The Durango Telegraph, June 15, 2023

4

Fixer-upper

Nostalgia for the days when we actually tried to repair things by David Feela

5 Just say no

Permanent climbing hardware has no place in wilderness areas by Dana Johnson / Writers on the Range

8 Center stage

Durango Pride Week brings rainbow of events starting June 21 by Telegraph Staff

RegularOccurrences

4 La Vida Local

5 Writers on the Range

6-7 Soap Box

8 Top Story

10 Going Green

12-13 Stuff to Do

13 Ask Rachel

14 Free Will Astrology

15 Classifieds

15 Haiku Movie Review

Ear to the ground:

“How much pot is OK to smoke the night before your baby is born?”

– Oh, dads... never change

Clear as mud

A long anticipated lawsuit that challenged whether it’s legal to wade in Colorado rivers as they pass through private property ended with a bit of a thud. And by that, we mean, there was no decision.

The question of public access to Colorado waterways goes back decades. This particular spat, however, began in 2012 when Colorado Springs resident Roger Hill waded through a stretch of private property in the Arkansas River to fish. The private property owner hurled rocks at Hill (because that’s a normal person’s reaction) and later claimed in court Hill was trespassing. Hill, on the other hand, argued that the Arkansas River and other waterways are a state-controlled resource, and therefore the public has every right to wade, fish and recreate in them.

State law, however, is not entirely clear on who owns the riverbed. In fact, Colorado has some of the weirdest river-access laws in the United States. Whereas federal law says all “navigable” rivers once used for commerce belong to states, thereby allowing recreation, Colorado has maintained in court that it has no navigable rivers.

10 Bug off Essential oils something to add to insect-fighting arsenal

by Anna Marija Helt

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On the cover

A passerby tickles the ivories outside Maria’s Bookshop, in the “parklet.” Piano courtesy Durango Street Pianos, a local effort to place pianos in public areas for anyone to play. All pianos are decorated by local artists./ Photo by Ray Martinez, www.raymar tinezphotography.com

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The lack of clarity has, of course, led to tensions between private landowners and recreationists over the years. According to a report in High Country News, a group of rafters in 1976 were convicted of trespassing after bumping the bottom of the Colorado River, east of Kremmling. Ever since, the general rule of thumb is you can float through private property, just don’t get out of the boat and touch the riverbed.

Which is why, in 2018, Hill sued the private property owners, along with the State of Colorado, hoping to resolve the issue once and for all. Over the ensuing five years, the case has gone through the ringer in the court system, ultimately landing in the Colorado Supreme Court.

Last week, the Colorado Supreme Court put an end to the lawsuit, yet shed zero clarity on public-access laws. Essentially, the court said Hill has no legal standing to bring forth the lawsuit, only the State of Colorado does. In fact, Hill would have to go back and be arrested for trespassing to technically have legal standing. So, after all that, we’re back where we started. Cool.

(Also, for those wondering about the boaters shot at on the Animas River, south of Durango, which we reported in the May 25 issue, the boater in question, Stephen Eginoire, told us Wednesday he still has not heard from the Southern Ute Indian Tribe about the investigation.)

Glen’s ‘hole-istic’ repair

Each time my 13-year-old curiosity stood at the top of the stairway that descended into the store’s basement, I experienced both a woozy sensation of uneasiness and a rising sense of adventure. If the bare bulb dangling from a cord seemed to wink at me, I would go just far enough to crouch on a stair and peek through the openings under each tread, my hand sliding along a cold length of pipe that served as a railing. Then, if the other lights in the basement were on, I would enter that damp and murky cavern.

My father was the sole proprietor of a few small businesses during his life, a gas station, a neighborhood grocery and a hardware store when I was old enough to remember. I don’t think he ever had any employees, other than my mother who acted as the sometimesclerk-full-time bookkeeper, and us, their three growing children who helped with the chores.

I also remember a much older man named Glen, who also wasn’t paid a salary. My father inherited him along with his pre-existing fix-it shop when he bought the business, as they say, lock, stock and barrel. Glen occupied an illuminated space among the basement clutter, and most days after my father opened the store, Glen worked at his bench situated in the middle of it all, troubleshooting the quirks of the many small appliances his customers delivered to him with a hope that he could fix it.

The narrow basement ran like a subterranean corridor under the full, considerable length of the store above it. Hewn of stone and block, held together with concrete, its walls were lined with greasy machinery and shelves cradling boxes from the previous owner’s unsold stock. Had I been reborn as Howard Carter, that basement would have served as my King Tut’s tomb.

Business practices in the 1960s followed far different strategies than today. No podcasts, social media or YouTube-generated instruction videos. No assault of digital junk mail generated by computers from what seems like a world away, and no digital stalkers shadowing you each time you open your browser.

Glen’s basement fix-it shop stood for a more holistic approach. He dealt with a product-based community face-to-face. He studied how things were put together in order to take them apart. The appliances his customers brought to

Thumbin’It

Snowdown board member Peg Ochsenreiter embarking on a well-deserved retirement after helping put on Durango’s wildest event for 30 years. We’ll see you out there.

The Denver Nuggets winning their first ever NBA Championship title after ousting the Miami Heat in five games.

The story of four children surviving 40 days in the Columbian jungle after their plane crashed. And we’ve seen drivers flip off people for having to wait in the Taco Bell drive-thru. Perspective, people.

him were broken but designed so they COULD actually be taken apart and repaired. The parts made up the whole, and if he had to, Glen would craft a solution from the graveyard of parts around him.

Now, every power cord has to be made with a different connector. An endless stream of updates is often the only way to fix glitches that arrived with the previous update. Storage space is sold by the gigabyte because the digital shelves can also be sold. So many products are offered to us by subscription or predictable obsolesce that I am convinced we think of ourselves as gods.

