Best Years Yet: September-October 2014

T H E P U B L I C AT I O N O F E XC E PT I O N A L L I V I N G F O R P E O P L E 5 0 A N D B E TT E R • W I L L A M E TT E VA L L E Y TAKE ONE! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014 / VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 3

An Interview With Matchlight Films Director, Rick Lord

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Someday is Now

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Be Kinder To Yourself

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Start. Do. Now

September/October • Best Years Yet

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Mennonite Village

Picture yourself living at Mennonite Village...

A 275-acre community in a rural setting, Mennonite Village provides spacious living spaces for all levels of retirement – just a short drive from Corvallis, Salem, or Eugene. With award-winning healthcare and beautifully landscaped grounds, Mennonite Village is an inclusive community of amazing people.

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Independent living homes and apartments Assisted living apartments with support available 24/7 Memory care, including respite care and on-site foster care Skilled nursing & rehabilitation services, inpatient and outpatient In-Home Care services in Linn, Benton, and Southern Marion counties

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Best Years Yet • September/October 2014

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

Dreams

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he common thread running through this issue is living life to the fullest and following your dreams.

The good news is that no matter what your age, you can get off the sidelines and make the most of your passions and talents. You can’t do everything, but you can do something!

When I was a kid, going to town for a movie was a huge treat. I was especially fond of science fiction movies like “20,000 Leagues Under The Sea” and “First Men In The Moon.” In this issue, writer Steve Prager gets to live the dream, visiting with Willamette Valley director and filmmaker Rick Lord of Matchlight Films. I hear they occasionally look for extras for their films; maybe I’ll put that on my bucket list!

We also have an article by guest writer Ross Lewis. Ross’s passion for photography was recently reignited as he decided to hit the road and fulfill some dreams that had faded with the years.

With this issue, we’ve added two new columns that I think you are going to enjoy. Steve Prager’s column, “Start. Do. Now.,” continues the theme of ending procrastination when it comes to following your dreams. We’ve also added “Musings From Apifera Farm” by artist and writer Katherine Dunn.

Besides being a wonderful place to write and create art, Apifera Farm is also home to special needs goats, donkeys, ducks and more.

Diana Reeck is back with some great tips for planning next year’s garden, and Brenda Dineen has written an excellent piece on being kinder to yourself.

I hope that you enjoy and are inspired by this issue. It’s a pleasure bringing it to you.

CONTENTS 4 - Down In The Valley 5 - Flashback 6 - Interview: Matchlight Films Director, Rick Lord 8 - Someday Is Now 10 - Be Kinder to Yourself 11 - Musings From Apifera Farm Perspective on My Sagging Neck: Help From the Barnyard 12 - Start. Do. Now 13 - In The Garden Thinking Ahead: Planning for next year’s garden 14 - Time Capsule: OAC/ROTC Bridge Building PUBLISHER Randy Hill SENIOR EDITOR Erin Grace

My Best,

ART DIRECTION Hill Design Studios CONTRIBUTORS Brenda Dineen, Katherine Dunn, Ron Lewis, Steve Prager, Diana Reeck ADVERTISING SALES L. Andrew Brown/Concept Marketing Randy Hill PHONE 503.507.1228 MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 17264 Salem, Oregon 97305 EMAIL bestyearsyetpub@gmail.com WEBSITE TheBestYearsYet.com

Best Years Yet is published bi-monthly. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Best Years Yet. This publication cannot be reproduced in any form without written consent from Best Years Yet. Although we have made very effort to insure the accuracy of the information in this publication, due to the passage of time and the anomalies inherent in the publishing process, we cannot be responsible for errors or incorrect information. Please contact the individual establishments to confirm information.

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Copyright 2014 Best Years Yet

