Northern Arizona's Fabulous Fall 2018

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Fabulous FALL

Fabulous Northern Arizona’s

Fall

Inside

Outdoors

2 It’s the season to hit the trails. We give you some favorite spots and a few less-traveled locations.

Road Ready

19 Winter will be upon us soon. Prepare for colder-weather driving with a maintenance check and cleanup.

Events

Fall Cooking

Fall Reading

Halloween Fun

8 From Oktoberfest to theater 12 We traditionally mark the harvest and music, there is plenty of fall season by expressing gratefulness. entertainment and fun for everyone.

Here are some ideas for local around-the-table celebrations.

20 When it’s time to cozy up by the fire, you’ll need a good book.

Check out our fall reading guide.

22 Halloween traditions spun from the practices of the Celts. Plus, tips for fun and safe trick-or-treating.

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Outdoors Fabulous FALL

Northern Arizona’s

Colorof the Seasons By the Staff

Populus Tremuloides

L

eaf peepers, hikers, cyclists and photographers are drawn to Northern

Arizona’s prominent fall feature, the vivid leaves of the quaking aspens. The spectacular hues of yellow, orange and red dotting the mountain landscape are hard to resist.

According to an annual fall foliage prediction map provided by SmokyMountains.com, leaf color in northern Arizona will be at its peak Oct. 15-22. However, peak change usually occurs earlier in the higher elevations around Flagstaff and the San Francisco Peaks. Residents and visitors can keep tabs on the change with the city of Flagstaff’s “leaf-ometer,” www. flagstaffarizona.org/leafometer.

Quaking aspens not only showcase beauty but are also key components to the life of local forests.

Here are some of their key characteristics.

ATTRIBUTES

Quaking aspen, populus tremuloides by its scientific name, are deciduous trees, usually 20 to 80 feet in height with trunks 3 to 18 inches in diameter. Their bark is smooth, greenish-white, yellowishwhite, yellowish-gray, or gray to almost white in color, adding gorgeous contrast to dark conifer forests. But it’s the tree’s leaves that draw much admiration. Aspen leaves are thin, firm, pointed at the apex and rounded at the base, with several small rounded to sharply pointed teeth along their margins. They are smooth, bright green to yellowishgreen and dull underneath until they turn brilliant yellow, gold, orange, or slightly red in the fall. The quaking aspen leaf stem, or petiole, is flat and perpendicular to the blade, allowing leaves to twist and bend in the wind or tremble in the slightest breeze. Hence the tree’s name.

DISTRIBUTION

Quaking aspen is the most widely distributed tree species in North America. Trees can be found in Alaska across Canada’s Northwest Territories to Quebec and Newfoundland, and in all but 13 U.S. states. In the west, aspen trees are generally found at elevations of 5,000 to 12,000 feet. Quaking aspen, located throughout the San Francisco Peaks and in other high places, are a critical component to the local forests.

LIFE

Aspen trees usually do not live more than 150 years, though they may persist more than 200 years. They grow in many soil types, especially sandy and gravelly slopes, and are quick to

develop in disturbed sites where there is bare soil. Aspens grow best where soils are moist and sunshine is plentiful. Quaking aspen is an aggressive pioneer species. It readily colonizes burned areas and can persist even when subjected to frequent fires. In the Central Rocky Mountains, the extensive stands of aspen are usually attributed to repeated wildfires.

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CONSERVATION

Quaking aspen is valued for its light bark and brilliant fall color, especially when clustered. An aspen forest does not readily burn. Aspen trees have moist green leaves and thick twigs that do not burn easily, unlike conifers, which have dry needles and twigs. Thus, aspen stands are good firebreaks, often dropping crown fires in conifer stands to the ground when they reach aspens, and sometimes extinguishing the fire because of the small amount of flammable Aspens reproduce both by accumulation. They allow more seeds and by root sprouts, groundwater recharge than do though sprouting is the most conifer forests and they also play common and successful form of reproduction. The trees are noted a significant role in protecting against soil erosion. for their ability to regenerate through shoots and suckers arising along lengthy lateral roots. Root sprouting results in many genetically identical Young quaking aspens provide trees. Together they are called a food and habitat for a variety of “clone.” All the trees in a clone wildlife, including black bear, have identical characteristics deer, beaver, porcupine, elk, and share a root structure. moose, ruffed grouse and many The members of a clone can smaller birds and animals. be distinguished from those of Bark, buds, new sprouts, twigs a neighboring clone often by from the tops of fallen trees a variety of traits such as leaf and fallen leaves all are food shape and size, bark character, for wildlife. However, heavy branching habit, resistance to browsing by large mammals disease and air pollution, sex, such as deer and elk can time of flushing and autumn drastically reduce or eliminate leaf color. A clone may turn aspen sucker regeneration. color earlier or later in the fall or exhibit a different fall color variation than its neighboring aspen clones, thus providing a Because of its light bark, many means to tell them apart. Aspen people have had the urge to clones can be less than an acre leave their mark on the trunk and up to 100 acres in size. There of an aspen, but it is illegal to can be one clone in an aspen carve or write on aspen trees in grove, or there can be many. A the national forests. Outdoor male clone known as the Pando in enthusiasts are strongly the Wasatch Mountains of Utah encouraged to observe the “leave occupies about 17 acres and has no trace” rule. more than 47,000 stems. The clone may be the world’s most Sources: U.S. Department of massive known organism.

Agriculture and U.S. Forest Service.

REPRODUCTION

WILDLIFE

Photo courtesy of Arizona Snowbowl

CARVINGS

Aspen bark is thin and is a living part of the tree. Damaging the bark, such as an animal stripping it, tying a rope around it or carving in it, allows infections to occur.

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Outdoors Fabulous FALL

Pass on West Fork:

Fall F inds in Oak Creek Canyon Other

By Randy Wilson

Editor’s note: This story originally appeared in the Arizona Daily Sun Oct. 24, 2012.

T

here’s such a thing as too much of a good thing, and West Fork

in October is one of them.

Yes, the fall foliage is beautiful against the limestone cliffs and blue skies. But the trail is so crowded and noisy that you’d almost be better off watching an Arizona Highways TV segment about Oak Creek Canyon in the peace and quiet of your own living room.

At least there wouldn’t be any lines at the restrooms.

So, as in past years, this column sets out to give leafpeepers a good look at Oak Creek Canyon’s fall palette of red, peach, purple and orange without the parking hassles and other indignities that come with West Fork.

The first tip is that when searching for fall color spots in Oak Creek Canyon, ignore the Internet.

West Fork has so saturated the online world that it is the only fall destination that shows up for page after page of searches.

Instead, buy a Sedona Trails Map by Emmitt Barks Cartography — it costs about the same as a

West Fork entry pass, and it’s a one-time investment that keeps on giving. Open it to Oak Creek Canyon and study the topography. Notice that the western walls are nearly vertical — much too steep (with the exception of West Fork) for the shallower ravines and draws that support not only maples but mulberry, elderberry, sycamore, walnut, ash and oak.

Now notice the more gradual eastern slopes and the two kinds of trails leading away from Oak Creek. The first trace official Forest Service trails leading up to the rim — these were used by early settlers to bring in supplies from Flagstaff and take out produce, fish and furs for sale.

The second are faint dotted lines along the bottoms of declivities with names like Pumphouse Wash, Cookstove Draw and Surveyor Canyon.

It’s this second set of trails that, with a little bit of effort and a sense of adventure, will yield big rewards for the fall leaf-peeper. This past Saturday, we hiked the wash to the south of the official Harding Spring Trail (the dotted line on the map doesn’t even have a name), and we had the riot of fall color all to ourselves.