Glen’s presence made the basement feel safer, but he never struck me as an open or talkative man. I never learned about his personal life or any of his secrets. He always acknowledged my presence or showed me where to go when I arrived in his kingdom, usually to bring some item upstairs to my father who asked for it. I looked forward to my father’s “go and fetch me” expeditions, because the hardware business upstairs stifled my imagination. As children, our role in the business on weekends and school holidays involved keeping an eye on wandering customers while my father helped them one by one. When we had free time, we took turns playing with the combination dial on the old safe in the back room that nobody knew the combination to, not even my father. It came with the store. We imagined one day we’d figure it out and find treasure inside.

No wonder my memories of Glen were reawakened when I read a Buzzfeed article reporting a string of testimonies about professions that have vanished or are on the verge of disappearing.

Paperboys, cobblers, door-to-door sales, blacksmiths, typesetters, full-service gas station attendants, tiny huts in the middle of a parking lot, not selling coffee, but promising one hour film developing, all going the way of the dinosaurs. And ... according to —u/sonia72quebec... “repairmen.”

She wrote, “When I was a kid and something broke, you would just take it to the local repairman and he would fix it. These guys could fix anything. They had a small shop where they had parts for everything, in some sort of comforting chaos. I’ve been looking for a couple of years now to find someone to fix my ’60s toaster. Even the company doesn’t have any ideas where I could send it.”

Dear Sonia, if I had a time machine, you could borrow it.

A week of tragedies on area waters, with a 24-year-old woman drowning while rafting the Upper Animas and a 21-year-old man drowning after his canoe capsized on Vallecito Lake.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis siding with business interests in vetoing a bill that would have helped local governments create affordable housing.

The Beatles releasing a “final record” with the use of AI technology to recreate John Lennon’s voice. Hey, while we’re at it, why not make a new Limp Bizkit album? Oh wait, Fred Durst is alive… ?

SignoftheDownfall:

Clearly

– David Feela

Departed

Condom maker Trojan asked a variety of questions to 2,000 adults aged 18-35, and in so doing, they uncovered the most downfallish statistic to date: one in eight men has brought a condom to a funeral “just in case.” It was also discovered that 63% of men wait until they’re already in bed with their partner to discuss protection, and 77% of those interviewed believe men and women should be equally responsible for providing protection. However, given that men bring condoms to funerals, women should be using tasers for “protection,” not condoms.

The last wild places

Mountains in wilderness don’t need climbing hardware

by Dana Johnson

We humans want the most out of life, so why shouldn’t we push to get more of what we want? That’s what some rock climbers must be thinking. They want to enter designated wilderness areas in order to drill permanent anchors into rock faces, turning these wild places into sportclimbing walls.

When the Wilderness Act became law in 1964, it put wildlife and wild lands first, decreeing that these special places should be left alone as much as possible. This unusual approach codified humility, arguing that some wild places, rich in wildlife and natural beauty, needed as much protection as possible.

So far, the act protects less than 3% of what Congress called “untrammeled” public land in the Lower 48 states. These are unique places free of roads, vehicles and most manmade intrusions that afflict the rest of the United States.

The Wilderness Act also prohibits “installations,” but to get around this, a group called the Access Fund has persuaded friends in Congress to introduce a bill that would, in effect, amend the Wilderness Act.

Introduced by Rep. John Curtis, a Republican from the anti-environmental delegation of Utah, and co-sponsored by Democrat Joe Neguse from Colorado, the “Protect America’s Rock Climbing Act” (PARC Act) has been promoted as bipartisan.

Yet more than 40 conservation groups, from small grassroots greens to large national organizations, have written Congress to oppose the bill. Wilderness is not about human convenience, they say; it’s about safeguarding the tiny pockets of wild landscape we’ve allowed to remain.

The PARC Act directs federal agencies to recognize the legal use of fixed anchors in wilderness areas, a backdoor approach to a statutory amendment that even the U.S. Forest Service and Department of Interior oppose.

In a hearing on the bill, the Forest Service stated that “creating new definitions for allowable uses in wilderness areas, as (the PARC Act) would do, has the practical effect of amending the Wilderness Act. (It) could have serious and harmful consequences for the management of wilderness areas across the nation.”

Beyond the permanent visual evidence of human development, fixed anchors would attract more climbers looking for bolted routes and concentrate use in sensitive habitats. That impact is harmful enough, but the bill also sends a loud message:

Recreation interests are more important than preserving the small bit of wilderness we have left.

What’s coming next is clear. Some mountain bikers, led by the Sustainable Trails Coalition, have introduced legislation to exempt mountain bikes from the prohibition on mechanized travel in Wilderness.

Then there are the trail runners who want exemptions from the ban on commercial trail racing. Drone pilots and hanggliders also want their forms of aircraft exempted.

What’s confounding is that climbing is already allowed in wilderness areas. This bill is simply about using fixed bolts to climb as opposed to using removable protection. That’s apparently confusing to some people.

An article in the Salt Lake Tribune went so far as to wrongly state that, “a ban on anchors would be tantamount to a ban on climbing in wilderness areas.”

But now, even some climbers are pushing back. Montana writer George Ochenski, known for his decades of first ascents in wilderness areas, calls the Tribune’s position “total bullsh*t.” In an e-mail, he said bolting routes “bring ‘sport climbing’ into the wilderness when it belongs in the gym or on non-wilderness rocks.”

For decades, many climbers have advocated for a marriage of climbing and wilderness ethics. In Chouinard Equipment’s first catalog, Patagonia founder and legendary climber Yvon Chouinard called for an ethic of “clean climbing” that comes from “the exercise of moral restraint and individual responsibility.”

We don’t like to think of recreation as consumptive, but it consumes the diminishing resource of space. And protected space is in short supply as stressors on the natural world increase. With every “user group” demand, the refuge for wild animals grows smaller. Meanwhile, a startling number of our animal counterparts have faded into extinction.

As someone who loves trail running, I understand the allure of wedding a love of wild places with the love of adventure and sport. But I’ve also come to see that the flip side of freedom is restraint, and wilderness needs our restraint more than ever.