September/October • Best Years Yet

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CALENDAR September

D O W N I N T H E VA L L E Y

Walk to End Alzheimer’s: Linn-Benton

19: Craft Brew Smackdown – Downtown Albany. The Greater Albany Rotary Club, Historic Carousel and the Albany Downtown Association cordially invite you to join us for the Craft Brew Smackdown taking place from 3 to 8 p.m. The Craft Brew Smackdown brings local breweries into downtown Albany storefronts so that the public can taste beer and cider, and visit with local business owners. facebook.com/ CraftBrewSmackdown/info 20: Linn County Flea Market – Linn County’s largest flea market. Next show dates are Sept. 20 and Nov. 16. linncountyfleamarket.com 27: Lebanon Antique Appraisal Show – Lebanon. Come find out what your special treasures are worth at the Lebanon Antique Appraisal Clinic. Radio station KSHO-AM 920 will be broadcasting live as Gary Germer—Portland’s most respected antique, fine art and personal property appraiser— evaluates your treasures and collectibles. Don’t miss this fun event! lebanon-chamber.org/antiqueappraisal-clinic/ 27: NW Natural Get Ready Event – North Albany. For the third year in a row, NW Natural will be hosting a series of “Get Ready” events in our region to help you prepare for an emergency. We’re partnering with the American Red Cross Cascades Region and local first responders to host events during September, National Preparedness Month. .No need to register, just show up at Gibson Hill Park from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.! nwnatural.com/AboutNWNatural/ Community/InTheCommunity/ CommunityCalendar

Date: Sunday September 28, 2014 Location: Timber-Linn Memorial Park, 900 Price Road SE, Albany, OR 97322 Route Length: 1.8 Miles More Information: Coordinator: Lucy Gantman, 503-416-0213 http://act.alz.org/site/TR?fr_id=5366&pg=entry

The Lebanon Chamber Antique Appraisal Show

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ome find out what your special treasures are worth at the Lebanon Antique Appraisal Clinic.

KSHO-AM 920 Radio will be broadcasting live as Gary Germer, Portland’s most respected antique, fine art and personal property appraiser evaluates your treasures and collectibles. Don’t miss this fun event!

When: Saturday, September 27th, 10:00 a.m.3:00 p,m.

Where: The Samaritan Center. 605 Mullins Dr in Lebanon Information: www.lebanon-chamber.org

28: Walk to End Alzheimers – Linn/ Benton. The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. This year’s walk will begin at 11 a.m. at Timber-Linn Memorial Park. Register online or at 10 a.m. on the day of the event.act.alz.org/site/ TR?fr_id=5366&pg=entry Continued on page 13

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he Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, this inspiring event calls on participants of all ages and abilities to reclaim the future for millions.

Together, we can end Alzheimer’s disease, the nation’s sixth-leading cause of death.

Best Years Yet • September/October 2014

A.C. Gilbert’s Discovery Village Annual Fund-raiser

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elebrate 25 years of discovery and toast the future of Salem’s children’s museum with our annual fundraiser! This will be a night for friends of the museum to come together, mingle, and look forward to the next 25 years. Live music and delicious hors d’oeuvres will accompany the evening.

Date: September 25, 2014 Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Information: www.acgilbert.org

“At 50, everyone has the face he deserves.”

–George Orwell

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FLASHBACK

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Remember those really cool ads in the back of comic books you

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used to read as a kid? Who didn’t dream of sailing around the world in a Polaris Nuclear Sub or using X-Ray Specs to see the bones in your hand (among other things)? What on earth was a Sea Monkey?

More importantly, what chores would I have to do to get my hands on these treasures? Once the products arrived, hope faded as the reality of most gimmicks proved less impressive than the hype. Still, it was fun to dream, wasn’t it?

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The Polaris Nuclear Sub was a cool-looking cardboard box.

Just don’t add water—it would’ve fallen apart.

“See the bones in your hand!

See through clothes!” The ever popular “X-Ray Specs” had lenses made out of cardboard with a feather embedded behind a small hole in the “lens.” What you really saw was two slightly offset images, an illusion caused by refracted light.

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Come check out our Discovery Saturdays!

Every Saturday from 1-2 pm.

Discover what’s happening a

The Spy “Pen” Radio had a working crystal radio inside it. No batteries required.

t t h e G il b e r t Ho use!

We offer workshops during Thanksgiving and Winter breaks!

Check our website for the latest information regarding classes and events coming up at the Gilbert House!

116 Marion St NE, Salem, OR 97301 ���������������������������� Get Connected:

/gilberthouse In 1957, Harold von Braunhut invented a brine-shrimp-based product in 1957 that he initially called “Instant Life,” changing the name to “Sea Monkeys” in 1962. Von Braunhut is quoted as saying, “I think I bought something like 3.2 million pages of comic book advertising a year.

It worked beautifully.”

Reach thousands of readers in the Mid-Willamette Valley!

Advertise in Best Years Yet Call 503.507.1228 for more information September/October • Best Years Yet

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PEOPLE

Inspire, Challenge and Minister:

Interview: Matchlight Films Director, Rick Lord By Steve Prager What is Matchlight Films?

