Northwest Boomer and Senior News Portland Metro/Vancouver Edition October 2017 by Northwest50Plus

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A sharpdressed man Spruce up your fall look with tips from local experts

made a trip to Nordstrom and asked for help. “I used to shop for men’s clothes without knowing anything about style,” Carroll says, “with shoulders down to ‘here.’ I didn’t like form-fitting clothes.” Now, with some style advice, he wears clothing that compliment his skin tone, are stylish and come from current designers. The tall, lean Carroll wears Ted Baker shirts, Hugo Boss, AG and Italian loafers. He even traveled to Italy to get fashion advice. “I’ll never buy baggy again,” he says. “I didn’t know the belt should match the shoes. My brother was always fashionable and made fun of me for decades. For me, the way I looked was a badge of honor until I understood what style was.” Now, he describes shopping for clothes as “play.” He doesn’t judge others, but says a man who dresses in current style has “moxie.”

By MAGGI WHITE BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS

As men age, so should their wardrobes. While what constitutes a well-dressed man depends upon whom you talk to, one thing is certain: Get advice from those who specialize in making you look your best, because modernizing your wardrobe can be daunting. Joseph Carroll, who works at OHSU, understands this process. His boss – another man – suggested Carroll needed to dress better, leaving Carroll “totally shocked.” When he asked others about it, one friend said he was “one of the most unstylish people I know,” and that helped convince him he needed to change. Rather than be defensive or offended, Carroll cleaned out his closet full of old pleated pants and baggy shirts, bagged them up, and donated them to a second-hand store. Then he

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PATIENCE WITH MY LILY Page 14

HEALTHY VIBES

KEEP YOUR EYESIGHT WITH DIABETES Page 15

Adam Arnold designs sophisticated, classic clothing (left) for both men and women. He works out of his studio on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. Photos by Lindsay Deacon

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MAN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 It isn’t about status or money. “It says you’ve got some mojo, you know what’s going on. I feel better about myself and, if women check me out, it’s a compliment.” That probably goes for his wife as well.

What’s hot this year “How a man dresses is determined by what he is dressing for,” says Bob Leveton, who owns The Man’s Store in St. Johns with his brother Jerry. “We dress hodge-podge. No rhyme or reason.” It’s been 40 years, but safari jackets are making a comeback in men’s fashion this year, Leveton says. However, the jackets aren’t just for safaris. They describe them as semi-casual, and can be dressed up with sports shirts and pants, suitable for heading out to dinner. Expect to see them in stores no later than October. Another change the Levetons see is what men wear to weddings. While it seems that tuxedos will never go out of style, today’s bridal parties have several options. Weddings are less formal, with members of the wedding party often buying their own suits, but wearing matching vests and ties. “We will spend 20 to 30 minutes discussing the purpose and how he will be wearing the items after the purpose,” Leve-

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ton says of those shopping for weddings. “Dockers are a hot item, something between jeans and slacks. You can wear them anyplace, dress them up with a vest, or dress them down with a sport shirt.” Suits are making a comeback, and Leveton is seeing more requests for the European look – a sport coat or blazer worn with slim-leg jeans. Sweaters are still popular, whether it’s half- or whole zippers, as well as V-necks. They can be worn to work with dress shirts and ties, or with sports shirts. Cardigans are popular as well. He says dark colors are best for men who have a few extra inches around the middle. His store carries waist sizes up to 56, and can access up to 76. Free alterations on purchases are available. When it comes to shoes, Leveton says men’s shoes are coming in with soft or gum soles, even dress shoes. The key word is “comfortable.” Natasha Reinhart, style advisor at the high-end Mario’s at Bridgeport, advises investing in some key pieces, such as a quality sport coat or blazer. Once you have that, you can add T-shirts or other dress shirts to keep expenses down. “You do not have to wear a button-up shirt with a blazer,” she says. Reinhart advises wearing the jacket with some well-fitting jeans, from denim to twill, sateen or colored. She recommends coordinating the pants with the jacket.

NW BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS • OCTOBER 2017

cardigan with a T-shirt, or a shirt with a blazer or motorcycle jacket. Sometimes, she says, “a little gentle nudging” is required to get a man to change his dressing habits. “My husband just turned 50,” Reinhart says, “and it took a while to encourage him to wear trim clothes.”

Courtesy photo

Joseph Carroll took the advice of his boss (and wife) and stepped up his appearance. Now, he’ll never go back. Here, Carroll shows off a summer look. The current fashion in jeans is a trim leg. Because many men feel that a trim leg is uncomfortable, she suggests finding fabrics that have some stretch in them. But, “no baggy jeans,” she says. When it comes to shoes, Reinhart says men should look for “a good sneaker, or many different leathers, or velvet. A

well-put-together man should have a good travel shoe, a slipon for airports, and a good belt.” It’s important to choose a color scheme that works for you. For men who have put on some weight in their later years, she says not to wear items that are too tight, and to do some layering, such as a

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Local designers When Adam Arnold came to Portland 15 years ago, he quickly established his reputation with the cognoscenti as a custom designer of men’s and women’s clothing. He got support for his classic, sophisticated clothing from “street level” men and women who liked his inventive spirit. He’s known for his clean lines, tailored silhouettes, timeless appeal, and impeccable fit. This fall he is spotlighting turtleneck sweaters, favoring the classic black beatnik and navy blue, which he says looks good on everyone. His inventive spirit is exhibited in other colors like mustard, royal blue and red. “Red is fantastic with a navy blue sport coat, totally holiday,” he says. This fall he’s also featuring a knit sweater cut like a blazer with pockets that can be worn casual or dressy. Like others, his jeans collection is skinny, but not tight-leg. Even his father, now aged 73, “got over being afraid of the skinny style and now it has become his favorite pants,” Arnold says. Jeans should look broken-in, but have no holes. They should exhibit signs of wear and fading, so they can be compatible with anything. “In the Northwest, you can get away with mixing clothing,” he says. One mistake made by older men is still dressing like a teenager. To command respect, he recommends against hoodies, flip-flops and cargo shorts. And he doesn’t favor T-shirts with slogans. Instead, he likes polo shirts in classic knits and that come in many colors. He also likes drawstring pants. This fall, he expects to see tweeds and wool flannels. He will feature classic oxford shirts that “you can wear to everything.” He may be the only designer who holds upen studio hours so customers can see what is going on the cutting table and ask questions while he works. “They can truly see what is going on and be part of the process,” Arnold says. Learn more at adam@adamarnold.com. ■

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OCTOBER 2017 • www.nwboomerandseniornews.com

By MAGGI WHITE BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS

Thousands of families flock to Seaside every summer to enjoy wide sandy beaches, rolling ocean waves and an ice cream cone, but autumn offers just as much fun for the over-50 population. “When the tourists leave, the town comes back,” says Seaside resident Karen Emmerling. Born and raised in Portland, she now owns Beach Books on Seaside’s main drag, and says she sees no decline in customers after Labor Day. The thousands of young families who cruise up and down Broadway, or stroll down the Promenade have gone back to school, but Emmerling says Seaside remains “pretty lively.” As the months continue, Seaside residents enjoy less traffic and shorter lines at the grocery store, but it’s hardly sleepy as there are many activities that appeal to boomers and seniors who either live there or have vacation homes on the coast. Those activities include volunteer opportunities, hiking, brisk walks on the Promenade, service club activities, book clubs, and more. Bird watching at the estuary is popular for its 300-winged attractions and sightings of less common birds traveling during their migratory periods. Emmerling hosts or supports several book clubs and says local activity picks up in the off-season. One of the most active groups is one organized by the American Association of University Women. Each year, Emmerling attends their planning meeting to make recommendations. She also supports another book club, or rather a voluntary incentive program for students in grades third through 12th, to encour-

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Retired professor Rhoda E. Cummings chose Seaside as her new home, and loves the quiet months where residents have the town to themselves. age good reading habits. She opened her store in 2005, after attending the Wordstock Book Festival in Portland. Before then, she had a career in advertising, raised her children, and helped with her husband’s business, Gearhart Ironwerks. She’s a member of the Seaside Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Development Association, and is on the very-active Seaside Public Library Board. “We have a lot of volunteer opportunities,” she says.

