Celebrating art & science in Greater Prescott
Alan Dean Foster espouses the joys of a con job P. 10
Ty Fitzmorris
sets the watermark for meaningful meanders P. 14
Jacy Lee
rummages through olds news & new olds P. 19
Jacques Laliberté finds serenity in Carla Woody’s art P. 16
And much2 more
AMPERSAND:
Delisa Myles & Earl Duque step up, out AUGUST 2015 | VOLUME 3, ISSUE 8 | 5ENSESMAG.COM
P. 20
WORLD BISTRO LIKE US ON
Open Monday thru Saturday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. 928-778-1223 802 Valley Street Prescott, Arizona 86305 RusticPieCompany.com & introducing Prescott’s newest antique shop @ your favorite pie place
The Old Prescott Emporium
5enses In which:
Sue Smith
4 5 6 7 10 11
Sue Drown
sorts the torrent of flora and fauna that follows the wake of the annual monsoon’s oblationary flow.
Jacques Laliberté
spies a wily bird who’s road-running antics stop cliffside with fewer Chuck Jones allusions than this sentence.
talks native traditions, spirituality and cross-cultural influences with Prescott artist Carla Woody.
Peregrine Book Co.
Paolo Chlebecek
Kathleen Yetman
Jacy Lee
Alan Dean Foster
James Dungeon
takes literary cues from authors MacDonald, Headley, Szymborska, Collins, Barfield, and Jonasson.
addresses an issue that no amount of anti-anything-and-everything software can protect you from.
harvests a vegetable that, if we’re gonna be technical, isn’t really a vegetable at all. But its delicious.
looks back to a time that not so long ago was not so long ago and today’s new olds were nothing but old news.
takes a road trip to the San Diego Comic Con and enjoys the enjoyment of others’, um, enjoyment.
Robert Blood
Plus
14 5/6 16 8 18 19 20
Ty Fitzmorris
appreciates a fresh, fragrant flower that’s a friend to the only stones older than the actual ’Stones.
August 2015 • Volume 3, Issue 8
Copyright © 2015 5enses Inc. unless otherwise noted. Publisher & Editor: Nicholas M. DeMarino P.M., M.A. Copy Editor: Susan Smart Read a new 5enses the first weekend of every month. Visit 5ensesMag.Com, Facebook, & Twitter for more. Contact us at 5ensesMag@Gmail.Com & 928-613-2076. 恋の予感.
Flip Photo
A visual puzzle from the Highlands Center for Natural History
Left Brain/ Right Brain
Find out what’s going on in Greater Prescott
22 22
Oddly Enough Smart, quirky comics by Russell Miller
Not-as-holy-days
Enjoy some alternative reasons for the season(s)
Donna Bobadilla works on jewelry. Photo by 5enses. See Page 11 for more.
talks about Flying Nest Movement Arts with owners and instructors Delisa Myles and Earl Duque.
COVER: “Twin Spirits,” acrylic painting by Donna Bobadilla. Courtesy photo. See Page 11 for more.
talks about family, inspiration, and making your own way with artist and restaurateur Donna Bobadilla.
Adorn Your Lifestyle
@ Snap Snap
brating Cele
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UNIQUE APPAREL & EXOTIC GOODS
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ea es rs i n busin
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OPEN DAILY 10AM-5PM •
5ENSESMAG.COM • AUGUST 2015 • CONTENTS • 3
Plant of the Month
Cliff-rose Cliff-rose (Purshia stansburiana). Photo by Sue Smith, Cals.Arizona.Edu/yavapaiplants. By Sue Smith
It’s
Highlands Centerforfor Natural History Highlands Center Natural History
Nestled in the Lynx Lake Recreation Area, two minutes from Costco, The Highlands Center for Natural History invites you to experience the wonder of the Central Arizona Highlands.
Don’t miss these upcoming events
Wildflower Drawing Classes with Diane Iverson, Thursdays, August 6, 13, 20, 27 9:00 AM-12:00 PM Registration required. $88/series (10% off for members)
Bug-A-Boo Bliss, Friday, August 21 5:30 PM - $2 children/$5 adults Mark your Calendars for the First Highlands Nature Festival! Sept. 11 & 12 Multiple Locations
Highlands Nature Festival
Field trips, workshops and more!
928-776-9550 • highlandscenter.org
Wonder • explore • discover 4 • FEATURE • AUGUST 2015 • 5ENSESMAG.COM
the middle of May in Prescott and you may find yourself walking along a path lined with shrubs whose stems are covered in 1-inch white to cream-colored flowers. It is almost as if the branches were covered in snow. It’s a warm sunny day and the air is filled with a lovely fragrance. You are experiencing Purshia stansburiana, a species of flowering shrub in the rose family. One characteristic of the shrub is that large stands burst into flower all at one time. Its beauty continues when the flowers are replaced by intricate masses of fruit tops with white 2-inch feathery tails that glow when backlit by the sun. This freely branching shrub is commonly known as Cliff-rose or Quinine Bush because of its bittertasting foliage. Its bark is reddish and peeling and its leaves leathery and resinous. Cliff-rose is native to the southwestern U.S. True to its name, it is found on cliffs. It’s also found on hillsides, mesas and washes on dry south and west aspects, at elevations from 2,500 to 8,500 feet. It commonly occurs on limestone, but also occurs on other sedimentary substrates and also on igneous formations. Cliff-rose reproduces from seed, rarely from sprouting. Its seedlings can colo-
nize open, disturbed sites such as road cuts. It appears to be a weak sprouter that’s generally killed by severe fire.
Cliff-rose
is an important browse plant for many wild ungulates, including pronghorn, deer, elk and desert bighorn sheep, especially in winter. Rodents often cache the seeds underground where they may sprout later. Native Americans used the shredded bark to make clothing, mats, rope and sandals. The wood was used for arrow shafts. The Navajo used the shredded bark for padding and absorbency in cradleboards and for stuffing pillows. The leaves and stems were mixed with juniper branches for a yellow brown or tan dye. Hopi used the leaves and twigs to induce vomiting and as a cleansing agent for sores and wounds. While the biggest display of flowers is usually in May, the cliff-rose may bloom more than once in a season. Hopefully, you’ll see some in August.
Gardener.
***** Sue Smith is the president of the Prescott Chapter of the Native Plant Society and a Yavapai County Master
Visit the Arizona Native Plant Society Prescott Chapter at AZNPS. Com/chapters.prescott.php.
Bird of the Month
Greater Roadrunner
Bringing Wild Birds To Your Backyard! 20% off all Oriole Feeders
With Coupon Expires 08/31/15
Greater Roadrunner. Photo by Sue Drown. By Sue Drown
Beep! Beep!
If ever a wild bird could be cartooned, it’s the Greater Roadrunner. We’ve all watched him run a bit, pause, and lift his tail — and then seemingly forget what he was doing while the tail slowly drops. Raising his head feathers into a shaggy crest, he eyes the scene like he’s looking to make trouble, a caricature of a Cuckoo. Which he is, a type of Ground-Cuckoo who resides here in the dry Arizona deserts year-round. In truth, he’s no joke. The Greater Roadrunner has to be crafty just to survive his niche in this arid and sparse corner of the world. To live and raise a family in the desert, thickets, and rural neighborhoods of Arizona, the Cuckoo has developed an adaptation that in itself tells you how challenging their lives must be. In order to save energy, roadrunners lower their body temperature and go into a sort of stupor at night. Maybe you’ve seen one turn its back to the sun in the morning and spread out the feathers to allow the warmth of the sun onto its skin. That’s part of getting the body temperature back up to full speed.
Come
nesting season, they cannot use this body temperature-lowering technique at night because they need to stay warm enough to keep the eggs vital. So, the males fatten up as best they can before nesting, then they do night duty on the nest, using the fat they stored to keep their body temperature up all night long. Meanwhile, the females continue to use the stupor to save calories. That’s good cooperation, and real evidence of how tough it is out there. During the day, they hunt food, anything from lizards to insects to dog kibble. Like Ravens, they are omnivores, with powerful bills for capturing a meal. Built like a lean brown pheasant, roadrunners chase prey and avoid being prey mostly by running, but they can fly quite well if they must. Pairs form long-term bonds and defend territories. So, next time one scoots across the road, give him a thumbs-up and wish him the best. He’s not being cartoonish, he’s hard at work. ***** Sue Drown is a certified bird nerd, and is seldom seen without her binoculars. She has thrived since moving to Arizona’s bird-rich region eight years ago. Visit Prescott Audubon Society at PrescottAudubon.Org. Contact them at Contact@PrescottAudubon.Org.
www.jaysbirdbarn.com
1046 Willow Creek Rd, Suite 105 Prescott
(928) 443-5900
Highlands Center for Natural History’s
pilF Photo
Sometimes curly, sometimes straight, it can be twice as long as the body that carries it but adds no extra weight. What is it?
