s time to quickly finish all those projects left unfinished in the yard and, for those of us less enamored with cold weather, to beat a strategic retreat into the warmth of our houses.
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December 2016
A Lion in the Hills Cougar Spotted on the Mickinnick
by Trish Gannon On Tuesday, November 22, the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office sent out a text alert through Nixle that a mountain lion had been spotted on Sandpoint’s popular Mickinnick Trail just off Woodland Drive. Potential hikers were urged to be cautious if using this trail. The warning sounded alarming to some, but the moose in which people delight that wander through town are far from the only wildlife that lives in our woods, and mountain lions are certainly out there. In fact, game warden Matt Haag says cat numbers are on the rise, because our warmer winters mean deer and elk numbers are on the rise — especially deer. “Cat populations will be on a upward curve right behind the deer curve. So we have more cats filling in more area. Sightings typically go up when that happens, and from the reports we have been getting that seems to be the case,” he said. While he added that he didn’t have solid numbers, as a population survey hasn’t been done in a few decades, “it’s safe to say we have a very healthy population.” The reason more people aren’t aware of that healthy population is that a mountain lion, like the more familiar domestic cat, isn’t often seen if it doesn’t want to be. In the case of the lion on the Mickinnick Trail, Matt says a conversation with the woman who spotted it convinced him the cat had a kill nearby. “They are very protective of kills and at the same time curious of what is lurking around in their area.” What this means is that if you’re out in the woods, it’s wise to remember who you’re sharing them with. “Anywhere they can find deer or elk is a normal area (for cougar),” Matt explained. “Sometimes the best places are right in our backyards because we
know how much deer thrive on human created landscaping. I think of it as a deer buffet for lions.” And a mild winter is an especially likely time to spot a cougar on the trail.
“This time of year is really rough on the lions. Things are good in the spring and summer when calves and fawns are little and can’t get away as well. Late summer into fall it’s more difficult for cats to find food until the snow starts piling up. So they tend to move out of traditional hunting grounds looking for easier prey. Also, mom is kicking out the kits from two years ago, so there are teenage cats out there trying to eke out a place for themselves and not quite fully understanding the best way to do that.” When young fawns are not available, young (and not-so-young) dogs and cats are a perfectly fine appetizer to a mountain lion, so pay attention if you’re outdoors in a rural area with your pets.
And, for gosh sakes, put your dogs on a leash if you’re out for a walk. (If the lion decides it wants a snack bad enough to come after your leashed buddy, let go of the leash. Yeah, that’s kind of gross and maybe insensitive, but it’s the law of the wild. And who knows — your pup might get away.) While it’s very, very rare, young children can also be a target for a hungry mountain lion. In fact, a fouryear-old was attacked in Rexburg just this August. You should never let small children roam very far away from you when you’re in cougar territory, and for more reasons than just the presence of wildlife. If, by chance, a lion does come after you or any of your loved ones (including your precious pups) remember — they are a cat, and not that different from a domestic cat in their behavior, just much bigger and far more deadly. What do cats do to avoid a fight? They get big and make noise. You may not be able to arch your back, and puff out all your fur in an effort to look larger, but what you can do is pick up small dogs, put children on your shoulders, get up on a rock or a stump, and wave your arms and yell. The message you want to send to the cat is you’re just too big to be worth it. Never take your eyes off the cat and give it a chance to leave on its own. If it does, back away slowly... slower than you’re going to want to move. Cats love it when prey runs. If the cat approaches anyway, fight back. Throw sticks and stones, your backpack, your canteen and whatever you can get your hands on. This is when a hefty walking stick can come in handy. Remember that cats of all types typically go for the neck, so do what you can to protect yours. It’s likely no one reading this will ever need that advice. There are generally less than five cougar attacks each year in the United States. But if you’re concerned about attracting cougar to your home, your best bet is to quit feeding the wildlife they prey on, and to encourage your neighbors to do the same.
December 2016
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Gearing Up for Winter in the Scotchmans by Britta Mireley. Photo by Mary Franzel
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Just because the snow is falling in the upper elevations doesn’t mean Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness isn’t making big plans for the winter. In fact, they’re excited about the snow! “We don’t slow down in the winter,” said FSPW executive director Phil Hough. “Upcoming in the next few months are our Winter Tracks program, multiple snowshoe hikes, outdoor education opportunities and some social events as well.” The season kicked off with a hike up Big Eddy Trail #999 on Black Friday. FSPW is taking part in REI’s OptOutside program this year. The program started last year with REI closing their doors for Black Friday and encouraging not just employees, but the nation, to spend the day outdoors. FSPW is excited to participate and spend the day with Friends, both new and old, hiking off some of that turkey! The Big Eddy hike isn’t the only outdoor adventure on the schedule. The winter snowshoe season will kick off on January 7 with a trip up Regal Creek. The plan is to ski, snowshoe or hike, depending on conditions, and make it up to the scree field along the Regal Creek trail to check out the beautiful views. There are also not one, but two snowshoe adventures planned around the Ross Creek Cedars. The first is scheduled for January 21 and the second is a Monday trip on February 6. Both promise amazing views into the Scotchman Peaks and across to the Cabinet Mountain Wilderness. For a change of pace, there’s the East to West to East Fork Blue Creek Meander on January 28. It’s a snowshoe loop through varied terrain that follows old roads and game trails on the point of land that lies between the East and West Forks of Blue Creek. FSPW also has some outdoor education opportunities available
this winter. Courses are led by expert tracker and wildlife researcher Brian Baxter. On February 4, he’ll be leading an animal tracking and sign interpretation class that includes some eyes, ears, nose and hands-on tracking experience. Then, on April 1, he’s leading a Winter Birding class that will also include some fun field time. If you’re interested in volunteer opportunities, FSPW is hosting Winter Tracks for area schools for the third year in a row. This program gets students from elementary to high school ages outdoors in the winter and FSPW’s knowleable volunteers teach them about common mammals of the area, tracking, identifying trees and principles of Leave No Trace. There will also be a kick-off for volunteers in the form of a tap takeover at the Idaho Pour Authority on January 4 with Ecliptic Brewing out of Portland, Ore. These educational programs are taking place throughout the winter in both Idaho and Montana, so contact FSPW if you are interested in helping out! Lastly, the Friends are planning some social events as well. First is FSPW’s 11th Anniversary party on January 27 at the Little Panida in Sandpoint. The event will be an evening of movies and music with updates on the proposal, but most importantly, celebrating 11 years of Friends! There will also be a Sip & Shop at the Pend d’Oreille Winery in Sandpoint on February 23. This event is both a fundraiser and an excuse to have some food and a glass or two of wine with other FSPW supporters. For more details about these events, please visit the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness website at www.scotchmanpeaks.org, go to the Facebook page www.facebook. com/ScotchmanPeaks or write to info@ scotchmanpeaks.org.