Retired professor Rhoda E. Cummings chose Seaside as her new home when she retired from the University of Nevada-Reno, where she had taught in the psychology department for 30 years. Her brother, Clay Woods, who had owned Dooley’s West Texas BBQ,

had already retired to Cannon Beach. “I came here for the rain,” she says. Sometimes the summer crowds get to be too much, she says. “Seaside gets much quieter and easier to get around in,” says Cummings, who has written a book since retiring, and panics at the large summer crowds in the stores. “I like solitude and the quiet of winter. The people and traffic change after Labor Day.” Not only that, the “community comes back to itself,” she says. “Volunteers get more active, whether it’s at the Clatsop County Community Hospital, or the very active Senior Learning Center, the South County Community Food Bank, or the gift shop at Providence Seaside Hospital. People can stay as busy as they want to.” Others volunteer for the North Coast Land Conservancy. For Cummings, this is her first time experiencing small town living where, she says, “word travels quickly. This is a very friendly town; you get to know your service people. Everybody knows who to trust to get work done.” Because there are so many rentals in her area, “there is no real neighborhood,” so Girls in the Hood is a group of Seaside women that meets twice a month “to be neighborly and share information.” Cummings commutes frequently to join a friend in Lake Oswego where they take in cultural events like Portland Opera and concerts for stimulation, go out to dinner, and shop. “I am happy in my environment,

See SEASIDE p. 4

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SEASIDE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 cooking for myself, writing on my table near the wood burning fireplace. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m somewhat of a hermit,â&#x20AC;? she says. Cummings is the author of â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Survival Guide for Kids with LD (learning differences)â&#x20AC;? and her novel â&#x20AC;&#x153;Temporary Services,â&#x20AC;? which takes place in Austin, Texas. Cummings stays â&#x20AC;&#x153;unbelievably busyâ&#x20AC;? with meditation, yoga, walking the Promenade, painting and reading. She enjoys the diversity that Seaside offers, â&#x20AC;&#x153;the ethnicities, and the different social levels.â&#x20AC;? She likes the fact that Seaside families have been coming for generations and that the town is not gentrified, although Emmerling says it is becoming a little more sophisticated. Cummings worked for Beach Books for a while, describing it as one of the best independent book stores she has ever been in. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I learned how to count backwards,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I met a lot of interesting people there.â&#x20AC;? She said Seaside appears to be on an upswing with the improvements made to the local movie house that now shows first-run features and some fixing-up of ramshackle houses. There is little crime and police reports she reads in the local papers cause her to chuckle. Cummings does not remain in Seaside all year. She travels to Ireland for a month and Hawaii for a month as well as taking road trips. She will remain in Ireland over Christmas this year because she experienced the best Christmas of her 73 years in charming Dingle, County Kerry, Ireland, â&#x20AC;&#x153;because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;50s, with children caroling on the sidewalks and total lack of commercialism.â&#x20AC;? â&#x2013;

Courtesy photos

Above, fall cruise-in events are popular in Seaside. Left, Karen Emmerling owns Beach Books in Seaside.

Of note

Seaside has a population of 6,500, but will get between 800,000 to 1 million visitors every year, says Jon Rahl, assistant general manager for the Seaside Visitors Bureau. The busiest months for visitors are between July and September, when 40 to 45 percent come to two of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largestâ&#x20AC;? events â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Seaside Beach Volleyball Tournament in August, and the end of the Hood to Coast.

Get a chance to drive an electric car, recycle your old hosiery and get help fixing small appliances at the Garden Home Community Sustainability and Repair Fair on Oct. 13. This event is open to the public and family friendly. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scheduled from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 13, THPRD Garden Home Community Rec Center gym, 5475 SW Oleson Road, Portland. Repair Fair: This is a free, volunteer-driven event where people with repair skills help fix broken items such as pants, blenders, mixers, coffee makers, vacuums, bicycles and more. Do not bring gas-powered equipment, TVs or microwaves. Register to bring your items. Limited to two items. Visit goo.gl/forms/1hBOalskkukf8MY W2. Sustainability Fair: This part of the fair features several exhibitors, a hosiery recycling station, and a Ride and Drive station where attendees can test drive a Nissan Leaf electric car. A valid driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license is required. Other exhibitors include: Brook Design Services, EcoBinary, ecoShuttle, Forth (formerly Drive Oregon), H2O at Home, Green Living Journal, Happy Baby Food, New Seasons Market, Oregon Rain Harvesting, Portland Urban Beekeepers, Pacific NW Pollution Prevention Resource Center, Reduce Your Waste Project, River West Village and more. â&#x2013;

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NW BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS • OCTOBER 2017

There’s a definite art to growing giant vegetables

Holy pumpkin!

Courtesy photo

Last fall, Scott Holub of Eugene broke the world record for green squash at the Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off at Bauman Farm with a weight of 1,844.5 pounds. He started growing vegetables competitively in 2009 and now belongs to the Pacific Giant Vegetable Growers. By DEB ALLEN BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS

tory pumpkin weighed 1,969 pounds and won him $11,814. It sounds like quite a bit of money, but does it actually cover the cost of his investment? Daletas just smiles. His operation is a capital investment — irrigation, feeding systems, greenhouses, fans, thermostats, and more. It’s a system that can be used year

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There are giant pumpkins and then there are the motherof-all-pumpkins. Ask Steve Daletas which ones he prefers. He’ll tell you about a pumpkin that weighed nearly 2,000 pounds and won him almost $12,000 in competition. In fact, Daletas, a commercial

pilot, has been growing pumpkins as a hobby for more than 30 years, and entering competitions for many of those years. Two years ago, his hobby reaped an impressive win at the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, California. With first prize getting $6 a pound, Daletas’s vic-

after year. “It costs as much as you want it to cost,” he says. “Money isn’t going to grow you a big pumpkin. You gotta put in the work.” Truly, the biggest investment is the time this hobby requires. For Daletas, the competitive motivation to put in that kind of time rests not just in beating other growers,

but in the challenge to beat himself year after year. It’s because of this time factor that Daletas doesn’t grow competitively consecutive years. He takes off every second or third season. He’s found that there are segments of the growing season when he spends more time in the field than he would in a 40-