We’re a ministry films production group focusing on making highquality, family-friendly films. We believe that grandma, mom and dad, the kids, and the grandkids should all be able to sit together and watch a great film without being uncomfortable. There are over 75 members in our Matchlight film group and they come from all walks of life. Our volunteers actually work with us in the filming process.

One of the things I love about Salem and the Willamette Valley is the backdrop. It’s Anywhere, USA. We can film in downtown Salem and I can make it look like anywhere.

How long have you worked in the film industry?

I’ve worked In Portland and L.A. since the early 80s. I literally started in the basement and worked my way up in the business. Now my focus is writing, acting, and leading Matchlight Films.

Why are you filming and working in Salem and the Willamette Valley?

One of the things I love about Salem and the Willamette Valley is the backdrop. It’s Anywhere, USA. We can film in downtown Salem and I can make it look like anywhere. It

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Best Years Yet • September/October 2014

Rick Lord and Phoebe Jacobs star in “Chryzinium.”

is gorgeous. And the communities here are so welcoming to us. We shot a park scene in Stayton and the city was extremely helpful—all at no charge to us.

What’s your latest project?

We’re very proud of our latest film, “Chryzinium.” It’s set in a postapocalyptic era and it’s about a family forced to make a very tough choice. To survive in the future, you have to take “Chryzinium;” [taking Chryzinium] is extraterrestrial law…

So the family has a choice to make: to be a part of the new Chryzinium world, or not. It’s action-packed with great effects. Right now the film is 26 minutes long, but we are in the

process of producing “Chryzinium” as a full-length feature film. The film trailer is available on YouTube and on our website, chryzinium.com.

When will “Chryzinium” premier?

Tuesday, September 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the Grand Theatre in downtown Salem. We’re really excited to premiere in Salem. The cost is two cans of food or two dollars, which is all donated to the Union Gospel Mission. We will start the film at 7 p.m. and follow up with a Q&A session, then show the film again. We hope to attract some new folks that are interested in filmmaking too.

Who else is on your staff?

I work with two brothers, Phillip

and Tim Wade. They do production and sound. They are so young, full of energy, and they both act in “Chryzinium” too.

As an older person, what’s it like working with younger people?

It’s invigorating. These kids keep me young! And they are so computersavvy, so social network-savvy. The thing I bring to the program are the years of experience. We work really well together.

How can someone get involved with your film company?

A couple of ways. You can come to the film premiere and learn what we’re all about, and you can

also sign up for our newsletter at matchlightfilms.com. Our volunteers meet together regularly and we train them how to work in the film industry: building sets, lighting, acting. It’s a great opportunity and we have a lot of fun.

Steve Prager is a retired military musician and Postmaster who lives in an old cottage near downtown Salem.He stays busy collecting one syllable words, writing cheery obituaries, learning how to play jazz and trying new things.

A Short List of Famous Movies Filmed in Oregon “The General,” starring Buster Keaton (1927) – Cottage Grove “Lost Horizon” (1937) – Mount Hood “Abe Lincoln in Illinois” (1940) – Eugene, McKenzie River

Advertise in Best Years Yet Call 503.507.1228 for more information

“Paint Your Wagon” (1969) – Baker “Sometimes a Great Notion” (1971) – Kernville, Newport “The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid” (1972) – Jacksonville “Rooster Cogburn” (1975) – Bend, Grants Pass “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1976) – Salem, Depoe Bay “National Lampoon’s Animal House” (1978) – Eugene, Cottage Grove “The Goonies” (1985) – Astoria, Cannon Beach “Stand By Me” (1986) – Eugene, Brownsville, Cottage Grove “Drugstore Cowboy” (1989) – Portland “My Own Private Idaho” (1991) – Portland, Maupin “Maverick” (1993) – The Dalles, Columbia River Gorge “Mr. Holland’s Opus” (1994) – Portland “The Postman” (1997) – Central Oregon “Bandits” (2000) – Salem, Silverton, Wilsonville “Conversations With God” (2005) – Ashland “Twilight” (2008) – St. Helens, Estacada, North Coast “Redwood Highway” (2012) – Brookings, Talent, Cave Junction “Chryzinium” (2013) – Salem, Stayton, Macleay

September/October • Best Years Yet

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PEOPLE

Someday is Now

My father, Charles, was an adventurer. He did not climb the highest mountains. He did not swim the oceans. Instead, he did simple things that reached beyond the convenient ways of living.

We would go to the movies in New Jersey as a family, but rarely did we go to the local movie house.

