CRREADER.COM • January 10 – February 15, 2019 • COMPLIMENTARY Helping you discover and enjoy the good life in the Columbia River region at home and on the road
WHERE DO
YOU READ THE
READER
?
page 36-37
Sacajawea A WOMAN FOR THE AGES
page 5
HAIKUFEST 2019
LAST CALL
page 17
page 30
COLUMBIA RIVER
dining guide
Blooming n Place I
page 19
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2 / Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019
I
am not surprised that the project Nancy Chennault spearheaded over the last few years in Castle Rock has been a wild success. Her vision, leadership and recruitment skills resulted in volunteers cropping up like crazy. The town, which has won national awards in the America in Bloom program, has proudly transformed itself and become a beacon of inspiration to other communities. Castle Rock is, literally, blooming. And signs of it are popping up all around town.
Sue’s Views
This month’s People+Place features Jason Vorse, a Castle Rock native who left after high school but returned 20 years later to open Pollen Floral Works in the heart of town.
A few years ago, when she was writing her monthly “Northwest Gardener” column, Nancy invited me to ride shotgun with her one day on her route delivering wholesale flower orders to various nurseries between Longview and Corvallis. She drove the truck like a pro and brought along snacks and water and a picnic lunch. It was a fun day. What struck me the most, however, was the relationship she seemed to have with all the nursery staff we encountered. At every stop, it was obvious they appreciated her and were happy to see her. Nancy has a way with people, to be sure, and a heart of
When Hal Calbom was doing the interview for this story, I looked on, enjoying the trendy, fragrant shop with its mossy branch arbor framing the cooler wall, spectacular Christmas tree festooned with white-feathered exotic birds, and several deer head trophies mounted high on the walls (so Castle Rock!).
Blooming, popping in place. Castle Rock rocks!
Publisher/Editor: Susan P. Piper
ON THE COVER
Columnists and contributors: Dr. Bob Blackwood Hal Calbom Tiffany Dickinson Alice Dietz Ted Gruber Jim LeMonds Michelle Madison Gary Meyers Michael Perry Ned Piper Perry Piper Robert Michael Pyle Marc Roland Alan Rose Alice Slusher Greg Smith Debra Tweedy
Castle Rock native Jason Vorse returns after 20 years to open Pollen Floral Works. Photo by Hal Calbom.
Production Manager/ Photographer: Perry E. Piper Editorial/Proofreading Assistants: Merrilee Bauman Tiffany Dickinson Michael Perry Marilyn Perry Debra Tweedy Advertising Manager: Ned Piper, 360-749-2632 Columbia River Reader, llc 1333 14th Ave • Longview, WA 98632 P.O. Box 1643 • Rainier, OR 97048 Office Hours: M-W-F • 11–3* *Other times by chance or appointment Website: www.CRReader.com E-mail: publisher@crreader.com Phone: 360-749-1021 Subscriptions $28 per year inside U.S. (plus $2.34 sales tax for subscriptions mailed to Washington addresses).
gold. She’s upbeat, open, encouraging and enthusiastic. Of course, at the base of it is her love for everything about plants and flowers and sharing the joys of gardening — something CRR readers enjoyed during the years she wrote for us. See the reprint of Nancy’s July 2017 column, with her photo, page 32.
People+Place feature story, page 19.
Cover Design by
Columbia River Reader is published monthly, with 15,000 copies distributed free throughout the Lower Columbia region in SW Washington and NW Oregon. Entire contents copyrighted by Columbia River Reader. No reproduction of any kind allowed without express written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, not necessarily to the Reader. Reader submission guidelines: page 28.
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During the interview, Jason broke away to take the occasional phone call or check
his computer for incoming orders and interact with walk-in visitors, including Kori Quatermas, the manager of the new Castle Rock Visitor Center on the freeway side of town. But I most vividly recall one gentleman who came in to see about a gift idea for his granddaughter. I’d say he was around 75-80, possibly a retired logger, forester or tug boat operator, a salt-of-the-earth, “good ol’ boy” from Castle Rock, wearing a flannel shirt and workboots. Before asking if Jason thought the whitefeathered exotic birds might be used to embellish his handmade gift, the man commented about the shop. “ I like the decor in here. It really pops!” Yes, it does. And it fits right in. Thanks, Jason, and thanks, Nancy, and everyone else who help make Castle Rock “bloom in place.” Castle Rock rocks!
Sue Piper
Columbia River Reader . . . helping you discover and enjoy the good life in the Columbia River region at home and on the road.
In this Issue
4
Letters to the Editor
5
Dispatch from the Discovery Trail ~ Sacajawea
9
Biz Buzz
10
Roland on Wine: Marc’s New Year’s Challenge
11
Volcano Naturalist Certification
12
Medical Matters
13
Miss Manners
14
My Slant: Reaching for Dolphins
16
Northwest Gardening ~ Saving your Poinsettias
17
HaikuFest 2019: Last Call
19-22 People + Place ~Flower Power: Jason Vorse 23
People+Place Top Five Books
23
Quips & Quotes
24
Essay by Robert Michael Pyle: The High Price of Getting Hip
26
Besides CRR, What Are You Reading?
27
Cover to Cover ~ Bestsellers List / Book Review
28-29 Outings & Events Calendar 30
Lower Columbia Dining Guide
31
Astronomy ~ Night Sky Report
32
The Bloom Is On! Nancy’ Chennault’s growing tips
34
Lower Columbia Informer ~ Paying too much for Internet?
35
Movies by Dr. Bob Blackwood
36-37 Where Do You Read the Reader? 38
The Spectator ~ Sports frenzy at the Shamrock
38
Plugged In to Cowlitz PUD
Visit our website for access to the current issue and the archive of past Columbia River Reader issues (from January 2013), Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019 / 3
Letter to the Editor J. Walter Barham, 1924 - 2018 The Consummate Gentleman & Extraordinary City Manager From remarks at the recent memorial service for J. Walter Barham On behalf of the entire community, I want to thank the Barham family for having shared him with us...
Curbside Recycling Change Glass No Longer Accepted - As of Jan 1, 2019 Please place your glass bottle and jars in your green garbage container or you may bring them directly to Waste Control for recycling
Plastics Still Accepted Plastics 1 and 2 Only No need to remove paper labels or crush plastic
In an effort to serve you better, the City has compiled common information that residents often request, plus created an easy way for you to communicate with us.
Got a question? Just Ask Longview!
Please do not place your recyclables in plastic bags Place directly into your BROWN recycling container Most plastic bags are a solid color, preventing sorters from seeing the contents. Used needles or other hazardous materials are sometimes found; for safety reasons, such bags are not opened up.
Recycling Rule of Thumb: Reuse or donate if possible, but... When in doubt — throw it out!
www.longviewrecycles.com Your Columbia River Reader
Read it. Enjoy it. Share it. Recycle it.
Columbia River Reader is printed with environmentally-sensitive soy-based inks on paper manufactured in the Pacific Northwest utilizing the highest percentage of “post-consumer waste” recycled content available on the market.
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After then-Mayor F. Clark Lewis successfully led efforts to convince voters of the wisdom of adopting a city manager form of government in the mid-1960s, Mr. Barham was the council’s choice and they recruited him up from southern Oregon... Mr. Barham helped save a performing arts theater from demolition; re-paved Cascade Way; developed the Mint Valley Golf Course and Racquetball Complex; established Roy Morse and Ed Clooney Parks; remodeled City Hall; created a public transit system; repaired a failing sewage collection system; consolidated the city’s police department, law enforcement records and 911 dispatch services at the County Hall of Justice; built new Fire Stations; improved John Null Park; rehabilitated Lake Sacajawea by intercepting stormwater drains, adding a fresh water source from the
Cowlitz River and dredging it of 30 years of decayed debris; rebuilt the water treatment plant on Fisher’s Lane; acquired the land and oversaw the building of Seventh Avenue Park; and led us through the harrowing days following the eruption of Mt. St. Helens. He was a master at dreaming big… Mr. Barham would insist that he took orders from the Council and that his accomplishments were part of a team effort of top employees he had assembled for the city… Thank you, Mr. Barham, for all you have accomplished for our hometown – we are all better for having known you. Dennis Weber Longview, Wash. Dennis Weber is a former Mayor of Longview and has served as a Cowlitz County Commissioner since 2013.
CRR proofreaders mind their p’s and q’s
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Lewis & Clark
The Indispensable Sacajawea There are more statues of Sacajawea in the United States than of any other woman. She has appeared in paintings and films, on postage stamps and on a golden dollar coin introduced in 2000. Nobody knows what she really looked like, but we have all heard the embellished stories of the teenager who carried her baby across half the continent and back while guiding the Lewis and Clark Expedition. In truth, while she did little, if any, guiding, her
Lewis & Clark Encore We are pleased to present
Installment #9 of Michael Perry’s popular 33-month series which began with CRR’s April 15, 2004 inaugural issue. “Dispatch from the Discovery Trail” helped define and shape Columbia River Reader in its early years during the Bicentennial Commemoration of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Each installment covered their travels during the corresponding month 200 years prior. We are repeating the series for the enjoyment of both longtime and more recent readers.
presence undoubtedly contributed to the success of the Expedition. Without her, the Lewis & Clark Expedition would have likely ended in failure. Sacajawea, Sakakawea, or Sacagawea? What is the correct spelling for the name of the American Indian woman who accompanied Lewis and Clark on their western journey 200 years ago? That depends on which source one consults; there is no uniform consensus. “Sacajawea” is the Shoshone spelling and means “boat pusher” while “Sakakawea” is the Hidatsa spelling and means “bird woman.” Lewis and Clark had no idea how to spell it; they usually referred to her as “Squar” or “Indian Woman.”