5ENSESMAG.COM • AUGUST 2015 • FEATURES • 5
Peregrine Book Co.
Staff picks By Peregrine Book Co. staff “H is for Hawk” By Helen MacDonald MacDonald combines her training of a goshawk, her wild grief after her father’s death, and a meditation on T.H. White’s pained memoir “The Goshawk” into a story of knots and strings, trust and loss, death and fear and letting go. She spits forth short shining sentences like a hawk tearing feathers from a pheasant’s breast; what emerges is a visceral exploration of the fraught, rich bonds between animal and human, and the presence of death that defines the lives of both. — Reva
Highlands Center for Natural History’s
Flip otohP
A proboscis
A
proboscis describes a very specialized mouth part for two orders of insects. There is the lesser know order, true bugs (Hemiptera) and then there is most everyone’s favorite order, moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera). The proboscis is an extremely complex mouthpart made up of multiple smaller appendages that work together. It is either curled or tucked under the body until the insect is ready to drink or suck up nectar (Lepidoptera) or liquids from a plant or other animal (Hemiptera).
6 • FEATURE • AUGUST 2015 • 5ENSESMAG.COM
“Sailing Alone Around the Room” By Billy Collins Collins published this beautifully succinct collection during his time as the Poet Laureate of the United States. It contains poems that trick the reader into a banal false sense of security with accessible free verse stanzas, until they seize at beat-esque unmaskings of life’s intricacies and the most unnerving emotions. — Caleb
“Magonia” By Maria Dahvana Headley With great attention and respect to mythological detail, Headley has created a world in the clouds that promises a feathery adventure that is just as sweet as it is temerarious. — Sarah
“The Book of Colors” By Raymond Barfield Warning: this book may cause you to fall in love with the world again. In language both simple and beautiful, Barfield, a poet doctor, tells the remarkable story of five impoverished people (and a donkey named Jesus) living by the train tracks in Memphis who find love and grace in their everyday lives. — Michaela
“Here” By Wislawa Szymborska Awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1996, Polish poet Wislawa Szymborska considers life on earth through her poems. Wislawa is witty, smart, and one tough woman, characteristics that not only describe her but her work as well. Her poems begin a certain way, but somehow Wislawa is able to utilize the space between and morph her poem into something completely different by the time you finish it. — Lacey
“The HundredYear-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared” By Jonas Jonasson If you enjoy a good laugh, you should definitely read this. Jonasson writes about world history in a very unusual way. His voice is very ironic and he tweaks historical facts here and there to create his story. I finished the book in just a day. I would recommend the book to anyone, regardless of interest and taste. — Veri
***** Visit Peregrine Book Company at PeregrineBookCompany.Com and 219A N. Cortez St., Prescott, 928-445-9000.
Vegetable of the Month
Zucchini Zucchini. Photo by Shanti Rade. By Kathleen Yetman
One
of summer’s prime crops is available in abundance. Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo), a summer squash, can be found in grocery stores, gardens, at roadside stands, and farmers markets. In the kitchen, zucchini is treated as a vegetable, but botanically, zucchini and its squash relatives are actually fruits. All varieties of squash originated in the Americas, however the varieties we now call “zucchini” were developed in Italy in the late 19th century. Zucchini is an excellent, economical crop for the beginning gardener. It can be planted by seed outside after the last frost, or started indoors several weeks before being transplanted outside when the danger of frost is over. Zucchini loves warm weather and can tolerate hot temperatures, making it an ideal summer crop here in Yavapai County. Once they begin to produce fruit, zucchini plants are prolific. Often the biggest challenge of growing them is finding enough recipes to use them (or neighbors and friends to take them!). Local farmers and gardeners do, however, have to compete with squash bugs, which can decimate a squash plant within a few days if left unchecked.
Zucchini
contains good amounts of folate, potassium and vitamin A. Zucchini is best picked when it’s young, anywhere from six to 12 inches in length. Larger fruits tend to have less flavor and mature seeds. Zucchini is extremely versatile when it comes to preparation. It is delicious sautéed, fried, stuffed and grilled, as well as baked in cakes and breads and can be used spiralized as a pasta alternative or shredded into a veggie burger. The flowers, also known as squash blossoms, are edible as well. The pistils and stamens are removed from barelyopened flowers, then deep fried, baked, stuffed, grilled, sautéed or used as a garnish. Right now is the best time to take advantage of summer’s bounty of zucchini, whether it comes from a neighbor, a farmer or your own backyard. ***** Kathleen Yetman is the Managing Director of the Prescott Farmers Market and a native of Prescott. Visit the Prescott Farmers Market every Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to noon from May through October at Yavapai College.
Prescott’s nest submarines since before downtown traffc 415 W. Goodwin St., 778-3743 M-F 10:30-2:30, Weekends closed
Valerie Wiesner ♥ 928-642-4671 ♥ SacredBirthGuru.com ♥ What will you experience at Sacred Pregnancy? -Sacred Sisterhood -Creating a Pregnancy Practice -Setting up a Sacred space -Explore expectations of pregnancy -Fear Release + Foregiveness -Experience Witness Dancing
-A special Relationship night with your Beloved -Discuss food + body image during pregnancy -HONORING + emotional nesting + mother/baby blessings -Crossing from maiden to mother -Postpartum belly binding + sealing ceremony -Go to the Salt Bowl of ‘Pure Intentions’ with your sisterhood
Sept. 2nd through Sept. 27th
3-5 p.m. Sundays ♥ 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays
$275 for 8 weekly classes honoring your pregnancy journey
5ENSESMAG.COM • AUGUST 2015 • FEATURE • 7
Left Brain: August’s mind-full events Events
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LAN party • Noon Saturday, Aug. 1: Play multiplayer computer games like “Quake,” “Counterstrike,” and “Tribes.” A monthly Local Area Network party via Western Sky PC. (Game On, 1957 Commerce Center Circle Suite C, Prescott, PPCGG.Com)
Highlands Center annual meeting • 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4: Learn about the design and educational impact of the upcoming Discover Gardens at this annual meeting. (Highlands Center for Natural History, 1375 S. Walker Road, 928-776-9550) White Spar Campground bird walk • 7 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5: Local, guided bird walk at White Spar Campground with Bonnie. (Jay’s Bird Barn, No. 113, 1046 Willow Creek Road, 928-443-5900, RSVP)
“Tom Mix: King of the Cowboys” • 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6: H. Christine Reid, of the Pinal County Historical Society, discusses the internationally famous cowboy movie star Tom Mix and his connection to Arizona and debunks some Hollywood hype. (Prescott Public Library, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500)
Prescott Audubon bird walk • 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 8: Monthly Audubon bird walk. (Highlands Center for Natural History, 1375 S. Walker Road, 928-776-9550)
“Monday Isn't Wash Day” • 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 8: Museum staff refute the old saying “Monday is wash day,” because, for frontier families, laundry day was Saturday. An Arizona History Adventure. (Sharlot Hall Museum, 415 W. Gurley St., 928-445-2133, $3-$7) Yavapai Conserve to Enhance • 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 8: Conserve to Enhance (C2E) program connecting homeowner water conservation to community action to enhance Prescott's waterways and wildlife habitats. Via Prescott Creeks, Prescott Audubon, and Citizens Water Advocacy Group. (Highlands Center for Natural History, 1375 S. Walker Road, 928-776-9550) “The Eagle & the Archaeologists” • 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8: Erik Berg lecture. A Second Saturday lecture. (Smoki Museum, 147 N. Arizona Ave., 928-445-1230)
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“Hysterical History tour” • 7:30 p.m. Aug. 10: State historian Marshall Trimble and historian Melissa Ruff ner share stories of the old days in Arizona's first territorial capital. (The Palace Restaurant & Saloon, 120 S. Montezuma St., 928-541-1996, $32) Willow Lake South bird walk • 7 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 13: Local, guided bird walk at Willow Lake South with Eric. (Jay’s Bird Barn, No. 113, 1046 Willow Creek Road, 928-443-5900, RSVP) Evening Forest Walk • 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14: A family-friendly adventure in the evening forest. (Highlands Center for Natural History, 1375 S. Walker Road, 928-776-9550)