Charles, the adventurer, would scour the newspapers to find a theater somewhere in the distance. On those nights, we traveled the back roads to see a movie we could have easily seen just a few miles away. Our exciting adventures bonded us as a family.

Charles taught me well.

I too love adventure. During my 22-year career as a professional photographer, I had the exciting privilege of traveling through most of the United States and Europe, and into Brazil and Africa. Still, there was some unfinished business to attend to. In the mid-50s my cousin, Linda, announced that she and her young husband were leaving the east to move to California. I was awed by their brave, adventurous and exciting relocation. I never forgot that moment. Driving the United States east to west became an enduring priority for me; something I was determined to do someday.

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On April 24, 2014, at the age of 71, “someday” became “today.” I kissed my wife, Karin, goodbye; she understood that I had to take this trip alone. I packed my rented car and headed west from our home in Jacksonville, Florida. The lifelong dream was on! This was not a sightseeing trip. I did not visit the usual tourist attractions. For me, back roads and small towns were the very special tapestry of the natural beauty and genuine essence of America.

My 37-day, 14-state, 10,000-mile journey had begun.

Waking up on that first day was an experience of unparalleled freedom.

All the world was in front of me.

My camera was in my travel bag, yet I had no plan for how or when I would use it. For many years, I had photographed thousands of people: corporate CEOs, NFL football athletes, industrial workers, children and families. For me, engaging people through the camera was as natural as breathing. Yet when my photography career concluded, my

Best Years Yet • September/October 2014

Winchester Bay–Full Moon taken just after twilight.

On April 24, 2014, at the age of 71, “someday” became “today.” I kissed my wife, Karin, goodbye; she understood that I had to take this trip alone. I packed my rented car and headed west from our home in Jacksonville, Florida.

The lifelong dream was on!

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The intimate photography experience of meeting people on the road through photography. Angie, 91 years old in Eugene, Oregon. While author Ross Lewis was waiting for his oil change, he met Angie, a wonderful vivacious woman who, professionally, was a former senior administrator.

passion for taking pictures abated until my first day on the road in Mobile, Alabama. I pulled off the road into an open lot: Scott’s Landing Bait & Tackle Shack. Most of what would follow for the next 36 days was created during the few minutes I spent on this small parcel of land.

During the early 70s in New York, I learned that the true magnificence of photography is the personal up-close intimacy you can create with human beings. The essence of the photograph is in this close relationship created with short lenses, not the distance of a telescopic lens.

Achieving this closeness confronts my own fears and apprehensions about engaging people, neutralizing that thought that I would be intruding in someone else’s life. In Mobile, when Scott walked toward me as I sat in my car, I realized that the moment was here. As he looked in the window during our friendly conversation I knew that I must take his picture. If I missed this opportunity I would regret it.

Although I took only three snapshots of Scott, the experience opened the door for me to intimately embrace the world around me for the rest of my days on the road.

From that moment on, my fears and apprehensions could not determine my actions.

Through every state, the world was mine! Not as an observer, but as an active participant. The camera was my companion to seeing and feeling all. From Mobile, Alabama through Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, Utah and all of the other states, I deeply absorbed the vast natural

beauty of America and its people.

Many times I would turn back if I had passed a person or landscape that intrigued me. I politely engaged people in restaurants, walked into barber shops and stopped on the roads, always trusting my internal barometer for excitement, passion and adventure. I never got a “no” from anyone. The experience of this open relationship with America and its gracious people was everywhere.

This journey has impacted me as profoundly as any I have taken, accentuating the love I have for my country. And this is only the beginning! Like so many others, I am blessed with my health and spirit and love for life. Someday is today!

Ross Lewis was born in Passaic, N.J. and graduated from Rutgers University in 1965.

He is a former international photographer for Fortune 500 companies and the NFL. Prior to his photography career, he was an Associate Director for WCBS-TV News, New York, and an Army Signal Officer in the 7th Infantry Division, 1967/68. From 1993 to 2010, Ross was the founder and president of “SEE,” Special Eyes on the Environment, Inc., a photographic empowerment program for children and adults with disabilities. Mr. Lewis now resides in Jacksonville, Fla.

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September/October • Best Years Yet

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WELLNESS

Be Kinder to Yourself Strengthen Your Foundation • Brenda Dineen

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Best Years Yet • September/October 2014

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Speak lovingly to your body and thank it for serving you all these years

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Be conscious of what messages you pay attention to from the media and from other people

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Let go of being so critical of yourself

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Adjust your expectations when your body says no

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Give thanks for all that you do have

As you practice being kind to yourself, you are strengthening the foundation for all aspects of your health and your life.