The most famous statue of Sacajawea was sculpted by Alice Cooper (Hubbard) and was dedicated during the 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial in Portland, Oregon. The heroic-sized statue contains 20 tons of copper. It was moved to Washington Park in 1906.
The few times they attempted to write her name, they spelled it phonetically. In 1805, Lewis wrote that they named a
Michael Perry enjoys local history and travel. His popular 33-installment Lewis & Clark series appeared in CRR’s early years and began its second “encore” appearance in April 2018.
river after her in present-day Montana, “this stream we called Sah-ca-gar-we-ah or bird woman’s River, after our interpreter the Snake woman.” Thus, many people believe the Hidatsa pronunciation (“Tsakaka-wea”) is correct. However, in 1825 Captain Clark made a list of the expedition members where he wrote,
AGENT SPOTLIGHT ~ Meet Jeanette Almos! Jeanette Almos worked for 20 years at Pacific Northwest Bell in several positions. She and her late husband, Bob, owned Murl-Art Portrait Studio for 22 years where they served the local community with their photography needs — you may know her from there! Jeanette went on to drive a school bus for Kelso and start her real estate career. During her time as a Real Estate Broker
she has put her countless years of customer service expertise to work for her clients, even selling homes to the same children she safely transported to and from Kelso schools in the past. Jeanette says what she enjoys most about being a Real Estate Broker is working with and meeting new people, with many of whom she has established lasting friendships. We are grateful Jeanette has been part of our Windermere Team for more than 20 years!
Subject to Interpretation One of the first things Lewis and Clark did in November 1804 when they arrived at the Mandan Indian villages in present-day North Dakota was to hire a French-Canadian fur trader named Toussaint Charbonneau “as an interpreter through his wife.” Charbonneau, born about 1758, could not speak English, but he did speak a little Hidatsa. There were other Frenchmen they could have hired, but Charbonneau had something that Lewis and Clark knew would be most valuable in the coming year – he had two Shoshone wives. A Big Disappointment
During the first weeks at the Mandan villages, they had talked with many Indians and had come to realize there was no direct water route to the Pacific Ocean. It was clear they
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“Se car ja we au – Dead.” Today, most people spell it Sacagawea, but we will use Sacajawea in this column to conform with the spelling of the lake in the center of Longview, Washington.
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Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019 / 5
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From Ikea product hacks to painting kitchen cabinets and refinishing countertops, Americans are absolutely hooked on the DIY craze. There are some things, however, that only a pro should tackle and that includes determining a home’s current market value. In fact, a National Association of Realtors’ survey of forsale-by-owners found that determining an accurate price for their home was the homeowner’s most challenging task.
sole purpose is to ensure that the lender isn’t loaning more than the home is worth. Both will compare your home to others. These other homes are known as “comps,” short for “comparable.”
Sold homes are the comps agents use when preparing a comparative market analysis. Appraisers, too, use sold homes when working on figuring out how much a home is worth.
Pricing your home too high or too low are both disastrous to your pocketbook.
What’s a “Comp?” What is “market value?”
Typically, we’ll look back no more than six months for sold homes, similar in age, style and size, within a one-mile radius of yours.
Real estate agents and professional appraisers pretty much use the same process to determine a home’s market value. The purpose behind the two, however, is what differs, albeit slightly.
Agents are determining market value whereas the appraiser’s
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would have to portage across the Stoney (Rocky) Mountains. The Shoshone (Snake) Indians lived near the headwaters of the Missouri and had horses that Lewis and Clark would need to make the passage. But, to obtain horses, they would need some way to communicate with the Shoshones. Charbonneau was hired on the condition he bring one of his wives with him. The fact the two captains didn’t care which wife he brought seems a little surprising because one of his wives (Sacajawea) was six months pregnant and would give birth to a son just two months before the Expedition resumed their trek to the Pacific in April 1805. They just wanted someone who could speak Shoshone. Even then, communication would be difficult — Captains Lewis or Clark would speak to Private Francois Labiche, who would repeat it in French to Charbonneau who would then translate it to Hidatsa so Sacajawea could translate it into Shoshone. By the time the answer came back, six translations would take place, so errors were bound to creep in. Oral Traditions Surprisingly little is known about Sacajawea. Indians did not keep written histories, so the journals kept by the men of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and a few letters and records kept after the journey was over are the only factual information modern-day researchers can rely on. But, there are several oral histories about Sacajawea that have been passed down among different Indian tribes over the last 200 years that offer tantalizing (and often conflicting) information that makes it impossible to know for sure what the truth is.
While no records exist, it is likely Sacajawea was born in 1788 near present-day Salmon, Idaho. Shoshone Indians made annual trips into presentday Montana to dig roots and hunt for buffalo, elk, and deer. In 1800, while at their summer camp west of presentday Bozeman, Montana, Sacajawea and several other Shoshone girls were taken captive by a band of marauding Indians and later sold to some Hidatsa Indians who lived near the Mandan villages in North Dakota. One of the kidnapped girls escaped enroute, but Sacajawea believed it would be impossible to find the way back to her people and accepted her fate as a 12-year-old captive. She learned the Hidatsa language and was adopted into their tribe. When just 14, she was sold (or lost in a gambling bet) to Charbonneau. A year later, she was pregnant and told to prepare for the long trip. On February 11, 1805, Sacajawea gave birth to a boy. It was a long and difficult labor, so Captain Lewis was called to help. A French trader told him a small portion of the rattle from a rattlesnake would hasten the birth process. Since her pain was so violent, Lewis reluctantly administered two rings of the rattle and within 10 minutes the baby was delivered. Charbonneau named him Jean Baptiste after his father, but his Indian name was Pomp, meaning “first born.” After leaving Fort Mandan in April 1805, it took four months for the Corps of Discovery to reach the place Sacajawea had been captured five years earlier. She began to recognize familiar landmarks and told Lewis cont. page 7
from page 6
and Clark they were getting close to the Shoshone lands. In August, Sacajawea was reunited with her birth tribe. One of the women who rushed to greet her was the girl who had escaped after Sacajawea was captured. The journals state the chief of the Shoshone tribe turned out to be Sacajawea’s brother, but since all men in the tribe were referred to as brothers, fathers, or grandfathers, there is some question if he was her biological brother. A tense moment occurred shortly after Sacajawea returned to her people. Lewis wrote, “The father frequently disposes of his infant daughters in marriage to men who are grown or to men who have sons for whom they think proper to provide wives. the
compensation given in such cases usually consists of horses or mules which the father receives at the time of contract and converts to his own uce. the girl remains with her parents untill she is conceived to have obtained the age of puberty which with them is considered to be the age of 13 or 14 years. Sah-car-gar-we-ah had been thus disposed of before she was taken by the Minnetares, or had arrived to the years of puberty. the husband was yet living and with this band. he was more than double her age and had two other wives. He claimed her as his wife but said that as she had had a child by another man, who was Charbono, that he did not want her.” Surprisingly, Sacajawea showed little or no interest in staying with her people. Most of her family was dead, and she had enjoyed life with
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the Hidatsa Indians. When the Expedition returned from the Pacific in 1806, they found no trace of the Shoshone Indians. Thus, Sacajawea
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Biz Buzz What’s Happening Around the River Biz Buzz notes news in local business and professional circles. As space allows, we will include news of innovations, improvements, new ventures and significant employee milestones of interest to readers. Please email publisher@crreader.com to share the local buzz.
Sign of the times
Cowlitz County District Court Judge John Hays administers the oath of office to new Port Commissioner Allan Erickson.
Newly appointed Commissioner Allan Erickson officially joined the Port of Longview Board of Commissioners. Cowlitz County District Court Judge John Hayes presided over the swearing in of Erickson, who represents the Commission’s 3rd District. Erickson was selected by the Board last month to fulfill the seat vacated by former Commissioner Bob Bagaason. “On behalf of the Board, I want to welcome Mr. Erickson to our team,” said Commission President Jeff Wilson. “We look forward to Allan’s participation in continuing the Port’s success.” Erickson is a lifelong local resident. He worked in the printing industry
for more than 40 years before his retirement and actively participates in local community organizations. Erickson earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Washington. “I am honored to help guide Port leadership as we build on the momentum of recent successes,” said Commissioner Erickson. “One of my goals as Commissioner is to work toward building more family-wage jobs for the citizens of the Port district.” The Board of Commissioners is comprised of three elected members representing the citizens of the Port district. Commissioners serve six-year terms and set governing policy for the Port of Longview.
Longview community leader and volunteer Bill K asch recently coordinated the refurbishing of the sign on the Longview-Kelso border near Washington Way and Ocean Beach Highway. The sign, erected in August 2013, was showing its age. “Painted signs always fade,” said Kasch, who with his wife, Donna Kasch, gifted the sign to the Cities of Longview and Kelso. There are expenses in getting signs re-done and “you can’t do it yourself.” Kasch got busy and recruited funds and the help of many to pay for the sign’s new highdensity urethane face, which won’t fade and should last several years. Kasch credits Tony and Sharon We r n e r, J e f f C z e c h , C a l v i n Maarhvus, Longivew Parks Dept., Columbia Ford, Fibre Federal Credit Union, the Storedahl Family, Sign Print 360, Tom and Bev Anderson, Don Hanes, Watkins Tractor and the
Boatman Family for different forms of assistance and contributions in the original sign design, construction and latest maintenance project. Signs are among the pet projects of Kasch, a tireless community activist. A local history buff, he also spearheaded the Monticello Convention sign along Tennant Way near Lakeside Industries and gateway “Welcome to Longview” signs in the downtown area, among other projects.