“Sick Call” • 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 15: At some point in his enlistment, a soldier would answer sick call and perhaps even be confined to the post hospital; learn all about frontier medicine. A Frontier Arizona Experience event. (Fort Whipple Museum, No. 11, 500 N. Arizona 89, 928-445-3122)
“Nagasaki: Life After Nuclear War” • 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8: Author Susan Southard discusses her powerful, unflinching account of the enduring impact of nuclear war a day before the 70th anniversary of the bombing in Nagasaki. This is the first book since 1945 to chronicle the stories of those who survived the attack on Nagasaki. The bomb killed 74,000 men, women, and children; injured 75,000; and instantaneously exposed tens of thousands to large doses of wholebody radiation that led to life-altering medical conditions and deaths in the decades to come. Nearly all were civilians. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000) IMAGE: Susan Southard, courtesy image. “Six Who Came to Serve”/ “Early Essays” • 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15: Author Tom Cantlon discusses his book about six people who started their careers in social services from 1973 to 1976 in Prescott and had a profound impact on the community, plus his newspaper columns published between 2001 and 2006. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000) “Bevy of Bathing Beauties” • 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15: Debra Matthews introduces you to the unusual history of bathing beauty contests beginning in England and spreading to other seaside communities around the world … ultimately to the frontier West and the fashionable Dells Resort of Prescott. (Sharlot Hall Museum, 415 W. Gurley St., 928-445-2133) “Singing in the Saddle: The Life & Times of Yellowstone Chip”/”Mattie: A Woman's Journey West” • 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15: Author Nan Weber discusses to remarkable yet different people who left unforgettable impressions at what is now Yellowstone National Park. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000)
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Watson Woods bird walk • 7 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 20: Local, guided bird walk at Watson Woods with Ryan. (Jay’s Bird Barn, No. 113, 1046 Willow Creek Road, 928443-5900, RSVP)
8 • EVENTS • AUGUST 2015 • 5ENSESMAG.COM
“Cowboy: The Legend Lives On” • 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20: Arizona state historian Marshall Trimble discusses infamous Arizona cowboys in honor of National Day of the Cowboy. (Phippen Museum, 4701 Arizona 89, 928-778-1385, $25-$30)
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“Bug-a-boo Bliss” • 5:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21: Discover the wondrous world of insects and other bugs and enjoy insect hikes, a pollinator station, puppet shows, crafts, and scavenger hunts. (Highlands Center for Natural History, 1375 S. Walker Road, 928-776-9550, $2-$5)
Prescott Orchid Society • 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 23: A monthly Prescott Orchid Society meeting. (Prescott Public Library, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500)
Banning Creek bird walk • 7 a.m. Friday, Aug. 28: Local, guided bird walk at Banning Creek with Bonnie. (Jay’s Bird Barn, No. 113, 1046 Willow Creek Road, 928-443-5900, RSVP) “Heart Sparks: 7 Practices for Loving Your Life” • 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29: Author Ruth Davis offers seven do-able practices to discover what else you might want in your life. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000)
Multi-day Prescott Area Boardgamers • 5 p.m. Wednesdays, Aug. 5 & 19: Play board games. (Prescott Public Library, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500) Naturalist City Walks • 8 a.m. Wednesdays: Discover more about local insects, birds, geology, plants, and more on city trails. (Highlands Center for Natural History, 1375 S. Walker Road, 928-776-9550) Summer Prescott Farmers Market • 7 a.m. Saturdays: Enjoy local organic produce and goods from local farmers. Yavapai College, Parking Lot D, 1100 E. Sheldon St., PrescottFarmersMarket.Org) Naturalist Field Walks • 8 a.m. Saturdays: Discover more about local insects, birds, geology, plants, and more at the Highlands Center for Natural History. (Highlands Center for Natural History, 1375 S. Walker Road, 928-776-9550) Drop in chess • 2 p.m. Saturdays: Play chess, all ages and skill levels welcome. (Prescott Public Library, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500)
August’s art-full events :niarB thgiR
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Events
Poetry discussion group • 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5: Dr. Janet Preston’s monthly poetry discussion group. (Prescott Public Library, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500)
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Poets’ Cooperative • 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6: Share your work with other poets in a supportive atmosphere. (Prescott Public Library, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500) Green Living Magazine launch party • 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8: Meet local leaders in an eclectic array of green living professions and enjoy info-rich mini eco seminars. (Heaven on Earth retreat, 4395 Lake Forest Lane, 928-308-2146, RSVP) “Howlin’ at the Highlands” • 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8: Annual concert with Prescott Jazz Summit All Stars and guest vocalist Susannah Martin. (Highlands Center for Natural History, 1375 S. Walker Road, 928-776-9550, $20) Magician Eric Giliam • 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8: Award winning magician Eric Giliam performs. (Elks Theatre, 117 E. Gurley St., 928-777-1367, $19)
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“C-Bar” • 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9: The locally filmed Western movie, “C-Bar,” based on the novel “The C-Bar Story,” directed by Patrick Ball. (Elks Theatre, 117 E. Gurley St., 928-777-1367, $12)
Mile High Comedy Theater • 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15: Comedy featuring improvisational games, professional standup comics, and sketch comedy. (Elks Theatre, 117 E. Gurley St., 928-777-1367, $10-$12) Open mic poetry • 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19: Poet Dan Seaman emcees monthly open mic poetry. (Peregrine Book Co., 219A N. Cortez St., 928-445-9000)
Contra Dance • 7 p.m. lesson, 7:30 p.m. dance Saturday, Aug. 22: Contra dancing. Via Folk Happens. Calls by Archie Maclellan, music by Chupacabras. (First Congregation Church, 216 E. Gurley St., 928-925-5210, $4-$8)
“Making Music in Heaven on Earth” • 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 23: A joyous, educational, inspirational, interactive musical community celebration with Jonathan Best. (Heaven on Earth retreat, 4395 Lake Forest Lane, 928-308-2146, $10-$30, RSVP)
“Massage Festival” • 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 29: Sample a variety of massages and meet massage therapists amidst floral gardens between yoga sessions and smoothies on the lawn and trampoline. Relax by the pool, lounges, or hammock, or explore the Dells on adjacent trails. (Heaven on Earth retreat, 4395 Lake Forest Lane, 928308-2146, $99, RSVP) IMAGE: Heaven on Earth. Courtesy photo. 60 cowboy poets and musicians. (Yavapai College Performing Arts Center, 1100 E. Sheldon St., 928-776-2000, prices vary) “Outside the Lines” • 7:30 p.m. Aug. 6 & 8, 2 p.m. Aug. 8 & 9: Enjoy 12 exciting new plays by female playwrights, including local playwright Delia Whitehead. (Prescott Center for the Arts Gallery, 208 N. Marina St., 928-445-3286, $15) Prescott Arts & Crafts Festival • 9 a.m. Aug. 8 & 9: The 65th annual arts and crafts festival via Mountain Artists Guild & Gallery. (Yavapai County Courthouse Square, 928-445-2510) Writers’ workshop • 9:30 a.m. Saturdays, Aug. 8 & 22: Biweekly critique group. (Prescott Public Library, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500) Creative writers group • Noon Tuesdays, Aug. 11 & 25: Writing, sharing, and discussion. (Prescott Public Library, 215 E. Goodwin St., 928-777-1500)
4th Friday Art Walk • 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28: Monthly art walk iincluding ncluding more than 18 galleries, artist receptions, openings, and demonstrations. (ArtThe4th.Com)
“Dream Power”/“In Your Dreams” • 4:30 p.m. Aug. 21 & 9 a.m. Aug. 22: Board certified behavioral therapist Cynthia Richmond discusses dreams as “a barometer of our well-being.” (Prescott College Crossroads Center, 215 Garden St., 877-350-2100)
Multi-day