As the photos on the preceding page and on our website show, the wash, at 5,000 feet, is a haven for the kind of deciduous trees that Flagstaff rarely sees. Because it is west-facing, there are occasional agave cacti, so watch where you step. But for most of the first half-mile of the wash, a faint trail winds upward along the left bank.

Most hikers, however, will enjoy walking among the boulders on the dry bottom and looking up through the orange and red glow overhead.

An old truck chassis with big, round fenders sits along the right bank about a quarter-mile in from the highway, a blue-

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ribbon opportunity waiting for the right photographer.

Our group, however, was the only one in sight for 90 minutes at midday Saturday, even though we saw and heard several parties slogging up the Harding Spring Trail above us (there’s a nice view from the top, but almost no color along the way).

The parking is just across the highway at the entrance road to the Cave Springs Campground.

After you’ve hiked the wash, take time to explore the old orchard with its huge poplars down by the creek.

The paved road into and around the campground makes a nice stroller stride, and if you look closely, you’ll see the old hermit’s cave for which the springs and campground are named.

I’ve hiked several of the other washes and ravines on the same eastern side of Oak Creek Canyon, and I’ve seen plenty of maple, oak and sycamore. I’m assuming they, too, are in full color at this time of the year.

(Randy Wilson, an avid hiker and biker and the long-time editor of the Arizona Daily Sun passed away this year, yet we continue to turn to his outdoor columns for advice and inspiration.)

Outdoors Hikes Drives

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&

Fall color, cool temps summon us outdoors

D

By Larry Hendricks & Nancy Wiechec

ays shorten, and the heat and monsoon rains move on. Crisp air, vivid skies

and the smell of wood smoke inform the senses that fall is here. Brilliant green leaves fade, and ona Snowbowl

Photo courtesy of Ariz

a chorus of yellow, gold, orange and red emerge as fall breaks in northern Arizona.

The height of the turn typically happens in the first two weeks of October for the San Francisco Peaks. Down in Oak Creek Canyon, the change occurs a bit later.

With assistance from the U.S. Forest Service, we’ve compiled the following list

of trails and places to visit for nature lovers who marvel at the transition.

SAN FRANCISCO PEAKS Bismarck Lake Trail: On the west side of the San Francisco Peaks at about 8,500 feet in elevation is Bismarck Lake Trail.

The trail runs about 1.5 miles, is relatively easy, and offers impressive views of golden aspens. After the monsoon rains of summer, the lake should have plenty of water for local wildlife, which often includes sizeable herds of elk. To get to Bismarck Lake Trail, take Highway 180 past Snowbowl Road and turn right onto Hart Prairie Road (Forest Road 151). Turn right onto Forest Road 627 and follow it to the trailhead.

Nordic Village: The village is located right off Highway 180 (about 19 miles out of Flagstaff).

Stroll along the cross-country skiing and biking trails through the aspens and listen to their leaves rain-like sounds in the breeze.

Hikes can be what you make of them, and the trails loop back to the village at a variety of distances.

Be the master of your fate.

Abineau-Bear Jaw Trail: On the north side of the Peaks, this strenuous 6-mile doozy

is a lung-burner, but, in truth, the way to the aspens isn’t too far. A bonus though is when the Bear Jaw hits the Waterline Road. The road is lined on both sides with aspens, and the sight is something to behold when the trees clear to face Humphreys Peak before descending Abineau.

From Highway 89, take Forest Road 552 to Forest Road 418.

In about 8 miles, take a left onto Forest Road 9123J and go a bit more than a mile to reach the trailhead. This one probably won’t be as crowded on the critical fall weekends of maximum color. Highly recommended.

Inner Basin Trail: The trail, on the north side of the Peaks, starts at Lockett Meadow and heads into the remnants of a volcanic caldera that reminds visitors of the area’s violent past. From Lockett Meadow, hikers get a good glimpse of legions of aspens as they turn colors in the fall.

The 2-mile trail starts at Lockett Meadow campground and is rated “moderate to strenuous” because of a nifty elevation gain. The trail is a bit lower on this list because this is one of the first areas on the Peaks to ripen with fall colors. DO NOT go there during the first two

weekends in October. Flocks of folks try only to create long lines and waits to get that glimpse of color. Weekdays are definitely the time to go. In the past, the Forest Service has instituted a lottery on access to the area during those first two weekends. To get to the Inner Basin Trail, drive north on Highway 89 to Forest Road 552, which is directly across from the Sunset Crater National Monument turnoff. Turn right at the Lockett Meadow sign and follow it to the campground. The trail starts there.

Kachina Trail: You’ll encounter tons of aspen groves on this trail, but you need to know that it’s a favorite hike along the southern face of the Peaks because everybody coming north from the Valley sees that side, says “ooh,” and “ahh,” and wants to go there.

Be prepared to encounter plenty of other fall-color lovers if you go on a weekend. The moderate trail runs about 5 miles, and it’s up there in altitude, about 9,500 feet at the upper end. The trailhead is up Snowbowl Road off Highway 180 in the first parking lot of the ski area. If you’re not up for a bunch of effort, feel free to head to the nearby Aspen Nature Loop.

Aspen Loop Trail: With the highest point of the trail at 9,200 feet, this footpath on the western slope of the San Francisco Peaks is at prime elevation for aspen growth.

The 2.5-mile trail, also called the Aspen Nature Loop, is rated “easy to moderate” to hike, but the elevation adds a bit of a challenge for flatlanders.

Along the trail, hikers get great views to the west, and if it’s clear, the Grand Canyon to the north. The trail is accessed at the Humphreys Trailhead and branches west. The Arizona Trail also intersects with this trail. To get to the Aspen Loop Trail, take Highway 180 to Snowbowl Road, head up the mountain about 6.5 miles to the marked parking area.

Although this list is short, there are dozens of other spots around the Peaks that offer stunning views of the fall colors.

Be sure to check out the Kachina Watchable Wildlife Area, Wilson Meadow and the Lamar Haines Memorial Wildlife Area (Viet Springs Trail) as well.

For more information about any of the hikes listed, visit the Coconino National Forest website at https://www.fs.usda. gov/coconino.

FALL COLOR DRIVES

While hiking and biking are great ways to see the fall color, these activities are not for everyone.

Here are two driving alternatives.

Snowbowl Road to the Scenic Chairlift Plenty of colors mixed in the ponderosas can be seen from the windows of your car while taking this leisurely 7-mile drive up to Arizona Snowbowl. Keep in mind that the road will likely be well used at the start of fall. If you’re up for just a little walk, stop at Aspen Corner (a little more than 6 miles up the road) for a break.

Otherwise, continue until you reach Snowbowl, and then take the Scenic Chairlift at the Agassiz Lodge. The lift offers bird’seye view of the forest and more amazing 180-degree panoramas from up top at 11,500 feet. The scenic chairlift is open 10 a.m. to

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4 p.m. Fridays through Sundays and will be open daily during prime fall color. Check www. snowbowl.ski for updates on operations and more information.

Around the Peaks Loop This drive takes you all the way around Arizona’s highest mountains, winding through a land of pine forests and aspen groves, open prairies and rustic homesteads. This drive takes about two hours, add more time if you plan to stop for a picnic or a short walk. Take a high-clearance vehicle as portions of Forest Road 418 are rough and rocky. Here are the Forest Service directions for the loop drive: From the heart of Flagstaff, drive northeast about 15 miles on Highway 89 until you see the “Forest Access” sign at mile marker 430.4 directing you to turn left (west). Once you cross Highway 89, you will enter Forest Road 552 which will come to a “T” about a half mile down the road. Following Forest Road 552, turn right (north) to head towards Forest Road 418. After driving about a mile, you will see a sign that directs you to take another right on to Forest Road 418. Follow 418 approximately 12 miles to Forest Road 151, where you can either

go right or left. If you go right on 151, it’s only a couple of miles until you get to Highway 180. If you decide to go left on 151, it’s about 8 miles to Highway 180, but this section of the drive is stunning and cuts between Hart Prairie and Snowbowl.