December 2016
Saving Sunnyside’s Cedars from the Friends of Sunnyside Cedars Residents of Bonner County are organizing to stop a proposed timber sale called “Sunnyside Cedar.” The plan is for logging a rare, low-elevation mature cedar stand for State revenue. This cedar grove is an uncommon and significant part of the Sunnyside Peninsula and adjacent to a popular State-owned public beach on Lake Pend Oreille. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) owns this 52-acre parcel of old, large cedar trees. IDFG will be assisted by the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL), which plans to conduct a timber sale in early 2017. Ali Hakala, a Sunnyside community resident and landowner, discovered the project after seeing a state worker mark trees in the grove near her home. Hakala has organized a petition drive of area residents who oppose this timber sale. A group called Friends of Sunnyside Cedars (FSC) has been formed with the intention of preserving this cedar grove. FSC was represented by Hakala, who delivered testimony at the Idaho Fish and Game Commission on November 16, aimed at stopping the timber sale. The FSC says there will be severe
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impacts from logging this parcel surrounded by residences on and near Lake Pend Oreille. These include loss of wildlife habitat; increased mortality of remaining trees; heightened fire danger; probable storm blowdown; and impacts from the logging road such as increased sedimentation. The group has a Facebook page called Sunnyside Cedar Grove, with photos, maps, and an aerial (drone) video of the forest. Friends of Sunnyside Cedars members who contacted the IDFG and the IDL have been told varying accounts of why the State plans to log off this unique, mature cedar grove. This forest is part of a larger Pend Oreille Wildlife Management Area plan. Yet the IDFG Panhandle office has no data on the amount of this type of forestland remaining under its jurisdiction. Hakala says it is ironic that the agency’s own POWMA plan directs the agency to “protect old growth and mature trees or stands from human development, such as road building, commercial logging, etc.” but it is rushing to log it without any
environmental analysis or community consultation. Friends of Sunnyside Cedars has requested that the IDFG Department and the Commission reevaluate the future of this rare parcel, according to both its own management plan, as well as site-specific values and conditions of the grove. Hakala stated, “To help educate myself, I invited experienced foresters, silviculturists, a soil scientist, wildlife biologists, and fire professionals to assess this forest to help me understand the reasoning behind this proposed logging. They agreed the Sunnyside parcel has significant wildlife value for mammals and neotropical birds, including a wetland and winter cover. It is also what foresters aim for in achieving a “desired future condition” for a cedar forest. This stand possesses the ideal conditions for longevity, and is stable enough to last at least another 200300 years, benefitting a variety of species dependent on mature cedar forests.” “We are losing cedars on more marginal habitat throughout the Panhandle. But this old grove is in a unique position to last many, many generations. We have the opportunity to preserve it.” says Hakala. Photo: Ali Hakala and the dog Bodhi in Sunnyside’s Cedar Grove. Courtesy photo.
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December 2016
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208.263.9748 Page 10
Going Through the Grief At the request of my editor, the Center of Tranquility, I’m starting this piece about ten days early. I’ve made it to ‘Denial’ in the Stages of Grief. Today is Day 7 of having to wrap my tongue and mind around the phrase, “President Elect Donald J. Trump.” It hasn’t gotten any easier to do since 11/9. It will get harder to do when it becomes simply, “President Trump” in January. My faith in the voting public is at an all-time low. We’ve elected a Reality TV star as President! Apparently those who went to the polls and voted for ‘The Donald’ were so angry at the morass of national politics that they would have voted for Ryan Seacrest with the same enthusiasm. We’ve elected a neo-Benito Mussolini. The mess that we find ourselves in was not caused by Obama. It was caused by a Congress that decided they simply wouldn’t cooperate with that ‘Black President.’ (See “the Hastert Rule.”) The result has been almost two presidential terms of gridlock to the detriment of the entire country. What the voters don’t seem to have understood is that when those Congressional incumbents were reelected on 11/8, it almost guaranteed a continuation of that gridlock. What it boils down to is the voter’s anger was grossly misdirected. The GOP thinks it has added the White House to the branches of government that they control. I think they are mistaken. The schisms within the GOP are now deeper than before and they really don’t play well together. The incumbents here in Idaho – Senator Mike Crapo and Representatives Raul Labrador and Mike Simpson – were all easily re-elected. A cursory examination of Crapo’s and Labrador’s voting records would clearly reveal they did not have the best interests of most Idahoans in mind. Hell, Labrador shut down the entire U.S. government in a fit of pique because he couldn’t get the votes to overturn the Affordable Care Act. Labrador also tried to cut funding