Dana Johnson is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. She is a staff attorney and policy director for Wilderness Watch, a national wilderness nonprofit headquartered in Missoula, Mont. ■

Keeping secrets secret

The Massachusetts Air National Guardsman who posted highly classified documents on social media should not have received a top secret security clearance or any security clearance based on his terrible background. He discussed violence and murder and use of an assassination van on social media. He also looked up mass shootings and government standoffs on his government computer. He was suspended from high school for discussing use of Molotov cocktails and other weapons, and making racial threats.

Why didn’t an FBI background check, which is required for high-level security clearances, expose his past and disqualify him for the security clearance?

My wife and I held top-secret security clearances back in the 1960s, and our background was thoroughly checked by the FBI. Neighbors, classmates in school, teachers and employers were interviewed before we received our clearances.

We have to tighten up the system for obtaining security clearances and disseminate classified information on a

need-to-know basis. We need a federal office responsible for the oversight of the dissemination of national security documents. When I was on Navy staff back in the 1960s, we had a top-secret control officer responsible for the control of all top secret documents.

– Donald Moskowitz, Londonderry N.H.

Running for DA

I am announcing my candidacy for District Attorney for the 6th Judicial District in the November 2024 election. I am currently the Assistant District Attorney in the 22nd District Attorney’s Office, handling cases in Dolores and Montezuma counties.

My wife and I have two young children and reside in Durango. The goal of my campaign is to be smart and efficient with the prosecution of crime. I served as a city Prosecutor and assistant district attorney for 10 years before opening the Hatfield Eley Law Firm with Christian Hatfield, current District Attorney for the 22nd District. I have 18 years of criminal law experience. I’m running for District

Attorney, because we need leadership with experience and vision to lead us forward to reduce crime. Nothing would mean more to me than to serve the

people of La Plata, Archuleta and San Juan counties as District Attorney.

– Jason C. Eley, Durango

Pull the plug on Powell

On April 24, at Glen Canyon Dam, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation launched a high-flow experiment, a simulated spring flood that released 39,500 cubic feet of water per second for 72 hours. The experiment ran until April 27, at which point the river’s height reached 13 feet – about 5 feet above its norm. The flood was meant to distribute sand and sediment built up from the Paria and Little Colorado rivers, improving beaches and sandbars along the banks of the river, which are vital to its ecosystem.

I arrived the day after the experiment launched, after the river had already submerged many beaches and plants. On the dam lookout, it appeared that there was a great amount of water in Lake Powell, though on the ground, the reality was not that.

Arriving at Lone Rock Campground, on the western edge of Lake Powell near Wahweap, I didn’t think much of the beach that ran for about a mile along the thin strip of water. Although, after further inquiry, I found that the beach had at once been submerged under 70 feet of water. Apparently, it used to be possible to ski around the rock for which the campground was named, though it was now about 500 feet away from the water.

Such high-flow experiments release less than half as much water as used to flow through the Colorado in a good spring season. The average was around 71,000 cfs. There has not been a high-flow experiment since 2018 due to a decades-long drought in the Southwest.

Regardless, the Colorado River remains described

as one of the most regulated rivers in the world, which allows for a thriving economy within its basin. Is it estimated that the Colorado contributes an estimated $1.4 trillion to the nation’s economy annually. This wouldn’t be possible without the dam and diversion network along the Colorado.

In 1931, in Black Canyon, Ariz., Hoover Dam, which created Lake Mead, was constructed. It was meant to provide three things: electricity for surrounding metropolises; drinking water for the surrounding area and water storage. On the other hand, Glen Canyon Dam, which created Lake Powell upstream from Mead, was built for power production for surrounding rural communities. This was mostly because of the legally binding 1922 Colorado River Compact.

In short, the compact decrees that, over any 10year period, the Upper Basin states (Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico) must send 82.3 million acre-feet to the Lower Basin states (California, Nevada and Arizona). This allows the discharge to fluctuate over time, though the drought has created lower inflows, resulting in a major imbalance of inand-out flows within the reservoirs.

These low water levels are not only threatening to humans, but also to the ecosystems within the Colorado River Basin, namely the Grand Canyon. Before Glen Canyon Dam, the Colorado transported about 65 million tons of sediment through the canyon annually. Now, all this sediment is trapped behind Glen Canyon Dam. These high-flow experiments are a desperate attempt at mimicking the natural process

since the sediment distributed is only a fraction of what used to occur in the Grand Canyon.

The drought has been key in exposing how overallocated the Colorado River really is. The river struggles to pump out enough water year after year, which brings up questions about how to deal with this shortfall. Most solutions point toward the individual using less water. However, since 80% of the Colorado River’s water goes to farming, that option will have little effect. Therefore I propose another option: draining Powell.

The option is extreme, though under current conditions, scientists predict that the reservoir will never fill again. The reservoir has struggled to hold onto its power pool for years now, meaning that hydroelectric power production has been at risk. With sustained drought, dead pool – the level at which no water has dropped so low it is no longer able to flow through the intake tubes – is also becoming more of a possibility. This would not only put the Grand Canyon’s ecosystem in jeopardy, it would also put the entirety of the Lower Basin’s water supply at a very real risk. Lake Mead would have to virtually cease operations, and the lower reservoirs would likely receive little to no water. If Powell was to be drained, Mead could be restored to a thriving reservoir and be a strong buffer for any future drought.

Powell will not be able to provide for humans, and at the same time would endanger the Grand Canyon. It has become clear that Powell is no longer sustainable.

– Toby Philipp, Animas High School

Get your Pride on

A rainbow of local events for next week’s celebration

by Telegraph Staff

In case the rainbow flags flying along Main Avenue haven’t clued you in, it’s Pride Month in Durango and across the country. And to celebrate, there’s a whole slate of events planned for Durango’s Pride Week, which starts June 21. For five days, Durango will celebrate the LGBTQ+ community with everything from trivia, drag shows, comedy nights and even a roller skate day.