“Oklahoma!” • 7 p.m. Aug. 21, 22, 28, & 29, & 2:30 p.m. Aug. 22, 23, & 29: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s American classic and first collaboration set in a Western Indian territory just after the turn of the century. (Prescott Valley Performing Arts, 8944 E. Sommer Drive, 928-583-4684)
Modern-day meditation • 6:50 p.m. Wednesdays, Aug. 5 & 19: Open. Calm. Think. Act. An active, four-part practice. (Flying Nest Studio, 322 W. Gurley St., 303-903-2630) Arizona Cowboy Poets Gathering • 7 p.m. Aug. 6-8: 28th annual Arizona Cowboy Poets Gathering featuring Don Edwards, Belinda Gail, and Trinity Seely, among
Community Yoga • 5:15 p.m. Tuesdays & Thursdays, 10 a.m. Saturdays: Free community all-levels yoga class for people from all walks of life. Come heal your whole self. No experience necessary. (Deva Healing Center, 520 Sheldon St., DevaHealingCenter.Org)
Mindfulness meditation • 6:30 p.m. informal sit, 7 p.m. formal sit Tuesdays: Meditation group open to people of all faiths and non-faiths followed by optional discussion. (First Congregational Church, 216 E. Gurley St., PrescottVipassana.Org)
Art “SUMUS” • Through Aug. 6: Whimsical, wonderful, and occasionally sarcastic drawings and inflatable sculpture by Benjamin Entner. (Yavapai College Art Gallery, 1100 E. Sheldon St., 928-776-2031) “Expressions in Light & Beads” • Through Aug. 14: An eclectic mix of ine art photography infused with urban, rural, and natural themes by Peter Conner and beaded, hand-woven jewelry capturing many of the endless possibilities of techniques and bead shapes, color, and texture by Pam Conner. (’Tis Art Center & Gallery, 105 S. Cortez St., 928-775-0223) “Street Seen” • Through Aug. 15: This exhibit asks locals artists “What is seen on the streets you travel?” (Prescott Center for the Arts Gallery, 208 N. Marina St., 928-445-3286) “What You See” • From Aug. 15: Dynamic abstract paintings by D.S. Moore. (’Tis Art Center & Gallery, 105 S. Cortez St., 928-775-0223) “In Motion” • Through Aug. 17: Explore movement as a central design concept in 2-D and 3-D art. (Prescott Center for the Arts Gallery, 208 N. Marina St., 928-445-3286) YC “Fall Faculty Art Exhibition” • From Aug. 18: Photography, ceramics,
sculpture, painting, digital design, printmaking, multimedia, watercolor, painting, and drawing by Yavapai College art faculty. (Yavapai College Prescott Art Gallery, 1100 E. Sheldon St., 928-776-2031) Dunmire & Lindsey • Through Aug. 19: Acrylics and glass by Pamela Dunmire and Patricia Lindsey. (Mountain Artists Guild & Gallery, 228 Alarcon St., 928-445-2510) Arizona Print Group • From Aug. 21: Printmaking from the Arizona Print Group. (Mountain Artists Guild & Gallery, 228 Alarcon St., 928-445-2510 “Black & White With a Splash of Color” • Through Aug. 25: Annual art show featuring and black and white pieces with a splash of color. (’Tis Art Center & Gallery, 105 S. Cortez St., 928-775-0223) “Watercolor Rainbow” • Through Aug. 26: Ananda DiBenedetto follow inspiration in nature and animals, and reflects on her dreams and visions. (Arts Prescott Gallery, 134 S. Montezuma St., 928-776-7717) “Objects Found” • From Aug. 27: Annual show transforming beauty and history with everyday items. (’Tis Art Center & Gallery, 105 S. Cortez St., 928-775-0223) Southwest Regional Exhibit • From Aug. 28: Traveling exhibit with works by contemporary Arizonan artists. (Prescott College Art Gallery at Sam Hill Warehouse, 232 N. Granite St., 928-350-2341) “Just For Fun” • Through Sept. 26: New art. (Mountain Artists Guild & Gallery, 228 Alarcon St., 928-445-2510)
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A great escape
Alan Dean Foster’s
Perceivings
Weighing the pros at cons
Having
By Alan Dean Foster A few weekends ago, I had to go to the San Diego Comic Con (also known as the SDCC) for a day. While I realize that the “had to” might provoke a few sneers among those for whom attending the SDCC remains yet a dream, I assure you that my visit was all business, to
cleverly managed to wangle four days in San Diego, New York Times movie critic A.O. Scott sent back a couple of nice pieces on the con. His commentary is respectful and analytical, as it should be. But in providing an overview and context, especially for the bewildered who see a couple of clips from the con on TV and have no real idea what’s going on, he has no space for causation. What is generally overlooked by those who discuss the SDCC and its relatives like the recent Phoenix comicon is that there are few venues in this country where tens of thousands of likeminded people can get together for a weekend or more and have a great deal of fun assured that they are unlikely to be mugged, shot at, or confronted by drunken unsolicited auto window washers. The atmosphere at the SDCC is so buoyant, so energized by a desire to have a good time (and not waste the small fortune it costs to attend), that everyone from the elderly to honeymooners to families with small children can run hither and yon, from panel to dealers’ room to outside events, without being in fear of their personal safety. Something like Disneyland but with no rides. One can be no less than awed by the sheer variety of entertainment on offer. Don’t like movies?
Attend the TV panels. Don’t like TV? Attend the gaming panels. Don’t care for comics? Peruse the books, marvel at the artwork (and talk to the artists), learn how to make your own costume. The SDCC and the bigger cons are a phantasmagoria of fantasy in which anyone, for the price of a single ticket, can for a few days escape from a daily humdrum existence and a barrage of depressing headlines.
When
I last attended a Phoenix comicon, the attendance was 900. This year it was 75,501. People are desperate for entertainment, and for a chance to immerse themselves in a culture they, and not critics, have chosen. Unlike specialty venues like car shows or home and garden gatherings, at a comicon there’s something for everyone. And everyone, from dealers to attendees to visiting actors, is unashamedly having a good time. Unlike in professional sports, at a comicon the home team never loses. ***** Alan Dean Foster is author of more than 120 books, visitor to more than 100 countries, and still frustrated by the human species. Follow him at AlanDeanFoster.Com.
promote the forthcoming book version of “The Force Awakens.” I did not get to the beach, the zoo, Balboa Park, or even Seaport Village, which lies next to the convention center. I signed books and was on panels. It might have been fun if I had not chosen to drive. 371 miles each way. Drive a day, day at the con, drive home. A bit too much. The highlight of this toasty commute was the train siding at Glamis, on Highway 78 between El Centro and Quartzite, which was occupied by an idling freight train when I and a couple of dozen other vehicles found ourselves trapped in a landscape resembling an outtake from “Lawrence of Arabia.” It seems some pinhead of a railroad engineer thought it would be a good idea to place the siding, where one train waits for another to pass, directly athwart the highway. Not to the east of it nor to the west — where an idling train wouldn’t block traffic — but directly across it. No wonder our rail system borders on the antique when compared to the rest of the world. But I digress.
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Alan Dean Foster signs a book for a fan, as he’s wont to do. 5enses file photo.
By Robert Blood Pull a handful of biographies off the shelves, tear out a dozen pages from each, shuffle them, then rebind the results. Donna Bobadilla’s life story reads something like that. In one episode, she’s a hippie momma driving a converted school bus across the country. In another, she’s running retail boutiques in upstate New York until a dream involving black beans convinces her to move to Sedona. In another, she’s jamming her foot into people’s doors and selling thousands of dollars of ads a month to support her family in Denver. And, in yet another, she’s a real estate agent whose client dinners prove so popular she quits and opens a restaurant in Tucson. “I’ve always minded my own intuitive perceptions about, well, everything,” Bobadilla says with a laugh. “It’s gotten me into some interesting situations.” About eight years ago, Bobadilla, Andrea Barattini (her daughter), and Gregory Swigut (her son-in-law), bought Papa’s Italian Restaurant back when it was on White Spar Road. Three years ago, they moved it to Cortez Street. Inside, Papa’s décor is decidedly intimate. Soft lighting lends an air of romance to proceedings. But this isn’t a story about a restaurant; it’s a story about what’s on the walls. Look around. Paintings abound. Bright and flashy. Emotive and playful. Art Deco meets psychedelia. A harem of bold colors and textures flit frame to frame. These eclectic pieces were largely painted within the last few years by one artist: restaurateur and Renaissance woman Donna Bobadilla.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 >>>
Donna Bobadilla performs a poem with her painting “Bigger Than Life” at her restaurant, Papa’s Italian Restaurant. Photo by 5enses.