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Roland on Wine
Marc’s New Year’s Challenge Take some time to educate yourself on the virtues of wine! By Marc Roland
I
n the documentary, SOMM, sommelier Ian Cauble describes a wine’s smell as “freshly cut garden hose” and “freshly opened can of tennis balls.” It seems absolutely ridiculous to think that wine can smell like either of those things. Really? It got me thinking… the way we describe aromas and flavor is related more to our memory of smells than it is to reality. Here are some of my favorites: gasoline(riesling), cat pee (sauvignon blanc), pencil shavings (cabernet sauvignon), and forest floor (Oregon pinot noir). But how we experience flavors is so subjective that one cannot ENJOY THE really argue with the wine EXPERIENCE descriptors that others use. We may not get it, but they can be informative and even understandable if we recall the memory of DELIGHT IN aromas of things we put in THE RESULT our mouths that our moms told us not to! Ever eat dirt? Well, maybe you can use earth to describe a meaty, earthy syrah.We also have different tastes for wine, even if we can’t articulate why. If we struggle to pick out flavors in wine, most of us can tell if our wine has enough flavor, or a flavor we prefer. It usually
boils down to the primary tastes like sour, salty, sweet, and bitter. Some add “umami” which is a pleasant savory taste imparted by types of amino acid that are natural in many foods. I call it “mouth feel.” Is it pleasant? That is the most important question. Every other question is secondary to your enjoyment of the wine. But it doesn’t mean that it isn’t helpful to explore the language of wine. I have a respected wine taster in my life who, when drinking a decent bottle of wine, often says, “this wine is not an intellectual journey.” Meaning not a lot going on, but enjoyable. For us wine snobs, we like to think about wine in hopes of wringing out every descriptor we can find, for maximum pleasure and appreciation. I bet most of us can tell if our food is too salty or too spicy. But we don’t spend too much time analyzing every aspect of the food. We expect the meat to taste like, well, meat. But not so in wine. Wine should taste grapey, right? No. Quality wine should not taste like unfermented grape juice, like the Welches grape juice we chugged as
Longview resident and former Kelso teacher Marc Roland started making wine in 2008 in his garage. He and his wife, Nancy, now operate Roland Wines at 1106 Florida Street in Longview’s new “barrel district.” For wine tasting hours, call 360-846-7304.
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children. We would be disappointed. Not to mention we want alcohol in our wine! All of this is to say wine is like nothing else. It can be complex and simple at the same time. There are nuances of aroma and flavor that are unprecedented in the world of food. I believe wine is food, a necessity of life, full of heart-preserving goodness; full of stuff that can’t be easily described. Universities, books, and people all over the world study it. If you think I’m kidding, take some time this year to educate yourself on the virtues of wine. Here are some local suggestions that I’m aware of: Book a wine education class or tour with M Vinology (mvinology.com). Dr. Steve Meharg is a great resource. Get your friends together and choose a course to be held at a location near you or a tour of Southwest Washington wineries. JSquared Barrel House (www. j2barrelhouse.com) in Longview is planning some wine tasting this winter. For dates visit their website or call 360-703-3939. Roland Wines is doing a series of tasting sessions on Tuesdays (January 7,14,21,28) at 5:30pm. Call 360-846-7304 or buy tickets at rolandwines.com Tap into Wine in St. Helens, Ore., often offers tasting events. Check tapintowinesh.com. •••
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technique • theory • performance 10 / Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019
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VOLCANO NATURALIST CERTIFICATION
February Feature Artist
Mount St. Helens Institute offers classes in Vancouver Vancouver, WA – The Mount St. Helens Institute and the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument are pleased to announce the seventh year of the beloved Volcano Naturalist Program which will be held at Clark College. The Volcano Naturalist Course is a 12-week certification program offered by the Mount St. Helens Institute and U.S. Forest Service. Students in this course will have the opportunity to learn about the natural history of Mount St. Helens and southwest Washington. Each class takes an in-depth look at a different subject, including the mountain’s eruptive history, the ecology of the blast zone, the cultural history of Mount St. Helens, and much more. Classes are led by an instructor who is an expert
in his/her field. With over 40 hours of classroom instruction, and three hands-on field trips, participants leave the class not only as certified Volcano Naturalists, but with a greater understanding and appreciation for the powerful geologic and ecological forces at play in our community. “A visit to Johnston Ridge Observatory is like seeing an iceberg from a cruise ship; the Volcano Naturalist Program is a look at the 90 percent of the iceberg beneath the water.” - David Newcomb, Volcano Naturalist Graduate 2013. The 2019 course consists of 12 classes on Wednesdays, 6-9 pm at Clark College from February 6th through
Call now to sign up!
Ken Knodell Fused Glass May 1st. The course registration is $360 for the general public, with registration discounts available to Mount St. Helens Institute members and volunteers. Registration includes books and all course materials required to become a Volcano Naturalist. Clock hours are available for teachers taking Volcano Naturalist classes. For more information and to apply to the program, visit www.mshinstitute. org/volunteer/volcano-naturalistprogram.html. For questions, contact Abigail Groskopf, MSHI Programs Director, agroskopf@mshinstitute.org, 360-891-5067. Registration closes February 1, 2019.
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Hotel 360-425-9900 • Long-Bell Steakhouse 360-747-6030 Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019 / 11
THE PET DEPT.
Editor’s Note: Sorry, I am only human. Would a nice bone or catnip ball be of any comfort?
She left us out again. And THIS time it was the socalled “special” Holiday issue! We’re calling the Humane Society to file a complaint. ~Ginger, Victoria Findlay’s dog, and Smokey, Man in the Kitchen’s cat
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MEDICAL MATTERS
Pacific Surgical Center’s Michele Peterson attends By Jim LeMonds conference
M
ichele Peterson, Nurse Manager at Pacific Surgical Center, recently attended the annual conference hosted by the Washington Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (WASCA). The two-day event was held in early November at the Hotel Murano in Tacoma. Peterson, who has served as Nurse Manager at PSC since the facility opened in 2006, said attending the WASCA conference is always informative.
Michele Peterson
“It’s a great resource for regulatory compliance issues and changes,” she noted. “The conference provides opportunities to network with other surgery centers, vendors, and regulatory agencies. Also, the Washington Department of Health is there; the idea is that we all work collaboratively to improve patient care. Infection control practices and advances are also a big topic.” Procedures performed at PSC — which include those related to orthopedics, urology, gastroenterology, podiatry, and general surgery — do not require an overnight stay and are often much less expensive than those performed in a hospital setting. “We’ve begun doing bigger surgeries, such as total and partial knee replacements,” Peterson said, “and it is helpful to talk with other surgery centers to see how they are dealing with those procedures.” Peterson and her staff are quick to point to Pacific Surgical Center’s 98 percent patient satisfaction rate as evidence of their commitment to excellence. “Quality patient care has been, and always will be, our numberone priority.”
Get your copy of Leroy Nelson’s new book!
PSC is one of only a handful of ASCs in the U.S. to publish online its pricing for specific procedures. The list can be viewed at http://www.pacificsurgicalwa.com/pricing/. The published price includes all fees for the surgeon, facility, and anesthesiologist. Call 360.442.7900 for additional information. •••
Former R.A. Long High School English teacher Jim LeMonds is a semi-retired writer, editor, and marketer who rides his mountain bike whenever he gets the chance. He lives in Castle Rock, Wash. His published books are South of Seattle and Deadfall.
12 / Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019
Civilized Living self-awareness. Or, maybe worse, that I’ve become uptight and intolerant. Am I wrong here? GENTLE READER: Are you wrong to date someone who has a habit that drives you crazy, but who is unwilling or unable to drop it? Yes.
By Judith Martin, Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin
DEAR MISS MANNERS: What’s the best way to order something from a menu when the restaurant has given it a ridiculous name? The restaurant calls the sandwich I want “Smack Yo Mama.” It’s stupid — and I find it offensive. Do I just point at it in the menu and say, “I’ll have that”? Or do I say, “I’ll have the Smack Yo Mama without the side order of misogyny, please”? GENTLE READER: Pointing is one option. Another is to read back the description that most menus find necessary when the name is so clever as to be unidentifiable: “I would like the pastrami on rye with Tabasco, cayenne pepper and a side of pomme frites.” Miss Manners recommends reserving complaints for someone, such as a manager, who is in a position to make a change. If none is available, the suggestion box or the restaurant’s comment section on its website will do. DEAR MISS MANNERS: My new partner and I receive invitations from my friends and family for dinners and social events. They are happy for me in my new relationship and want to meet him. My partner does not enjoy casual socializing, and is adamant about not wanting to go. That is mostly fine with me, so we have agreed that I will let him know occasions that are important to me that I would like him to attend. He’s fine with that and has done so. He is retired from a successful professional
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career, is a happy guy who engages in sports and activities he enjoys, and we have an active life together.
it’s against policy to take gifts, and try to encourage them to consider donating to the hospice.
I think his dislike of socializing is in response to many years of required attendance at business and personal affairs (he is a widower). I am happy to attend alone, but the oblique excuses I make for him are making me feel uncomfortable. Please help me with a response that is truthful but fair to him and will not offend the inviters.