OAK CREEK CANYON & SEDONA The colors of change in Oak Creek Canyon and Sedona usually occur between midOctober and early November with wide-ranging hues from a variety of deciduous trees and shrubs. Our favorite spots:

Harding Springs Wash Find a canopy of red, peach and orange along this usually dry wash. Maples, mulberry, elderberry, sycamore, walnut, ash and oak are located just a stone’s throw off busy Highway 89A. Harding Springs Trail eventually leads up to the rim and then intersects with Cookstove Trail, but leaf seekers may be content to follow the wash. The trail and wash are located on the east side of Highway 89A at about milepost 385.5 and across from the entrance to the Cave Springs Campground. (See the article on page 4.)

West Fork Trail This lovely but popular trail is off Highway 89A in Oak Creek Canyon about 18 miles south of Flagstaff. In fall, maples show deep red leaves at their peak.

The relatively easy trail goes up about 3 miles before it starts getting more challenging, which is where most folks turn back.

Six miles is a good day’s hike.

As with other popular spots for leaf peeping, try to keep this one off the weekend plate. Go on the weekdays, and arrive early.

The Call of the Canyon parking lot, which costs $10 per vehicle, fills up quickly.

Crescent Moon Picnic Site This popular day-use location has fabulous views of Cathedral Rock and is set along tree-lined Oak Creek. In the fall, leaf colors complement the rustic setting and the red rocks. Photographers can catch the reflection of Cathedral Rock and the fall colors at Red Rock Crossing. This is a great spot to enjoy a picnic, photography and a short hike. To get there, drive west from Sedona on Highway 89A. Just outside town, turn left on Upper Red Rock Loop Road (Forest Road 216). Drive about 1.5 miles and follow the signs to Red Rock Crossing. There is a $10 entry fee per vehicle.

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Events Fabulous FALL

CORNUCOPIA FALL FESTIVAL

of autumn t s e B

festivals and celebrations

F

rom pumpkin spice lattes to

porters on tap, the area is gearing up for a favorite season. As the leaves begin their changing spectacle, northern Arizona celebrates with autumn events. Here are a few fall favorites: Cornucopia Fall Festival When: Sept. 29, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Where: Thorpe Park Softball Fields, 600 N. Thorpe Road How much: VIP admission is $35 for adults, $15 for kids. General admission is $6. Free for children 6 and under.

Flagstaff’s favorite fall festival returns for another year of community attractions including a hay maze, super slide, pumpkin patch, talent show, carnival games and a roller coaster for kids. Hang out with our animal friends. There will be an elephant ride, pony rides and a petting zoo. Plenty of food vendors will be on-site to curb appetites. Still hungry? Fill up at the pie eating contest. Wash all that down at the beer garden showcasing local micro brews. The festival’s main attraction, of course, is an appearance by Americana singer-songwriter Josh Ritter. All this and more at the Cornucopia Fall Festival. www.flagcorn.com Flagstaff Star Party When: Oct. 4-6, 5-10 p.m.

Where: Buffalo Park, 2400 North Gemini Drive How much: Free The world’s first international Dark-Sky City presents a stellar weekend filled with hosted telescope viewing, night-sky orientations and astronomical presentations. View the night skies through high power telescopes beginning at 7 p.m. each night.

A Night Sky Photography Workshop with Stan Honda will be held Oct. 4 and requires a $25 fee and pre-registration. www.flagstaffstarparty.org

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS

Flagstaff Oktoberfest When: Oct. 6, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Where: Wheeler Park, 212 W. Aspen Ave.

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How much: $7 in advance, $10 at the gate, Free for children 12 and under Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year is Flagstaff Oktoberfest, with great music, amazing food and beer. This year’s proceeds benefit Feeding Northern Arizona’s Future. As always the Flagstaff Oktoberfest feature contests such as the Speedi Car Wash Men’s and Women’s Beer Stein Holding Contest, Flagstaff Ski Haus Frozen T-Shirt Contest and Satchmo’s BBQ Brat Eating Contest. It isn’t Oktoberfest without music, and this year’s featured groups are The Thirsty Five, Polka Katzen, The Uncommon Good and the Mike Reeves Band. www. flagstaffoktoberfest.com

Celebraciones de la Gente When: Oct. 20 & 21 Where: Museum of Northern Arizona, 3101 N. Fort Valley Road How much: Daily regular museum admission fees apply, weekend pass $18 for adults, $12 for youth.

For 15 years, Flagstaff’s Nuestras Raices, an organization which promotes Hispanic culture and history through events, gatherings and art, has been putting on the museum’s Celebraciones de la Gente (Celebration of the People).

This lively Day of the Dead weeklong festival offers a chance for the public to learn about and celebrate Mexican cultural traditions through music, dance, crafts and heritage programs. Explore traditional Hispanic views of life and death through colorful and elaborate ofrendas, or altars, which help loved ones traverse their way through the afterlife. Stay late Oct. 21 for a special Courtyard After Dark evening of activities. www.musnaz.org

FLAGSTAFF STAR PARTY

PUMPKIN WALK & FALL FEST

CELEBRACIONES DE LA GENTE

CELEBRACIONES DE LA GENTE

Fall Festival of Choirs When: Oct. 21, 3-5 p.m.

Where: Ardrey Auditorium at Northern Arizona University How much: $10-$15, free for students NAU’s student ensembles perform a variety of historic, contemporary and multicultural choral works in this annual fall festival. The Harold M. Harter Memorial Handbell Choir, the NAU Men’s Chorale, University Singers, the NAU Women’s Chorale and the Shrine of the Ages Choir will present works by Monteverdi, Bach, Duruflé, Moses Hogan and more. Call (928) 5238656.

Flagstaff Halloween Tours When: Oct. 26, 27 and 30 Where: Riordan Mansion State Historic Park, 409 W. Riordan Road How much: $15 The historic Riordan Mansion has been a Flagstaff icon since the early 1900s, and in 1978 the building and five acres of its surrounding land became part of Arizona State Parks. Since then it has acted as a site for numerous historical events, presentations and lectures. Halloween may seem all ghouls, ghosts and ghastly stories that borderline the supernatural, but Riordan Mansion deals in not only the fantastic, but the factual.

And for its special evening Halloween tours, Riordan Mansion offers a guided tour and storytelling session involving terrifying (and true) tales to scare you right out of your pants. Space is limited and advance ticket purchase is required. www.azstateparks.com/ riordan-mansion Symphony’s Masterworks II When: Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Ardrey Auditorium at

Events

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Northern Arizona University How much: $15.50-$69.50 (discounts for students, seniors, military and educators) What better way to celebrate a season than with Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, being performed this evening by the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra with violin soloist Jung-min Amy Lee of the Cleveland Orchestra.

Also in the program is Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis and Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings. Highlighting string instrumentation, this concert is sure to be a delightful expression of sound. www.flagstaffsymphony. org Pumpkin Walk & Fall Fest When: Oct. 27, noon-6 p.m.

Where: The Arboretum at Flagstaff, 4001 S. Woody Mountain Road How much: $8 for adults, $5 for youth ages 6 and up, Free for children 5 and under Nothing says fall quite like the sight of jack-o’-lanterns, and Flagstaff’s Arboretum has got you and the whole family covered with its annual pumpkin walk.