See PUMPKIN p. 7

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Of note

PUMPKIN

Learn more about Pacific Giant Vegetable Growers at pgvg.org.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 hour work week. Because of his work as a commercial pilot, Daletas can have an erratic work schedule and may be gone for a few days at a time. That’s when his family helps out with the pumpkins. When his children were younger, they helped out dad. Now, his wife and his parents contribute to the effort. “So, my folks come to the patch in the morning and will sit down and have coffee by the river and then do some work,” Daletas says. “They love helping, and so it’s really kind of a family thing.” He’s also used timers and thermostats to monitor weather conditions when he’s out of town and to take care of his pumpkins. While many of us start thinking about a garden in the early spring, Daletas has made this a full-time commitment. “It’s almost a year-round hobby,” he says. “You acquire a seed and a lot of people think that’s where the hobby starts, but there’s a whole lot of prep that goes into the ground.” As soon as the pumpkins are harvested and removed in the fall, Daletas tills the ground. Then he completes a soil test and makes any necessary pH and nutrient adjustments. After that, he plants a cover crop, something that will benefit the soil composition for the coming season. “So really (the next growing) season starts the day we pick the (current season’s) pumpkins,” he says. Following ground preparation, giant vegetable growers in western Oregon hope for a dry and early spring. To provide a good start, Daletas has built four portable greenhouses to help begin drying out and warming up the soil. Without the greenhouses, Daletas says our local climate will not provide the growing season required to grow pumpkins large enough for competition. Inside the greenhouses, he plants the seeds at just the right time. The greenhouses are removed in early June. “As plants grow, then comes the micromanagement,” Daletas says, “choosing which vines get to grow, which pumpkins get pollinated, which ones don’t.” Every vine he chooses to keep then gets buried beneath the rich soil — and for each giant pumpkin, countless vines spread out for yards and yards. “Everywhere a leaf comes up, it will send a couple roots out, if you bury the vine,” he says. “So, all those vines have been trenched and special nutrients, or biologicals, are placed where those new roots will come down. To get something that size, you need thousands of root systems, not just the main one. So, by doing this we create many, many root systems.” There’s even more science

in and we drop a few pumpkins on a car.” The Terminator Weigh-Off has earned quite a reputation, earning numerous awards in itself. “People from everywhere come to watch,” Daletas says. “It’s in downtown Tualatin at the Lake of the Commons. We put all the pumpkins in the lake. We’ve carved a hole in them and we race them. It’s a good way for us to end the season.” What is the attraction to growing giant vegetables? “Some people are extremely competitive and that’s what they do it for; but I think the hobby is bigger than that,” Daletas says. “It’s really so much more than growing pumpkins once you’ve done it for a while. I’m competitive, I want to grow something big, but it’s all the other things.” He’s referring to meeting growers from around the world, all because of pumpkins. There’s value in the friendships he’s formed. “There’s a yearly get-together seminar,” he says. “Two years ago, it was in England. We flew out to England and half the people there, we knew. We maybe hadn’t met them, but we knew them, they knew us, from trading seeds, from corresponding throughout the years.” This coming year the seminar is in Portland and growers worldwide will be coming to Oregon. ■

Courtesy photo

Steve Daletas grows “giants” in his pumpkin patch in Pleasant Hill. In 2015, he won nearly $12,000 for his pumpkin, which weighed in at 1,969 pounds. behind growing healthy pumpkins, including watching out for insects and disease. “Anything can take the plant out and then your work’s done,” Daletas says of the risks involved in working with nature. Every giant pumpkin is protected during the night with a large comforter, and then removed in the morning. It’s a great idea, but Daletas has to be careful — covering the pumpkins also increases the chances of too much moisture on the stem. The health of the stem, it turns out, is crucial. So Daletas strategically attaches a small fan to each stem and applies a special treatment once

each week. “If the stem rots, the pumpkin’s done,” he says. “So, it’s just one of those things that we work really hard to try to keep healthy.” As the summer days pass by, the excitement for giant pumpkins builds, especially when a pumpkin grows 40 to 45 pounds a day. “To see something grow that fast is just fascinating,” says Daletas, a member of the Pacific Giant Vegetable Growers (PGVG). “I like just watching them grow 40-50 pounds a day, to really see them take off, that’s exciting,” says Scott Holub of Eugene, also a PGVG member. “Add a little competition

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into it and it keeps you motivated to get out there and do the work you need to do.” He began his first competitive year growing giant vegetables in 2009, and says his motivation and hard work paid off when he broke the world record for a green squash last fall. PGVG hosts two events in Oregon — the one at Bauman Farm and Garden, where Holub took home a top prize; and The Terminator Weigh-Off and West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta in Tualatin. “We weigh pumpkins in the morning,” Daletas says of the Bauman Farm event. “Then there’s a big crane that comes

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SAGE releases first impact report 8 PORTLAND-METRO/VANCOUVER EDITION

NW BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS â&#x20AC;˘ OCTOBER 2017

There is no shortage of news about the challenges facing the next generation. Melting glaciers, rising debt, and the widening gap between the rich and poor threaten our health and prosperity. Even more so, they threaten the health and prosperity of our beloved children, grandchildren and younger friends who stand ready to inherit the world. Rather than standing down and leaving these problems to the next generation, a Portland-based nonprofit is giving elders a path to stand up and make a difference. SAGE (Senior Advocates for Generational Equity) is a community of people age 50 and older who believe in generational equity â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the principle that each generation should improve the quality of life for the next. Its recent â&#x20AC;&#x153;Impact Reportâ&#x20AC;? tells a story of how one generation is working to help another. Through the lens of nearly 70 interviews, SAGE high-

lights the many ways that older adults are tackling issues they care about, and offers advice for others looking to do the same. SAGE members volunteer over 32,000 hours per year for nonprofits â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an investment valued at over $780,000 each year. They donate money and advocate for causes they care

about. They know that giving as little as a few hours or a few dollars every month is all it takes to help a young person learn to read, develop a love for nature or secure their first job. In the report, SAGE profiles three members for their meaningful efforts to make a difference. Bruce Watts helps

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young men succeed in school and in life as a mentor with the Coalition of Black Men. Lisa Adatto joins rallies and advocates for sustainable practices to protect our communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future. Robert Stoll helped to found an organization that supports young businesses and their owners with loans, technical consulting and support. By highlighting these and other stories of â&#x20AC;&#x153;giving forward,â&#x20AC;? SAGE is working to inspire others to get involved. In our region, older adults are more educated, healthier, and wealthier than any previous generation. That makes them better positioned than any group in history to become a new â&#x20AC;&#x153;Greatest Generationâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one that saw a set of problems and said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We can do something about that â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and we will.â&#x20AC;? Reflecting on the stories, Steve Higgs, executive director of SAGE, says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Regardless of the time or money you give, what matters most is that

you give.â&#x20AC;? Whether you are already engaged in a cause or are looking for inspiration, SAGE invites you to lend your talents and voice to its growing community of elders. Your investments have an impact in the world. Together, SAGE can make that influence grow larger. One of the ways to get involved is to meet with a SAGE Ambassador for a cup of coffee or tea. You share what you care about and how you want to make a difference through service and advocacy. Ambassadors match your goals and interests with the organization thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right for you. Another way to engage is by participating in SAGEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Legacy Fellowship, a ninemonth leadership program to help you develop and launch your own community benefit project. Get inspired and read the Impact Report at wearesage.org/impact-report2107. The future needs all the advocates it can get. â&#x2013;

â&#x2013; Is their plenty of room between your breastbone and the air bag in the steering wheel? â&#x2013; Does the seat fit you comfortably and safely? â&#x2013; Is the head restraint adjusted properly? â&#x2013; Do you have easy access to the gas and brake pedals? â&#x2013; Is the seat belt that holds you in its proper position and remains comfortable as you drive? â&#x2013; Are your mirrors ad-

justed properly? If there is a deficiency, the technician will advise and inform you of available adaptive devices that could correct the problem. The check takes about 20 minutes. CarFit events have been scheduled in September and October. Visit car-fit.org and click on the map for more information. Volunteers also are needed. Contact Clark Upton, 540-830-1189, or carfit.upton@gmail.com. â&#x2013;