Sometimes they insist, and, for one spouse, my polite refusal was adding to his grief. A couple times I’ve been given $100 gift cards, which I turned over to the volunteer coordinator so they could be given to patients/ families in need. I sent thank-you notes to the families, but did not mention that I had given away the cards.
GENTLE READER: What you need is a series of responses to deal with the rude, but unfortunately predictable, follow-ups to an initial refusal.
Is this the right thing to do? Is there anything I can say to refuse these gifts and still show my thanks for their allowing me to be part of such a difficult, yet precious, time?
Answer No. 1: “Edwin is so sorry but he will not be able to attend.” Answer No. 2: “He just can’t. He’s so tied up right now.” Answer No. 3: “I realize that. He would love to have come, but it’s just not possible.” Miss Manners trusts you to follow the pattern and improvise more as necessary without resorting to, “Edwin hates your barbecues and now I’m not coming either.” DEAR MISS MANNERS: I volunteer with my local hospice, where I’m assigned one patient/family at a time who I visit weekly in the home, sometimes for many months. These relationships become very special and dear to all of us. Many times the family will want to give me a gift at the holidays or at the end of the assignment. I explain that
GENTLE READER: You are doing it. And you strike Miss Manners as the kind of person we would all want at our bedsides when dying. DEAR MISS MANNERS: I started dating someone whose out-of-context singing, humming and whistling deeply irritate me. I realize this is a joyful act, so I do have some guilt about feeling annoyed with him. Last weekend we were on a crowded train back to the city, and when he started it up again, I (sweetly) asked him to stop. I found it especially inconsiderate and bothersome because I’m sure other people, absorbed in their own conversations, books, etc., didn’t want to hear him either. I could tell my request hurt his feelings and offended him.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: My husband and I married in our 60s, following the loss of our first spouses after their long illnesses. His first wife came from a huge, loving Irish family that welcomed me with open arms. My first husband came from a small family of childless members and only children, so I have only a few former in-laws left. What puzzles me is this: Are these people our “former” in-laws, even though our feelings for them are warm? What is our relationship? My husband’s thinking is that our relationship is the same; our previous marriages were never dissolved and we are all still in-laws in heart. I want to agree, but am not sure. GENTLE READER: Your husband’s answer is in two parts: one legal, the other moral. Not being a lawyer, Miss Manners reserves comment on the former, except to say that “’til death do us part” — not to mention your remarriage — suggests that the first marriages were, indeed, dissolved, albeit involuntary. She is nevertheless sympathetic to the second argument. Not all familial relationships are a question of birth: Your husband is now your family because of the choice you and he made in getting married. Drawing a parallel, Miss Manners has no objection to your retaining your former in-laws if you and they both agree. You will still have to describe them to third parties as “former,” or “my first husband’s
More than the actual act, my concern is that he is inconsiderate and lacks
cont page 15
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For info or to reserve your space, contact Ned Piper, 360-749-2632 or nedpiper@gmail.com Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019 / 13
My Slant
Reaching for Dolphins
By Tiffany Dickinson
New Year’s reflections on how we live our lives
I
heard about a guide whose job it was to take tourists out on a boat to experience the marine life. As the small craft skimmed across the blue, creatures bobbed around and swam underneath. The tourists could lean over the side, reaching the clear water, trying to touch dolphins, turtles, and rays. The guide observed that most of the tourists were so busy trying to get good pictures, they didn’t reach for the sea creatures. They may have those photos forever, but they don’t have the thrilling memory of a rubberskinned frolicking dolphin bumping against their hand as the warm water rushes through their fingers. They’ll have no memory of the smooth, hard shell of a sea turtle brushing their fingertips just before it torpedoes straight down to the deep. They may have gotten splashed by a jumping ray, but is that the best experience they could have? Let’s make 2019 the year we reach for the dolphins — not just photograph them. Many of us enjoyed the 2004 movie “The Incredibles”. You may remember the family dinner table scene in which, Mr. Incredible (Bob) daydreams about his past superhero exploits while tuning out his wife and three kids. Mrs. Incredible (Helen) says to him, while wrangling three kids with different powers and needs, “Bob, it’s time to engage!” Are you engaged in your own life, or are you sleep-walking through it? I had a sleep-walking experience this holiday season. I love Christmas music. One of my favorites is Mahalia
Jackson. I have a Jackson Christmas CD that I’ve owned for years and had listened to at least 10 times this year already when I thought, “It’s a great CD, but I want to hear her singing “Silver Bells” again. So, I went online to find that CD, but I found nothing new. THEN I went and LOOKED at my CD. There it was – song #3: “Silver Bells.” I had been listening to it, and it didn’t even register. Are our lives playing in the background while we watch the news, check our phones, worry about things we have no control over – or worse yet – worry about things we can impact? Do you feel as if you slept through 2018? Will Christmas 2019 arrive with you wondering what happened to the year? When will your real life begin? When a new administration comes in? When I get that job? When I retire? When the children leave? When they come back? What are you waiting for? In the Longview-Kelso area there are myriad opportunities we pass perhaps daily without considering. You’ve probably noticed the houses high on the north hill of Longview. Have you driven up to see what they see? It could give you a new perspective. Many of us walk, run, or bike around Lake Sacajawea. How about counting how many different species of wildlife you observe in a half-hour on a rainy day? Or counting the churches lining the park? Can you name every store and restaurant in Triangle Mall? Do you know what each one offers, or do you stick with big-name familiars? Have you strolled along Commerce and beyond, looking into windows, considering
options other than national chains or Vancouver merchants? What about businesses in Castle Rock? Cathlamet? Kalama? Rainier or St. Helens? When we lived in Augusta, Georgia, we had a neighbor who, in her late 30’s, Portland native Tiffany Dickinson is a nurse-turned homeschooling momturned children’s writer. She was recently published in Newsworthy, the newsletter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. We welcome her to the pages of CRR, aimed at readers who are children at heart.
14 / Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019
The area boasts several prestigious colleges and universities, including Emory, a world-renown research cont page 15
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had lived there her entire life and had never been to Atlanta. Atlanta is 145 miles (2 ¼-hour drive on I-20) from Augusta. For reference, Yakima is 167 miles from Longview, Goldendale 146, and Port Townsend 162. The Atlanta metropolitan area has a population of 5.8 million people. It is home to Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, Turner Broadcasting (parent of CNN, among others), The Home Depot, GPC (Genuine Parts Company), and Chick-fil-A.
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from page 14
facility, and Spelman, the historically black women’s liberal arts college. Plus, there’s a decent aquarium and zoo. This is not a sales-pitch for Atlanta, which also happens to be the capitol of Georgia and the city that General Sherman burned during the Civil War. But this woman had been so “busy” that she couldn’t find the time in her life to make it over there — even once.
Someone I’d rather emulate this year is Benjamin Franklin who isn’t famous because he invented spectacles, penned some catchy phrases, or “discovered” electricity. He’s famous because he accomplished many things, creating a rich palette of a life that has benefited millions (billions?). I think we can safely say he was engaged in his own life. Be like Ben Franklin in 2019; reach for the dolphins — or in his case, the kite. •••
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Miss Manners from page 13
parents,” to avoid confusion, but they need not take a back seat in your feelings for them. DEAR MISS MANNERS: Some family members came to our holiday celebration and ate almost nothing. The explanation given was that they had been hungry, and ate at a restaurant before arriving. What should we do and say next time, if anything? We enjoy getting the family together, but this behavior
is hurtful to the hosts who have worked hard to prepare the meal and get the family together. GENTLE READER: Say nothing and be grateful for your extra desserts. Miss Manners does not approve of scolding even thoughtless guests. ••• Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www. missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.
Where to find the new Reader It’s delivered all around the River by the 15th of each month. Here’s the list of handy, regularlyrefilled sidewalk box and rack locations where you can pick up a copy any time of day and even in your bathrobe ... LONGVIEW Post Office Bob’s (rack, main check-out) In front of 1232 Commerce Ave In front of 1323 Commerce Ave YMCA Fred Meyer (rack, grocery entrance) US Bank (15th Ave.) Fibre Fed’l CU - Commerce Ave Monticello Hotel (front entrance) Kaiser Permanente St. John Medical Center (rack, Park Lake Café) Cowlitz Black Bears box office LCC Student Center Mini-Mart next to Regents Indie Way Diner Columbia River Reader 1333 14th Ave. KELSO Heritage Bank Visitors’ Center/ Kelso-Longview Chamber of Commerce KALAMA Fibre Fed’l CU Kalama Shopping Center corner of First & Fir McMenamin’s Harbor Lodge WOODLAND Visitors’ Center The Oak Tree CASTLE ROCK Lacie Rha’s Cafe (32 Cowlitz W.) Parker’s Restaurant (box, entry) Visitors’ Center 890 Huntington Ave. N. Exit 49, west side of I-5
RYDERWOOD Community Center
RAINIER Post Office Cornerstone Glaze, Gifts & Giggles Rainier Hardware (rack, entry) Earth ‘n’ Sun (on Hwy 30) El Tapatio (entry rack) DEER ISLAND Deer Island Store COLUMBIA CITY - Post Office WARREN Warren Country Inn ST HELENS Chamber of Commerce Sunshine Pizza Post Office Olde Town (Wild Currant) Safeway SCAPPOOSE Post Office For more Road Runner locations or the Fred Meyer pick-up point (east entrance) nearest you, Fultano’s visit crreader. Ace Hardware com and click “Find the CATHLAMET Magazine” Cathlamet Pharmacy under Tsuga Gallery “Features.” CLATSKANIE Post Office Chevron / Mini-Mart Wauna mill (parking area) SKAMOKAWA Skamokawa General Store Redmen Hall NASELLE Appelo Archives & Café
Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019 / 15
Northwest Gardening
Your poinsettia can live to bloom another season No need to toss it! By Alice Slusher C hristmas has come and gone, so what are you going to do with that now-scraggly poinsettia that was so beautiful a month ago? If you’re like me, you hate to throw away a perfectly good plant. The good news is that with a bit of patience and timely calendar reminders, you can embark on a year-long challenge and persuade your poinsettia to bloom again next December.