Take a stroll through the Arboretum’s lush fall gardens on trails lit by glowing jack-o’-lanterns, or participate in one of its many activities including a costume contest, a hay ride and apple bobbing. Indulge in a warm cup of hot cider and cocoa, and enjoy food from Flagstaff’s own Good Times Rolling Kitchen and Wil’s Grill.

Get spooky down by the campfire and share your own tales of terror.

And on Oct. 26, bring and carve a pumpkin at Lumberyard Brewery for a chance to receive free activity tickets for the pumpkin walk on Saturday. www.thearb.org

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS

CELEBRACIONES DE LA GENTE

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CELEBRACIONES DE LA GENTE

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS

HISTORIC RIORDAN MANSION

OUTSIDE Flagstaff Jerome Ghost Walk When: Oct. 12 & 13, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Where: Spook Hall, 260 Hull Ave., Jerome How much: $15 Friday, $20 Saturday The Jerome Historical Society presents its annual Ghost Walk highlighting the town’s “dreams, delusions and dastardly deeds.”

This dramatic nighttime performance and walk starts at Spook Hall and gives a taste of times past.

Tour begins every half hour, and reservations are strongly recommended. Call (928) 634-1066. Or, purchase tickets at www.jeromehistoricalsociety.com.

Jerome and Ghost Town Tours in Jerome, Arizona, September 7, 2018. Photo by Nancy Wiechec

Red Rocks Oktoberfest When: Oct. 20, 4-9 p.m.

Where: Posse Grounds Park, 525 Posse Ground Road, Sedona How much: $15 admission The German tradition of Oktoberfest takes hold in the Red Rocks.

This annual festival features regional craft brews from Oak Creek

Brewing, THAT Brewery, Wanderlust Brewing and the Grand Canyon Brewing Company, plus food trucks and two live bands – Polka Katzen of Flagstaff and the Naughty Bits of Sedona. Proceeds benefit the charitable works of the Rotary Club of Sedona Red Rocks. www. redrocksoktoberfest.com Dia de los Muertos When: Nov. 3, 4-8 pm.

Where: Tlaquepaque, 336 State Route 179, Sedona How much: Free The courtyards of Sedona’s Tlaquepaque Art and Crafts Village come alive with colorful displays, music and dancing for the Day of the Dead celebration, a Mexican observance marking the passing of ancestors. Features include festive decorations, crafts (kids can decorate sugar skulls), live music, performances, food and face painting. As darkness approaches, fire dancers with the Circus Farm entertain the crowd with a lively display that is not to be missed. www.tlaq.com.

Fall Cooking

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P lanning Ahead

Go regional for the best fall holiday table

By Gail Collins

A

s the golden light of autumn waned, the brisk afternoon warmed with the hap-

py chatter of guests. Pecks on the cheek, lingering hugs and the joyous anticipation of time with loved ones set the stage for a holiday gathering.

The cook mopped a brow with a dish towel, inhaled the stuffing’s fall fragrance and smiled.

Nothing can top the celebratory combination of glorious food, home and company. In fact, it is the melding of elements, both festive and familiar, that creates the greatest happiness.

Gatherings can feel stressful, but serving specialty foods and a showcase bird is worth the planning and preparation. Even professionals, like Logan Webber, executive chef at Brix in Flagstaff, utter colorful language when the top of the stuffing chars instead of browns. So relax, home cooks—it’s all part of the process.

SUSTAINABLE SERVING When it comes to choosing quality ingredients, local is always better. Even a massive bison creates a smaller carbon footprint when the animal is grazed, processed and eaten regionally. Sustainable farming and ranching guard future land use for all. Environmental preservation—avoiding toxic substances or depleting natural resources—builds an ongoing ecological balance. Sustainable practices consider animal welfare, protect public health and support vibrant communities.

The good news is that increasing demand for sustainable living is fueling a robust market of products and producers.

The Colorado Plateau offers a wider variety of proteins and produce than might be expected for a semi-arid land.

Some sources readily available to Northern Arizona include: McClendon’s Select, Roots Micro Farm and Black Mesa Ranch. Three generations at McClendon’s Select have cultivated nearly 100 acres of certified, organic farmland in Peoria and Goodyear. Roots is an urban farm in Flagstaff supplying colorful microgreens—vegetables,

herbs and flowers—to local restaurants. Black Mesa Ranch boasts the “flavor of the White Mountains” with farmstead artisan cheeses crafted from registered Nubian goats. Two Wash Ranch, a five-acre poultry farm, raises chickens, ducks, geese and peafowl in a cage-free environment. For easy downtown shopping however, visit Proper Meats + Provisions, an abundant source of regional, quality fresh and jarred items.

“There are many reasons to use sustainable ingredients,” Chef Webber said. “It’s better for the environment, but there is also the chance to talk to the people who make the food about their practices and upcoming farm produce. This offers the chance to change up the menu with seasonal items.” Farmers markets are ideal for this, and he also chats with other chefs who can help with sourcing. Webber, who entices diners with unique root vegetables in autumn, added, “Local goods taste so much better and have a longer shelf life that extends recipe opportunities.”

GAME

Unusual proteins, such as rabbit, quail or venison, incorporate hunting and introduce wild

flavors to the table. They can be trickier to cook, but traditional methods, such as braising boar or elk to combat a firmer texture, work well.

Poultry is best brined. Webber’s brine recipe includes: 9 liters cold water, 1 cup kosher salt, 1 cup molasses, 1 cup packed dark brown sugar, 1 halved garlic, 4 rough chopped shallots, 3 tablespoons black peppercorns, 4 tablespoons mulling spice, 2 bay leaves, 1 sprig rosemary, 4 sprigs each thyme and sage plus 2 oranges. Boil items for 10 minutes and let cool to room temperature. Submerge four small birds or a 15-pound bird for six hours and prep as usual for roasting.

Webber’s secret is boiling the gnocchi and then sautéing them in small batches for a crisp outer shell and light, center bite.

The chef’s chestnut stuffing recipe with fennel sausage and tart cherries made for a playful mouthful and perfect accompaniment to the fowl.

For a table of eight guests, two desserts is a good rule.

Pumpkin sponge rolled up with delicate goat cheese and painted with chocolate created a swirl of squash sweetness.

Fancy and festive, crème brûlée hid fall-spiced custard under sugar glass scattered with pomegranate seeds. It was a classy, classic finish to a holiday meal.

HOLIDAY FEAST

PREP & PLANNING TIPS

Webber’s holiday feast features brined guinea fowl, whose moist meat hinted of molasses.

Alongside, a mixture of roasted baby carrots, fennel and beets with garam masala served up a wholesome depth. Greens with the autumn goodness of cranberries, walnuts and pickled apple vinaigrette added fresh flavors. Sweet potato gnocchi with chèvre (goat cheese) and sage provided some starch.

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All of this cooking might seem overwhelming, but as in eating an apple, it is easily done in bites.

Webber suggests starting the cooking before the event. Two days ahead, brine, and then, truss the birds. The day before, bake the desserts, toast the bread for stuffing and chop the veg. Pulling the prepared ingredients together on the day will be simpler and faster. Overall, use quality

Christian Gooden, St. Louis Post Dispatch

Caramel Apple Nachos For the kids (or the kid in all of us)

Caramel apples are a staple of fall. Here’s a recipe that provides all the traditional flavors sans the sticks.