A TRUE PATRIOT

OCTOBER 2017 • www.nwboomerandseniornews.com

PORTLAND-METRO/VANCOUVER EDITION

■ Walter Holy dodged questions about his age so he could join the fight

By BARRY FINNEMORE BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS

Walter Holy was a mere 16 years old with poor eyesight in the 1940s, but he not only served in World War II, he was part of the U.S. Army’s elite 101st Airborne Division. Like many young men, he hid his age so he would be allowed to join the military, saying that he just wanted to do his part for the cause of freedom. “Somebody’s got to stop that war,” Holy says, remembering that time of his life. He served for more than four years in the Army, but his military service stretched to nearly three more decades as part of the U.S. Air Force. Today, Holy, 89, lives in Vancouver with Frances, his

trees and jumping off haylofts. It was fitting for Holy, who later endured rigorous training to parachute from airplanes by leaping from towers. He actually was born in North Dakota in 1928, moving to Oregon when he was 8 years old. He is the youngest of five children, raised on a farm amid hot summers and brutally cold winters. He remembers one winter produced so much snow that his father had to dig a tunnel from the house to the barn to care for the animals. Life was actually better on the farm than for many others in the cities and towns because his family received some goods from farm assistance programs and his father found work with the Works Progress Administration.

“It was patriotism, all the way through.” Walter Holy World War II survivor

wife of 67 years and a veteran of the naval reserves. Walter is a member of the Veterans of Underage Military Service, an organization founded in the early 1990s to celebrate the “rare breed.” The website notes, “You should be very proud,” giving a nod to those who served in the military when they were younger than 17. “Whereas we once kept it a secret that we manipulated the system, we now strongly proclaim it a badge of honor to be an underage veteran.” Holy didn’t tell a single superior he had joined as a 16year-old until he was well into training, when he was accused of insubordination, being out of uniform and disrespecting an officer because he ventured outside a tent without his army hat on. When the charges were dismissed, the commander, having learned Holy’s age, asked him what he wanted to do. Holy replied, “Go overseas and join my buddies.” As a youth in Oregon City, Holy and his friends were swinging on ropes through the

Eventually, the Dust Bowl in the mid-1930s prompted the Holy family to seek a better life in Oregon. “The Dust Bowl was dusty, and the crops weren’t growing,” Holy says. When they settled in Oregon City, his father found work at the paper mill. By the 10th grade, Holy had quit school and was working various jobs, from a furniture store to a hay bailer to picking berries. He then found a job working on a tugboat floating logs between Oregon City and Portland. It could be dangerous work and Holy couldn’t swim. Once, he fell in the water and was nearly caught between two logs before being rescued. With the United States at war, though, Holy wanted to do his part. With his friend Robert Palmer, Holy walked into a Navy recruiting office and tried to join up. Palmer was just 14, and Holy was turned away because he was underweight and had poor eyesight. Though Palmer passed the

Photo by Barry Finnemore

Walter Holy of Vancouver still has a picture of himself when he signed up for the U. S. Army at age 16. physical, they had both decided that they went together or not at all. However, they eventually sidestepped the challenge of doctoring their birth certificates by registering for the draft in spring 1944, requesting an immediate induction and never being asked for proof of age. Because they had a document stating they were age 18, Holy and Palmer landed shipyard jobs as electricians’ helpers on transport ships. As it turned out, Holy later ran into his brother Arnold at an induction center in Portland. Arnold was enlisting in the Marines, as was Palmer. Until that moment, neither Holy nor his brother knew of each other’s plans for military service. Holy’s father, Joseph, was in the Merchant Marines and another brother, George, was in the Navy. Holy completed basic training at Camp Roberts in California. After D-Day, when American casualties were so high, including parachute troopers, Holy says the call went out for volunteers to fill the ranks. He recruited 10 men from his platoon to volunteer and, though Holy believed he wouldn’t pass the eye test, a nurse told him he wouldn’t have to take it after all, and he was accepted. Paratrooper training involved learning to pack a chute, jumping from towers, jumping from planes at low altitude and personal adventures during leaves. Holy eventually was shipped out, experiencing a harrowing Atlantic crossing aboard the merchant ship the J.W. McAndrews, which was hit by another vessel – a collision that caused the McAndrews to take on water. Holy paused and fought

back tears recalling the moment when, in order to keep the ship from sinking, a hatch was closed and padlocked on

a compartment of doomed men being overcome by seawater. About 100 men were killed in the collision. Eventually, Holy was assigned to the 101st Airborne in France. He was a “runner” and radio operator with I company of the Third Battalion of the 506th Parachute Regiment. He and fellow soldiers moved through central Germany, encountering resistance, when preparations began for a parachute jump. Gen. George Patton’s forces overran the target area, and the jump was called off. Holy recalled encountering concentration camp survivors and witnessing one instance after Germany’s surrender when German troops were killed because their amphibious vehicle hit the lower arch of a wall. Holy and his fellow 101st Airborne troops were preparing to help fight the war in the Pacific when Japan surrendered. The 101st was disbanded, and Holy was sent to Frankfurt, where he served in the Honor Guard of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment at Gen. Dwight Eisenhower’s headquarters. When the time came, Holy re-enlisted in the Army, served as a military policeman in Italy, became an Army truck driver, then got out of the Army in late 1948. He returned to

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10 PORTLAND-METRO/VANCOUVER EDITION VA VA VOOM rehearsing for Christmas show

VA VA VOOM is preparing for its December show, “A Christmas Quandary,” and needs additional talent to fill out its troupe of performers. The show is scheduled for Dec. 6-8 at the Barberton Grange in Vancouver, Wash. VA VA VOOM also takes a shortened version of the show to local retirement facilities in the Vancouver area. “A Christmas Quandary” takes a fun look at the many quandaries around Christmas. Expect lots of laughs mixed in with poignant moments, great music, and a terrific way to kick off the holiday season. Rehearsals are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays, at the Grange, 9400 NE 72nd Ave., Vancouver. If you have a desire to sing, act, dance or work backstage as a dresser or stage manager, call Harriet Walker, director, 503-314-0299.

Satori Men’s Chorus needs more singers

Satori Men’s Chorus is currently looking for new singers to join. New singers should be able to carry a tune and stay on pitch, but the chorus is of mixed abilities. Reading music is not required. The members use practice CDs to help learn the music. Dues are $35 a month, which helps pay the director, to purchase music and defray general operating expenses. The 2017-18 Satori Concert Season schedule includes “Celebrating the Season” on Dec. 2, “Returning Light” on March 24, and “Anything Goes” on June 9. Other special events may be scheduled. Some of the members have been singing for many years. Others are returning to what they loved at an earlier time. Satori Men’s Chorus is a non-auditioned, multi-level choral group where men of all ages and musical abilities have

the opportunity to grow as musicians and enjoy friendship and harmony. Visit satorichorus.org for more information. Rehearsals take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays, Central Lutheran Church, 1820 NE 21st Ave., Portland.