by Gil Beyer for the Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho Falls. Cutting that funding would have devastated the economy of that area of the state but what the hell, it wasn’t Labrador’s District. Senator Crapo was all for an ‘up or down’ vote on Supreme Court nominees when we had a Republican president, but as soon as we had a Democrat in the Oval Office he changed his mind to never, ever, having a hearing on any of the President’s judicial nominees. Here within the Idaho legislature it was even worse. The same legislators that refuse to fund public education at adequate levels were re-elected and even gained some seats. That ensures that our local property tax burdens will increase if we wish to give our kids a fighting chance to succeed. Additional GOP members in the 2017-18 Legislature ensures that our children will not be able to compete for 21st century jobs. It ensures that future generations will continue to be unqualified for higher paying jobs and they will become a permanent member of the economically disadvantaged. Okay, it’s now been ten days since the election and I’m down to ‘Anger’ in the five Stages of Grief. I’ve looked at the numbers and found that there are almost ZERO crossover votes to be had in any race on the Idaho ballot. When I say ‘crossover’ I mean those voters who call themselves ‘Independents’ but routinely vote straight GOP. They simply didn’t vote for the more qualified candidates with a ‘D’ after their name. You know who you are. You said in public that Scott and Dixon didn’t really represent North Idaho but when it came time to put pencil to ballot you chose the ‘R’ instead of having the guts to do what was in your own best interests. That’s why I’m angry. All of the ‘Independents’ that went against doing what was ‘right’ by blindly following the Party line are at fault. You should be ashamed of yourselves. There is an old saying, “Be careful what you wish for — you just might get it!” One other area for me to be angry about is the disparity between state Senate and Representative races. Add
December 2016
this to the failure to support the more qualified candidates in the Legislative races, the incumbent State Senator won her race with 2,858 votes over the total of the winning incumbent Representative in 1A. What this tells me is that almost three thousand voters chose Shawn Keough over Heather Scott. Who were these voters that voted for Keough but didn’t vote for Scott? I believe they are people who understood what was at stake. I believe that most of these voters understood the importance of retaining a strong, rational voice in Boise. For Democrats that simply cannot be done anymore. If the R’s won’t support their own incumbent, why should the Democrats? Those D’s who registered as R’s to support the Senator against attacks from her Far Right flank in the primaries simply shouldn’t do that anymore. Think about it. Those Democrats who registered GOP saved the good Senator’s bacon at least twice. If the R’s won’t get off their dead butts to do what is right for the majority, why should the Democrats do it for them? What the Democrats must do is to field competent, qualified candidates in every race. Democrats need to step forward as candidates and leave no uncontested races. That’s right — the Democrats have to make their presence known. The Democrats need to make it known that House incumbents are not representing the majority of the people. The Democrats must take every opportunity to talk to the voters about the issues that affect the majority. They need to point out every single event or situation that reveals the flaws in the R’s governance of Idaho. It is now over 2 weeks since the election and I’ve now reached Stage 3 – Bargaining. Here in Idaho we had slightly less than 60 percent of the Voting Age Eligible (VAE) population show up at the polls. The various county clerks tell us that we had in the area of 90 percent voter turnout throughout the state. But that is misleading. That is the percentage of registered voters who actually came out to vote. What these numbers don’t tell us is that 40 percent of the people that were Age Eligible to vote didn’t even bother to register. Remember, history is written by those
Here in the Middle
A retired Navy man, Gil Beyer has served as a library trustee and on the county Planning & Zoning board, (where he had the distinction of being fired from a volunteer position). He is currently the county Democratic State Committeeman and LD1 Chair. Reach him at 40vintage@gmail.com
who show up. Now, here’s the bargain: if you register to vote, study the issues and vote in your own and your family’s best interests it is guaranteed that you will have the right to object to the outcome. You have no right to complain about the outcome if you didn’t vote! If you did not even bother to register you have thrown away the very foundation of our democracy — the right to vote. Voting is a privilege. So if you didn’t register and vote SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP! The River Journal is taking the winter off so the next issue won’t be out until March – or maybe April. I wish you all Happy Holidays. I’ll be in Mexico for the inauguration – I hope they let me back in come April. ¡Los mejores deseos!
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December 2016 Page 11 BONNERMALL.COM
The Scenic Route
by Sandy Compton
It’s 11:44 pm Mountain Time, and I’m trying to make sense of life, which of course, doesn’t make sense. I’ve been wading through Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, the bleak description of the abuses and betrayals suffered by Native America at the behest of Manifest Destiny, governmental malfeasance and individual greed. And listening to news on public radio, for God’s sake. It’s not fun to read that we are descended from some not-so-good guys. Or to hear the truth spoken, which may be why Fox and similar networks are so popular. Denial is so comforting. Young friends have been asking me — in response to the election — basically, “What the hell is wrong with us?” Well, young friends, I hate to say this, but if you look at our history — not that according to Glenn Beck and other revisionists who wish to line their pockets on the paranoia and gullibility of their followers — you will find out there are a number of things wrong with us. Rampant and institutionalized greed at all levels of society. Misogynistic, homophobic, racist, imperious leadership — and not just the Presidentelect, either. A selfish and complacent constituency. Willingness to accept — and even encourage — violence as a solution to social problems. Shall I go on? These are not new phenomena. Members of the current government did not invent the idea of lining their own pockets at the expense of the general public and disadvantaged communities they are supposed to be caring for. This is not the first century in which corporations fill their coffers by taking advantage of employees, avoiding taxes and lobbying for subsidies. It’s been Page 12
What the Hell is Wrong With Us?