Yield: 12 servings • 4 large Granny Smith apples (or other green apples) • 8 ounces caramels, such as Kraft or Brach’s • 1 tablespoon water • 6 ounces white chocolate chips • ½ cup miniature chocolate chips • 1 Heath candy bar, crushed (or 3 tablespoons toffee bits) 1. Clean apples with water, dry with paper towels. Slice each apple into 8 or 16 wedges.

Arrange wedges onto a large serving platter.

2. Meanwhile, place caramels in a microwave-safe bowl with 1 tablespoon water (or melt with the water in a saucepan, stirring frequently). Microwave in 25-second intervals until just melted. Drizzle warm caramel over apples.

3. Place white chocolate chips in a separate microwave-safe bowl (or melt in a double boiler, stirring frequently). Microwave in 25-second intervals until just melted. Drizzle over apples.

4. Top apples with miniature chocolate chips and crushed candy bar or toffee bits.

14 - Sunday, September 30, 2018

Fall Cooking Fabulous FALL

products, even for shortcuts, like stock. Proper Meats + Provisions roasts the bones and mirepoix for homestyle results.

Paul Moir, owner of Brix and Proper Meats + Provisions, is a Level 1 sommelier and offered some solid pairings for the menu served.

“Overall, a white Rhône—Marsan, Viognier or Roussanne—steers away from the usual citrusy Sauvignon blanc or buttery Chardonnay and plays up the earth tones and gamey qualities of fowl,” he said. If a red is a must, a pinot noir or Grenache has more acidity to balance the higher fat content and flavors of game. For dessert, Madeira or tawny port provides mellow, rounded notes with sweets or strong cheeses.

To build the perfect charcuterie board in the run-up to the main event, Moir reminded hosts that balancing different elements is important. “Cream and fat in the cheeses — strong like blue and mild like brie — with the salt of cured meats and olives, plus the sweet of dried fruits, complement one another.”

When it’s time to set the scene for the holiday meal, expert Kim Duncan of Kim Duncan Design, provided practical advice.

“Grocery or farmers market flowers are fine,” she said. “Start with a base of greenery and insert fall branches from the store or your backyard.” Also, add fruit, like pears or pomegranates, for eye-catching appeal. Votives and pillar candles spread across the table cast warm light and extend the glow. Every guest matters, so personalize place cards by writing a precious note of thanks and tuck a sprig of lavender or rosemary into the printed menu.

Before the meal, buy time and a chance for guests to mingle with a cocktail hour. If weather allows, sit outside by a fire or heat lamps with an array of simple appetizers. When organizing a holiday event, the purpose is to make a meal and a memory for everyone present.

With expert tips and enthusiasm for local flavors, this year’s holiday gathering will be the best one yet.

Fabulous FALL

Fall Cooking Sunday, September 30, 2018 - 15

Chestnut & Sausage Stuffing Chef Webber uses sausage from Proper Meats + Provisions and sourdough bread from Pizzicletta in this recipe.

Yield 10 servings plus leftovers • 1½ pounds dried chestnuts • 4 cups poultry stock • 2 medium onions (small dice) • 6 cloves garlic (minced) • 2 pounds sweet fennel sausage • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil • 8 cups diced stale bread • 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme • 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage • 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley • ½ cup dried tart cherries • ¾ cup whole milk • 3 eggs, lightly beaten • ½ cup cognac (optional) • Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste Step one (day before serving)

knife), Put chestnuts on sheet pan and toast for

Clean chestnuts (remove skins). Put chestnuts in

30-40 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

small pot and cover with cold water. Simmer for 10

Step four (day of serving)

minutes, turn off heat and cool to room temperature. Sweat onions and garlic in butter over medium Transfer to refrigerator to soak overnight.

heat till translucent. In separate pan, brown

Step two (day before serving)

sausage and crumble with fork. Soak bread in

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Medium dice bread and milk for ten minutes. Add sausage, sweated season with salt and pepper and toss with vegetable onions and garlic, herbs, cherries, cognac oil. Toast bread on sheet pan for 20 minutes or

(if desired), eggs, and chestnuts, and half of

until toasted, rotate pan halfway through cooking

the stock (use more if too dry) in baking dish.

process. Leave out overnight to dry.

Toss all ingredients together, and season to

Step three (day of serving)

taste. Cover and cook for 35-45 minutes in the

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Drain soaked

425-degree oven, remove cover and finish for

chestnuts and chop in food processor (or by

15 minutes or till desired crust.

Food preparation and styling by Brix Restaurant and Wine Bar of Flagstaff. Wine from Chateau Tumbleweed of Clarkdale. Event and floral styling by Kim Duncan Design of Flagstaff. Furnishings and place settings from Bright Event Rentals. Cast iron cookware from Finex.

This article and recipe originally appeared in Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine last November.

16 - Sunday, September 30, 2018

Fabulous FALL

Dining & Drinks

Little America’s Turkey Plate

Your favorite Flagstaff spots

n m u t u a p u dishing A

By Nancy Wiechec

long with crisp nights and colorful leaves, come the delightful tastes of autumn —

pumpkin, spice and other things warm and nice.

“It’s time for pumpkin everything. People have waiting all year for it,” said pastry chef Kat Biemann, who daily churns out scratch-made treats for Tourist Home All Day Café and Tinderbox Kitchen. The Southside café and kitchen will have pumpkin-spice French crullers, pumpkin-spice scones, ginger snaps and pumpkin cheesecake in its fall lineup of bakery goods.

Chef Logan Weber of Brix

Fine restaurants will greet the season of change with dishes that include late garden offerings, fall fruits and satisfying roasts.

Look for squash, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, pears, beets, figs and apples to appear. These menus call for a reservation!

“We love to enjoy the last taste of summer harvest with corn and peas and welcoming of winter squash, root vegetables, and cool-weather dishes such as braises,” said executive chef Logan Weber of Brix Restaurant and Wine Bar. He said one of the first additions on the Brix fall menu will be smoked pork cheek confit with roasted fennel, winter squash, and local crab apple preserve.

The Cottage on the Southside will also bring autumn to its bistro tables with slow-cooked pork belly “pot roast,” French lentil ragout, and a shaved apple and fennel salad, said chef and owner Scott Heinonen. Another dish includes pork tenderloin with cauliflower fondue and accompanying cinnamon and sage beurre noisette. On the salad side will be warm napa cabbage with candied walnuts, bacon, Roquefort cheese and dried apricots.

Look for Tinderbox Kitchen to release a fall and winter menu in early November. One option will be red wine braised beef short rib with celery root mashed potatoes, roasted root vegetables, wine reduction and grilled bread.

Sunday, September 30, 2018 - 17

Fabulous FALL

Stop by neighboring Annex Cocktail Lounge for the latest smoked cocktail from Nick Williams. The lounge will release its fall-winter menu in late October, and Williams promises more unique Annex mixology, like the Smoke & Botty — 1888 Double Aged Rum, St. Elisabeth Allspice Dram, black walnut bitters, burnt orange peel and a Luxardo cherry, all infused with cinnamon bark smoke.

Cooler weather calls for the revival of comfy drinks, and there’s plenty to find around town.

Rendezvous at the Hotel Monte Vista highlights fresh pressed apple cider libations, hot toddies and its famous Whiskey Chai, a warm cup of creamy goodness spiked with Jameson Irish Whiskey.

Bartender Marcus Lobstein said the drink’s rich flavor comes from specialty chai spices and a splash of Tuaca, an Italian liquor with citrus and hints of clove.

Sip a rich pumpkin chai or the cinnamon matcha latte at Steep Leaf Lounge in downtown. For a lighter, more Halloween-inspired drink, try Steep’s Witches Brew, an herbal tea with hibiscus, blackberry leaves, orange peel, apple and more.