5ENSESMAG.COM • AUGUST 2015 • PORTFOLIO • 11
... FROM PAGE 11 Women & travel Gypsies. Musicians. Lovers. The majority of Bobadilla’s paintings depict wonder-filled women. “They’re spiritual elders — adventurous ladies, wild women who took chances in life and learned many lessons,” Bobadilla says. “They’re saucy, seasoned, and wise.” Bobadilla’s paintings further draw on cultural touchstones as far flung as Georgia O’Keefe and Leonard Cohen. Some subjects are depicted realistically, others more whimsically, and others almost Cubist. “Her people look very Art Decoish,” says Prescott’s Robert Hess, who purchased seven originals from Bobadilla’s March show at The Raven Café. “Her art is so diverse, but you can see some similarities between the pieces.” (Ever mindful of family, Bobadilla quickly mentions that her son, musician Eddy Barattini, of Sedona, played with one of his groups, the Adara Blake Quartet, at her art opening.) Though her formal training was at the Rochester Institute of Technology’s School of Art & Design, Bobadilla can’t over-stress the influence of travel on her work. She invokes the confluence of styles in Israel. She invokes the mood and emotion of her husband Ron’s homeland, Spain. And she invokes the influence of her homeland, Italy, where her grandmother Concetta Benedetto lived. “She taught me positive thinking,” Bobadilla says. “She inspired me to make lemonade out of lemons.” Though Bobadilla meant that figura-
tively, it’s also literally true as Benedetto taught her to cook. “Everything comes back to art, home, food, and family,” Bobadilla says. “It’s how we live and how we show our love.” Poetry & flare When Bobadilla turned 70 recently, she got a coffee table book from her daughter, Barattini, compiling much of Bobadilla’s poems and paintings. “There were so many memories in those poems and paintings,” Barattini says. “I really enjoyed putting that together for her.” “I was so overwhelmed she did that,” Bobadilla says. The tome spans decades. Though her paintings in Papa’s are newer works, Bobadilla has been creating art — whether it be pottery, mosaics, or mixed media pieces — for decades. Most of her poetry was written in the 1980s, though she often pairs it with contemporary paintings. “I’m surprised by how well the words from that time match up so well,” Bobadilla says. “They just fit.” Ask Bobadilla about about almost any painting in her restaurant and, with scant provocation, she’ll launch into a spoken word performance. She alternates between fluid gesticulates and intense eye contact. It’s rhythmic. Practically song, really. (She plays guitar and French horn, too.) “Her paintings, her dreams, her music, they’ve always been a part of me,” Barattini says. “Other kids grew up with Mother Goose. I grew up with mom’s poems and songs.” As if Bobadilla’s paintings and
12 • PORTFOLIO • AUGUST 2015 • 5ENSESMAG.COM
accompanying performances didn’t have enough pizzaz, her most recent paintings contain another layer of flare: iridescent patches of gold, silver, and glitter. These swaths orchestrate languid, sinuous eye draw. The glaring details often yield to nuance beneath the gloss on repeat views, which is part of the reason Hess says he loves Bobadilla’s paintings. “(My wife and I) are interested in paintings that have life in them,” Hess says. “You can get a good painting but hardly glance at it six months or a year later. Donna’s painting change — or, maybe, you change when you’re looking at them.” Twists & turns Bobadilla’s March show at The Raven Café led to an unanticipated direction for her art the following month. “I bought all this wire to hang frames, and I couldn’t figure out what to do with what was left,” Bobadilla said. “So, I tried putting some beads on it and started twisting.” And twisting it. And twisting it. And
twisting it some more. The resultant wire jewelry — adorned with beads and pendants from Bobadilla’s years of travel — is decidedly ostentatious. Kitsch even. “It’s over the top,” Bobadilla admits. “What else would you expect from me?” She’s sold more than a dozen pieces so far, largely because of person-toperson sales at Papa’s. “I got jazzed and started wearing them to work,” Bobadilla said. “People asked about them, and so I told them and I sold them.” They’ve also become another way to bond with her 11-year-old grandson, Jacob. “We do art together. We work on mosaics and things like that,” Bobadilla says. “Now, he’s even doing some of the bead work with me.” Bobadilla’s daughter is enthusiastic but unsurprised by her mom’s newest endeavor. After all, the medium may change, but her mom’s art has always and will always reflect her mom. “Her jewelry has these delicate little pieces and all these extreme twists
FROM LEFT: “Traditions of Pain”; “Prayer for the Cure”; “Mid Eastern Prayer“; Donna Bobadilla performs a poem with “Global Goddess”; elephant pendant necklace; colorfully beaded necklace with pendant. Jewelry and acrylic paintings by Donna Bobadilla. Courtesy photos. and turns,” Barattini says. “That’s mom, really.” ***** See more of Donna Bobadilla’s art at Papa’s Italian Restaurant, 129 1/2 N. Cortez St., 928-776-4880,
PapasItalianRestaurant.Com. Robert Blood is a Mayer-ish-based freelance writer and ne’er-do-well who’s working on his last book, which, incidentally, will be his first. Contact him at BloodyBobby5@Gmail.Com.
13
News From the Wilds August weather Average high temperature: 86.1 F, +/-2.4 Average low temperature: 56.3 F, +/-3.3 Record high temperature: 102 F, 1905 Record low temperature: 32 F, 1968 Average precipitation: 3.21”, +/-1.93” Record high precipitation: 10.51”, 1971 Record low precipitation: 0.11”, 2002 Max daily precipitation: 3.15”, Aug. 22, 1960
In preparation for their annual migration to southern Mexico and Belize, which begins now, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds have increased their body weight by as much as 50 percent. Photo by Ty Fitzmorris. By Ty Fitzmorris
August
ushers in a susurration of storm and shower interwoven with the cacophony of resonant thunder and the assonance of cicada song. In the high heat of summer, the monsoon rains turn the land to emerald, and it seems as though living things are everywhere. Many mammals are teaching their young to forage in this time of plenty, while young birds are on longer and longer forays away from their parents. Ectothermic animals, such as lizards and snakes, whose body temperatures are tied closely to ambient temperatures, are at their most active now, chasing insect and rodent prey, while insects, from the minute leafhoppers to the massive saturn moths, enter their time of greatest abundance. The majority of woody plants bear their seeds during this season including Coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica), Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa), and all seven of our oak species. Many herbaceous (nonwoody) plants are growing and flowering now, most of which are spe-
cialist monsoon plants and did not appear in the spring. This is the time of plenty for many birds and mammals, as insects of all types proliferate, from giant moths to enormous strange and beautiful beetles, to dragonflies, who reach their peak now, while alien-like cicadas measure the day’s heat with their shrill cries. This second flowering brings with it a glut of insect prey, which sends a wave of life through our ecosystems — from the predatory insects to the lizards, birds, bats, and even terrestrial mammals.
Among
the insects, August marks the beginning of the time of the giants. Massive moths with 4- to 6-inch (and greater) wingspans, such as the sphinx moths, saturn moths, and the massive Black Witch Moth (Ascalapha odorata), which can have an 8-inch wingspan, fly for miles searching for mates, while Grant’s Hercules Beetles (Dynastes granti), Rhinoceros Beetles (Xyloryctes jamaicensis) and Longhorn Oak Borers (Enaphalodes hispicornis) bumble to porch lights and streetlights. The Grand Western
14 • FEATURE • AUGUST 2015 • 5ENSESMAG.COM
Flood Plain Cicada (Tibicen cultriformis) flies in large numbers, providing many species of birds and mammals with food, while all eight of our preying mantid species can be seen. The proliferation of giants happens now because their larger bodies have required longer to grow to their massive size and so have timed their metamorphism into their adult forms for this resource-rich time of the year, when both food and egglaying sites are abundant. During the day, butterflies, beetles, dragonflies, and damselflies are at their most prolific during the monsoonal season. Many of the butterfly species out now fly only during this time of year, and the damsels and dragons are groups that are notably absent during the spring, though they are virtually everywhere now, from parking lots to lakes. Our flagship monsoon butterfly is the Arizona Sister (Adelpha eulalia), which glides over riparian clearings near oak stands. Look also for Buckeyes, Queens, Monarchs, and Pipevine and Two-tailed Swallowtails. In all, the wild diversity of living creatures this month is dizzying.
Skyward • Aug. 12: Ther Perseid Meteor Shower peaks after midnight. This is one of the year’s brightest meteor showers, and in the dark skies of the New Moon it promises to be one of the most remarkable showers of the year. These meteors are dust particles left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle, a very large comet that swings through our solar system every 133 years, and which last appeared in 1992. The average velocity of the Perseid meteors is 39 miles per second, much faster than last month’s meteors. • Aug. 14: New Moon at 7:53 a.m. • Aug. 29: Full Moon at 11:35 a.m. This is one of three “supermoons” of 2015, meaning that the moon is on its closest approach to Earth and will appear slightly larger than usual. ***** Ty Fitzmorris is an itinerant and often distractible naturalist who lives in Prescott and is proprietor of the Peregrine Book Company, Raven Café, Gray Dog Guitars, and is a founder of Milagro Arts, a community arts nexus, all as a sideline to his natural history pursuits. He can be reached at Ty@PeregrineBook Company.Com.