About the poinsettia It’s native to Mexico, where it grows as a weedy plant. It’s a member of the Euphorbia family of plants, many of which have a skin-irritating milky sap. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not particularly toxic. A 50 pound child would have to eat 500 leaves to have any harmful effect! If you have leaf-eating pets, like my cat Bootsie,
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Summer: In late May, repot it in a slightly larger pot. Resume watering it, keeping the soil moist but not soggy. Place it in a sunny window, and begin to use a balanced fertilizer (e.g., 20-20-20) every two weeks when new growth appears. In mid-June, when the nights are consistently above 60 degrees, place the plant in a sheltered area outside in dappled sunlight for 2-3 weeks to “harden” it to grow outdoors for the summer. You can continue to grow it as an outdoor patio plant, or you can sink the pot in your flower garden. Either way, make sure it gets at least 6 hours of sun, and continue to fertilize and water throughout the growing season. Give the pot a quarter turn every week to encourage even growth,
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you may want to restrict access to avoid an upset tummy. Did you know that the red poinsettia “flower” is actually a collection of bracts, or modified leaves, that change color when exposed to sunny days followed by long, dark nights? The actual flowers are the insignificant yellow structures at the tips of the bracts! Are you up for the challenge? Here’s how to get your poinsettia to re-flower next year Winter-Spring: Make sure you take the decorative wrapping from the pot so it will have good drainage. Keep your poinsettia in a sunny window and continue to water until the leaves begin to fall. It’s now time for a dormant period. At this point, probably in late February, give your plant a major haircut: Cut all of the stems back to 4 inches to encourage new growth. Allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings.
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16 / Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019
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and pinch off the top quarter inch of the growing shoots every three weeks (until mid-August) to produce a compact, bushy flowering plant. Fall: Once the night temperatures fall below 60º, bring your plant indoors again to a southern, sunny window, and begin to fertilize at half strength; continue to keep the soil moist. Now, the real trick to get your poinsettia to re-bloom next Christmas Flowers only begin to form when days are short and the nights are long with uninterrupted darkness. Beginning in late September, your plant will require 12-15 hours of darkness. Set a daily alarm to place the plant each evening in a dark closet or a heavy light-tight cardboard box from 5 pm – 8am. Even light from a TV or passing cars will interfere with the flowering process. During the day, keep the plants in a southern window, and/or use supplemental fluorescent or LED light. Continue this treatment until the bracts have turned to the original flowering color. Sure, it’s easier to throw out your poinsettia in January and buy a new one next December, but think of the satisfaction you’ll take in a beautiful Christmas poinsettia that you grew yourself! Happy New Year to each and every one of you. May your garden of life be filled with planting seeds of hope, fertile new growth, no pests you can’t manage, colorful experiences, the sunshine of friendships, and most of all, an abundant harvest of love! ••• Kalama resident Alice Slusher volunteers with WSU Extension Service Plant & Insect Clinic. Drop by 9am–12noon Mon-Wed-Fri. at 1946 3rd Ave., Longview, with your specimen, call 360-577-3014, ext. 8, or send question via cowlitzmastergardener@ gmail.com.
HaikuFest 2019
Last call to enter annual poetry extravaganza You can’t win if you don’t enter!
T
here is much truth in the old adage (and it is also a blinding flash of the obvious) that “You can’t win if you don’t enter.” What applies to horse races, sweepstakes, lotteries, and poker games also applies to haikufests. We can’t write your haiku for you but we can alert you that the HaikuFest 2019 train will be leaving the station at midnight, Hawaii time on January 20, 2019. Don’t be left on the platform perhaps gripping in your ink-stained fingers the greatest haiku ever penned since Matsuo Basho’s frog caused a splash in the old pond. If you’re gonna win, place, or show in Haikufest 2019, we gotta see your haiku!
Here are a few submissions from past HaikuFests for inspiration:
to it for sentimental reasons. Traditional haiku is ideally crafted to create a vivid mental image, a snapshot of a moment in time. Nature is a common subject. Pop haiku on the other hand covers myriad subjects and is often written in a humorous vein.
Now we say goodbye My valentine gift to you Set you free of pain. ~ Jan Zuccarini (on the passing of her beloved cat, Cocoa)
Remember the deadline: Midnight, Hawaii time, January 20, 2019. The preferred method for forwarding your haiku is by email addressed to haikucenter@ aol.com. Those poets wishing to use snail mail, however, can address them to Gary Meyers, 3045 Ala Napuaa Place #1406, Honolulu, HI 96818. There are no fees for participating in the Haikufests. Each poet can submit up to five entries which can be traditional, pop, or a mix. Winners will be announced in the February edition of the Columbia River Reader.
For those new to haiku or who need a quick refresher, it is a form of Japanese poetry made most famous by Basho in the 17th century. Haiku consists of 17 syllables in three lines. The first and third lines have five syllables each, the middle line has seven.
To stimulate the readers’ creative juices, I will close with a well-crafted haiku we received that could have been a winner had it been original. Actually, it was original in the 1920s when the British writer A.A. Milne (1882-1956) wrote a nearly identical version* in his Winnie-the-Pooh collection of stories (our judges are well-read).
Contemporary haiku often deviates from the 17-syllable rule but we adhere
Keep me in your heart
If there is a day When we can’t be together
Oysterville •
To: Centralia, Olympia Mt. Rainier Yakima (north, then east) Tacoma/Seattle
Columbia River
101
Chinook
•
Grays River
101
Pacific Ocean
FREE Maps • Brochures Directions • Information
• Kelso-Longview Chamber of Commerce Kelso Visitor Center I-5 Exit 39 105 Minor Road, Kelso • 360-577-8058 • Woodland Tourist Center I-5 Exit 21 Park & Ride lot, 900 Goerig St., 360-225-9552
Astoria Birkenfeld
Mount St. Helens
Skamokawa Cathlamet 4
Warrenton •
Seaside
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Washington
Castle Rock
WestportPuget Island FERRYk
Ilwaco
Among stars above Our imaginations roam Clear, cold, free to dream. ~ Randy Zuber
504
• Naselle
Spider’s dainty home Delicate, silvery strands Deadly deception. ~ Sharon Ashford
* If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together...there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart...I’ll always be with you. ~ A.A. Milne
Vader
Ocean Park • Long Beach
Chartreuse moss blankets Top beds of volcano rock Warming mother earth ~ Margie Caron
•••
Gary Meyers is CRR’s HaikuFest founder and chief judge. He grew up in Longview and, following careers with the US Marines and Northwest Airlines, enjoys retirement in Hawaii. He misses the rain, however, and visits Southwest Washington regularly.
Raymond/ South Bend
A waft of perfume Hovers over the village Weeping plum blossoms. ~ Keith Simmonds
Vernonia
Longview
Ape Cave •
Kelso
Clatskanie Rainier
Woodland
503
Columbia City St Helens
• Ridgefield
rnelius NW Co ad o R s Pas
To: Salem Silverton Eugene Ashland
Sauvie Island
Vancouver 12
Portland
• Naselle, WA Appelo Archives Center 1056 SR 4, Naselle, WA. 360-484-7103.
Local in
for
Points o mation f In Recre terest Special ation Dinin Events Arts & Eg ~ Lodging ntertain ment
• Pacific County Museum & Visitor Center Hwy 101, South Bend, WA 360-875-5224 • Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau 3914 Pacific Way (corner Hwy 101/Hwy 103) Long Beach, WA. 360-642-2400 • 800-451-2542 • South Columbia County Chamber Columbia Blvd/Hwy 30, St. Helens, OR • 503-397-0685 • Astoria-Warrenton Chamber/Ore Welcome Ctr 111 W. Marine Dr., Astoria 503-325-6311 or 800-875-6807
Col Gorge Interp Ctr Skamania Lodge Bonneville Dam
Troutdale Crown Point
97
Goldendale
• Seaside, OR 989 Broadway, 503-738-3097; 888-306-2326
•Yacolt
Scappoose•
Oregon
Cougar •
Kalama
• Wahkiakum Chamber 102 Main St, Cathlamet • 360-795-9996 • Castle Rock Visitor Center Exit 49, west side of I-5, 890 Huntington Ave. N. Open M-F 11–3.
Maryhill Museum
Stevenson Hood River Cascade Locks Bridge of the Gods
The Dalles
To: Walla Walla Kennewick, WA Lewiston, ID
Map suggests only approximate positions and relative distances. Consult a real map for more precise details. We are not cartographers.
Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019 / 17
18 / Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019
A monthly feature written and photographed by Southwest Washington native and Emmy Award-winning journalist
Hal Calbom
Production Notes
people+ place
Flower Power: Jason Vorse
Beauty Money and Zen
This sleepy little town is an unlikely winner of a beauty pageant. And the beauty pageant is an even more unlikely stimulus for economic resurgence and community engagement.