Autumn is the season of apples, and SoSoBa: The Nonstop Noodle Shop has apple cocktails covered with three different drinks made with Apple Pie Liquor from Arizona’s Caskwerks Distilling Co. The Manzanita is an easy-drinking rum cocktail served in a coupe glass and garnished with apple slices. Der Apfel is a mulled cider drink with grated cinnamon, bourbon, a splash of Caskwerks Apple Pie and some Irish coffee. Our favorite of the three is the Baked Apple Old Fashioned. Yum! Also, you can find crisp hard cider from Stoic Cider of the Prescott area at these favorite Flagstaff haunts: Pizzicletta, Diablo Burger, Majestic Market, the West-

Dining & Drinks Nick Williams at Annex Cocktail Lounge

Stoic Cider

ern Post, Criollo Latin Kitchen, McGaughs, Root Public House, and Hops on Birch. We recommend Stoic’s Javelina Rosé, a cider blended with wine grapes.

Speaking of apples, you’ll find plenty of caramel covered ones in many varieties at the Sweet Shoppe Candy Store on Aspen Avenue. For an autumn color theme, choose the Reese’s Pieces apple. Soon, look for Halloween themed truffles and covered Oreo cookies, plus pumpkin fudge and gelato at the candy store.

Who’s up for a pumpkin in their coffee? You’ll find pumpkin or pumpkin-spice lattes and or other specialty pumpkin drinks at Kickstand Kafé, Wicked AZ Coffee and other favorite coffee stops.

Plus, Cedar House Coffee Shop is already baking up its popular mini pumpkin Bundt cakes. Iced and dressed with pecans, these treats are also gluten-free.

This article wouldn’t be complete if it failed to mention the availability of a Thanksgiving Day meal any day of the week at the Silver Pine Restaurant in Little America Hotel. A comfort-food standard, the Little America Turkey Plate includes herb-brined breast of turkey, whipped potatoes, carrots, apple cider gravy, sage stuffing and the restaurant’s buttery rolls.

Gail Collins, food writer for Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine called it the “perfect” plate, just like Grandma’s, and it’s on special each Sunday.

Bon appétit!

Chef Kat Biemann at Tourist Home All Day Cafe

VOTE FOR THE BEST! JOIN THE FUN AND CAST YOUR VOTE AT www.azdailysun.com/contests

SEPT. 24-OCT. 20

Sunday, September 30, 2018 - 19

Fabulous FALL

Road Ready Now is the perfect time to prepare cars for colder weather

Protect

your vehicle paint by cleaning off grime

W

ashing your vehicle is just as important as performing routine maintenance. Regularly cleaning your investment

protects its value and protects from early damage. Summer conditions can be treacherous to a vehicle’s exterior integrity, making fall the perfect time for a deep clean.

Reconditioning a vehicle after a long summer can take some work. Hot temperatures create plenty of hazards that can ruin a paint job. Manufacturers protect their vehicles’ paint with a layer of clear coat. Once it begins peeling, the paint will start fading and require an expensive overhaul to regain its appeal.

CLEANING UP AFTER THE HEAT

If you were unable to keep up with cleaning your vehicle during the summer months, now is the time to take advantage of the cooler weather. An especially hot summer will leave behind many different tarnishes on your vehicle’s paint. Here are some common items of debris and how to clean them.

• Tar: Summer (or as many Americans know it, construction season) creates many opportunities to drive over fresh asphalt or have it splashed onto your vehicle.

The tar that winds up on the lower portion of your car is a substance used in asphalt, and it can be tough to clean.

Purchase a can of tar remover from your local auto parts store. Apply it to a towel and spread the chemical on the tar in small circles until it begins to dissolve. Depending on how tarnished your vehicle is, you might need to repeat the process. Once you have completely eradicated the mess, wipe away any streaks and immediately wash the car.

• Bugs and bird droppings: Some people think of this as

a minor nuisance that creates an ugly car. While this is true, bugs and bird droppings also include high levels of acidity that can penetrate deep into your paint. Allowing these intrusions to remain on your vehicle is asking for expensive body-shop repairs. Regularly visiting your local car wash or detail center can make eliminating this type of debris easy. For a DIYer, there are chemicals on the market that can make removing bugs easy.

IMPORTANCE OF WAX

Whether you prefer the oldfashioned application process of waxing or use new products that require a quick spray and wipe, wax is a great protectant. It acts as an extra layer of security that keeps a car’s clear coat intact. Wax also leaves behind a shiny surface to make your vehicle more attractive.

BEST WAX FOR YOU

When spray wax hit the market several years ago, car enthusiasts and professionals didn’t take it seriously. However, today’s spray wax is comparable to most traditional waxes that have been

used for decades. You are likely to get similar results from either type of wax. The traditional wax requires more time but may help you catch small problem spots that you would miss by using a quick spray.

HOW AND WHEN TO WAX

When it comes to how often to wax your vehicle, many experts recommend doing it as the seasons change. A fresh coat of wax right before the temperature begins to rise will add a fresh level of protection against the sun’s UV rays. Also, applying wax right before winter to protect from snow and salt on the roads is a smart preventive practice. Waxing will be less effective if not done properly.

Be sure to thoroughly wash and dry your vehicle prior to waxing.

Also, choose a shady spot, as sunlight may cause the wax to dry instantly. Evenly apply the wax with the included applicator in small circular motions. Refer to your product’s directions on how long the wax should sit.

Finally, wipe off any residue with a microfiber towel. You now have a greater level of protection and an attractive shine.

— Green Shoot Media

Autumn is the perfect time to prepare your vehicle for the upcoming winter months. Frigid temperatures can wreak havoc on integral components on which your vehicle relies. Take advantage of October’s milder weather to be sure your transportation is in good condition.

Some maintenance can be performed at home even for those who are mechanically inclined. Sometimes a visual inspection is all it takes to make sure things are in good working order. Other jobs are better left to a professional.

Local dealerships or repair shops might hold special promotions to celebrate national car care month.

This October, schedule an appointment with a certified technician to gain peace of mind and ensure your vehicle will perform well during the upcoming winter.

Stay on top of maintenance Make sure to keep a record of the maintenance your vehicle has undergone.

Knowing when your next oil change or tire rotation is due makes it easy to schedule appointments before you exceed the recommended intervals. Check your owner’s manual to determine the manufacturer’s specific mileage allowance between oil changes. Some new oils claim to allow 15,000 miles before changes. While your vehicle might still perform, it’s best to stick to the recommendations set by the manufacturer to ensure your engine is operating properly.

A local dealership will be able to inform you about these important intervals if your manual is not available.

Tire inspection A visual tire inspection is another way to ensure you are safe this season.

According to the Department of Motor Vehicles, low air pressure and worn tires are especially dangerous on wet or slick roads, as both can reduce traction. Before the snow falls, make sure your tires meet national safety standards. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggests replacing tires once the tread is worn down to 2/32 of an inch. You can easily check your tire’s tread depth by purchasing an inexpensive gauge at an auto parts store. While you’re there, pick up a pressure gauge to make sure your tires are filled to the proper PSI. Most of the time you can find the manufacturer’s recommendation on the side of the driver’s door.

— Green Shoot Media

Fall Reading

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Fabulous FALL

r e ll e s t s e B

“There There”

by Tommy Orange

A

By Elena Seibert

few years ago, Tommy Orange set out to write a novel that represented the experi-

ence of the urban American Indian in the San Francisco Bay Area with the intention of reaching an intimate readership.