Brenda Dineen, Registered Clinical Counsellor in Vancouver BC, specializing in issues facing people in the second half of life. You can contact her at: brendadineen. com and email: Brenda@brendadineen.com.

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Ways to practice being kinder to yourself:

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more aware of your wonderful inner qualities and strengths. These do not need to diminish as you age. In fact, they can and do flourish.

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do endurance or impact activities.

Although I do not have the resilience and stamina I had at age 40, I take stock of what I do have: very good health. I exercise regularly and watch what I eat. I have supportive people in my life. I especially try to monitor my thoughts.

It’s helpful to watch how you talk about aging. I read reports saying that “it’s all downhill from here.”

However, that’s not true. As Baby Boomers, we know that if we take care of our health, are physically active and keep our brains alert and sharp, we can enjoy good health as we move into our senior years.

A few months ago I was on a group hike near Squamish, just an hour north of Vancouver, British Columbia. We hiked the perimeter of Brohm Lake and then took a trail up the side of a mountain. I found myself huffing, puffing and sweating as we scaled a steep hillside to a higher elevation. Up and up we climbed over stones, dirt trails

and rocks. “I feel like I’m climbing Mount Everest!” I called out to the group ahead of me. Even though I did not hike at the same pace as the younger people in the group, it was a wonderful accomplishment to get to the top and stand together looking out over a valley to the stunning Tantalus mountain range beyond. I did it! I felt grateful for that day as I drove back into the city.

We are so often hard on ourselves and neglect the simple practice of being kind. Kindness holds a high vibrational energy, and the ripples are felt both within and beyond you.

Life gives us opportunities to practice being kind and more forgiving with ourselves. Recently I was at my gym and noticed there were some new, very flashy elliptical trainers. “Oh,” I thought. “I’ll try one of those one.” It felt great to cycle and even to increase the level of intensity on the machine. However, later that day, my knee hurt. It was telling me “Too much—don’t do that.” I have had ongoing challenges listening to my knee. I find I am flooded with memories of what I used to be able to do 10 or 15 years ago and I now need to listen carefully and honor the messages from my body. When it says no, I need to rest a while. I take a break and adjust my expectations.

As our physical bodies go through changes, we can become much more aware of our true essence which we hold within us. As you practice being kind to yourself, you may be

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We are so often hard on ourselves and neglect the simple practice of being kind. Kindness holds a high vibrational energy, and the ripples are felt both within and beyond you.

25th St. NE

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s I grow older, I am learning to be kinder to myself. This is a process that has come upon me through my own life experience.

Like everyone else, I notice all the various messages I am getting about the aging process: graceful aging, healthy aging, even “anti-aging.” As I experience some of the ups and downs of the aging process, I notice I need to find ways to be gentle with myself, and not feel like I need to compare myself to others or to judge how I am going through the aging journey.

Do you sometimes get down on yourself as you notice signs of aging? Do you resist or perhaps deny the aging process? Do you feel badly because you can’t remember someone’s name, or why you walked upstairs into a room? Perhaps you find you are comparing yourself to others.

How do you take care of yourself, and what words do you say when you talk to yourself? These are important questions to think about.

It is your attitudes, habits and selftalk that are creating the quality of life you are living.

I am learning to practice being kinder to myself. I find it is so helpful to have a gentle attitude toward myself. I take note of the changes in my body and my health.

And then I say “It’s alright— everything is going to be okay.”

Now in my 60s, I notice I am definitely slower to heal from injuries (especially my knee) and less able to

M U S I N G S F R O M A P I F E R A FA R M

Perspective on My Sagging Neck: Help From the Barnyard By Katherine Dunn

ARTWORK BY KATHERINE DUNN

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he older I get, the more I see my physical landscape changing.

Not the beautiful fields on our farm, Apifera; rather, this vessel I call my body. My waistline is bigger, my neck saggier. But my work with elderly creatures helps me put these things in perspective. In fact, it’s sitting around with a bunch of old goats that helps me accept my sags with greater grace.

The old goats are members of “The Misfits,” old and neglected barn animals that have come to our farm to live out their final days in peace. Many times I have sat in the barnyard, taking a few minutes to soak up the sun before the winter rains, the old goats communing around me. As they chew their cud, perhaps dreaming of a bramble party, my perspective on my age and body achieves a greater balance. When I look around at all the old creatures that call Apifera home, I do not analyze their elderly bodies. I look at old goats with their beards blowing in the breeze, their eyes partially shut for a nap, and they too have sagging necks. I do not judge this.