Hal Calbom
M uch of art is juxtaposition : placing two things next to each other for contrasting effect. The more dramatic the contrasts and similarities, the more telling the pairing, the more significant the effect. This month’s People+Place is rich with juxtapositions. At the center of it is a prodigal son, schooled in the ways of the world, returning to his home, sharing his experience, relishing his welcome. That home itself is energized by its own juxtaposition journey, taking something tired and faded and making it beautiful. Who would have put beautification at the head of a list of successful economic development strategies? Who would have enlisted hundreds of volunteers, down on their knees tearing out weeds and sowing bulbs city-wide, as catalysts for community engagement? And who would have thought that making something more beautiful, through the vibrancy and transformative power of the natural world and its brilliant blooms, would bring home prosperity, vitality, and revenue?
For the third year in a row Castle Rock, Washington, nestled between the meandering Cowlitz River and the thundering Interstate 5, has won first place in the America in Bloom city beautification program for cities under 3,000 population. As part of the effort, Castle Rock High School students handcrafted 130 flowering baskets that light up the street corners. Troops of volunteers manicured parks and open spaces. Downtown businesses are dressed up and prosperous, and vacancy rates have shrunk dramatically. Sleepy no more, Castle Rock is awake, alive, and excited. And a local favorite son — who as a teenager couldn’t get out of town fast enough — is back. __________________________________ HC: How did you decide to come back? JV: My mother for about the last 20 years had asked me every single day to move back and open up a flower shop. I said, “Absolutely not, that’s a horrible idea. It’s never going to happen.” Got married, brought my husband back, and he saw this little, quaint city. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and he says, “How refreshing. Let’s come back.” HC: And you said?
NICE TO MEET YOU Jason Vorse resides
Castle Rock, Washington occupation
Florist /Designer/Creative Designer/Self-described Weirdo from
JV: Well, we had a bottle of wine, and I said, “Yeah, maybe, hey, that’s a not a bad idea, after all.” Finished the bottle of wine, and we made the decision and followed through with the decision, and here we are. HC: What was it like bringing a husband back to your home town? How have you been received?
Castle Rock, Washington known for
Flower design reading
Plant Physiology 1,2,3,4 (a constant reference) for fun
Gardening, socializing with friends recommends
Nature: “It’s always showing you a new art form.”
cont page 20
Like a Zen master, Jason Vorse composes each of his floral designs, placing each branch and bloom with care. If he juxtaposes well the overall effect, the whole, will transcend the sum of these parts. Would even the most audacious poet — or Zen master — ever dare connect, juxtapose, beauty and money? The sacred and the profane? Aesthetics and economics? Welcome to Castle Rock, Washington, this blooming, booming village on the Cowlitz, and to this month’s People+Place. •••
Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019 / 19
People JV: I was scared shitless, to be honest with you. I’d never had to think about how that has been presented, living in a larger city. I was very cautious about it, and threw caution to the wind. I said, “We’re here in Castle Rock,” and it’s really just about being ourselves. And we have been well received and supported in every fashion here. People are really happy we are here and loving to us. We feel part of the community and get to do cool stuff. Really the bottom line is it’s a non-conversation.
“ We feel part of the community and get to do cool stuff...We’ Jason Vorse says that as a teenager he couldn’t get out of Castle Rock fast enough. In high school he attended Running Start programs locally and in Seattle, then migrated to bigger, brighter places. In Los Angeles he ascended the ranks rapidly from purveyor of flowers and greens to choreographer and orchestrator: full-scale floral productions used on film sets, at live events and for special occasions. He still augments his Castle Rock-based storefront business, Pollen Floral Works, with special event production in Portland, Seattle, and points in between. HC: I’ve often thought Southwest Washington was probably more cosmopolitan than most people think: the intersection of a major interstate and an international port, close to Portland?
HC: That seems very progressive and defies a lot of small-town stereotypes.
JV: Well, yeah. There are aspects of those kinds of divisions, I guess you’d call them cultural divisions, in any city, large or small. I mean not everybody in Los Angeles is “cool,” not by a long shot. So, yeah, they all log and hunt around here, but a few of them just got back from Paris or New York or Tuscany, as well.
JV: When we first moved here, I thought “How the hell do I present this and what do I say to people?” But the simple fact is me and my husband moved back to Castle Rock and this is what we’re doing. And that was it, simple as that, no packaging or presenting. These 90-year-old ladies come in here and say, “Is it you or your husband who was from here?” And at first that was pretty shocking for me to hear because I completely didn’t expect it. HC: What about your own perceptions of this place, your old home town? JV: You hear a lot about a “sense of community.” In a larger city I really didn’t now what that was. You hear it in movies and in Hallmark cards, the “sense of community.” But being back here, and actually experiencing what that is, and having the community really support you, and being part of that, is really awesome. To finally discover, as a 40-year-old, what that actually meant. HC: Do you miss the aesthetic of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills? We’re pretty much the flannel shirt crowd around here, aren’t we?
HC: What’s different about this place today? JV: I think the town has grown up. Or maybe I’ve just grown up. Not just the sense of community but this beautification process. It wasn’t here when I grew up. HC: What do you mean by “beautification?”
JV: I think that is a huge misconception. There is a very elevated population here. There are huge companies, logging companies for instance, and their people, that have always traveled to Portland or Seattle to acquire nice things. And now they’re coming here for that. Which is good for us!
JV: It’s actually a kind of organized aesthetic. There is a Bloom Team that’s on board here, part of the America in Bloom program that’s a beautification process for cities around the United States. Ours is 95 percent volunteer
People + Place visits blooming, booming Castle Rock. Please support the important work of our
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Matt and Elizabeth Hadlock and Sue Lantz appreciate the work of Helping ensure that all Kelso School District’s students achieve the education they need to succeed in an increasingly complex and demanding society. To donate or for more info: kelsokidz.org orl 360 430 3394
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’re creating beauty out of a lot of different types of things ~ Jason Vorse
”
participation to get all of our hanging baskets, all of our parks, really upscaled from what they have been.
been pricing people out. So the amount of Portland residents that are now residing in Castle Rock is really quite grand. I think this summer I met at least 15 people who have moved here from Portland, which is great for us.
HC: Does this connect to economic prosperity?
HC: And you and Vince moved here from even farther away.
JV: A hundred percent. I don’t think there are any vacant storefronts downtown, and when I moved back here there were probably half vacancies. People are fighting over space and to become part of this community. Probably at least twice a week I get a phone call, “Is such and such a space available? No, sorry, it’s been rented out and they move in in two weeks.”
JV: Yeah, and it wasn’t just aesthetics or community. It’s economics, too. You’re in LA, what’s the next step in your life? Can you buy a house? Can you start a business? What are the opportunities to do that in a smaller community like this versus Los Angeles? Virtually nil in LA, but this is very much an opportunity to grow, to build, and to strive. I think that is so exciting for people of our age who have been doing it in another fashion, maybe for somebody else, and now we have the opportunity to do it on our own.
The success of Pollen, and many of the boutique businesses thriving in today’s smaller towns, is a uniquely 21st Century phenomenon. There’s a heavy emphasis on design — look, feel, sensibility — be it botanicals, books, coffee or clothing. There’s a reliance on social media to get the word out and spread it around, to spot trends, build brands, create markets. There’s an education and learning component — workshops and hands-on-the-flowers events. And, most importantly, there’s recognition that community building and support goes with the territory: constant outreach, networking, and public engagement. JV: The workshops are really huge for us, to bring in all these people and create atmosphere. We accommodate 12 to 15 people. It’s a low-key instructional where you come in, have a couple of glasses of wine and you can make something pretty. We provide all the botanicals and a theme. HC: For example?
cont page 22
HC: So what’s the vibe? How do you defy the trend that small towns like this one just keep fading, not flourishing? JV: I don’t know how to pinpoint it, exactly, but I guess it is a kind of vibe. It’s heightened more in the summer, when there are extravagant flowers on every corner, community organizations are going full steam on all kinds of projects. There’s energy in the air. We’re a big draw now for people visiting Mount St. Helens — gift shops, designer coffee, and of course, there’s us… HC: What’s the demographic? More retirees, aging? JV: Actually, I think that’s been pretty steady. You’d be surprised how many younger people, big city people, are coming here. Portland and Seattle have
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People + Place
cont from page 21
JV: Well, certainly to some people we’re simply a “flower shop — order by phone.” But really the coolest thing is that most people who call up love the creativity. They’ll give us a price range and maybe something about the occasion or the recipient and they say, “Hey, do you!” which I love. And I think we’ve created a brand that allows customers to be comfortable handing it off to us.
JV: Well, in springtime and summer we did a lot of succulent wreaths. We supply everything, and they leave with a creation that can grow with you, in this case. We charge $45 to $65 dollars, depending upon what we’re doing. We do a whole line of kokedama classes, which is the Japanese bonsai hanging moss garden tradition. We try to bring in lots of different cultural aspects, too.
HC: How would you describe that brand? JV: There is a look and a level of sophistication that we have really putFun a lot ofat effort to create across the Ape Cave board, whether it’s from the retail to our plants and containers and our website. I think that brand is pretty firmly established, whether you’re at the $25 mark or the $200 mark.