“We try to make sure there’s something for everyone, especially in Durango, and focus on all parts of the community,” Jake Riggs, the main organizer of the event, who goes by the drag name Aria PettyOne, said.

Durango hosts a number of Pride-related events throughout the year. Most notably, the Four Corners Alliance for Diversity hosts two Pride festivals every year, one in September and the other in February.

However, last year, after the Four Corners Alliance for Diversity moved its event from June to September, that left a void of events in what’s considered Pride Month, June, which commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. (A call to the Four Corners Alliance for Diversity was not returned.)

For those unfamiliar, the Stonewall Uprising was a series of protests by members of the LGBTQ+ community in response to a violent police raid that occurred at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City’s Greenwich Village. The event is now considered a watershed moment for LGBTQ+ rights.

Now, Pride Month is celebrated in towns big and small, not just to honor the Stonewall Uprising, but to also build community among LGBTQ+ people.

“Being in a small town like Durango, it’s so important to have Pride,” Riggs said. “In small towns, people can feel ostracized. So to be able to get together and be around people with similar lived experiences is huge. Everyone deserves to feel comfortable in the town they live in.”

Even people from outside the area, such as Cortez and Farmington, come to Durango’s Pride events.

“We get a lot of people from other towns in the region, and they say, ‘if Durango can do it, we can try it too,’” Riggs said. “It doesn’t have to be as insane and as big as what we’re doing. Even just one day to let your community know we’re here, we’re queer, and we’re not going anywhere.”

And, it kinda goes without saying Pride’s more important than ever this year with all the political and legislative attacks on the LGBTQ+ community.

“It’s more necessary than ever to promote Pride,” Rigg said. “Pride has always been a stance against the norm and big government. So even if you go out and support local Pride, you’re supporting history and what got us here today.”

Alrighty, here’s what to expect next week:

• Wed., June 21 – Pride Kickoff Party, 5:308:30 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.

Start the week off right with happy hour at Lola’s Place, where you’ll be able to meet people, have some

food and drinks, and even win some door prizes. The entry is all ages and free, but you gotta buy your own refreshments.

“I know not everyone queer in Durango wants to go to a big party,” Riggs said. “So this is a happy hour that’s chill where you can sit and mingle.”

• Thurs., June 22 – Trivia, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Riggs, performing as Aria PettyOne, hosts a wild trivia night every Thursday throughout the year at the Starlight Lounge. This time around, however, the trivia will be more Pride-themed, with questions about Pride sea-

Jake Riggs, aka Aria Pettyone, hosts a drag show at Ska Brewing./ Courtesy photo

son, pop culture, queer icons, etc. It also happens to fall on the three-year anniversary of Aria PettyOne’s trivia night at Starlight. The event is free and 21+.

• Thurs., June 22 - Lip Sync Battles, 10-11 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Right after trivia wraps up, the party will turn to a lip sync battle for non-drag performers. Brave souls will pick a song to lip sync to, and then judges will pick the top two performers who will go on for a final battle. But there’s a twist –the final song will be chosen at random by Aria PettyOne, and ultimately the crowd will crown a winner. And hey, at least it’s not karaoke! The event is free and 21+.

• Fri., June 23 – Comedy Battles, 6:30 p.m., Fort Lewis College Theatre

Comedians Mary Quinn and Bailey Carlson will host a night of comedy in which standup comics face off against improv comedians. In all, about five standups and five improv-ers will do their best to win over the crowd. The show costs $10 and is 18+.

“It should be a good time if you love comedy,” Riggs said.

• Fri., June 23 – After Party, 9:30 p.m.-close, Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Right after the comedy battles, head on down to the Starlight Lounge for some late-night action, with music

by DJ Kaibou. This is a free, 21+ event.

• Sat., June 24 – Planet Petty Drag Show, 7:309:30 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.

Aria PettyOne’s drag shows have become notorious around town, and this event promises to be no different. In fact, Aria PettyOne hosts a drag show at Ska on the last Saturday of every month. However, there’s a bit of bad news for the procrastinators…

“It’s sold out, so sorry everyone,” Riggs said.

• Sat., June 24 – Salacious Saturdaze, 9:30 p.m.-close, The Garage, 121 W. 8th St. If you missed out on the drag show, fear not, there’s still plenty of partying to be had later that night at The Garage. Riggs said there will be drag performances and a dance competition, among other events. The event is free and 21+.

• Sun., June 25 – Pride Skate, 1-4 p.m., Chapman Hill Skate Rink, 500 Florida Rd.

To close out Pride Week, Chapman Hill will host a family-friendly open skate. Sponsored by Planned Parenthood, skate rentals are free (but if you have your own, bring ’em). There will also be door prizes and giveaways.

“We want an event for the whole family to come out and enjoy,” Riggs said. ■

Stock Up With June Deals!

Ditch the DEET

When it comes to beating bugs, essential oils pack a punch

by Anna Marija Helt

Having an evening BBQ or going on a short hike and don’t want to donate blood to a mosquito or tick? Read on…

Among the dozens of mosquito species in Colorado are those that transmit West Nile Virus (WNV), a disease that has serious consequences for an unlucky few. Active evening and night, these mosquitoes are behind the annoying buzzing sound that keeps you awake. In 2022, Colorado had the highest number of WNV cases in the country and the highest percentage of cases involving severe outcomes.

And when it comes to ticks, here’s another creepy factoid: Colorado has at least 27 tick species. Two, the American dog tick and the Rocky Mountain wood tick, transmit bacteria that cause multiple diseases with symptoms ranging from mild to dangerous. A third tick transmits a microbe that causes tick-borne relapsing fever, which resembles Lyme disease. Lyme ticks don’t yet live in Colorado, but this may change with climate change and given that one species of them now lives in northeastern Utah.

What to do?