Their aging bodies do not take away the essence of the creature they once were.

I am fifty-six at this writing—in the middle, as they say, with one foot on each side of the river. My body shows the signs of my age, and I find myself filled with internal chatter, like “Wow, my neck is sagging more than I ever expected!” But as I sit with my farm and my animals, all the mental chatter dissipates. My sagging neck has nothing to do what I contribute to this world. It’s just a neck, with aging skin and muscle.

I’m just me, living.

Working with the elders and disadvantaged Misfits makes me more compassionate toward my own aging body, and helps me see that even if I eat well and am active, eventually my bones lose density, my muscle tone loosens, and my neck swags. But I’m living a life of passion; I’m in the zone. It took me until my mid-forties to get to my dream of living on a farm and maintaining a life of art. As each year goes by, it becomes more evident that my art doesn’t require me to have a youthful body. My art requires that I nurture

When I look around at all the old creatures that call Apifera home, I do not analyze their elderly bodies. I look at old goats with their beards blowing in the breeze, their eyes partially shut for a nap, and they too have sagging necks. I do not judge this. Their aging bodies do not take away the essence of the creature they once were.

body. I don’t look the people I love and question their waistlines. My muses never ask me how much I weigh. I would physically feel better to have an inch off my middle, but the path to it seems uninteresting right now. My body has been and

continues to be a worthy vessel that takes me around, lets me see beautiful sights, ride my horse, work in a field, climb a ladder and pick walnuts. I have come to a time in my life where the passion to lose ten pounds feels less important than soaking up a good day of work, then tasting something wonderful to delight my senses. I will not give up olives, bananas, or—the bounty of the Willamette Valley—red wine.

My old goats also help me have a more balanced perspective on death.

When one died, my elderly mother would tell me, “Now that is enough of these old goats.” She didn’t want to see me dealing with death so often and felt it was too hard on me emotionally. I do suffer when a creature dies, some more than others, but the farm teaches me that life and death are partners. Death makes more sense here, as hard as it is to say goodbye.

When I die, no matter when that is, the width of my waistline will not be recorded on my death certificate.

I’ll be lying down, so my neck will just slide back into the table. But I will have left this planet full of passion, and I will not be craving olives. There might even be an old goat at my side.

Katherine Dunn is an artist, writer, and shepherdess living on Apifera Farm with her landscaper husband, lovingly known as The Dirt Farmer. Apifera is also home to many adopted elderly barn animals called The Misfits, which she writes about in short stories. Her art is showcased on Sundance, collected internationally and featured in her books. You can see her art, photography and books at katherinedunn.us and meet the many Misfits on her blog, apiferafarm. blogspot.com.

my body well, exercise my heart and lungs with movement, and fill my soul by living a life of meaning and harmony with earth. My art needs me to be aware of the bounties, to enjoy them and share them.

I have never questioned an elder’s spirit or value because of their elderly September/October • Best Years Yet

11

S TA R T. D O . N O W

Why Start.Do.Now? Greetings, Best Years Yet readers!

The mission of this column is to inspire you to Start Doing your dreams, goals, and aspirations Now, and to avoid the “someday” trap.

I’ve found that when we put off our dreams until “someday” they tend to not happen, and we rob ourselves and the world of the thrill of our gifts and talents being realized.

So instead of waiting for “someday,” Start.Do.Now! How it began Once upon a time, I was the Postmaster of a tiny fishing village on the Oregon coast. This was the kind of place tourists visit and people write books about; it was magical.

Every day I found something new and wonderful: a historical tidbit, a jaw-dropping vista, a new friend.

Once I told a local customer about a

the lie of “someday.”

I swore then and there to rid myself of “someday” thinking.

particularly gorgeous hidden hiking trail that went right up to the ocean.

“Oh yeah,” she said hurriedly. “I’ve heard about that place. It sounds great. I’ll have to go someday.”

“You could go today,” I said hopefully.

“Oh no,” she said. “I’ve got too many chores to do. Besides”—she smiled wistfully—“someday I’ll go.”

I was dumbstruck. This wasn’t a young mother with a house full of kids. She was older than me and retired. Not only that, she had lived in the town for years and had never been to the trail. She’d bought into

achieve those dreams, and we’ll share tips, ideas and how-tos. We’ll even kill some sacred cows and have a cyber-barbeque.

In the process, we’ll begin to do what we’ve always dreamed we could, and we’ll help each other Start to Do the things we’ve only dreamed about right Now.