HC: I’m intrigued that you get so much use from social media even in a relatively rural area. JV: We get more than we do in a big city. We probably get 20 to 30 percent of our orders through Facebook and Instagram alone. Think about it: There’s a lot fewer sources of information, advertising, and marketing so people in smaller towns are often more social media aware than people in big cities. Sixteen-year-olds are accessing a lot more information than they used to. If you’re in the style and design business that’s a crucial link to your customers and what they think, like, and do.
HC: I notice you don’t call yourself a florist.
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD Castle Rock: Gateway to Mt. St. Helens From I-5, take Exits 48 or 49. Visitors Center Exit 49, west side of I-5, 890 Huntington Ave. N. Open Mon-Fri 11–3.
For information on America in Bloom (and a 3-minute video showing Castle Rock’s early efforts) visit americainbloom. org (Search “Castle Rock, Washington”)
For Nancy Chennault’s Tips on growing flowers for
your yard, JV: I used to have a big thing about neighborhood or this. “I’m not a florist I’m a designer.” community project, see page 32. In my early twenties when my ego was a little more inflamed, that was definitely a thing. And then I went to “creative designer” because I was working with a lot of other types of media. Right now I just love what I do and really don’t care what you call me. We’re creating beauty out of a lot of different types of things. It’s a fun challenge to have someone say, “Let’s work with this instead of just flowers.”
HC: Do people call you up with specific requests or do they give you free rein?
HC: It’s remarkable that creating beauty can create so much else, too. Congratulations! Hal Calbom is an independent film producer, educator, and writer. A thirdgeneration Longview native, he attended RA Long High School and Harvard College and currently lives in Seattle. He began his media career as a broadcast journalist with the Seattle NBC affiliate, KING Television, as a producer and news anchor.
JV: Thanks. That’s why we’re here. •••
Additional photography courtesy of Pollen Floral Works. For more info: pollenfloralworks.com
We appreciate the work done by CASA on behalf of children in our community who need extra protection.
For ways to help, visit cowlitzcountycasa.org 360-261-8870 • 360-414-5212
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22 / Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019
I
magine a library with room to read, think, speak, meet, and write Woodland’s next Chapter! The Friends of the Woodland Library are helping to make this vision a reality. Don’t miss their Love Your Library fundraiser event on February 13, 2019!
Event details, see page 28. fvrl.org/imaginewoodland
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people+ place
See story page 19
JASON VORSE’S
Top Five Recommended Books Various books by Daniel Ost: Invitations 2; Transparent; Remaining Flowers; Leafing through Flowers “He, in my mind, is the master of design.”
Q
UIPS & QUOTES
Selected by Debra Tweedy
In winter we lead a more inward life. Our hearts are warm and cheery, like cottages under drifts, whose windows and doors are half concealed, but from whose chimneys the smoke cheerfully ascends. ~ Henry David Thoreau, American writer and philosopher 1817-1862
The outlook for our country lies in the quality of its idleness. ~ Irwin Edman, American philosopher, 1896-1954
Plant Physiology by Lincoln Taiz “Over and over I’m amazed by the way flowers work and even more by the way people make flowers work.” Savage Beauty by Alexander McQueen. “He’s an artist who shows a whole other level of inspiration. He’s provocative and pushes the limits in design.”
Life is thickly sown with thorns, and I know of no other remedy than to pass quickly through them. The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us. ~Voltaire, French writer and philosopher, 1694-1778
You can lead a man to Congress, but you can’t make him think. ~ Milton Berle, American comedian and actor, 1908-2002
A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams, and you will always look lovely. ~ Roald Dahl, British novelist, 1916-1990. An archaeologist is the best husband a woman can have. The older she gets, the more interested he is in her. ~Agatha Christie, English writer, 1891-1975
The one thing that doesn’t abide majority rule is a person’s conscience. ~ Harper Lee, American novelist, 1926-2016 Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. ~ Albert Einstein, Germanborn theoretical physicist, 1879-1955 Debra Tweedy was born and raised in Longview and has lived on four continents. Recently retired, she and her husband decided to return to her hometown and bought a house facing Lake Sacajawea. “We came back because of the Lake and the (Longview Public) Library,” she said.
Architectural Digest “Yes, this is a magazine. But pages and pages of pure inspiration. New trends and techniques. Art.”
North Pacific Paper Company employees have been contributing to the Giving Tree from the Salvation Army for 21 years. Around 50+ tags are filled every year, along with extra donations which enables us to purchase winter coats and any other specific requests that are made. We are proud to provide gifts for the children in need, year after year, and we are blessed to be a part of such a great organization!
NORPAC ANGEL “GIVING” TREE
Proud sponsor of People+Place Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019 / 23
The Natural World
The High Price of By Dr. Robert Michael Pyle Getting Hip
F
orsaking the out-of-doors for any shopping mall is my idea of the Seventh Circle of Hell. But not long ago, on a perfectly good Montana Saturday, I found myself driven by necessity into a Target store. Having found the needful item tucked among acres of shiny products, I made my small purchase and sought a quick escape. The little skillet needed no packaging, so I turned down the proffered bag. “Why don’t you want a plastic bag?” inquired the tall youth at the checkout stand. “Too many at home,” I said, and should have left it there. But I just had to add, “Besides, way too much plastic ends up in the landfills. It’s all oil, you know.” The checker returned a stare as blank as a big-box wall. In turn, I felt both sanctimonious and alien. But he thought it over for a moment, and
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24 / Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019
then said, “Oh, don’t worry. We’ll always have enough of whatever we need.” I left Target that day wondering whether I envied that lad’s vacant happiness. The catalogue of clichés and aphorisms pertaining to the curse of knowledge or its absence is long and deep. On the upside, we have “Ignorance is bliss” of course, “What you don’t know won’t hurt you,” and even “Ignorance is Strength” from the Ministry of Truth in Orwell’s 1984. “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing” voices the same sentiment from the inverse view, as does Aldo Leopold’s undeniable dictum that “the penalty of an ecological education is to live alone in a world of wounds.” But my personal favorite is Bob Seeger’s brilliant and enigmatic lyric from “Against the Wind”: “Wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then.” cont page 25
from page 22
Sometimes ignorance is merely the state of learning-in-progress. This was the case for a long time with carboninduced climate change. But there comes a point when the absence of understanding becomes willful. We have a whole other set of sayings for this state, having to do with ostriches and fools in paradise. Then there is the kind of ignorance that is innocent, if not altogether innocuous. Most Americans who notice butterflies at all tend to think all big bright ones are monarchs. Usually they are referring to yellow-and-black tiger swallowtails, rather than orange, tailless monarchs. This common error doesn’t disturb me unduly—at least these folks are seeing, contrary to Nabokov’s plaint about “how little the ordinary person notices butterflies.” But the common confusion of two very different butterflies, one abundant, one at risk, does impair efforts to raise conservation awareness on behalf of monarchs. Enter Scotts Lawn Service, a national company connected to Ortho and Smith & Hawken. Like ChemLawn (now part of the TruGreen empire)— another entity high on my list of should-be-endangered species—this company seduces naive householders
Original • Local All about the good life Spreading good cheer It’s a beautiful world Lifelong learning / thinking is a good thing!
into a deal with the pesticide devil through the peculiarly American peer pressure arising from lawn-envy. By signing contracts for periodic lawn care, homeowners assure delivery of toxic chemicals directly to their children’s play-place. Nowhere in Scotts’s promotional come-on does the word “pesticide” appear, yet the company employs an arsenal of dangerous chemicals including 2,4-D, carcinogenic glyphosate, and various potent insecticides and fungicides. (Some products they used for years and insisted were safe have since been withdrawn by the EPA.) Not only does Scotts exploit our national state of naïveté over household toxics, but it does so under the lulling logo of a butterfly—one that manifests the company’s intentional “ignorance” as none other could. Every Scotts van—I saw one on the way to Target— bears the clear image of a swallowtail’s shape, but overlaid with the coloration and pattern of a monarch! The friendly lawn care folks accomplish this bizarre metamorphosis in the utter absence of conscience, celebrating their cynicism all the way to the bank. So who cares? The mere twisting of truth might matter little if it concerned nothing worse than a case of mistaken identity among butterflies. In fact, that logo would be hilarious if the product were benign. But the company’s hypocrisy is stunning: in its promo brochure, the “before” picture shows a diverse lawn that butterflies might actually visit, while the “after” shot depicts a sterile sward barren of butterflies or any other native pollinators. Without invitation or warrant, company employees scan lawns and leave check-lists
Robert Michael Pyle is a naturalist and writer residing along Gray’s River in Wahkiakum County for many years. His twenty-two books include the Northwest classics Wintergreen, Sky Time in Gray’s River, and Where Bigfoot Walks, as well as The Thunder Tree, Chasing Monarchs, and Mariposa Road, a flight of butterfly books, and two collections of poems. His newest titles are Butterflies of the Pacific Northwest and Magdalena Mountain: a novel, released in August 2018. Photo by David Lee Myers
This is the seventh in a series of selected essays to appear in Columbia River Reader. These were originally published in Orion Afield or Orion Magazine in the author’s column, “The Tangled Bank” and, subsequently, in the book of the same name published by Oregon State University Press in 2012.