Nothing We Can’t Fix going on for generations. Those generations include lineages of power and wealth; semi-hereditary lines of governance with no real idea of who they represent and corporate leadership that is so disconnected from the people
The challenge we face is sorting out who is who and putting our support behind the trustworthy and honorable while ceasing to listen to, buy from or acquiesce to those who would squeeze us for our last dime and leave us to starve — or throw us out of our home because they don’t like how we look or speak or worship. It ain’t an easy job we face. For one thing, given the current state of popular media, it’s very hard to tell who is telling the truth. The blah, blah, blah goes on and on and much of it is designed to titillate us into staying tuned for that next little tidbit. One bellwether might be the person or organization that is offering solutions and accepting responsibility instead of just laying blame. As far as “normal” folks go, we can still vote. And we should. It’s not just a right, it’s a responsibility. Maddeningly (yes, it makes me mad), almost 30 percent of people eligible to do so in the last election did not. Do they want to live someplace where people don’t have the right or the responsibility? Like China? Or Moldova? One of the things my friends and I talk about is election reform. It’s probably time to do away with the Electoral College. Actually, it was probably time to do away with the Electoral College when telegraph made instant continental communication possible in the 1860s. Publicly funded campaigns, in which no candidate receives donations from special interests, would also be interesting,
who work for them as to not understand the basics of life as part of the middle class, much less the man or woman who is working for minimum wage and trying to get a kid to stay in school. Surrounded by huge accumulations of wealth and privilege, they have no idea of what it’s like to be a “real” human living in the trenches of modern culture — nor do they want to. They probably couldn’t survive it in good order if they had to. That’s a pretty bleak picture, isn’t it? Life seems better than that, and, really, it is. We are not without hope or merit. There are also good and conscionable people at every level of society who take the interests of their constituents, employees and customers to heart. They work hard for the good of the planet, and the future of humankind. They give of themselves and play fair in the marketplace and the legislature.
December 2016
The Journey Continues
by Gary Payton
Ten years ago, River Journal grandmothers and everyday folks who, publisher and “calm center of by their very example, suggest ways tranquility” Trish Gannon invited me to loving, caring, and nurturing not only participate in launching a new column. the humans who surround us, but all of We decided upon the title “Faith Walk” creation. as a name which evoked both spiritual Of course, no final column would be journey and movement. Over the decade, complete without the theme of climate Kathy Osborne, Julie Hutslar, and I change and our shared responsibilities shared individual perspectives on faith, to all living things on the planet. family, and issues of our contemporary Hundreds of books and thousands of world. With this December issue, we articles, scientific and religious, have retire the Faith Walk column even as been written in recent years describing don’t you think? And here’s a simple journeys continue. the rise in global average temperature, rule that would make campaigns more As I look back on the 60 columns the root causes of burning fossil fuels, honest, effective and efficient and one I’ve written, I find recurring themes and the urgency of shifting to a low hell of a lot less onerous. And odorous: – themes like justice, wisdom, meaning, carbon economy. No one, however, No candidate for any public office at and care for the earth we inhabit. I has more eloquently challenged us any level of government may mention regularly shared the guiding biblical than Pope Francis in his June 2015 in any way, manner or form, another passage in my life. “He has told you, O encyclical “Laudato Si” or “Praise Be candidate, except to say why they Mortal, what is good; and what does the to You” subtitled “On Care for Our support that candidate. Nor can any Lord require of you but to do justice, and Common Home.” In poetic language, organization of any sort mention in to love kindness, and to walk humbly the Pope writes “These situations have any way, manner or form, a candidate with your God?” (Micah 6:8) In these caused sister earth, along with all the other than to say why they support challenging post-election days, this abandoned of our world, to cry out, that candidate. This is a “put your ancient message resonates loudly. The pleading that we take another course. money where your mouth is,” sort of faces of climate change denial, sexism, Never have we so hurt and mistreated rule, and would stop the anonymous homophobia, and xenophobia will our common home as we have in the and hateful messaging of PACs as well confront many of us after January 20th. last two hundred years… We know that as disinformation thrown across party Now, more than ever, we are reminded technology based on the use of highly lines. It would also make candidates from scripture that “do” is an action polluting fossil fuels – especially coal, have to concentrate on their policies and verb and justice in all its forms demands but also oil and, to a lesser degree, gas plans, which might make them more it. Likewise, the kindness or compassion – needs to be progressively replaced easily held accountable for campaign we demonstrate to the living beings without delay… We have to realize promises. around us helps heal “the other,” even that a true ecological approach always These are just a few ideas I tripped as we are made better. And humility in becomes a social approach; it must over while trying to make sense of life. the face of God? Our social media/talk integrate questions of justice in debates Of course, some of them make more radio saturated world has never been on the environment, so as to hear both sense than others. Many of them might more in need of laying down overly the cry of the earth and the cry of the make more sense than continuing on developed egos. poor.” the path we are on now in these United In my spiritual journey across the As I conclude my time as columnist, States. past decade, I have been nurtured I will continue to dedicate my energy by many “wisdom guides.” The to better “hear the cry of the earth and This political message was brought to foundational voices of ancient prophets the cry of the poor.” Can you and I do you by bluecreekpress.com and the New like Micah continue to offer guidance. anything more? Focus Party. Seeking a 20-20 vision for 2020. The teachings and life of Jesus speak Thank you, Trish. Thank you, to right relations in human society. readers. Our faith walk continues. It is Upon these foundations, the Christian the journey of a life time. Sandy Compton’s book tradition exists. But wisdom may come The Scenic Route, as in the words of those who surround us well as his many others, today. Often, I’ve referred to Benedictine Gary Payton is an is available online at Sister Joan Chittister. In her “Gift of environmental advocate bluecreekpress.com, or Years: Growing Older Gracefully,” she who is actively engaged at Vanderford’s Books or asserts the meaning of life is about in conservation and The Corner Bookstore “being caring, being interested, being efforts to care for the in Sandpoint. Reach honest, being truthful, being available, earth. Reach him at him at mrcomptonjr@ being spiritual, being involved with gdpayton.sandpoint@ hotmail.com the important things of life, of living…” gmail.com And then there is the wisdom of December 2016 Page 13