“Someday is a big fat lie Just like the woman in the story, we’re all guilty of “someday” thinking.

Someday I’ll…

—Write that book.

—Start my own business.

—Take that class and learn to _____.

—Travel to a far off place.

—Spend more time with the grandkids.

—Follow my dream to__________.

This column will attempt to pry us loose from destructive “someday” thinking and focus on how to discover, value and follow our dreams. We’ll talk to people who’ve found what their dreams are, we’ll ask them what steps they took to

Steve Prager is a retired military musician and Postmaster who lives in an old cottage near downtown Salem.He stays busy collecting one syllable words, writing cheery obituaries, learning how to play jazz and trying new things.

Mature Living Choices

Community Name

Marian Estates Campus

Location

390 SE Church Street Sublimity, OR 97385 503.769.3499 1.800.440.2669 Call for a tour.

MarianEstates.com

Dallas Retirement Village

377 NW Jasper St. Dallas, Oregon 97338 Phone: 503-623-5581 Fax: 503-623-2901 dallasretirementvillage.com

12

Best Years Yet • September/October 2014

Buy-In, Monthly Rental #Units “No Buy-In” •Independent Living: Cottages, Garden Homes •Assisted Living •Nursing Care •Alzheimer’s & related disorders special care & rehabilitation available. Call for detailed information.

“No Buy-In” •Independent Living: Apartment, Townhome •Assisted Living •Nursing Care •Alzheimer’s & related disorders special care & rehabilitation available. Call for detailed information.

Ho us eke Tra epin g ns po rta Uti liti tion es Pla Inclu nn de d ed Me Activ mo itie ry s Ca re

Best Years Yet guide to Complete Retirement Communities

Amenities

Marian Estates is located on 38 beautiful acres in Sublimity, just minutes from Salem and offers Complete Retirement with No Buy In. Home cooked meals and choices are offered campus wide. There are no scheduled meal times in Independent living, dine at your leisure from a full menu or allow us to delivery to your home. Assisted Living and Nursing residents enjoy up to six different meals options for lunch and dinner.

Other amenities include, full gym, walking paths, bank, beauty/barber shop, gift shop, party hall, pharmacy services and life enriching activities.

An immaculately kept 30 acre campus situated among rolling farmland, vineyards, and yet close to all the necessary amenities; all levels of care in a single beautiful setting: different styles of independent living, assisted living, memory care, and a renowned skilled nursing center with rehab & therapy; a full host of activities, wellness programs, and travel opportunities; soon launching our new “Lodge” community center and new Lodge residences.

IN THE GARDEN

CALENDAR

Thinking Ahead

Continued from page 4

27-28: Corvallis Fall Festival. Our mission is to serve, support and showcase Corvallis while helping local arts and crafts thrive. The festival is held at Corvallis Central Park and runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, with a dance from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday. corvallisfallfestival.org

Planning for next year’s garden • Story and photo Diana Reeck

A

ll seasons in the Pacific Northwest are beautiful, but there is something about autumn that makes one want to get up and out, take a bike ride, or go for a nice long walk. The heat of summer is gone, the air is fresh and crisp, and the changing colors are richly subdued, intensifying as the season goes on. All around us, nature is preparing for the change of seasons.

This is the perfect time to begin thinking about changes you want to make in your garden next year.

Did you wish you had more color in spring? Did your flower borders need a boost of bright color in a particular season? Could you use an extra shrub or two, or maybe a small tree, to give some structure to your yard? Now is the time to add something new to the mix. Fall is the perfect time for planting: the ground is warm, which encourages root growth before winter sets in so your plants will be ready to “spring” into action in the new year.

Bulbs are a great place to start.

Most bulbs do just as well in containers as in gardens. By choosing a mix of bulbs and staggering the depths at which you plant them, they will emerge at different times, extending the blooming season of your container bulb planting.

Daffodils give great value for your money. They are easy to grow, pest- and disease-free, and some varieties multiply yearly. The world of daffodils and narcissus (different names for the same plant) is much larger than many people realize, with hundreds of varieties available through specialty nursery catalogs.

Their colors range through all shades of yellow, some with bright orange cups, to pinkish tones, to pure white; from large flowers with big trumpets on a single stems, to multiple small flowers on one stem.

Some have an intoxicatingly sweet fragrance. There is also a whole world of miniature daffodils that are perfect for containers or small rock gardens.