News From the Wilds, too A very brief survey of what’s happening in the wilds ... By Ty Fitzmorris High mountains • Little Brown Bats (Myotis lucifugus) continue nursing their young. Their roosts are often in caves, or cavities in trees, but sometimes they roost communally in buildings. Amazingly, a nursing mother can eat up to 110 percent of her body weight every night of insects, many of which are pests of humans. • The leaves of some deciduous trees, such as Boxelder (Acer negundo), which grow in riparian drainages, begin changing color. The reason for this early change in creekside vegetation is partly that high elevation creeks act as cold-air drainages in which colder (and therefore heavier) air flows down them, creating colder environments than in adjacent uplands. • Convergent Lady Beetles (Hippodamia convergens) gather in the tens of thousands in crevices in rocks and plants in the high mountains. • Snowberry shrubs bear their white berries. These berries are not edible for humans, but many other mammals, and some birds, eat them through the winter. Visit: Dandrea Trail, No. 285. Ponderosa Pine forests • Yarrows (Achillea millefolium) are flowering. This is one of the most storied of our plants and has been used as a medicinal plant by many cultures, dating reliably back to the Neanderthals. In ancient Greek lore Yarrow appeared from the scrapings of Achilles’ spear (hence the genus name), and was used to heal Telephus’ wound, and has since been used for everything from immune support to wound treatment to small pox.* • Golden Columbine (Aquilegia crysantha) flowers by cooler mountain streamsides, while sedges bear their seeds and Wright’s Deervetch (Lotus wrightii) continues to flower. Other flowers include Scarlet Gilia (Ipomopsis aggregata), Scruffy Clover (Dalea albiflora), Silverstem Lupine (Lupinus argenteus), and Wild Geranium (Geranium caespitosum), and many others. • Coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica) bears its delicious black fruits.*
Dynastes granti, the Southwestern Hercules Beetle, is our largest monsoon beetle, and is often seen at porch lights this month. Photo by Ty Fitzmorris. • Scarlet Creeper (Ipomoea cristulata) begins growing. Look for vines growing with two different types of leaves— one is horned and bi-lobed, while the other is longer and trident-shaped. Visit: Aspen Creek Trail, No. 48. Pine-Oak woodlands • Many different types of “June beetles” fly now. Our most distinctive species is the Ten-lined June Beetle (Polyphylla decemlineata), of the scarab family, which is often drawn to porchlights. • Arizona Walnut (Juglans major) seeds mature on these elegant, uncommon trees. These nuts have served as valuable food sources for many indigenous groups, and the husks can be made into a deep black paint.* • Chokecherries (Prunus virginiana) are fruiting. These fruits can be small and tart or large and sweet, depending on the year. When they are larger, they rival store-bought cherries for sweetness, and outdo them for flavor.* • Oaks of all species bear their acorns, providing the largest overall food crop of the year for mammals and birds, most notably the Acorn Woodpecker. • Deep blue-purple four o’clocks (Mirabilis spp.) flower on hillsides. Visit: Miller Creek Trail, No. 367. Pinyon-Juniper woodlands • Fendler’s Redroot (Ceanothus fendleri) continues to flower, along
with Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus montanus). • Sacred Datura (Datura wrightii) flowers exuberantly in the evenings. These large white trumpet-flowers glow in the dusk, attracting moths and bats. This species has been mistakenly described as having hallucinogenic properties, a piece of terrible misinformation that has resulted in many poisonings and some permanent blindness. • Our several species of brickellbush (Brickellia spp.) begin flowering. These inconspicuous flowers are not often seen, but their extraordinary aroma suff uses the dusk air. Arizona is home to more than two dozen species of Brickellia, several of which have been found to be very effective in the treatment of certain types of diabetes. Visit: Juniper Springs Trail, No. 2. Grasslands • Yellow and white species of evening primroses (Oenothera spp.) flower exuberantly and are visited by Whitelined Sphinx Moths (Hyles lineata). • Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) begin their great seasonal flowering here in the Southwest, where they are native. Look for “longhorn” Melissodes bees, as well as iridescent green Agapostemon and Augochlora bees, foraging on their flowers. • Purple and white-flowered nightshades (Solanum spp.) begin flowering. Visit: Mint Wash Trail, No. 345.
Riparian areas • All of our creeks run exuberantly, often overspilling their banks. • Our annual explosion of cicadas continues, bringing ear-shattering noise to the Central Highlands. Even though this species, Tibicen cultriformis, is ubiquitous to us, it is only found in the Central Highlands. • Scarlet Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) and bright Yellow Monkey Flower (Mimulus guttatus) bloom, drawing Two-tailed Swallowtails to their nectar. • Snails become active in streamside vegetation. Arizona is home to more than 200 species of snails, most of which are largely unstudied. • Many species of dragonflies and damselflies hawk over the water, patrolling territories. Look for dancer, bluet and rubyspot damsels, and spiketail, saddlebag, and skimmer dragons, and especially the massive Giant Darner (Anax walsinghami), which has up to a 5.5-inch wingspan, and is the largest dragonfly in the U.S. • Arizona Grape (Vitis arizonica) bears fruit. These small, often difficult to find grapes are reminiscent of Concord grape, though they have larger seeds.* Visit: Bell Trail, No. 13. Deserts/Chaparral • Prickly pears (Opuntia spp.) bear fruit. • As Coyote Gourd (Cucurbita palmata) and other squashes flower, native Xenoglossa and Peponapis bees begin pollinating them, and sleeping in the flowers in the afternoon. The Coyote Gourd is not edible, though our cultivated squash are beginning to flower also. These bees are extremely gentle and will not sting unless harassed. • Paloverdes and mesquites bear their seeds now, as do Southwestern Coral Beans (Erythrina flabelliformis), the poisonous seeds of which are sometimes used for jewelry. Visit: Algonquin Trail, No. 225. *Always consult with a trained professional before ingesting any part of a wild plant. This information is not intended to encourage the attempted use of any part of a plant, either for nutritive or medicinal purposes.
15
Wisdom through Stillness
Carla Woody integrates indigenous ideas in art, life By Jacques Laliberté
“Set
your intent and let it go. Your intent is your beginning. Worrying about the details detracts from the intent . . . the attraction will take care of the details.” Thus — in her “The Lifepath Dialogues” blog — Prescott artist Carla Woody imparts the first of many lessons in a way of living. Artwork and writing are two of the primary ways she’s integrated her far flung experiences circumscribing a circuitous path around the globe. “I was fortunate to spend a significant portion of my 1960s childhood living in a suburb of Paris influenced by French culture where the arts are valued,” Woody writes on her website. “We traveled all over Europe. I remember spending a lot of time in art museums and exploring narrow cobblestone streets with my parents.” With her childhood mercifully free of the influence of organized religion, Woody was primed to encounter mystic traditions whenever they showed themselves. First, though, came a potential — perhaps vital — obstacle: her service in the military as a consultant in leadership development. Perhaps full immersion in her culture created the momentum to fling her so energetically toward subsequent events. “Over the last 20-plus years, I’ve been privileged to have ongoing experiences with traditional indigenous spiritual leaders and healers who serve their communities,” Woody writes on her website. “My main involvement has been with Quechua and Q’ero of Peru, Maya of Mexico and Guatemala, and Hopi. Even from the beginning, these influences led me to change my own life dramatically.”
The
threads that run through the native traditions she encountered are seemingly universal truths often displaced in contemporary society: a reverence for the planet and its living things, as well as gratitude for Earth’s bounty shown with acts of reciprocity and under-
“Warrior Spirit” by Carla Woody. Courtesy photo. standing they will one day be returned. Most telling is the way traditional peoples integrate their beliefs into everyday life. It’s an approach uncommon in Western culture, where compartmentalization is rampant — like the way some people attend church on Sunday as a singular, weekly focus of attention otherwise absent from their lives. In Woody’s art and writing, she attempts to manifest an informed wholeness. “Exposure to these Indigenous lifeways continues to remind me what truly matters,” she said.
16 • FEATURE • AUGUST 2015 • 5ENSESMAG.COM
“These are the elements I seek to express through my art.”
Developed
through a lifetime of experiences cultivating stillness, her art offers a refuge. She often finds refuge in its creation, as well. “When I was much younger, I painted fast and furiously, always with a goal in mind, generally turning out a completed work in four to eight hours,” Woody writes on “The Lifepath Dialogues.”
Carla Woody. Courtesy photo. “Now I paint on the same canvas for weeks, sometimes longer.” Woody often starts with a silver or gold leaf base that imparts an elegant depth as she’s “seeking something hidden, there, vibrating in the ether.” Her intention is to share her experiences. “My work today seeks to translate the essence of what I’ve experienced in a way that honors — with intent to invoke the sense of wonder and inner peace I’ve gained,” she writes on her website. Beyond her artwork, Woody’s attempts to live her learning led her to found the nonprofit Kenosis in 1999 to, according to its mission statement, “ honor and preserve the integrity of indigenous wisdom and sacred cultural practices by providing cross-cultural exchanges, education, and community-building opportunities.” She hopes that by immersing others in the wisdom of native traditions, it may endure. Furthermore, she leads literal journeys with other “spiritual travelers” with hopes to open portals to
“For the Ancestors” by Carla Woody. Courtesy photo. collective experiences of life-altering self-knowing. En route, people are often exposed to ingenious art and modes of expression. Coming full circle, Woody’s recently created an arts initiative via Kenosis. “[It’s] a program through my nonprofit for supporting indigenous artists who have limited access to the wider world to offer their artwork.,” she said. “Our first artist is Kayum Ma’ax Garcia, who is Lacandon Maya and lives deep in the rainforest.” Indeed her art, beliefs, and journeys have all come full circle.