NW BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS • OCTOBER 2017

Portland Peace Choir has new director, adding singers

Kristin Gordon George joins the Portland Peace Choir as director for the 2017-18 season. She earned a degree in vocal performance composition from Gonzaga University, then served as music director of the Metropolitan Community Church of Portland, Niwot United Methodist Church and currently as artistic and executive director of Resonate Choral Arts, a women’s choir in Portland. George also independently teaches voice, piano and ukulele, with a mission to uncover ease in breathing, singing, and instrumental performance. The Portland Peace Choir, created in 2009, is a non-auditioned community choir dedicated to furthering the message of peace through vocal song. The PPC strives to exemplify the principles of peace, equality, justice, stewardship of the earth, unity and cooperation. The choir sings music from diverse cultures and traditions to inspire peace in ourselves, our families, our communities, and the world. The Portland Peace Choir welcomes all voices. The PPC is accompanied by Amy Vanacore, who earned a degree from Brown University, where she studied music theory, percussion and psychology. Fluent in Spanish and English, she is passionate about cross-cultural learning, community, and social justice. The PPC welcomes new members to its 7 p.m. Wednesday rehearsals at Mount Hood Lobby at the Courtyard at Mount Tabor, 6125 SE Division St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for check-in and socializing. Visit portlandpeacechoir.org. ■

Courtesy photo

The young Walter Holy stands in front of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris during World War II.

TRUE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

Oregon City, worked in a paper mill for seven years, then began his long Air Force stint in the United States and abroad, including with the Chinese air force and in Vietnam and Europe. His mementos include his 101st Airborne patch, his dog tag, a German officer’s knife and an iron cross pin. The house he shares with Frances

features myriad photos, including those of their two daughters and a grandchild, and what Holy calls his framed “honor board” display of his medals. Holy shares his experiences with incredible detail, punctuating his comments with a sharp wit. He believes God was watching over him during his service, which he says was motivated by love of country. “It was patriotism all the way through,” Holy says. ■

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New findings about weight, diabetes OCTOBER 2017 • www.nwboomerandseniornews.com

PORTLAND-METRO/VANCOUVER EDITION

By MARY OWEN

BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS

The good news: A new study shows that not all overweight people have heart disease risk factors. The bad news: These individuals can still develop risk factors for heart and other diseases. “Generally, we need to recognize that people and their metabolisms are different, and that those differences can be important,” says Greg Nichols, PhD, senior investigator and diabetes researcher with the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland. “People with diabetes are much more likely to be obese or overweight, although not all overweight and obese people develop diabetes,” Nichols adds. “Diabetes puts people at higher risk for heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney problems, amputations and several other health problems.” Nichols says smaller studies have been done that looked at a similar premise, but none that could do so on the scale of his study, which focused on adults who are overweight and obese, but who did not have diabetes. The study used the Patient Outcomes Research to Advance Learning, a consortium of four health care delivery systems — Kaiser Permanente (Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Mid-Atlantic States, Northern California, Northwest, and Southern California), GroupHealth Cooperative (Washington State), HealthPartners (Minnesota), and Denver Health — and their 10 research centers.

“This study also gave us the ability to look at classes of obesity, which hadn’t been done before,” Nichols says. Among the 1.3 million in the study, 14 percent had normal blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure readings, Nichols reports. “This means they did not develop the same heart disease risk factors that most overweight and obese people develop,” he says. “We are not sure why this is the case. It does not necessarily mean that these people are healthy. They may go on to develop these risk factors as they get older, and they are also more likely than people of normal weight to develop kidney disease and die earlier.” The Kaiser study included patients who were enrolled in one of nine integrated health systems, and had been enrolled for at least one year, starting in January 2012. “We conducted the study by examining the patients’ electronic medical record,” Nich-

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ols says. “Patients had to have recorded weight and height records to be included in the study.” The results were that among 47.5 percent of participants with obesity, 9.6 percent had none; among participants with morbid obesity, 5.8 percent had none. Age was strongly associated with cardiometabolic risk factors (elevated blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol and prediabetes) in multivariable analysis. According to the study, more than two-thirds of U.S. adults have a body mass index that indicates overweight or obesity, and although obesity is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, the condition does not develop in many individuals with excess weight. The study also shows that risks climb with age, body mass index increases, and the number of risk factors a person has. Compared with non-Hispanic white adults, Hispanic, Asian and Hawai-

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ian/Pacific Islander adults were significantly more likely to have at least one cardiometabolic risk factor, and non-Hispanic black adults were 28 percent less likely. According to the study, the person with obesity who has no cardiometabolic abnormalities is considered to have “metabolically healthy obesity,” but that doesn’t mean they are out of the woods. Regardless of metabolic abnormalities, people still run the risk of chronic kidney disease and other problems. Nichols says people who are overweight or obese and don’t have risk factors should still be vigilant about taking care of their health and trying to achieve a healthy weight. “Just because they don’t have heart disease risk factors now doesn’t mean they won’t develop these risk factors in the future,” he says. “Losing weight is probably the best way to control diabetes, and in

some cases losing weight can reverse the disease.” Other strategies include eating healthy foods, increasing fruit and vegetable intake, reducing fat intake, exercising and possibly controlling diabetes through medication if a person can’t lose weight, Nichols says. “Almost all of us can benefit from more exercise,” he adds. “It doesn’t have to be terribly strenuous to improve your risk factors, and you’ll feel better, too.” The study was published in the March 9 issue of “Preventing Chronic Disease,” the official journal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and can be viewed at cdc.gov by clicking on the links to the magazine article. For more information, call Media Information Manager Mary Sawyers at 503-3201966 or send an email, Mary. A.Sawyers@kpchr. org. ■

ARE YOU READY?

12 PORTLAND-METRO/VANCOUVER EDITION

NW BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS • OCTOBER 2017

■ Don’t wait until an emergency strikes your home By VANESSA SALVIA BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS

From hurricanes to earthquakes to fires, the recent disasters in North America have taught us a lot. We’ve seen how neighbor reached out to neighbor and, stranger to stranger. And we’ve seen the stories about multiple organizations bringing in food, supplies and volunteers to help rescue stranded homeowners, take care of pets, and begin the arduous process of cleaning up the damage. Even more, we have seen how important it is to prepare for disasters — large and small. In fact, we usually think of preparing only for the “big one,” those natural disasters that overwhelm us on a large scale. But an emergency also could mean being stuck on an impassable road, losing your job, enduring high gas prices, or even an injury or illness that keeps you from working, shopping and cooking. At a mid-summer emergency preparedness event held at the OSU Extension Service

“The idea is to have some fun while you're stuck someplace.” Nellie Oehler, OSU Extension

Suggesting that you pack things you enjoy doing in Lane County, Katya Davis spoke about becoming so ill that she couldn’t get out of bed. She joked about “the food under her bed” being her only source of nutrition for several days. She was making light of the situation, but it was a serious example. Davis learned that she needs to keep foods on hand that are easy to eat, that don’t require cooking, and perhaps most importantly, that she enjoys eating. Master food preserver Nellie Oehler spoke about how she grew up on a farm “in the boonies,” so preserving food

and being prepared for lean times was something she grew up doing. After the scare of Y2K, she started up again in earnest, making sure her household had plenty of food and emergency supplies on hand. Oehler achieves that by growing a large garden and canning her harvest. She stores water treated with a few drops of bleach and keeps foods on hand that don’t go bad. Keep your stashed food in a cool, dry place, she says, where bugs can’t get to it. And keep some food in more than