Faith Walk
A Day in the Life of a Parkinson’s Warrior It’s been said that if you’ve met one person with Parkinson’s Disease, you’ve met one person with Parkinson’s. That’s because each person with PD presents differently—despite several common possible symptoms. There are at least five common motor symptoms of PD (including tremors, balance issues, slowness, freezing and dystonia [uncontrollable movements]) and well over fifteen non-motor symptoms. The number of possible combinations are immense. Eighth grade algebra (thank you Mrs. George) taught me if you have 20 numbers (in this case, possible symptoms) that can be combined with each other in as many ways possible, you end up with a huge number. I think Mrs. George called this 20! or 20 factorial. Mathematically, it means 20 x 19 x 18 x 17 x 16 …. which totals over 2 quintillion—many times the number of people who have ever lived! No wonder Parkinson’s is called a snowflake disease—every instance is unique. I am fortunate that I have what is
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called tremor dominant PD because my primary motor symptom is shaking. My non-motor symptoms include apathy, loss of sense of smell (and taste), lack of facial expression, soft voice and having to pee much more often. I say that I am fortunate to have this type of PD because, statistically, it is the slowest progressing and least likely to lead to dementia. To provide another, contrasting, example, I recently interviewed a friend with PD who I’ll call Pete (to provide privacy and anonymity). I asked him about his symptoms, what a typical day is like, his concerns and anything else he’d like to share. What follows are his responses. After eleven years with PD, Pete deals with several motor symptoms including tremor and loss of fine motor control. He has slight dyskinesia manifested by jaw quiver and occasional arm swipes. Pete’s biggest concern is falling. In the past, falls have resulted in face plants and a trip to the hospital with a broken back after tumbling down stairs. Fortunately, his medication seems to be working and there have been no recent falls. Non-motor symptoms are worse for Pete. Soft speech and constipation (affecting about 75 percent of people with Parkinson’s) are bothersome, but his version of restless leg syndrome (where it feels like bugs are crawling under his skin) makes sleep difficult. Coupled with his REM sleep disorder (acting out dreams) fatigue is also an issue. During one episode of sleep disorder, Pete fell out of bed, flailed around website and ended up with a broken Council at tristatecouncil.org.
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by A.C. Woolnough
computer and a few bruises. What doesn’t bother him so much, despite the scary-sounding name, is his Parkinson’s psychosis. This is manifested by hallucinations—seeing things and people that aren’t there. Unfortunately, a few years ago, Pete retired due to PDrelated cognitive issues. He was easily distracted and found it hard to focus on a task for very long—important abilities for an engineering consultant. Part of Pete’s daily routine is taking seven different PD drugs (in addition to medications for acid reflux and hypertension) five different times during the day in various combinations. The schedule and timing is critical for these substances to be effective. Despite these constraints, Pete is concerned with other people and their feelings. He finds that most people pretend not to notice his motor symptoms (perhaps because they are uncomfortable or don’t want to offend) and he would prefer it if people simply made a comment or asked a question. Walking, cycling and kayaking are his favorite outdoor pastimes. Pete’s favorite activity, ever since he was little, is tinkering. Pete describes this as “finding more complex ways to do simple things.” He summarized his overall philosophy: “While having to make accommodations for my symptoms, I will live life to the fullest extent possible.” Each of us PWP’s (people with Parkinson’s) is a warrior—battling our symptoms and limitations. Despite our willingness to face adversity (do we have a choice?), sometimes we win the day’s battle and sometimes not. As my favorite panel (of more than 2,000) in the Parkinson’s Quilt states: Courage doesn’t always roar like a lion… sometimes after a hard day, it whispers to try again tomorrow.
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All Shook Up
A.C. Woolnough is a member of PDF’s People with Parkinson’s Advisory Council. Reach him at ACWooly@gmail.com December 2016
Skip the Parasites this Christmas! Please Have Snow…but Nix the Mistletoe! There’s a lot to love about the holidays and I admit I am a sucker for only the original Bing Crosby crooning of “White Christmas.” But we have a bone to pick with its choice of plant to pucker up to. It has become some romantic tradition to kiss under the mistletoe, but it is time to literally kill that tradition before it kills more of our beautiful landscape.
our climate is Phoradendron, which is Greek for “tree thief.” Each of the plants produce many sticky white berries that are poisonous to humans, but some birds do forage for them in winter. When the berries ripen they can explode their seed up to 50 feet. The mistletoe then attaches itself to a healthy tree and burrows into the tree’s branches and draws up nutrients and water. So if you decide to bring a sprig to a
by Nancy Hastings
immediately. Many times you can look up into what was a majestic old tree and notice how the branches die back with great, ball-like clusters of stems and twigs in a dense circle. It is easiest to recognize this in the winter when the leaves are off deciduous trees. You might think they are just bird’s nests but usually there are multiples, and they sometimes sprout unusual misshapen branches. You’ll want to clear this out of your tree and get it off your property! Carefully prune out any and all infected witches broom areas carefully and clean your tools after use with a rubbing alcohol or bleach solution. Some witches’ brooms that appear in trees are also brought on by fungus, mites and genetic mutations, but generally, periodic organic pruning and burning of the remnants will keep the disease from spreading. And don’t forget to pick up some holly for that kissing ball instead!