***** Find out more about Carla Woody at CarlaWoody.ArtistWebsites.Com and TheLifePath Dialogues.Com. Find out more about Kenosis at Kenosis.Net. Author and artist Jacques Laliberté was a 20-plus-year resident of Prescott, has written for and designed several publications and just published his first novella. He often forgets the names of people he knows well. He willingly moved to Paulden last year.
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prescott’s PREMIER art & science rag Call 928-613-2076 or email 5ensesMag@Gmail.Com for ad rates
17
Diagnosis: Technology
By Paolo Chlebecek
Picture
this: You’re in the lending industry. You get an email from your boss and he says to send one of your accounts a respectably sized loan as it’s gone through approval. As a good employee, you do as you’re told and send off the money through your normal routine of channels. Once the money has been sent and confirmed, you find out it wasn’t your boss but someone who has used an email with only one letter different. The deed is done and the money is gone. What can you do? Sadly this is no longer an uncommon event. This is usually the work of clever hackers or criminal organizations that target certain companies or individuals. After getting in your email — whether directly through your computer, hacking or even guessing password to the server where your e-mail is stored — they read your email and wait. A carefully formulated scam takes some time, but these evil folks are experts in this field. They have lots of experience and are very adept at trickery. How can the average person protect themselves? No amount of anti-anything software can keep this away. One term for this exploitation is social engineering, i.e. psychological manipulation of people into performing actions or divulging confidential information. It’s the old con game gone digital. It’s been around for a while and will keep rearing its ugly head for the foreseeable future. Longer, probably.
Tech cons
When social engineering is, well, kinda anti-social
The
unfortunate victim in the example above was duped only because the email address and body was extremely close to the typical request. This is what is called pretexting. This is an elaborate lie involving some prior research or setup and the use of this information for pretense to establish legitimacy in the eyes of the target. And it’s only one tool in the big bag of tricks being used these days. There are also diversions, where the objective is to persuade the person responsible for a legitimate delivery that the item is needed elsewhere. Of course, there’s phishing; you receive an email that appears to come from a legitimate business requesting verification of information. There’s also baiting, which is when you find a CD-ROM or USB flash drive in an obvious location like a bathroom, elevator, sidewalk, parking lot, or just the office floor. It looks like someone just dropped it and instead it has malware on it that could infect your systems. And there’s the even, i.e. quid pro quo, which just means something for something. This is when a criminal calls a company and dials extensions claiming to be calling back from technical support. Eventually they will hit someone with a legitimate problem. They will then “help” solve the problem, but in reality, have the user type commands that give the criminal access or launch malware.
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18 • FEATURE • AUGUST 2015 • 5ENSESMAG.COM
There
are many more ways evil organizations can gain access to your important data. But it takes diligence for you and everyone involved to keep them at bay. One approach is to train employees how, when, where, and even why sensitive information should be used. Speaking of which, it’s important to be clear about what information is sensitive and evaluating its exposure to social engineering. Sometimes the simplest measures are the most effective. If a person’s identify can’t be verified, then, per training, an employee should politely refuse to divulge information. Unannounced tests of security protocols work wonders, too. Last, but not least, using Dumpsters or waste bins with locks on them can help, too. While we can’t defeat every attempt to dupe us, we can sure try. …
***** Paolo Chlebecek is founder and owner of PaoloTek, which he started in 2003. He loves dogs of all sorts and oddly finds himself driving around town between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. every weekday. Wave hi when you see him or contact him at Paolo@PaoloTek.Com.
Amid the mid-
spectrum of antiques and collectibles continuously expands. The furniture made in the 1920s and ‘30s was obviously not considered antique when it was made, but now abounds in antique shops. Likewise, when I started in this business in the 1970s, items from the ‘50s and ‘60s were either dumped or donated. Now, they’re a hot, trendy genre known as mid-century.
W
hat exactly is mid-century? To define it by style is insufficient. It’s an enigma unto itself — plain, clean lines on the furniture offset by splashes of bright upholstery and avant-garde wall art. Therefore, it’s best to define it by its era. Its earliest start is probably post-World War II and stretches into the 1970s. It can almost be equated to the Baby Boomer generation, but the real heart of it is the 1950’s and ‘60s. The overall look of home furnishing was somewhat sparse and uncluttered during this era, but styles for each room could be quite varied. Midcentury seemed to affect every room in the house, whereas some genres of antiques, such as Victorian, were light on the dining room and kitchen.
Bedrooms
and dining rooms abounded with the clean,
bowls, dinnerware, and cookware.
All
this talk about chrome, curves and colors is getting me excited. Shall we shag rug now or later, baby? To find a good, clean period shag rug today is rare. You’d have to be lucky enough to find one rolled up in someone’s attic. Let’s face it: They were a magnet for dirt and tough to clean. Years ago, I
***** Longtime Prescott resident Jacy Lee has been in the auction business for 37 years and is directly responsible for a fraction of a million pounds of minimally processed recycling each year.
4 Prescott’s 4th Friday
ART WALKS
4FRIDAY ’S
As time goes on, the broad
unadorned, straight lines of such makers as Heywood-Wakefield and Conant Ball. Complete matching sets were the order of the day and often included chairs and mirrors for the bedroom sets. Some bedroom sets were modular, easy to mix and match within themselves. Dining rooms included small hutches and servers, as well as the table, with leaves, and chairs. Blonde and honey-colored woods predominated in both bedrooms and dining rooms. The living room and dens followed the sparse, open floor plan and still incorporated simple lines, straight or curvy. Here, now, was use of colors — usually loud and sometimes mixed together. Shades of red, yellow, blue, and green (Avocado anyone?) abounded in the upholstery choices. Now add a little texture, maybe some stripes or geometric patterns, and you are amid the mid-. It is amazing to think that HeywoodWakefield would create its iconic smooth furniture and also put its name on sofa cushions resembling Christmas in Guatemala. The kitchen was also targeted by the mid-century movement. The kitchen table differed from the dining table like night and day. The stark, single colored dining room table gave way to a mixed lot of kitchen tables. Some were fairly plain, some were almost psychedelic. Chrome edges and legs, swirled colored tops of gray, red or green made the kitchens bright. And vinyl upholstery on the chairs complemented the tables perfectly. On the counters and in the cupboards were bright chrome appliances and an array of colors for the mixing
COT T
By Jacy Lee
The Heywood-Wakefield Co. complex in Gardner, Mass., where much mid-century furniture was made. Photo by Daderot, Creative Commons 1.0.
PRE S
A middle-ofthe-road guide to middle-ofthe-century antiques
lived in a place that had wall to wall avocado shag carpet. I used to have to mow it every two to three weeks. But seriously, my son would lose his Matchbox cars in it. Some of the stuff that was on the wall was really off the wall. Again, in contrast to the clean furniture lines, art could be loud and explosive. Three dimensional, high relief pieces, constructed of wood, metal and/or fabric were splashed upon the walls. Some of these pieces could protrude 6 to 8 inches or more. Exotic heads and faces in relief metal or brightly painted were common in the dens and living rooms. Painting of geometric designs or totally chaotic modern art in straight frames was very popular. Well, I think I’ve tried to cover the mid- from top to bottom. Just remember, this was the era when home bars were born and, perhaps not-socoincidentally, so were a lot of babies.