The 36-year-old debut novelist is surprised at the runaway success of “There There,” to say the least.

“You’d have to be a sociopath to not be surprised,” Orange said by phone from his home in Angels Camp, California.

“It’s a mixed bag, actually,” Orange said. “I wrote for a small audience, thinking people who are Native, especially Native from the city, are really going to get it and be interested. There’s a certain sense of overexposure that is painful. When so many people have an opinion on your work, it feels vulnerable.”

“There There” has received glowing praise and placed Orange on the must-read list since the novel’s June release. In it, he brings to life a chorus of characters all drawn to one event: A powwow at the Oakland Coliseum. Orange grips the reader with his musical prose as he builds suspense with each character’s story, all while educating on a painful and complex history.

Orange, an enrolled member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes of Oklahoma, talked about his book before his appearance at the Wisconsin Book Festival.

Q: Why did you choose to have a dozen voices tell one story?

A: I’ve sometimes said I come from a voiceless community. We haven’t heard too many stories of Native people in cities. It’s true that it’s a powerful way to express, to give a dynamic range to a monolithically perceived culture. The truth is I went in to writing a novel knowing that I like novels that have a lot of dynamic voices in them, a choir of voices with a singular vision with stories that braid together. I think it’s a really enjoyable experience for the reader to figure out what the connections are as the arc of the novel moves on.

Before I thought of anything political or giving voice to the people that I come from, from a craft level it was a more interesting artistic choice for me. The initial impulse was an artistic one and not a political one.

Q: A lot of characters share some of the same experiences as you. Is one of them more like you than another?

A: Anyone who knows me well and knows my intimate life details could find plenty of me in probably each one. I tend to use real details from my life. Some of the smaller, more quirky things that the characters have, a lot of them come from me.

There are certain ones that are definitely a little more literally me, like Dene Oxendene, the filmmaker, who goes before a panel for a storytelling grant in downtown Oakland. I did that. And the Thomas Frank character; my full name is Thomas Frank Orange. I was very plainly taking direct details from my life.

Q: Can you explain the title?

A: I found it when I was researching for the storytelling grant that I applied for. I was looking up quotes

about Oakland. It’s a Gertrude Stein quote about Oakland, talking about how she spent her childhood in part of Oakland and left for a while and came back as an adult. In her book “Everybody’s Autobiography,” she’s asked what it’s like to be back in Oakland and she said, “There’s no there there.” She’s referencing the fact that the land that she grew up on was developed over and was unrecognizable. But it’s been used to say that Oakland has no character or no distinction, which is a very convenient way to feel about a place you’re trying to gentrify. I find that it’s been misused.

The metaphor for me was also for Native people living in cities not really having an identity. There’s no there there. Not really feeling like we can belong to a reservation or piece of land. It was about exploring the there there in Oakland, the urban Indian experience.

Q: One of your characters Googles “What does it mean to be a real Indian?” Did the process of writing this book help you understand your heritage?

A: I had to fully come into my own identity and vision of what I wanted to write before I could write what I wrote. So, not really. Whatever characters are struggling through identity is probably something that I already experienced and that was why I was able to write about it. But as far as understanding my own identity and heritage, by the time I started writing it I was aware and comfortable in my identity. I spent 10 years working in the urban Indian community in Oakland.

tribal, very much what the urban Indian community is in Oakland and other major cities around the country. The idea is that a lot of different people got relocated or decided to relocate and ended up in the city and started up Indian centers where they could be around other Native people.

Seventy percent of Native people live in cities now, and when you see each other out there you’re just wearing whatever anyone else wears, whatever style of outfit. But at a powwow everyone dances in regalia and sounds and looks very Indian, and I thought there’s something really interesting about Indians dressing up to look more like Indians.

Q: Did you go to powwows growing up?

Q: Do you take your son to powwows?

A: Not really. I went to one when I was five and I barely remember anything. My dad took me to one when I was 18 after my parents had divorced. He came into town and decided to take us to a Berkeley powwow in a high school gym. It was the first time I ever saw powwow dancing.

A: He’s been to a few. My wife and I have worked with a lot of different Native organizations. When we got back from the book tour, we were invited to the Oakland Coliseum for Native American Heritage Night.

I’ve helped them do ones in San Francisco for Giants games. The day after we got back from this book tour, we were at the Oakland Coliseum in box seats watching powwow dancers on the field. It was pretty surreal.

Q: Why did you choose to make one the central event in your book?

A: When I was working at the Indian center in Oakland, I was on a powwow committee and we put on a powwow, not at the scale that I have it in the book. Powwows are inter-

Q: That’s basically what you wrote about in your book. That had to be amazing.

A: It was.

Fall Reading Sunday, September 30, 2018 - 21

Fabulous FALL

New from local authors “Blood in the Asphalt: Prayers from the Highway”

by Jessie Sensibar (Tolsun Books)

“Sustainability: A Love Story” by Nicole Walker (Ohio State University Press) Walker questions what it means to live sustainably while still being able to have internet and eat bacon.

After all, who wants to listen to a short, blond woman who is mostly a hypocrite anyway, who eats cows, drives a gasoline-powered car, who owns no solar panels, tsk tsking them? Armed with research and a bright irony, playfully addressing the devastation of the world around us, Walker delves deep into scarcity and abundance, but not just in nature, reflecting on matters that range from her uneasy relationship with bats to the fragility of human life, from adolescent lies to what recycling can reveal about our not so moderate drinking habits. With laugh-out-loud moments and stark humor, Walker appeals to our innate sense of personal commitment to sustaining our world and our commitment to sustaining our marriages, our families, our lives, ourselves. This book is for the burnt-out environmentalist, the lazy environmentalist, the would-be environmentalist. It’s for those who believe the planet is dying. For those who believe they are dying. And for those who question what it means to live and love sustainably, and maybe even with hope.

Sensibar chronicles a lifetime spent as a tow truck driver on the lonely highways of the Southwest. He explores reinvention and resurrection through his photographs and his linked collection of short stories, mourning and celebrating loss, gratefulness, and forgiveness.

A shrine to the Virgin Mary and a crude cross honoring a dog are portrayed with equal brevity in the photographs, while narrations skip through time and recall hitchhikers, old friends, drunks, car accident victims, junkies, and fitness trainers. Winding through Arizona, California, and Mexico, Sensibar contemplates his need to record roadside shrines, grieve the numerous former lives one person can live, and succumb to the pull of a highway that gives and a highway that takes away. In this disappearing American West, the ghosts and saints of the highway keep watch over the weary travelers compelled to document and remember.

“Blanket” by Kara Thompson, part of the “Object Lessons” series (Bloomsbury Academic) We are born into blankets. They keep us alive and they cover us in death. We pull and tug on blankets to see us through the night or an illness. They shield us in mourning and witness our most intimate pleasures. Curious, fearless, vulnerable, and critical, “Blanket” interweaves cultural critique with memoir to cast new light on a ubiquitous object. Thompson reveals blankets everywhere – film, art, geology, disasters, battlefields, resistance, home – and transforms an ordinary thing into a vibrant and vital carrier of stories and secrets, an object of inheritance and belonging, a companion to uncover. Object Lessons is a series of short books about the hidden lives of ordinary things.

Read Feast H

er words seem to sing;

a certain cadence develops in voice as a reader utters the words.

“If only I were more like my dark horses, I wouldn’t have to worry all the time that I was running too little and resting too much.”

Colorado-based Jodie Hollander, poet-in-residence at the Museum of Northern Arizona, stresses meter and form when she talks about her poetry, and she will be sharing her knowledge during two events at Coconino Community

College. On Oct. 9, she will join a lineup of local writers and artists to celebrate the human experience at the CCC Read Feast. And on Oct. 11, she will offer a poetry workshop at the college to students and community members.