Get Growing
You might think Witches Broom is a bird’s nest, but it’s not. Photo: By Rosser1954 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons You see mistletoe is a parasite… and is the last thing you want to bring to a host. The genus given to the North American’s oak mistletoe that thrives in
holiday party, more than likely the host will just throw it out in the trash later and as it composts, it can spread to the immediate landscape unless it is burned
Nancy Hastings grew up on a 300+ acre farm and now is co-owner of All Seasons Garden and Floral in Sandpoint. She and her husband John have been cultivating community gardens and growing for 16 years in North Idaho. You can reach them with garden questions or sign up for classes at AllSeasonsGardenandFloral (at) gmail.com
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Bring Back Santa Point Do you believe in Santa-point, Idahoho-ho? Dashing through the snow, to Santapoint, Ida-ho-ho-ho, O’er the Long Bridge we go, Laughing all the way, Idaho-ho-ho… Stop me if you have heard the rest of this song. Or just stop me period. Now that we have turned the holiday corner and made it past Thanksgiving, it is a great time to tell a uniquely Sandpoint Christmas tale. If you don’t recognize the above song, this first verse is sung to a famous Christmas carol that coincidentally begins the very same way. We’ll wait while you give it a shot. Catchy, huh? Breaking up the Idahoho-ho into three distinct hos, while keeping Idaho intact takes some work. If you are on the good list, I will finish the rest of the song at the end of this column as a Christmas treat for reading the whole thing. Like all good Christmas tales, this one has a beginning. This is a story about how Santa-point, Idaho-ho-ho came to be started with a small-town mayor who resembled the clockmaker in any Santa Claus movie or claymation adaptation. Most people would say that Sandpoint has a certain charm around Christmas. On a good snow year, the white stuff piles up against our log cabin community hall and covers up most of the short real estate yard signs around town while Christmas lights at night jump out from the dark North Idaho night… which lasts roughly 16 hours a day through February. The Christmas spirit is very much alive here because of the mixture of Norman Rockwell beauty and decorated homes that run the gamut from understated to full Clark Griswold. Mayor Ray Miller noticed a few decades ago that Sandpoint and Santapoint sounded a lot alike and thought that something should be done about marrying the two names — especially during the holiday season. But like most good ideas and some Christmas presents, the idea got tucked away somewhere and wasn’t discovered for years. Mayor Miller said there was not Page 16
by David Keyes
enough town spirit to make Santapoint work back in the day, and much like Santa’s sled in the movie Elf, without spirit there is no chance for liftoff. The idea was put on holiday ice. Despite what you read here, I enjoy a good turn of a phrase or a pun. So when I first put together the natural connection of Sandpoint and Santapoint, I went after it without knowing the mayor had gone down that icy, slippery path before. I kicked the idea around for several weeks and announced a plan to rename Sandpoint, Idaho, to Santa-Point, Idahoho-ho during the holidays at a Chamber of Commerce meeting. I also figured if
we can change the name of the town then, gosh darn it, we can change the name of the state as well. Santa-point, Idaho-ho-ho was born. Things really got moving then. I turned the idea over to my graphics folks at the Daily Bee. Mindy and Patti jumped on it and soon we had a logo and the makings of a song. I then went to the mayor for his blessing. Of course he loved it. So on November 20, 2007, with a few of the Daily Bee folks in his office as witnesses, he signed a proclamation that renamed Sandpoint from the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas as Santa-point, Idaho-ho-ho. The proclamation is visible next to this column — with an embossed seal and everything. Collectable postcards were made, the Sandpoint High School choir practiced
December 2016
the song and I even sang(?) it on the local radio station. The folks at the senior center were geared up to answer letters sent to Santa-point. The Sandpoint Post Office ordered a special stamp for the holidays and the Chamber was on board. The Santa-point song was sung at the first city Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony by the Sandpoint High School choir in 2007 and for several years after that. And then, the spirit began to wane again. Some people thought Santa-point was too commercial and took the real meaning of Christmas away. It is hard enough to keep Christ in Christmas without Sandpoint and Santa-point causing more confusion. The Grinches at the Sandpoint Reader made fun of the whole notion as well. Soon the idea wilted faster than a Home Depot poinsettia. The tale of Santa-point came back to me this week when I was sorting out Christmas ornaments. Somehow all five of the postcards, the official Santa-point stamp and this proclamation had all gotten tucked away. So the Santa-point, Idaho-ho-ho, idea goes back into hibernation until the next bright-eyed Sandpoint resident picks it up again. The Christmas spirit still isn’t strong enough here to withstand a questionable twist of a phrase right now I suppose. Like the Christmas gift that keeps on giving, I now pass along Santa-point, Idaho-ho-ho, to the next elf who wants to run with it. Please remember that when you resurrect it, I will be with you in spirit. Not only because I think it is a great idea, but because I copyrighted the phrase and purchased the URL. Now that is a happy ending with a modern twist. Merry Christmas to all of you and to all a good night.