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one location, such as in the house and a shed, for instance. She keeps some alternative cooking sources on hand, such as a propane stove (with backup propane). She demonstrated another cooking source: A large metal can with a flap cut out and bent up. A small fire can be built under that and something warmed up on top. “You can fill a tuna can with rolled up cardboard and pour some wax over it and a wick set in,” Oehler says. “That’s enough heat to cook a dozen eggs and then some.” Other tips: Use coffee filters to get clean water. Keep cash on hand. And don’t forget extra supplies for your pets. Each of the speakers at the Extension event stressed the importance of having an emergency kit in your car. Pat Patterson recommended an extra pair of reading glasses in the car, along with a Kindle loaded with books. “The idea is to have some fun while you’re stuck someplace,” she says. The car kit shouldn’t be so heavy that you can’t carry it, but do include basics such as a first aid kit, plates, eating utensils, a medical history, and a strong knife. Avoid canned food in the car kit or your backpack because they’re heavy. A signaling mirror can help, and trash bags and duct tape has myriad uses. Mylar blankets can keep you warm by reflecting back most of your body heat, and they are small and light. There are two different models for emergency preparedness. One is to “bug out” or leave wherever you are to go to a safe place. The other is to “hunker down” and stay in place to ride out the emergency. Try to be prepared for each situation. Have extra supplies that you can use at home, as well as a pack for each person (and pet) in the home and car, that you can grab and take with you if you must leave. Your bug-out kit should include clothes, extra medicines, batteries, lights, reflective blankets and a knife. The basics are food, water, fire-start-

Of note

Map Your Neighborhood. Get a printable three-month supply list and planning calendar, mil.wa.gov/emergency-managementdivision/preparednes s/map-your-neighborhood Eugene-or.gov/documentcenter/view/34 437.

ing supplies and a way to filter water if you can’t boil it. With those things, you can survive a long time until help can come. Patence (pronounced “Patience”) Winningham, Eugene’s emergency management program coordinator, has lots of tips and resources on this topic. “We are encouraging the recommendation to have on hand two-weeks-worth of food and water for every family member including pets,” Winningham says. “If you had to go to a shelter you would have to eat the food provided and it may not be what you or the animals are used to. We call that an incident within an incident.” Have a plan for where to go if you can’t stay in your home. Involving other family members in your plan can help. Will you escape to your children’s homes, or will your children try to get to your house, if staying at home is not an option? How will you get there? “It’s important to keep an accurate list of medications and consider switching to the three-month supply program for medications that most mail order programs offer,” she says. “Medicare does pay for the mail order prescriptions. Not all insurance programs will cover a 90-day supply but some do.” Winningham says to get involved with your neighbors and neighborhood associations. “That’s an important piece,” she says. “Those are the people that can help you in time of need. ■

OCTOBER 2017 • www.nwboomerandseniornews.com

PORTLAND-METRO/VANCOUVER EDITION

Genealogical Society of Washington County, “Bury the Dead, Not the Living: Organizing Your Records,” 10 a.m. to noon, Hillsboro Brookwood Library, 2850 NE Brookwood Pkwy. Free. 503-746-5667.

Sept. 26 (through Nov. 7) Stepping on: Building Confidence and Reducing Falls in Older Adults, 9:30 a.m. to noon, Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center. $10. 503-674-1123. Sept. 30 Wing It, An Interactive Show for Kids, 10:30 a.m., Clackamas Repertory Theatre, 19600 Molalla Ave., Oregon City. $5. 503-594-6047.

23 24

Bad Motor Scooter, 7 to 10 p.m., Orchard Hills Golf Club, 605 39th St., Washougal, Wash. You Can Afford Long Term Care, 10 a.m., Oregon City Senior Center, 615 5th St. Free. 503968-2020.

OCTOBER

(also Oct. 9 and 16) Colored Pencil Workshop with Annette Jackson, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Rivercrest Community Church, 3201 NE 148th Ave., Portland. $15/$20. Portlandfineartsguild.org.

Viking Pancake Breakfast, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Bergen Dining Room, Norse Hall, 111 NE 11th Ave., Portland. $8/$4. Free parking. Old Blind Dogs, 6:30 p.m., Sherwood Center for the Arts, 22689 SW Pine St. $10$30. IrishPDX.com.

International Folk Dance Club, 2:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Marshall Center, Vancouver, Wash. Free range poetry with Judith Arcana, Amy Miller and Michael Spring, 5:45 p.m., Northwest Library, 2300 NW Thurman St., Portland. Freerangepoetrypdx@gmail.com. Corrib Theatre season launch and fundraising event, 7:30 p.m., T.C. O’Leary’s Irish Pub, 2926 NE Alberta St., Portland.

Paul Anka with Oregon Symphony, 7:30 p.m., Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland. $40+. Orsymphony.org.

Indigenous People’s Day Celebration, with David Gene Lewis, 6:15 p.m., Elsie Stuhr Center, 5550 SW Hall Blvd., Beaverton.

Song Circle, 6:30 p.m., Cedar Mill Library, Portland. 503-644-0043. Keys to Building a Successful Solo Business, 9 a.m. to noon, Encorepreneur Café, 1548 NE 15th Ave., Portland. $30. Encorepreneurcafe.com/workshop.

Portland. $100/$110. Ticketfly.com.

Senior Dance, featuring Bad Motor Scooter, 2 to 4

25 p.m., Luepke Center, Vancouver, Wash. Also 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 20. Writers Mill, 1 p.m., Cedar Mill Library, Portland. 503-644-0043.

CALM: Coloring and Listening Moments for Adults, 6:30 p.m., Cedar Mill Library, Portland. 503-644-0043.

A Night with Janis Joplin, 7:30 p.m., Keller Auditorium, Portland. $35$65. Portland5.com.

Soccer Talk with author Paul Gerald, 7 p.m., Cedar Mill Library, Portland. 503-644-0043. AllCare Health, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Hilton Garden Inn-Lake Oswego, 14850 Kruse Oaks Dr. 888-460-0185.

Primer Timers Dining Club, 6 p.m., M&M Restaurant and Lounge, 137 N. Main Ave., Gresham. 503-936-5861 or email PrimeTimersDning@aol.com.

Changes on the Farm, a field trip, 9:30 a.m., Harmony East, Harmony Community Campus, Room H320, Milwaukie. $3. 503-594-0620.

Making All Votes Count, 9:30 a.m., Harmony East, Harmony Community Campus, Room H320, Milwaukie. $3. 503-5940620.

(through Oct. 15) “Belles,” produced by STAGES Per-

AARP Smart Driver, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Salvation Army Rose Center, 211 NE 18th Ave., Portland. Small fee. 503-239-1221.

(also Oct. 8) Oregon Symphony: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” 7:30 p.m., Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland. See portland5.com for more October concerts. Portland Gray Panthers: Plan ways to protect health care, housing, and more, 4 p.m. Saturdays, PSU Chit Chat Café, 1907 SW Sixth Ave., Portland. POB40011@juno.com or 503-222-2974. Hull Park and Foundation for the Blind’s Fall Family and Honey Bee Festival, noon to 4 p.m., Hull Park, 43233 SE Oral Hull Road, Sandy. $5/$3. 503-668-6195.

forming Arts Youth Academy,” HART Theater, Hillsboro. $15. Stagesyouth.org.

Beavercreek Fall Bazaar, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 23345 S. Beavercreek Road. Vendors, raffle, lunch, pies. Beavercreekucc.org. Annual Oregon Music Hall of Fame Induction and Concert, 7 p.m., Aladdin Theater,

Love and Logic: Success with Resistant, Unmotivated and Disruptive Kids, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monarch Hotel, Portland. $99. Loveandlogic.com or 800-338-4065. Brain Fitness, 1 to 2:30 p.m., Cedar Mill Library, Portland. 503-644-0043.

History of Portland Streetcars, with Richard Thompson, 7 p.m., Elsie Stuhr Center, 5550 SW Hall Blvd., Beaverton. $3. Historicbeaverton.org.