Wear long pants and tuck the bottoms into your socks when hiking in tick territory. You’ll look dorky, but it’ll stop ticks from getting inside your pants and crawling up your leg. Also, avoid camping in areas infested with chipmunks and squirrels, such as in or near an old mountain cabin or by a woodpile. Disease-causing ticks that feed on them will gladly feed on you, too.

To prevent mosquito bites while out and about, wear long pants and a longsleeved shirt in light colors. And, protect infants using mosquito netting

over strollers and carriers.

To reduce mosquito populations around your home, lose any unnecessary standing water. Bird baths, buckets, old tires, the Mr. Turtle pool, or anything else that holds even a small amount of water serves as a mosquito breeding site.

And use repellents from head to toes on exposed skin and clothing. DEET is effective, but not everyone is excited about its scent and oily texture. Others

are concerned about its safety. DEET sometimes causes rashes, especially when heavily applied or left on for a long time. There are relatively few welldocumented serious reactions to DEET considering that millions of people use it each year. Those reactions that happen usually result from ingesting it or using excessively high amounts. (Don’t drink your DEET, folks!)

Another, safer option is aromatic plants, which people have used as bug re-

pellent for years. Researchers find that essential oils derived from many plants repel both mosquitoes and ticks. Because essential oils evaporate quickly, preparations based on them need reapplication every couple of hours for longer protection. While this is helpful for overnight backpacking trips, essential oil-based repellents can be handy for shorter-duration outdoor activities and events.

Please note, though, that natural doesn’t equal harmless. By the time they

We all hate mosquitoes, but before reaching for the chemical stuff, take into account a number of alternative options to keep the pests – and pestilence – away./ Telegraph photo illustration

make it into those little brown bottles, essential oils are massively concentrated compared to their natural levels in plants. Many oils can irritate or sensitize the skin. Others aren’t great for the liver or nervous system, which means not applying undiluted oils to the skin.

However, many oils are safe when used properly. Of the essential oils that repel mosquitoes and ticks, clove (Syzygium aromaticum), cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) and lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) are the strongest. They can be used on clothing or vaporized in a diffuser to make time on your balcony less buzzy. All three aren’t for use in any way during pregnancy.

And skip them for skin application, since they’re all irritants and/or sensitizers. To make a clothing spray, add 30 to 50 drops of essential oil per ounce of bottom-shelf vodka in a glass spray bottle. (Save the Grey Goose for cocktails.)

Shake the bottle every couple of squirts when applying. Blends often work better than a single essential oil, so consider combining two or three oils.

A study found that spearmint essential oil applied to pants in a 5% dilution (30 drops of spearmint oil per ounce of carrier) repelled ticks as effectively as 20% DEET. Like the oils already discussed, don’t use spearmint oil directly on skin.

For skin application, consider one or more of the following oils diluted to 3% (18 drops of essential oil per ounce) in olive oil or a scentless lotion. These carriers will slow essential oil evaporation a bit. Do a patch test before slathering on your skin by applying a small amount to your inner elbow. Wait 24 hours for any reaction.

• Citronella (Cymbopogon nardus) - Yes, this is what’s in citronella patio torches. Citronella works even better when combined with eucalyptus.

• Ylang Ylang (Canaga odorata) - This oil is strongly sedating for some folks. Take a few sniffs — when not about to operate heavy machinery or drive — to see how you react.

• Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) - This is otherwise known as “rose geranium,” because it shares chemistry and scent with rose.

• Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) - There are multiple types of eucalyptus, so pay attention to the label. This particular eucalyptus works even better when combined with citronella.

• Vetiver (Vetiveria zinzanoides) - Aside from its repellent activity, vetiver is a “fixative” oil, which slows evaporation of other oils in a blend; not a bad addition to a repellent mix.

• Ginger (Zingiber officinale) - Aromatherapy expert Robert Tisserand uses this at 1% (6 drops per ounce of carrier) for children 2-6 years of age. The concentration of essential oil necessary for repellent activity is too high for wee ones under 2 years of age. Instead, 2% soybean oil (12 drops per ounce of carrier) is recommended, but skip it for those with soy allergies and, as with adults, do a patch test first.

Regarding essential oil usage during pregnancy, opinions are all over the place. The National Association of Holistic Aromatherapists (NAHA) and the International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists list ginger, geranium, eucalyptus and ylang ylang as likely safe during pregnancy. (To be clear, not safe internally… .) As mentioned, skip clove, cinnamon bark

If you’re going to use essential oils to repel insects, it’s important to not apply them at full strength directly to skin. Instead, dilute with an alcohol base, like that cheap vodka that’s been on the shelf for five years.

and lemongrass via any means, if pregnant. For more guidance, work with a certified aromatherapist (not a sales rep). Also, NAHA has a list of useful books that cover essential oil usage during pregnancy. Have fun out there this summer, and mind the bugs! Anna Marija Helt is a biologist and certified practicing herbalist. The information here is not intended to treat or cure any disease or to supplant the advice of a licensed health-care provider . ■

Thursday15

Quick & Dirty Downtown Walking Tour, 10 a.m., Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot.

Warsaw plays, 5 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard Ave.

Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., Sky Ute Casino, Ignacio.

Thursday Night Sitting Group, 5:30-6:15 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave, Suite 109.

Author Talk & Book Signing: Chris Wimmer, 6 p.m., Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave.

Devin Scott plays, 6 p.m., James Ranch, 33846 Highway 550.

Live music, 6 p.m., Durango Hot Springs.

Bluegrass jam, 6 p.m. weekly, Durango Beer & Ice, 3000 Main Ave. All levels welcome.

Dave Mensch plays, 6-9 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Jeff Solon Jazz Duo play, 6-8 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Trivia Night, 6:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1330 Camino del Rio.

Hauntings & History Ghost Tour, 8 p.m., Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot.

Friday16

Quick & Dirty Downtown Walking Tour, 10 a.m., Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot.

Open Meditation, 12 noon-1 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave, Suite 109.

Author in the Parklet: Todd Ellison, 4-6 p.m., Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave.