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Stepping up, out
Myles & Duque open Flying Nest Movements Arts Studio By James Dungeon [Editor’s note: The following interview was culled from conversations between the reporter and Delisa Myles and Earl Duque. Visit their new venture, Flying Nest Movement Arts Studio, at 322 W. Gurley St., 928-4323068, FlyingNestStudio.Com.] What is Flying Nest Movement Arts Studio and what’s going on there? Myles: Well, we opened in July, but our grand opening was Aug. 1. We have several teachers at the studio offering a variety of movement forms: dance, yoga, martial arts, meditation, and Feldenkrais. Feldenkrais, taught by Penny Neu, is a method of somatic education. You’re both teachers who’re active in the community. Why this space? Why now? Myles: The opportunity came up unexpectedly. Blackbird Yoga was leaving the space and I happened to be talking to the owner. During the same conversation, a few different people were talking about what they’d do with the space. One was a real estate agent. Another wanted it for a boutique. I thought no, no, no, this should remain a movement space. Then the opportunity to take this space on, kind of fell in our laps and I had to make a quick decision to move on it. Duque: We wanted to have a space where people can get together and move, and this is the space. That movement is yoga. That movement is improvisational dance. It’s flamenco. It’s belly dance. It’s social dance. It’s salsa, lindy hop — which I teach Tuesday nights — and West Coast swing. It’s Argentine tango, a dance that actually brought me and Delisa together, and that we now teach at the studio Thursday nights. We’ve got classes and workshops, people coming up from Phoenix on the weekend to teach, plus local people with innovative ideas about dance in Prescott. For example, we have Steve Conrad who is a leading force in the lindy hop swing dance scene in the
Dancers at a “Lindy Hop Swing Dance” class enjoy the Flying Nest Movement Arts Studio. Photo by Earl Duque. state, coming up the weekend of Aug. 14 to teach a workshop. Then there’s Sarah Hinson from here in Prescott who has extensive experience from a world class flamenco dance company now teaching flamenco and tribal belly dance. Myles: The space is about 38’ by 17’. Compared to the space we have at our home studio it’s, well, bigger than that, which is exciting. It’s a little more space. How else does it differ from your home studio? Duque: It’s interesting to see people walking by all the time, seeing what we’re doing. Another difference is that Delisa and I aren’t teaching everything. The space is rented out to a number of teachers — about a dozen — who are providing a lot of different movement practices. We’re also available to people for all sorts of things like rehearsals for plays, or even small performances, so it’s not just classes. Like, coming up on Sept. 5, we’re excited to present Conder Dance from Phoenix., the
20 • FEATURE • AUGUST 2015 • 5ENSESMAG.COM
foremost innovative contemporary dance company in the state. And on Halloween weekend we’ll present Jay Ruby, founder of Tsunami on the Square, in his solo performance, “Fayettenam.” I foresee other events like poetry slams and live music performances happening there, too. Myles: That is why we did a mixer with demonstrations and introductions on Aug. 1, which was our grand opening. The studio was filled with people curious about the new space and what will be going on there. Prospective students got to get a taste of all of the movement forms that are being offered at the studio. There were short performances for the performance-based movement arts — and speakers for classes like meditation, that aren’t really performance-based. We don’t want to be a place where people are just renting the space. We want teachers to get to know each other and provide opportunities where some crossovers and networking can happen. ... We’ve done and are doing a class called, “Dance Skills for Humankind,” with
myself and Breanna Rogers. We’re trying to cultivate an inter-generational dance community. It’s exciting. It’s kind of tribal, in a way where all ages can participate together. Breanna and I also collaborated on teaching a week-long summer dance camp for girls ages 10 to 14, which was the first event that happened in the new Flying Nest Studio. The camp was a combination of modern dance technique, improvisation and choreography. The girls had a great time and learned a lot, and I’m sure we’ll be offering more camps in the future. Was it hard to fill the roster with instructors and classes? Myles: Maybe only three are holdovers from Blackbird. Kathy Defreitas has been with the studio since before the Blackbird days and teaches gentle yoga geared toward people 50 or older. The GMP meditation group lead by Carlie Kirk and Susan Roger also came across. … It’s been pretty easy to fill the roster, actually.
Duque: It happened very organically. We have a lot of connections in the arts community that we’ve naturally cultivated over the years. So when people heard we were starting a new space, they wanted to do something. With Flying Nest Studio downtown, we get more people walking by and looking in than we had anticipated. People walk by with big smiles on their faces. Some people have actually started dancing on the sidewalk as they go by, That’s really cool. We want people to walk in and take part in what we’re doing. … We filled the prime time spots really quickly. We’re still looking for some teachers to take the morning spots, though. We’re trying to keep the weekends open for different things like workshops and performances. All the teachers are independent and rent the space from us. The cost to them is $20 an hour minimum or a split of gross revenue. That’s it. This endeavor didn’t come out of nothing. You both have been active with dance communities for a number of years. Myles: I’ve taught dance at Prescott College for 21 years, and I’ve formed a lot of connections in the community in that amount of time. I’ve done a lot of work as outreach via Prescott College as part of “Choreography in the Community” and made connections that way. I also know a lot of performers who were students and stayed in Prescott. There are layers and layers of connections that make this possible. Obviously, it’s not the same thing as if someone brand new came into the community and started a studio. Duque: I’ve been part of the social dance scene of northern Arizona for 15 years — teaching, dancing, orga-
Delisa Myles and Earl Duque. Photo by Delisa Myles, as you can see. nizing events — so people know me. When we put the word out we were opening this studio, people reached out and wanted to collaborate. Myles: Being in this community for two decades, it seems kind of natural to be in the position of curating a movement space and bringing movement artists together under one roof. This is something we’ve been building toward. And it’s great to find a location that’s in the heart of downtown that people can easily get to for classes. Duque: If you look at most of the studios around, they focus on one activity - yoga , dance, martial arts or fitness. We’re different. We offer a mix of quality programming in all
these movement arts, all under one roof. That term, “movement arts” — where’s that come from? Myles: It’s an inclusive way to talk about what we’re doing. We came up with it, then Googled it and found out it’s a way a lot of people are describing all these different types of arts. It’s a movement happening all over the country. It’s a term that’s broader than dance, broader than yoga, that brings together all these possibilities. We thought it fit. Now for the big, naive question: What’s the value of movement arts?
Myles: There are so many values. … It’s been my career, and I’ve seen people really change from entering into dance — not just physically, but finding themselves, finding confidence and finding friends and finding that they can express themselves. I feel like the movement arts are really healing. … Trying to talk about it is like trying to talk about god. It’s so big. ... Duque: One of the things I’ve seen with social dance is that it gets rid of preconceptions. You touch another human being — whether you’re holding a hand or holding someone in an embrace. You’re moving with them, listening to music, having a conversation with them through touch. Then, afterword, you sit down and talk to them with words. Where else but in social dance do you get that? Most of the environments in town, you have to yell because the music is way too loud or you’re yelling over drinks. But dance is a social activity. You’re moving together and you’re talking. Myles: I truly think that if more people connected in these ways we’d be less aggressive and, ultimately, our values would change. I believe it’s a real peacemaking activity. When you look into the eyes of a stranger, you have this intimate connection and you communicate through dance. It gives me hope for the future. ***** Visit Delisa Myles, Earl Duque, and Flying Nest Movement Arts Studio at 322 W. Gurley St., 928-432-3068, FlyingNestStudio.Com. James Dungeon is a figment of his own imagination. And he likes cats. Contact him at JamesDungeonCats @Gmail.Com.
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21
Not-asholy days The
end of summer is as good a reason as any to cram as much fun into the month as humanly possible. Consider celebrating ...
Alien
Aug. 7: Lighthouse Day • Literally useful — metaphorically even more so.
Hand Syndrome is a rare and unusual phenomena of the human brain. Generally brought on by injury or disease, it was first named and recorded by Dr. Goldstein of Germany in 1908. This ailment causes the hand to work independently of its owners mind. The hand may prevent the owner from eating or close doors immediately after the owner opens them. The hand behaves unpredictably and often contrary to its owner ‘s wishes. Some victims of this affliction have considered their hands to be possessed by a demon.
Aug. 9: Book Lovers Day • Turn the page.
ODDLY ENOUGH ... There are documented cases where the hand has actually tried to kill its owner.
Aug. 1: Mustard Day • A seedy holiday, indeed.
Aug. 10: Lazy Day • [placeholder text.]
*****
Aug. 18: Bad Poetry Day • Roses are red ... Aug. 22: Be an Angel Day • An ambiguous proposition given the literature. Aug. 23: Ride the Wind Day • Get high, literally.
Milton
Reeves built this car in 1911 and called it the Octo-Auto. His reasoning, per the extra wheels — like the eight wheels on a railroad car — would produce a smoother ride. It was heavy and underpowered, but it provided a comfortable ride providing the road surface was flat, smooth, and straight. Unfortunately, in 1911 few roads were paved, though. On rough roads, this one-car parade had a tendency to create a series of harmonic vibrations throughout its extreme frame that made it uncontrollable and very dangerous. It failed. In 1912, Reeves introduced the Sexto-Auto, which had six wheels. It had many of the same problems as the previous model as well as some new design flaws. Plus it had “sex” in the name which also didn’t help sales. ODDLY ENOUGH ... The sales pitch for this beast: “Because the Octo-Auto had eight tires instead of four, it should make tires last eight times longer.” Move over P. T. Barnum.
Aug. 24: Vesuvius Day • For those other Vulcanologists. Aug. 27: Just Because Day • Style points. Aug. 30: Frankenstein Day • For the doctor or his creation? *****
Bellydance Classes with of New Moon Tribal Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced classes held at Lotus Bloom Yoga Studio
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22 • FEATURES • AUGUST 2015 • 5ENSESMAG.COM
***** Russell Miller is an illustrator, cartoonist, writer, bagpiper, motorcycle enthusiast, and reference librarian. Currently, he illustrates books for Cody Lundin and Bart King.
Huckeba Art Gallery 227 W. Gurley St. Prescott, AZ 86301 928-445-3848
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