The Way I See It
David Keyes is the former publisher of three North Idaho newspapers. Reach him at DavidKeyes09@ gmail.com
“More is sneaky. It tricks us into thinking we need it. That because we can, we totally should. Well, more is a liar. If something doesn’t get us out doing what makes us laugh and sweat and surprise ourselves, it’s just another thing we have to dig through to get to what does.” From the REI catalog, with a hat tip to Morgan McLaughlin
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December 2016
Page 17
Gray Jay: The infamous camp-robber by Mike Turnlund Birding can be a lot like hunting: you have a quarry in mind and you set out to “hunt” it down. For example, you might drive out to the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge during the summer to find pelicans. You know what you’re looking for, you know where they might be, and you head directly there to find them. But other times, you’re the quarry. The birds seek you out. Clark’s Nutcrackers are like this. As I’ve described in a previous column, these birds sometimes act like the sheriff of the high pine forests and will follow you, keeping an eye on things. They’re probably just curious. Or maybe they fear that you might try raiding their pine nut caches. But the Gray Jay, our bird of the month, takes it to an entirely different level. Not only will they seek you out, they’ll take advantage of you. They’ll try to steal your stuff! Nothing is safe. These birds will go through your gear, snap food from the table, maybe even land on your plate! Hence the common and well-earned name for the bird of “camp robber.” Backpackers commonly learn to feed these extrovert birds out of their hands. The Gray jay is a bold bird. Perhaps this is an adaptation to the relatively harsh environment that these birds live in. Typically, these birds inhabit mountainous and forested areas off of the beaten path and most people only encounter these aggressive little birds when backpacking or car camping in remote areas. The Gray jay is a different family than its nearest relative in our area, the Steller’s jay. It is also a wee bit smaller and slimmer than the noisy Steller’s and, distinctively, “fluffy.” But true to its name it is gray, in various shades and hues. In fact, the coloration of the Gray jay varies with the respective sub-species — all eleven of them. Our local subspecies, Perisoreus canadensis bicolor, is one of the more lighter shaded varieties. Our bird tends toward the softer hues of gray rather than the darker ones, although it sports a distinctive pair of wide and dark gray “ear muffs” that straddle the bird’s Page 18
head. The bird’s primaries, back, and tail are gray to slate, and the rest of the body white. The bird is distinctive and attractive. Gray jays range from Alaska and across Canada and down toward Mexico, following the mountain ranges south. They like the higher (and colder) altitudes and subsequently are sometimes not seen by folks who might spend their entire lives in the lower elevations, although smack dab in the middle of the species’ range (according to a range map). Always remember, when interpreting the range maps of bird species in guide books, the birds are not everywhere in that range, but only in the specific niches that they exploit in that region. So don’t look for pelicans in farm fields, nor Gray jays in the suburbs, even though the maps might suggest otherwise. I guess you could say that the Gray jay is an off-thebeaten-path mountain and deep forest bird. You might live within a few miles of the birds, but you’ll still have to strap on the hiking boots to find them. These are quite distinctive birds that have quite a few tricks in their repertoire of survival skills. First, they are probably the only species in our area (or perhaps any area!) that begins nesting in February or March — while it is still winter in those high elevations. This is well before even the earliest other nesters. While the father mostly builds the nest, the mother broods the eggs, sometimes finding herself at times covered in snow. The male feeds the female while she is nest bound, while both feed the babies. How can they manage this, not only sustaining themselves during these harsh climatic conditions, but also the hatchlings? That is their second trick: they live off of stashed food supplies. The birds have a sticky saliva that allows them to cache food during the short summer; all sorts of food, ranging from nuts to bugs to carrion. They slather the bit of food with their sticky
saliva and then store it in a safe place, such as under some bark. And they remember where their stashes are. The related Clark’s Nutcracker also knows this trick, although that species limits its caches to pine seeds. Another interesting behavior that Gray jays engage in is the cooperative feeding of hatchlings. The dominant fledgling from the prior nesting season will stay with its parents to help feed the next year’s batch of hatchlings. Even more unusual is that the weaker siblings of this same clutch of birds, forced out as juveniles from their parent’s territory by the dominant sibling, might be adopted by a neighboring pair of nesting Gray jays to help feed their own babies. How cool is that? Lastly, a now less-than-common name for this bird is whisky jack. This term for the bird has nothing to do with the alcoholic beverage, but is instead a corruption of a Native American name for the bird. So if you ever wondered where this odd term came from, now you know. Gray jays are fun, interactive birds. While sometimes making themselves into pests, they can be fun to feed and observe. And they are silent, like ninjas. You might not know that they’re there at your campsite until they land next to your cook stove, looking for a tidbit to steal. I have had them alight onto my gloved fingers and delicately grab a morsel of food from the palm of my hand. So there you go. Head on out and try to feed the Gray jays. Remember, the snow and the cold is not an impediment — the birds are there. And be sure to take pictures so you can post them on Facebook. People will be amazed at how adept you are with handling wild birds (and marvel at how cute those Gray jays are!). Happy birding! Grey Jay sketch via Audubon.com
A Bird in Hand
Do you love birds, and want to know more? Check out Mike’s bird photos, online at birdsidaho. blogspot.com. Reach him at mturnlund@gmail. com December 2016
The Best Darn Chicken That Ever Lived My mother died a year ago and my brother died 8 months ago so you’d think I’d be immune to a stinking raccoon killing my entire flock of chickens. I wasn’t. I cried like a baby. For years I had thought it would be great to get chickens but I needed to build a coop and fence the yard and that never seemed to happen so no chickens. Then, one spring, I brought eight chicks home from the Co-Op. With eight chicks living in my bathtub, the coop got built and the fences put up and I was finally a chicken owner. One thing I learned was how easily chickens can die. Greta came to me after the first chicken massacre at my house. My daughters, hoping to assuage my grief, replaced my flock with chickens they found at Spokane’s Northwest Seed and Pet, the only place that still had chicks so late in the season. Greta was a leghorn, and quite standoffish (hence her given name of Greta Garbo; “I vant to be let alone.”) She was not my favorite chicken... at first. Greta was one of the three survivors of the second chicken massacre at my house, when a worker on a neighboring house let his silly lab roam loose in the neighborhood. The dumb dog didn’t mean to kill my chickens—he was having a grand old time chasing and catching them, only inadvertantly breaking their necks — but that didn’t lessen my grief much. Greta was the last I found alive, showing up an hour after the attack perched on the roof of an outbuilding. Despite her standoffishness, she allowed me to catch her and put her back into the safety of the coop. She grew on me over time though, especially after I learned her favorite
snack was anything that costs more than $7 a pound. Once she figured out that I was the keeper of the string cheese/nuts/ steak/sunflower seed hearts, she became my best friend... sort of. I fell in love with her pretty quick after that, but I think she became my favorite chicken when she learned to knock on the door with her beak so that I would let her inside the house. That bird. She was never much of a
lap bird, like Malayla was, nor did she have the dramatic beauty that Nefertiti possessed in spades. And while she laid an egg every single day when she wasn’t molting (due to some truly cruel, human-bred genetics), she delighted in finding a place in the weeds to do so, a place where I might never find them. But she had attitude. Lots and lots of attitude. Greta ruled the roost. She was the leader of all the chickens,
by Trish Gannon
often leading them on a trek through the tiniest hole in a fence and off down the city street to roam god only knows where. And she was quite obviously the leader of my house, as could be attested to by the many times I lifted her off my kitchen counters, admonishing her that birds did not belong on counters, regardless of how much open butter she might find there. To see her body lying ripped open in the coop, to imagine her panic as she tried to run from that damn raccoon, never finding the open door that would have led her to freedom... I am a pacifist, but I tell you honestly, if it were legal to shoot a gun in Sandpoint, I would sit up nights and kill the bedamndable raccoon that took her life. That is the conundrum of love, because nothing, and nobody, lives forever. Not birds, not brothers, not mothers. The more you open yourself to love, the more painful it will be when those you love leave this world. I would not go back. I would not choose to feel less love in order to feel less grief now. But that doesn’t really make things easier, does it? I wish I could say I have found wisdom in this latest of life’s vicissitudes, but I haven’t. I loved that bird. I am heartbroken she is gone. And all I can do is continue to love all that is left for me to love, and to find even more, if I can.