Artist reception for Bryan Helfrich, Angst Gallery, 1015 Main St., Vancouver, Wash.

AllCare Health, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Monarch Hotel and Conference Center, 12566 SE 93rd Ave., Clackamas. 888-460-0185.

(also Oct. 21) SemiAnnual Bazaar, noon to 6 p.m., and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 21, Parkview Christian Retirement Community, 1825 NE 108th Ave., Portland. 503-348-1293. (also Oct. 21-22, 27-29) A Tour to Die For, Lincoln City’s hill-top cemetery. TourToDieFor.com, or 541-9961274.

Celebrate Keller Auditorium’s 100-year anniver-

sary, 1 to 4 p.m., 222 SW Clay Ave., Portland. Artist reception for Marlene Eichner and Daria Martinez, 5 to 8 p.m., Currents Gallery, 532 NE Third St., McMinnville. 503-435-1316.

Film Club: “Soul on a String” (China), 6:15 p.m., Cedar Mill Library, Portland. 503-6440043.

Historical Columbia River Highway, 9:30 a.m., Harmony East, Harmony Community Campus, Room H320, Milwaukie. $3. 503-594-0620.

Owl Book

Group: “Rooftops of Tehran” by Mahbod Seraji, 10:30 a.m., Cedar Mill Library, Portland. 503-644-0043. The Magic Flute: Portland Opera, 2 p.m., Walters Cultural Arts Center, 150 E. Main St., Hillsboro. $5. 503615-3485. Chris Smither, 7:30 p.m., Walters Cultural Arts Center, 150 E. Main St., Hillsboro. $22/$26. 503-6153485.

Voices in Verse: Open mic poetry, 10:30 a.m., Cedar Mill Library, Portland. 503-644-0043. AARP Smart Driver, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center Cascade Building, 24700 SE Stark St., Portland. Small fee. 503-8637211.

Rhythm/Drum Circle, 6:30 p.m., Cedar Mill Library, Portland. 503-644-0043. Nov. 1 Jules Elias, clarinet, Ray McKean, piano, Renee Elias, narrator, noon, The Old Church, 1422 SW 11th Ave., Portland. Send your calendar items to: Calendar, 4120 River Road N., Keizer, OR 97303 or email mte@nwseniornews.com by the 6th of the month for the following month’s publication.

Patience in my lily garden

14 PORTLAND-METRO/VANCOUVER EDITION

DIGGIN’ IT!

By GRACE PETERSON MASTER GARDENER

I can’t remember where I saw my first martagon lily. It might have been a photograph because they aren’t very common in gardens, perhaps due to their cost, or the fact that they’re smaller and demurer — not at all like their showy lily cousins which are very common in gardens. But I do remember that I was immediately intrigued by the tower of small flowers with reflexed petals and prominent downward-facing stamens. I knew I needed to grow them. But as I said, they’re not very common. And their price reflects this. Two years ago, I found “Claude Shride” martagon lily bulbs at a local nursery. I grabbed two packages containing three bulbs each and didn’t mind paying the hefty price because I knew it was still cheaper than buying them online. I planted them in fall, and in spring saw signs of life on four of them. Two grew tall and

NW BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS • OCTOBER 2017

takes to propagate martabloomed, wowing me gon lilies. with their burgundy Seven years from seed blossoms. The others to blossom is not uncomwent dormant and I puzmon, and it can take five zled over what I did years for a clump to be wrong, trying not to be ready to divide. Sometoo disappointed. how this makes them all This past spring, only the more alluring, kind of two stems came up and like that diamond locked they didn’t get more behind the cabinet for than a few inches tall besafe keeping. fore retreating back unMartagon lilies (or derground. With the Turk’s cap), according to overly wet spring, I rethe North American Lily gretted planting them in Society, are the first lilies the ground with such to bloom in the garden, wet soil. usually in June, before I feared that the bulbs summer’s heat kicks in. rotted, despite my havThey can grow 3 to 6 ing no trouble growing feet high and begin the more common lily Photo by Grace Peterson blooming from the bottypes. I thought about The “Claude Shride” martagon lily tom up, slowly opening digging and replanting blooms in this deep burgundy with their oval, dangling buds them in a container but I reflexed petals and downward— cute in their own never got around to it. facing stamens. right. Now, here it is, bulbThe leaves are starplanting time again and drainage and success. I’m thinking that rather than Perhaps even more challeng- shaped whorls growing along dig up the in-ground bulbs ing than growing them success- the upright stem, continue to which I learned resent distur- fully will be finding them for look nice after the flowers are done, and should be left in bance, I’d like to buy more sale at an affordable price. martagon bulbs and grow them Why so pricy? I learned place until they fade, at which in a container with fertile pot- through research that it has to time they can be cut at ground ting soil to assure good do with the length of time it level.

Martagons do best with morning sun and afternoon shade so they’re the perfect flower to light up a semiwooded area, perhaps complementing rhododendrons, azaleas or other late-spring blooming woodland shrubs. Sporting a musky fragrance, they come in pink, maroon, mahogany, yellow, white and almost black, many with speckles and spots. Apparently, it’s not uncommon for martagons to take a few years to settle in and often they will come up, and show a little green to tease the gardener before dying back. The little rascals. Maybe my martagons will be back next June. Maybe this is the start of their long-lived existence in my garden since they’re known to live 80 years, forming large clumps with up to 50 buds on multiple stems. Wouldn’t that be something? Look for martagon lilies at nurseries in the bulb section or Google them to find retailers online. But hurry. They sell out fast. ■

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OCTOBER 2017 • www.nwboomerandseniornews.com

Diabetes a leading cause of blindness By ERIC LEAVITT, OD

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Have you visited us online lately?

admittedly not controlling her blood sugars very well, but she has been working very hard with her primary care doctor. Now, her A1C level (the test that shows the average levels of blood glucose over the past three months) has gone down and the health of her retinas has improved in just the course of two years. Taking your prescribed medication, following your recommended diet, and exercising regularly will all help you maintain your glucose levels in addition to your overall health. Kidney disease, high blood pressure, smoking and pregnancy are also risk factors, so make sure that you are addressing these issues with your doctor. The good news is that while 4.2 million people with diabetes have some form of diabetic retinopathy, it can easily be managed if it’s caught early. Remember, healthy diabetic eyes come from healthy diabetic bodies. Keeping your blood glucose under control and getting an eye exam every year can prevent you from developing diabetes-related blindness. ■ (Eric Leavitt, OD, practices at the Kaiser Permanente North Lancaster Medical Office.)