READ FEAST

Hollander said she was delighted to join the Read Feast lineup.

“I think it’s really important, particularly people who don’t have a lot of experience with poetry, to experience poetry they can really relate to, and see that it doesn’t always have to be academic, difficult and daunting,” she said.

The Read Feast is a celebration of local art and the essential role it plays in our lives, said Sandra Dihlmann, English faculty at CCC. She added that the event offers a variety of disciplines that showcase local talent and work published in CCC’s two student-produced publications – Curios and OnCourse.

“We want to support our local artists and bring together our community in one night of fun entertainment,” Dihlmann said.

New for children “Sleep Train”

by Jonathan London, illustrated by Lauren Eldridge (Viking Books for Young Readers)

From the author of the “Froggy” series of children’s books comes a perfectly pitched bedtime story and counting book for sleepy train lovers, beautifully illustrated with dramatic 3D sculptures. A little boy climbs into bed with a book and starts counting the train cars in it, between the engine and caboose. “Ten sleepy cars going clickety-clack,” reads the refrain. But as the boy counts cars and gets sleepier and sleepier, his room looks more and more like one of the train cars from his book–the sleeping car, of course. Part bedtime story, part counting book, part children’s fantasy, Sleep Train is a magical ride to dreamland.

“Be Kind” by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Jen Hill (Roaring Brook Press) A New York Times bestseller, “Be Kind” is an unforgettable story about how two simple words can change the world. When Tanisha spills grape juice all over her new dress, her classmate wants to make her feel better, wondering: “What does it mean to be kind?” From asking the new girl to play to standing up for someone being bullied, this moving story explores what kindness is, and how any act, big or small, can make a difference–or at least help a friend.

celebrates human experience through literature, art, song

By Larry Hendricks The venue will feature art by local artists, music, dance, magic and readings by contributors to Curios and OnCourse as well as readings by local writers, including the voices of Ann Cummins, Annette McGivney, Jeremy Martin, Jesse Sensibar, Nicole Walker and Hollander.

Hollander said she strives to relate to people new to poetry.

“I often find people who come to my poetry readings enjoy it more than they expected to,” Hollander said.

And, maybe, others will consider writing their own poetry, Hollander added. Themes she writes about include family dynamics, grief, illness, loneliness and nature – things that large amounts of people can relate to. Accessibility is her aim.

She focuses on writing in a manner that is clear and that communicates. Her poetry is not experimental.

“I’m trained in meter and form, so the music of the poetry is extremely important to me,” Hollander said.

If people can have musical experience with poetry, with sounds that are ear pleasing, that experience will be more enjoyable to them.

If you go: What: Read Feast Where: CCC Lone Tree Campus Commons, 2800 S. Lone Tree Road When: Oct. 9, 5 to 8 p.m.

Cost: Free Info: Call (928) 226-4230, or email Sandra.DihlmannLunday@ coconino.edu.

POETRY WORKSHOP

Dihlmann said that Curios and OnCourse are currently accepting submissions for the next issues, due out in May 2019. The theme for the publications will be “Belonging,” and it is made in connection with the CCC Common Read program for the 2018-19 academic year. CCC Common Read shares a book across the college community to promote dialogue on important topics.

In its inaugural iteration, CCC Common Read is focusing on Sebastian Junger’s book, “Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging,” about the experiences of the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces as they come home and try to rejoin civilian life.

Hollander, during her workshop on Oct. 11, will lead the workshop along the theme of “Belonging.”

Hollander said she takes the opportunities whenever she can to give back and expose people to something they might love.

“And it’s very gratifying to be able to share with others and to maybe spread my enthusiasm,” Hollander said.

What: CCC Common Reads Poetry Workshop with Jodie Hollander Where: CCC Lone Tree Campus, Board Room, 2800 S. Lone Tree Rd. When: Oct. 11, 6 to 9 p.m.

Cost: Free Info: Call (928) 226-4259, or email Anna.Canning@coconino.edu.

22 - Sunday, September 30, 2018

Halloween Fun Fabulous FALL

Halloween has roots in Celtic autumn festival

By Colleen McMahon

M

any people treasure their childhood memories of creating or shopping for a perfect Hallow-

een costume and collecting candy from neighbors. The tradition is still going strong – more than 85 percent of American kids go trick-or-treating, and Americans spend millions on costumes, candy, and décor for Halloween every year. But how did this custom get started?

Trick-or-treating has roots in traditions that 19th-century Irish and Scottish immigrants brought to the New World. It grew out of customs around the Celtic autumn festival of Samhain. During Samhain, it is believed that the boundaries between our world and the spirit world become very thin, allowing spirits to move freely between the two realms. Needless to say, people were very wary of these roaming spirits.

One Samhain custom was to place platters of tasty food outside of houses to protect the inhabitants from otherworldly creatures by offering them food to enjoy. In other words, to prevent mischievous spirits from playing mean tricks on residents, people bribed them with treats!

Another Samhain tradition was for each village to build a large bonfire to keep away malicious spirits and demons. In the early evening, children prepared for the fire by going from house to house, collecting some wood from each family. Every household thus helped supply the huge woodpile needed to create an impressive blaze that would last the whole night.

Over time, these two customs merged as the practices transformed from religious belief to folklore. Children would go door to door on Samhain night, now called All Hallows Eve. Instead of firewood, they now collected treats.Ah, but where did the costumes come from? This was yet another Samhain precaution to protect against evil spirits. In Ireland and Scotland, Celts would disguise themselves as various supernatural entities and parade out of the village. This would trick any nearby spooks into joining the procession, which led away from the villagers’ homes. And if anyone had to go abroad alone on this night, they also took the precaution of wearing masks or rubbing ash on their faces to hide their identities from wandering spirits.

The immigrant descendants of the ancient Celts brought their customs with them to the United States.

The idea of disguising and collecting loot from neighbors is pure fun, so it quickly caught on with Americans who had not previously celebrated All Hallows Eve, or Halloween.

In the early 20th century, going trick-or-treating on Halloween was becoming popular. By the 1920s, Halloween postcards featuring costumed children were common. And by the 1930s, savvy manufacturers realized that there was a market for selling mass-produced costumes, candy and decorations.

The custom spread even more.

So this year, as you help your kids dress up as superheroes, firefighters, and princesses, or as you give out candy at your door or a neighborhood event, take a moment to recall this link to ancient ancestors.

Halloween Fun Sunday, September 30, 2018 - 23

Fabulous FALL

Tips for a happy and safe n ee w o Hall E veryone loves a good scare on Hal-

loween, but not when it comes to child

safety. Safe Kids Worldwide offers several

easy and effective behaviors for kids and adults to help reduce risk of injury or death.

Walk Safely ggCross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. ggLook left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross. ggPut electronic devices away and keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street. ggTeach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them. ggAlways walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings. ggWatch for cars that are turning or backing up. ggTeach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.

ggChoose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision. ggHave kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers. ggWhen selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls

Drive Extra Safely on Halloween

ggSlow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. ggChildren are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways. ggTake extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs. ggEnter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.

ggTrick or Treat With an Adult.

Children under the age of 12 should not be alone at night without adult supervision.

ggEliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.

ggIf kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, remind them to stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-ortreat in groups.

ggDrive slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.

Keep Costumes Both Creative and Safe

ggPopular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., so be especially alert for kids during those hours.

ggDecorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors.

For more child safety and Halloween safety information, visit https://www.safekids.org.