Lizard Head Quartet plays, 5-8 p.m., Gazpacho, 431 E. 2nd Ave.

High Altitude Blues play, 6-9 p.m., Weminuche Woodfire Grill, Vallecito.

Patrick Crossing plays, 6 p.m., Fire Fox Farms, Ignacio.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Ru Paul’s Drag Race Watch Party, 6 p.m., Father’s Daughters Pizza, 640 Main Ave.

Author in the Parklet: Gian Mercurio, 6-8 p.m., Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave.

10-Minute Play Festival Readings, 7:30 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

Pete Giuliani plays, 7-10 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Hauntings & History Ghost Tour, 8 p.m., Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot.

Saturday17

Durango Farmers Market, 8 a.m., TBK Bank parking lot, 259 W. 9th St.

Purgatory Resort’s Summer Season Opening, 9 a.m., Purgatory Resort.

Burro Fest, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Mancos. Mancoscreativedistrict.com/burrofest-2023

Quick & Dirty Downtown Walking Tour, 10 a.m., Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot.

Men Who Grill, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Buckley Park.

Fill Your Plate Fundraiser, 4 p.m., Fire Fox Farms, Ignacio.

Art Mart Soiree, 4:30 p.m., Hermosa Café, 738 Main Ave.

Nashville duo Julie and John Pennell play a benefit house concert for Pine River Arts, 5:30 p.m. Tickets and info. at www.pineriverarts.org

“Cucina Povera” Wine Dinner, 6 p.m., PRIMI Pasta & Wine Bar, 1201 Main Ave. For more info, visit www.primidurango.com.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Community Yoga, 6-7 p.m., Yoga Durango, 1485 Florida Rd. Donations accepted.

“Smashed Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet,” 7 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. Tickets at doctuhmistuh.org

Live music, 6-9 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Eyes of a Killer, Leviathan Axe, Heart Museum and Red Lotus play, 7:30 p.m., The Hive, 1150 Main Ave.

Hauntings & History Ghost Tour, 8 p.m., Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot.

Silent Disco, 10-11:30 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Sunday18

Durango Flea Market, 8 a.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.

Story Time (for kindergarten to 2nd grade), 11:11-12 noon, White Rabbit Garden, 128 W. 14th St.

Chad MacCluskey plays, 12 noon-3 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Vinyl Sundaze, 12 noon, Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.

Feed the People! free mutual aid meal & gear drive for homeless community members, every Sunday, 2 p.m., Buckley Park.

Donny Johnson plays, 4 p.m., Weminuche Woodfire Grill, Vallecito.

Father’s Day Celebration with Mariachis! 6 p.m., Frida’s Mexican Restaurant & Cantina. After party with live DJ from 9:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Sunday Funday, 6 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Monday19

Happy Hour Yoga, 5:30 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.

Meditation and Dharma Talk, 5:30 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave, Suite 109.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Melan-MIA, plugging in and best pot shop name ever

Interesting fact: The first recorded use of earplugs is in the Odyssey, when the ship’s crew blocks their ears against the siren song. So they deflect not only loud noises, but unwanted relationships, too.

Dear Rachel,

As a special movie star and in the know, where is MILANYA? Is she missing in action and no one cares? I think she is cooking something up for Donald, and it ain’t cookies. I guess he might be working on chain migration to another country. Oh that’s bad… Baking cookies for her chain migration family makes it better. Can you bird dog down why we see no sighting or on the stump with him?

Dear Sinking Ship,

– Rats

The first time I rolled a joint, I was in high school and had a paper due. I ended up getting way more stoned than I intended. Nevertheless, I sat down to work on the paper, and the words kept crawling around my computer screen, and I could never reach the end of even one sentence. I learned my lesson, which might come in handy to all the readers of your letter: just put on some good music and close your eyes until it passes.

– Breathing through it, Rachel

“I Lived at the Rico Depot,” presentation by Joanne Branson, 6:30 p.m., Animas Valley Grange, 7271 CR 203.

Grammy-winning dobro master Jerry Douglas and bassist Daniel Kimbro perform, 7 p.m., Bar D Chuckwagon. The Bar D Wranglers will open the show. Doors open at 5 p.m. www.bardchuckwagon.com

Comedy Showcase, 7:30 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Tuesday20

Quick & Dirty Downtown Walking Tour, 10 a.m., Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot.

Community Yoga, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Yoga Durango, 1485 Florida Rd. Donations accepted.

Slow Bluegrass Jam, 5:30-7:30 p.m., General Palmer, 567 Main Ave.

Black Velvet Duo, 6 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.

Dear Rachel, I’m single again, and I decided I’ll look for love at live music events. Seems like a great place to meet people with similar interests. Except, I turned into my parents during the pandemic. I now feel more comfortable wearing earplugs for anything louder than a Garrison Keillor poetry reading. Can I still find love? Or will the earplugs mark me as a loser dweeb?

– Say What

Dear What?,

People who take at least minimal care of their bodies are increasingly super sexy. I haven’t personally tried wooing (or been wooed by) the aurally conscious, but I imagine earplugs are a bit like retainers: I’m immediately impressed if you’re using them. Just take them out before bed if things are going to get hot and heavy.

– Rock on, Rachel

Dear Rachel, What is the biggest pot hole in Durango? I don’t mean pot shops. How about your fans send you photos and you judge the best and biggest. I’m sure you will get a lot. I know tire shops love them, but not me.

– Asphalt Andy

Tim Sullivan plays, 6 p.m., James Ranch, 33846 Highway 550.

Pete Giuliani & Ross Douglas play, 6 p.m., Durango Hot Springs.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

“Smashed Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet,” 7 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. Tickets at doctuhmistuh.org

Open Mic , 7 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Wednesday21

Morning Meditation, 8 a.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave, Suite 109.