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The statistic may be surprising but it’s true: Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness among adults between the ages of 20 and 74. The main reason behind this statistic is that diabetics are vulnerable to something called diabetic retinopathy, a disease that can cause blood vessels in the retina to swell and leak, sometimes even closing completely. It can also cause the growth of abnormal blood vessels on the retina itself. The alarming thing is diabetic retinopathy doesn’t show symptoms in the early stages so symptoms may not appear until damage has been done to the retina, requiring treatments like laser surgery, ocular injections, or replacing the vitreous (the fluid that fills the eye). That’s why it’s important that people with diabetes get a comprehensive eye exam every year. Unfortunately, 25 percent of people with diabetes do not get the recommended exams even though 90 percent of diabetic-related blindness is preventable through early detection, timely treatment and followup care. Aside from getting annual eye exams, what can people with diabetes do to prevent blindness? The most important thing is to practice good blood glucose control. It’s the elevated levels of glucose that cause damage to the eyes, so it’s important to work with your doctor to keep your glucose at healthy, appropriate levels. Recently, I saw a patient who has retinopathy and was

Check it out today!

nwboomerandseniornews.com

PORTLAND-METRO/VANCOUVER EDITION

10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday to Wednesday, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday to Saturday. Adoptions end one-half hour before closing. Shadow has a special senior adoption fee of $15and includes neuter, microchip ID, collar and OHS ID tag, initial vaccines, courtesy veterinarian exam, 30 days free PetPlan health insurance and plenty of post adoption. The Oregon Humane Society recognizes that a pet can not only make you feel young at heart, but pets may help keep you healthy. Researchers have documented that living with pets is associated with lower blood pressure and less anxiety. Each Tuesday, 20 pets are selected by looking at personality traits that will be a good fit for a mature household. If a perfect match cannot be found among the 20 free pets, all other pets at the shelter will be $50 off the listed adoption fee (only for individuals 60 years of age or older). This special cannot be combined with other offers. ■

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Shadow (shelter #206692) is a handsome senior black cat that was found as a very friendly stray that turned up on a cat-lover’s back porch with every intent of being let in for a good breakfast and hopefully a new home. Shadow was given a temporary home in a shed while posters were placed in the neighborhood hoping to find his owner, but he remained unclaimed and was taken to Multnomah County Animal Shelter. They began treating

his upper respiratory infection and when he wasn’t adopted he was transferred to the Oregon Humane Society as a part of their Second Chance Program. Here, he has received a needed professional dental cleaning. Recently, he hadseven extractions of teeth that were diseased or broken and is healing nicely. Shadow is a sweet and loving fellow that can’t wait to find his new forever home and a companion to spend lots of time with. At 12 years old he remains an active fellow and is ready for some play time with you, napping in the sun and chatting about his day. He has been living with other cats and seems to enjoy their company. You can also meet other cats, dogs and other small animals at the Oregon Humane Society, 1067 NE Columbia Blvd., Portland. Call 503285-7722. Viewing hours are

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Delighting in my return trip to NYC

16 PORTLAND-METRO/VANCOUVER EDITION

NW BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS • OCTOBER 2017

By TINA BUETTELL

I returned this past summer from a whirlwind visit to New York City, full of enthusiasm and eager to share some tips and unexpected highlights. It’s a wonderful and challenging city that requires a “creative travel” mindset to navigate successfully. I was fortunate to travel with my techy son who initiated me to Lyft, as well as guided us through the bowels of Penn Station and Grand Central, but independent travelers can do it, too. I’m generally opposed to air travel because of its high carbon emissions, but Amtrak to New York is difficult. Early morning and late evening flights are cheaper, and may have extra seats. If you get wedged into a dreadful, rear center seat, walk the aisle (after take-off), find a better vacant seat, and move. It’s allowed, and encouraged. Return to your original seat before landing, to be near stowed luggage. Another practical reminder is that almost everyone carries a cell phone. If yours dies, as mine did, ask to borrow someone’s. Give the lender a dollar and be grateful; most folks like to help, and appreciate gratitude. City buses are a fun way to see the street layout and colorful neighborhoods while getting around. In NYC, seniors pay half-price for metrocards, available at every stop, station and many stores. Commuter ferries between Brooklyn and Manhattan are even better. Super-fast boats whisk between boroughs for the price of bus fare. They are frequent, like MAX, with schedules and maps available at Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Wall Street docks, via internet, or at traveler information centers. Plan ahead, study maps and guidebooks before you go, make reservations ahead and select specific areas to explore. There is far too much to see it all in one trip. Big museums are great for winter travel, so we chose multiple outdoor adventures for June. We spent most of a day on the lower east side, including the Tenement Museum, walking to famous Katz’s Deli, C.W. Pencil Enterprises (a wonderful shop dedicated wholly to the art of writing), and 44year old Spring Natural semi-vegan

Readers Write

Courtesy photos

This wasn’t the first time Tina Buettell (top, with her son at the United Nations) had been in New York City, but she found it to be much improved from earlier days. Above, walking along the Highline Park.

restaurant on the edge of Little Italy. After a late dinner, we strolled under festive lights serenaded by live music and shared a gelato. Little Italy is also the place to buy five/$1 postcards. Elsewhere cards are 10 times that price. Generally, New York is expensive, but there are many parks and free events. Ornate lobbies, libraries, shared rides, bike rentals, the YMCA, Airbnb, fruit stands and small grocery stores are other cost-cutting options. Other memorable walks were the Brooklyn Bridge in moonlight facing west toward the glittering Manhattan skyline, the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and the Highline Park, along 10th Avenue.

There are no amenities along the Highline north of 16th Street, and the last length north of 30th is still undeveloped and in full sun. I would recommend hiking south on the Highline from West 23rd, ending at the Whitney Museum. There are restrooms at 16th and at Gansevoort Street, in the West Village. I was pleasantly surprised by the “new” Times Square, car-free, full of life, public pianos, performance art, seating, food, play areas, a book store and a heart-warming blend of diverse people all bonding in joy in the center of this noisy, vibrant city. Bryant Park, behind the central library, also has become a pleasant, rather more sophisticated gathering

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place these days, nothing like its raunchy 1970s scene of neglect and drug activity. Indeed, I was amazed at how New York’s social welfare, street outreach and funding priorities for livable cities has changed its feel and image. Homelessness has largely disappeared from the central city, maybe with significant gentrification effects, but also with more low-income housing and needed services. I was thrilled to see a profusion of new public green spaces and community gardens, from Tudor City Greens in the Murray Hill area, to the Sarah D. Roosevelt M’Finda Kalunga Garden on the lower east side to pocket parks scattered through neighborhoods everywhere. Native plants, edible plants, window gardens, large trees preserved, plant sales, greenscaping, recycling and environmental sensitivity on a scale I never imagined in the New York I remember from years ago. There are still too many piles of plastic trash bags destined for landfill (or, is it seafill?), and still way too much non-degradable packaging, but movement toward sustainability awareness is palpable. In this time of disheartening violence and strife, I needed to make a pilgrimage visit to the United Nations, and am so glad we did. The one-hour tour is still as inspiring and beautiful as ever. As a 10-yearold my parents took me on the tour and it literally changed my life, but that’s another story. Don’t be intimidated by the guards at the entrance gate these days. Just smile, walk in and act like you are supposed to be there. You are; it’s all of ours. Do reserve tour tickets in advance, from home, at peak seasons, and always carry photo ID everywhere. We barely had time to brush the surface, but New York City is well worth a visit, either as a first-timer or a seasoned returnee. Travel light, talk to strangers and be creative with your transportation and itinerary choices. Bon voyage. ■ (Tina Buettell lives in Milwaukie.)

OCTOBER 2017 • www.nwboomerandseniornews.com “The Burning Girl” (WW Norton) This is a tale of friendship between two girls and a piercing story of adolescence and identity asking, “How well do we know ourselves and others?” and “What stories do we tell ourselves to fill in the blanks?” The author says that each of us shapes our stories so they make sense of who we are.

“Rancher, Farmer, Fisherman: Conservation Heroes of the American Heartland” by Miriam Horn (WW Norton) This paperback release was a critically acclaimed documentary on Discovery the Channel. The book reminds us of what unifies our nation. Many of the men and women doing today’s most important environmental work — restoring America’s grasslands, wildlife, soil, rivers, wetlands, and oceans — would not call themselves environmentalists. What drives them is their deep love of the land. This is about everyday people taking responsibility.

PORTLAND-METRO/VANCOUVER EDITION