By growing a selection of early-, mid, and late-season cultivars, you can keep the daffodil season going for several months. Searching “daffodils

October 3-5: Quiltopia – Salem. An annual quilt festival that inspires people to learn the joys of using textiles in a traditional and contemporary art form. Proceeds benefit Helping Hands charity. The event will be held at Willamette Heritage Center from 10 a.m to 5 p.m. on Friday, and 12 to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Admission $5. quiltedforest.com

for sale” online will lead you to lots of catalogs with loads of color pictures. Your challenge will be in deciding which to choose!

Daffodils and tulips are the classic spring bulbs, but there is world of “lesser bulbs” to choose from.

Snowdrops, crocuses, and grape hyacinths are just a few that are widely available and are beautiful planted in large sweeps. Alliums (ornamental onions) are long-lived and easy for sunny spots, looking like small round balls made up of many small florets. They range from less than six inches tall to the dramatic Allium shubertii with flower heads up to 18 inches across, looking like a fireworks explosion on a stick. Our native blue camas lilies (Camassia quamash or C. leitchlinii) are also excellent spring garden bulbs.

A favorite of mine are the ultracharming fawn lilies (Erythronium),

sometimes called trout lilies. They have small, nodding, lily-like flowers with petals that flare back as they age, 12-inch stems, and a pair of lovely leaves that are usually mottled.

They are native to the west coast and prefer light shade. They can be white (Erythronium “White Beauty”), pink (E. revolutum), cream-colored (E. oreganum) or yellow (E. “Pagoda”).

Erythroniums are more difficult to find but are worth the search.

Get out to your local nursery soon and see what is available. You will be glad you did when spring rolls around.

Diana Reeck recently retired from operating a specialty nursery business since 1990. She now spends her time working in her own garden, exploring nature, being active with the master gardeners and other plant groups, and hosting ‘Down in the Dirt with Diana’, a gardening show on KMUZ radio.

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4: Soroptimist Walk for the Cause - Albany. Our 19th annual walk raises money for women in our community who are fighting breast cancer and other women’s diseases. We have raised over $600,000 that have stayed in locally to help women with medical treatment and other expenses related to their diseases.

The walk starts at 8 a.m. at the Linn County Courthouse. sialbany.org/walk/ 11: Salemtowne Artisan Faire Salem. Featuring resident artisans, fine arts, crafts, quilts, holiday decor, one-of-a-kind gifts, and the Harvest Kitchen. Towne Hall, 2900 Oakcrest Dr. NW, Salem, OR 97304 18: ABC House Runaway Pumpkin Half-Marathon - Lebanon. Runaway Pumpkin Half-Marathon is fun for everyone! Runners and walkers are encouraged to dress in costume.

The event will be held at Lebanon’s Cheadle Lake Park. All proceeds from this event go to ABC House: The Child Abuse Intervention Center serving Benton and Linn Counties. Register online. Race begins at 9 a.m. raceroster.com/events/2014/2187/ runaway-pumpkin-half-marathon 25: Oregon Garden 4th Annual Barn Dance and Pig Roast - Silverton.

Calling all cowboys and Calamity Janes: put on your best bib and tucker, round up your pardners, and head to The Oregon Garden for the 4th annual Barn Dance & Pig Roast from 7 to 11 p.m. in the Grand Hall at 879 W Main St. in Silverton. oregongarden.org/events/barn-dance/

September/October • Best Years Yet

13

TIME CAPSULE

OAC/ROTC Bridge Building

OAC ROTC building temporary bridge across the Marys River at Corvallis. Original Collection: Historical File, OSU

14

Best Years Yet • September/October 2014

the Western Swing Time Radio Show

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the possibilities!

This is how and where

you want to live.

With your choice of garden home or apartment comes an independent, maintenance-free lifestyle: full of conveniences, interesting activities and events, and the peace of mind of knowing you have access to a full continuum of care if ever needed.

Call 503-623-5581 to schedule a tour of Dallas Retirement Village or request our free retirement planning guide.

377 NW Jasper Street Dallas, OR 97338

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DallasRetirementVillage.com A Non-Profit Community Founded in Christ Since 1947. All Faiths Are Welcome.

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September/October • Best Years Yet

15

*Sale ends 11/15/14 Not to be combined with other offers or coupons.

Not valid on previous purchases.

(503) 363-9744 • 1210 Commercial Street SE • Salem, OR 97302 Sale ends 11/15/14 - Not to be combined with any other offers or coupons. Not valid on previous purchases.

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Best Years Yet • September/October 2014