Restorative Yoga for Cancer, 9:30-10:45 a.m., no cost for cancer patients, post-treatment survivors and caregivers, Smiley Building, 1309 E. 3rd Ave. Register at cancersupportswco.org/calendar.

telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

Dear Mac Adam,

How is there not a dispensary called The Pot Hole? It wouldn’t be the classiest joint in town (har), but it would be the seediest (also har). On another note, I suspect you’re a man, because no woman would invite the public – still largely comprised of men – to submit photos, period, let alone of anything “best and biggest.” No amount of putting on good music and closing my eyes can unsee what I’ve seen WITHOUT asking for it.

– Holesomely, Rachel

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Geeks Who Drink Trivia, 8 p.m., The Roost, 128 E. College Dr.

Karaoke Roulette, 8 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Ongoing

“Pterosaurs: Ancient Rulers of the Sky,” 5-8 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1330 Camino del Rio.

Upcoming

Chris Daniels & The Kings play, June 22, 5:30 p.m., Buckley Park.

Clean Commute Week, June 24-28, find rundown of events at durangogov.org

Durango Adult Education Center Fun Run, June 24, 8 a.m., Santa Rita Park. Durangoadulted.org

by Rob Brezsny

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries-born

Vincent van Gogh’s painting “Potato Eaters” shows five people in a dark room, barely illuminated by lamplight. Seated around a small table, they use their hands to eat food they have grown themselves. Gogh wanted to convey the idea that they “dug the earth with the very hands they put into their bowls.” I don’t expect you to do anything quite so spectacularly earthy in the coming weeks, Aries, but I would love to see you get very up close and personal with nature. I’d also love to see you learn more about where the fundamental things in your life originate.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Renowned

Mexican artist Diego Rivera emerged from his mother’s womb in 1886. But some observers suggest that Rivera’s soul was born in 1920: a pivotal time when he found his true calling as an artist. During a visit to Italy, as he gazed at the murals of 15th-century mural painters, “he found the inspiration for a new and revolutionary public art capable of furthering the ideals of the ongoing revolution in his native land.” I will be extra dramatic and speculate that you may have a comparable experience in the coming months, dear Taurus: a rebirth of your soul that awakens vigorous visions of what your future life can be.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Among her many jobs, my triple Gemini friend Alicia has worked as a deep-sea rescue diver, an environmental activist, a singer in a band, a dog food taster, an art teacher for kids and a volunteer at a sleep lab researching the nature of dreams. Do I wonder if she would be wise to commit herself to one occupation? Not really. I respect her decision to honor her ever-shifting passions. But if there will ever come a time when she will experiment with a bit more stability and constancy, it may come during the next 11 months. You Geminis are scheduled to engage in deep ruminations about the undiscovered potentials of regularity, perseverance and commitment.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): As religious sects go, the Shakers are the most benign. Since their origin in the 18th century, they have had as many women as men in leadership roles. They practice pacifism, disavow consumerism and don’t try to impose their principles on others. Their worship services feature dancing as

well as singing. I’m not suggesting you become a Shaker, Cancerian, but I do hope that in the coming months, you will place a premium on associating with noble groups whose high ideals are closely aligned with your own. It’s time to build and nurture your best possible network.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): For years, Mario

A. Zacchini worked at a circus as a “human cannonball.” On thousands of occasions, he was shot out of a cannon at 90 mph. “Flying isn’t the hard part,” he testified. “Landing in the net is.” His work might sound dangerous, but he lived to age 87. Let’s make Zacchini your role model for a while, Leo. I hope he will inspire you to be both adventurous and safe, daring but prudent. I trust you will seek exhilarating fun even as you insist on getting soft landings.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): One of my favorite astrology teachers, Stephen Arroyo, notes, “Most people have a strong opinion about astrology, usually quite extreme, even though 95% have never studied it whatsoever.” Of course, astrology is not the only subject about which people spout superficial ideas based on scant research. Viral epidemiology is another example. Anyway, Virgo, I am asking you to work hard to avoid this behavior during the rest of 2023. Of all the zodiac signs, you have the greatest potential to express thoughtful ideas based on actual evidence.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Meditation teacher Cheri Huber wrote a book called “Be the Person You Want to Find.” This would be an excellent title for your life story during the next 10 months. I hope you will soon ruminate on how to carry out such a quest. Here are two suggestions. 1. Make a list of qualities you yearn to experience in a dear ally, and brainstorm about how to cultivate those qualities in yourself. 2. Name three high-integrity people you admire. Meditate on how you could be more like them in ways that are aligned with your life goals.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Now is a good time to take stock of how you have fared in the Dating and Mating Games. Why? Because you are entering a new chapter of your personal Love Story. The next two years will bring rich opportunities to outgrow stale relationship patterns and derive rich benefits from novel lessons in intimacy. An excellent way to prepare is to meditate on the history of your togetherness.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian actor Samuel Jackson loves the color purple. He insists on it being featured in his films. In “Black Snake Moan,” he plays a purple Gibson guitar. In the animated movie, “Turbo,” he voices the role of a purple racing snail. In his “Star Wars” appearances, he wields a purple light saber. Now I am endorsing his obsession for your use. First, it’s an excellent time to home in on exactly what you want. Second, now is a favorable phase to emphasize purple in your own adventures.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): People who understand the creative process say it’s often wise to stay mum about your in-progress work. I don’t think that’s true for all creative efforts. For example, if we collaborate with partners on an artistic project or business venture, we must communicate well with them. However, I do suspect the transformative efforts you are currently involved in will benefit from at least some secrecy for now. Cultivate the privacy necessary to usher your masterpiece to further ripeness.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Musician Frank Zappa (1940-93) was a freaky rebel, iconoclastic weirdo and virtuoso experimenter. Everything normal and ordinary was boring to him. He aspired to transcend all categories. And yet he refrained from taking psychedelic drugs and urged his fans to do the same. He said, “We repudiate any substances, vehicles or procedures which might reduce the body, mind or spirit of an individual to a state of sub-awareness or insensitivity.” Zappa might have added that some substances temporarily have a pleasing effect, but ultimately diminish the life force. In my estimation, Aquarius, the coming weeks will be an excellent time to re-evaluate your relationship with influences that weaken the vitality of your body, mind or spirit. It will also be a favorable period to seek new modes of lasting liberation.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): If you are at a festival or fair where you could win a lot of money by smashing watermelons with your head, I hope you won’t do it. Same if you imagine you could impress a potential lover by eating 25 eggs in three minutes: Please don’t. Likewise, I beg you not to let yourself be manipulated or abused by anyone for any reason. These days, it’s crucial not to believe you can succeed by doing things that would hurt or demean or diminish you. For the foreseeable future, you will be wise to show what you do best and express your highest values.