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Page 19
by Scott Clawson Luke woke up looking straight into the immense upper torso of Grendel. Not that he wanted to, just that she was the main feature in Luke’s bedroom picture window, her bright yellow complexion glowing stronger with each passing minute in the early morning sunrise until the walls, ceiling and even Luke’s bulbous snout seemed to radiate like a lemon. In mass, Grendel was the largest of all the organisms in Luke’s realm, larger even than the v-twin Ponderosa pine that perpetually rained needles, cones,
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branches and the occasional squirrel that Luke had to deal with or be buried alive in its duff (shorthand for detritus). The “Twins,” however, couldn’t hold a candle to the mountainous piles that old Grendel the cottonwood produced. She was a one-tree rain forest, by rain meaning not only branches and leaves, but starting in spring, roughly four billion hard and pitchy bud cases followed by an equal number of delightful catkin tassels that seem to hold mass get-togethers in rain gutters, windshield cowlings and on un-hatted
heads. These personality traits alone did not earn Grendel her “given” nickname (the badass from Beowulf), but her careful use of timing did as she was a control freak of the first magnitude when it came to her leaves, dropping only enough to guarantee maximum frustration. All of these pleasantries were going through Luke’s mind instead of lollygagging in the sweet autumn glow by stretching all his aching body parts and maybe catching a few errant z’s before padding off to his coffee pot, toilet and remote. Grendel still had over half of her golden load intact and poised to drop in phases just as soon as Luke might get around to raking up the first batch that was currently carpeting everything within 300 feet. Luke was torn between holding off (layman’s term for procrastination) and “getting started” on the estimated 900 wheelbarrows worth of leaves that would join last year’s massive load currently composting on an old skidder trail. Luke reviewed in his mind the previous 30 odd years where he enjoyed the fallout of pitchy bud shells, messy catkins, billowy cotton and the grand finale of golden yellow floaters that covered every inanimate object, even himself whenever he was so inclined, such as: watching passing wildlife or just marking his territory. In particular, he remembered the previous fall when he meticulously tried to clean the place up to impress some rare company only to be outmaneuvered at the very last minute by a series of leaf re-depositing wind gusts voiding his efforts. Normally, he’d try to outwit this situation by not getting carried away with his raking. This habit, in turn often resulted in heaps, mats and windrows of ugly brown glop come “spring cleanup” time and the yearly emergence of daisies. Glop and rake don’t fit positively in the same sentence as Luke had proven to himself over and over so many times that he was tempted to actually cut down the only shade his house
December 2016
would ever enjoy in the cloudless “dog days” of late summer. Despite all of her shortcomings, that one single aspect kept Luke’s trusty chainsaw away from Grendle’s stocky trunk. Well, that and the simple truth of Luke Warm’s cold calculations when dropping trees near anything of value or even his house. Already in a great position to relax, he let his mind slip through the floorboards of consternation to where poems often lurk, finding this waiting between his ears: Cottonwood, cottonwood, quit screwin’ around! Won’t you please, all at once drop your leaves to the ground.
I’m tired of waitin’ for you to get done. I’d like to finish rakin’ While I still have some sun! Winter is coming and it won’t be long before it snows on these leaves and that would be wrong! It’s easier now while they’re nice and light. To wait until spring is just a big fight. So I’ll lay a bit longer and close my eyes, hoping that you’ll get naked. Wouldn’t that be a surprise!
Acres n Pains
Scott Clawson ruminates on life somewhere in the backwoods of Careywood, and turns it all into humor. And he’s even on Pinterest now! (Facebook, too.)
AcresnPains@dishmail.net
December 2016
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The StoryTelling Company true & not-so-true stories from the west
2016 Christmas Show
WITH SANDY COMPTON
FEATURING JOHN HASTINGS teacher, Singer, songwriter & storyteller
December 18, Di Luna’s Café 207 CeDar, sanDpoint, iDaho
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&DOO IRU UHVHUYDWLRQV RU ZULWH WR VWRU\WHOOLQJFRPSDQ\#JPDLO FRP The SToryTelling Company is produced by Blue Creek Press and Close Enough Productions. Sponsored by 7KH 5LYHU -RXUQDO Â&#x2021; 7DPDUDFN &OHDQLQJ 6HUYLFHVÂ&#x2021; )ULHQGV RI 6FRWFKPDQ 3HDNV :LOGHUQHVV .5)< )0 Â&#x2021; 7KH .DQLNVX /DQG 7UXVW Â&#x2021; &\QWKLD 'DOVLQJ 1XUVH 3UDFWLWLRQHU Â&#x2021; 6DQGSRLQW (TXLQH //&
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From all of us at the River Journal to all of you... Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to peace on earth and good will toward men. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of Holiday Seasons!
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