Deadline for Telegraph classified ads is Tuesday at noon. Ads are a bargain at 10 cents a character with a $5 minimum. Even better, ads can now be placed online: durangotelegraph.com

Prepayment is required via cash, credit card or check.

(Sorry, no refunds or substitutions.) Ads can be submitted via:

n www.durangotelegraph.com

n classifieds@durango telegraph.com

n 970-259-0133

n 679 E. 2nd Ave., #E2

Approximate office hours:

Mon-Wed: 9ish - 5ish

Thurs: On delivery

Fri: Gone fishing; call first

Announcements

Dennis, Donald and Lindsey – where’s Melania?

Addiction & Family Recovery

A day of healing -Equine assisted coaching, yoga therapy, jin shin jyutsu. Open house June 17th, 1593 CR 120 in Hesperus. 9:30-3:00. 970-749-3423

Welcome to All Holistic Healers, Vendors, psychic readers, mediums, massage, family friendly activities wanting to share your gifts, talents and products at the Mind Body Spirit Fair, July 22nd at Santa Rita Park! Go to page fair application on  www.inspire changecj.com for all details, CJ Marten.

Classes/Workshops

Business Improvement District is looking for friendly, outgoing and knowledgeable people who love our community to be Downtown Ambassadors. We are looking for candidates who have great interpersonal skills, love talking to people and are familiar with our community. This is a seasonal, part-time position. Candidates should be able to fill 2-3 shifts a week. Shifts are 2½ to 4 hours in length. This is a great job to supplement with other part-time employment. Teachers are encouraged to apply! $15-$17per hour. To apply visit: www.downtowndurango .org/jobs

PT County Coordinator Wanted Wildfire Adapted Partnership (nonprofit) seeks one part time (30 hr/wk) County Coordinator to manage wildfire education and mitigation programs in Montezuma and Dolores counties. Visit www.wildfireadapted.org to view full job announcement.

Wanted

Cash for Vehicles, Copper, Alum, Etc. at RJ Metal Recycle. Also free appliance and other metal drop off. 970-259-3494.

ForSale

TaoTronics 4k Action Camera

a dream - just a little too big for me. Very good condition - all outfitting intact, no tears or rips, clean cockpit. A few minor cosmetic blems but otherwise in great shape. In hot pink/orange/yellow fade. Downtown Durango. Message for dets: 970-749-2595.

HaikuMovieReview

‘Weird: The Al Yankovic Story’ A pleasurably preposterous piece about the prince of pastiche

– Lainie Maxson

BodyWork

Integrated Massage

Deep tissue therapeutic body work @ Durango Wellness Clinic Call/text 970.403.5451 to book a session with Dennis. Inquire about Telegraph discount.

Custom Made Llama Trailer

Llama trailer fits 2-3 llamas. Suitable for other small livestock. 2005 Heibco brand in excellent shape. $3,200. 970749-0604.

Reruns Home Furnishings

Brighten up your indoor and outdoor space – bookcases, nightstands, dressers, bistros and bar stools. Looking to consign smaller furniture pieces … 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat. 3857336.

Services

Marketing Small/Local Businesses

Massage by Meg Bush LMT, 30, 60 & 90 min., 970-7590199.

Lotus Path Healing Arts

Now accepting new clients. Offering a unique, intuitive fusion of Esalen massage, deep tissue & Acutonics, 24 years of experience. To schedule call Kathryn, 970-201-3373.

CommunityService

Volunteers Needed

Learn to Square Dance

Free four-week intro with Caller Carla Roberts and the Wild West Squares of Durango. Great exercise for the mind as well as the body! No partner needed. Call to register or more info. 970-903-6478

HelpWanted

Now Hiring Downtown Ambassador

Do you love Durango? The Durango

New and in the box. Comes with user guide and all accessories that came with it: waterproof housing, handlebar/pole mount, mounts, battery, tethers, protective back cover, USB cable and lens cleaning cloth. $50. J.marie.pace@gmail.com

Jackson Antix 1.0 Medium

Just in time for high water! Gently used Antix - been down the Grand 1.5 times and taken out for a few highwater town runs but mostly has hung in the garage. This is a super fun river runner/surfer and can catch eddies like

Media, website building and content editing, copywriting and editing, newsletters, blogs, etc. for small, local, independent or startup businesses.  Visit our website at www.thesaltymedia.com or email jnderge@gmail.com

Harmony Cleaning and Organizing

Residential, offices, commercial and vacation rentals, 970-403-6192.

Lowest Prices on Storage!

Inside/outside storage near Durango and Bayfield. 10-x-20, $130. Outside spots: $65, with discounts available. RJ Mini Storage. 970-259-3494.

Do you want to make a difference in the lives of others? Alternative Horizons is always in need of volunteers to staff our hotline. AH supports and empowers survivors of domestic violence. Training and ongoing support provided. For more info. call 970-247-4374 or visit alternativehorizons.org.

Are you the parent or caregiver of a child 3 or under? Cafe Au Play offers a free, safe, indoor and outdoor play area with toddler-friendly structures, 10 a.m. -1 p.m., Mon.–Fri., at Christ the King Lutheran Church. We also host a free Power Au Play from 10 a.m. -12 noon on the third Wednesday of each month at the Powerhouse Science Center.