of “undesirable” plants present on homeowners’ doorsteps--thus piquing guilt and gaining credulous customers. The plants checked off, of course, are the ones of value to pollinators: violets, clover, plantain, and so on. Meanwhile, evidence for the deleterious effects of biocides in the ecosystem accumulates faster than mercury in Great Lakes graylings. When it comes to poisoning our fish, our communities, our groundwater, even our children in the very places they should be safest of all—their own backyards!—then false advertising matters more than we can possibly know. What sort of society tolerates such a practice? The same society in which a high-school worker in a chain store can assert that we will always have as much as we need or desire, in contradiction of biology, good sense, and abundant evidence. But it wasn’t the clerk’s sanguine outlook that most disturbed me that day at Target; long live his lucky, silly bliss. No, it was another, younger boy I encountered in Electronics who really got to me. On my way to the checkout, I’d paused to eyeball the kids gone to ground among the video games on that bright Saturday. I looked over one lad’s shoulder to see what sort of foe he happened to be killing. To
my abashment, his game of choice featured mountain biking through a range of virtual habitats— mountains, streams, meadows—all realistically portrayed. Well, I thought, how about that? He’s still indoors, but at least he is experiencing the outdoor world vicariously. Maybe the game will serve to lure him afield after all. Then I looked more carefully. The speed of the bike was picking up, the joy-struck rider flying down the trail at a perilous and thrilling clip, dodging rocks, smashing trees and bushes, hurtling over dips and rises. The kid looked mesmerized by speed and action. I could not believe what I saw next, so I watched as it happened over and over. There were also pedestrians on the trail— youngsters backpacking, old folks strolling, joggers—heading in both directions. Each time the mountain biker approached one of these targets, he swerved to strike it. The walkers went down with splats and stars, and lay still and contorted as points racked up. Then I got it—the child was cast as killer after all: a super-cyclist offing hikers instead of aliens or gangsters. Mad Max on two wheels. Target left me shell-shocked, and now, thinking back, wistful. I wish that boy could go for a hike, try hunting for his own food, learn what killing means before he reaches recruitment age. I wish that blissful bagger could see the landfills, roam the rangeland given over to oil rigs, breathe the air in a neighborhood next to a plastics plant. I wish the CEO of Scotts could watch a real swallowtail laying eggs in an unsprayed yard where healthy children play. I wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then. ••• Editor’s Note: This essay was written in July/August 2005.
Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019 / 25
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W i l l i a m s describes going through a public mental health crisis, being in the fierce grip of suicidal depression, and of his transformation into an advocate. Dare I say it, his story is inspirational. Williams has since been featured in a public service announcement that included Glenn Close (yes, that Glenn Close) and has been active on the speaking circuit as well as with the United Kingdom’s “Time To Talk” campaign which aims to share information and encourage people experiencing depression and other mental health issues to seek help.
ull disclosure: I hate social media. I see it as a necessary evil and only do it for work. But I’m so glad I stumbled across the mental health advocate/ writer Matthew Williams on Twitter back in 2016. I work for a mental health advocacy organization, and was coincidentally in the midst of my own divorce when I found his account. Living with depression, and newly single, I hadn’t expected what an emotional minefield it would be. Matthew’s tweets — Hey, I’ve been there, I’ve gotten through it, and so will you — were insightful without sugarcoating what a roller coaster it can be, especially if you’re living with a mental illness. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on his book.
Whether or not you live with depression or have experienced divorce, or both, chances are you love someone who has. This book is proof we can all come out the other side intact. You can read more about Williams and his journey at https://www.lovelaughtertruthblog. com/
Something Changed goes beyond divorce and depression. It’s a brutally honest journey (salty language included — I can think of a former editor who didn’t appreciate my language, and this book is not for him) of a courageous man grappling with his own demons and unexpected major life changes. ATTENTION, READERS
Read a good book lately? To be miniinterviewed by CRR Book Reviewer Alan Rose for a future “What Are You Reading?” spotlight, please contact him at alan@alan-rose.com or the publisher/editor at publisher@ crreader.com.
1706 Washington Way, Longview
••• Michelle Madison lives, works and volunteers in the Portland area, where she gets paid to agitate and advocate for mental health services. And where she reads the Columbia River Reader.
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Cover to Cover Brought to you by Book Sense and Pacific Northwest Booksellers Assn, for week ending Dec. 30, 2018, based on reporting from the independent bookstores of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. For the Book Sense store nearest you, visit www.booksense.com
Top 10 Bestsellers PAPERBACK FICTION 1. Pachinko Min Jin Lee, Grand Central, $15.99 2. Less Andrew Sean Greer, Back Bay, $15.99 3. The Tattooist of Auschwitz Heather Morris, Harper, $16.99 4. Milkman Anna Burns, Graywolf Press, $16 5. Norse Mythology Neil Gaiman, Norton, $15.95 6. Crazy Rich Asians Kevin Kwan, Anchor, $16 7. Hope Never Dies Andrew Shaffer, Quirk Books, $14.99 8. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine Gail Honeyman, Penguin, $16 9. A Man Called Ove Fredrik Backman, Washington Square Press, $16 10. The Best American Short Stories 2018 Roxane Gay, Heidi Pitlor (Eds.), Mariner, $15.99
PAPERBACK NON-FICTION 1. Killers of the Flower Moon David Grann, Vintage, $16.95 2. Sapiens Yuval Noah Harari, Harper Perennial, $22.99 3. White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism Robin DiAngelo, Beacon Press, $16 4. Leonardo da Vinci Walter Isaacson, S&S, $22 5. The Boys in the Boat Daniel James Brown, Penguin, $17 6. Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall Kimmerer, Milkweed Editions, $18 7. The Soul of an Octopus Sy Montgomery, Atria, $16 8. We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy Ta-Nehisi Coates, One World, $18, 9. You Are a Badass Jen Sincero, Running Press, $16 10. The Four Agreements Don Miguel Ruiz, Amber-Allen, $12.95
BOOK REVIEW By Alan Rose
There There
By Tommy Orange Alfred A. Knopf $25.95
We are the memories we don’t remember, which live in us, which we feel, which make us sing and dance and pray the way we do… In his debut novel that became a finalist for a 2018 National Book Award, Tommy Orange tells the Alan Rose, author of The Legacy of Emily H a r g r a v e s , Ta l e s of Tokyo, and The Unforgiven, organizes the monthly WordFest events and hosts the KLTV program “Book Chat.” For other book reviews, author interviews, and notes on writing and reading, visit www.alan-rose.com.
HARDCOVER FICTION 1. There There Tommy Orange, Knopf, $25.95 2. Kingdom of the Blind Louise Penny, Minotaur, $28.99 3. Unsheltered Barbara Kingsolver, Harper, $29.99 4. Fire & Blood George R.R. Martin, Doug Wheatley (Illus.), Bantam, $35 5. The Witch Elm Tana French, Viking, $28 6. Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens, Putnam, $26 7. Nine Perfect Strangers Liane Moriarty, Flatiron Books, $28.99 8. The Overstory Richard Powers, Norton, $27.95 9. A Gentleman in Moscow Amor Towles, Viking, $27 10. The Travelling Cat Chronicles Hiro Arikawa, Berkley, $20
HARDCOVER NON-FICTION 1. Becoming Michelle Obama, Crown, $32.50 2. Educated Tara Westover, Random House, $28 3. How to Change Your Mind Michael Pollan, Penguin Press, $28 4. These Truths: A History of the United States Jill Lepore, Norton, $39.95 5. How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals Sy Montgomery, Rebecca Green (Illus.), Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $20 6. The Library Book Susan Orlean, S&S, $28 7. Fear: Trump in the White House Bob Woodward, S&S, $30 8. Dare to Lead Brene Brown, Random House, $28 9. Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me & You Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jonny Sun (Illus.), Random House, $22 10. The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck Mark Manson, Harper, $24.99
MASS MARKET 1. The Name of the Wind Patrick Rothfuss, DAW, $9.99 2. The Wise Man’s Fear Patrick Rothfuss, DAW, $9.99 3. American Gods Neil Gaiman, Morrow, $9.99 4. Dune Frank Herbert, Ace, $9.99 5. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Douglas Adams, Del Rey, $7.99 6. Mistborn: The Final Empire Brandon Sanderson, Tor, $8.99 7. The Way of Kings Brandon Sanderson, Tor, $9.99 8. Good Omens Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, HarperTorch, $7.99 9. 1984 George Orwell, Signet, $9.99 10. Women Who Run With the Wolves Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ballantine, $8.99
EARLY & MIDDLE GRADE READERS 1. The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid Dylan Thuras, Rosemary Mosco, Joy Ang (Illus.), Workman, $19.95 2. Stories for Boys Who Dare to Be Different Ben Brooks, Quinton Wintor (Illus.), Running Press Kids, $16.99 3. The Storm Runner (A Storm Runner Novel, Book 1) J.C. Cervantes, Rick Riordan Presents, $16.99 4. Edison: The Mystery of the Missing Mouse Treasure Torben Kuhlmann, NorthSouth Books, $19.95 5. A Wrinkle in Time Madeleine L’Engle, Square Fish, $8.99 6. When the Sea Turned to Silver Grace Lin, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $9.99 7. Genius LEGO Inventions with Bricks You Already Have Sarah Dees, Page Street Publishing, $19.99 8. Seeing Stars: A Complete Guide to the 88 Constellations Sara Gillingham, Phaidon Press, $24.95 9. Making Friends Kristen Gudsnuk, Graphix, $12.99 10. Hatchet Gary Paulsen, Drew Willis (Illus.), Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $9.99
A lost people seeking a lost heritage. stories of modern day “urban Indians.” Similar in its anger, power and poetry to Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me (2015), There There is original in its voice and unique in its vision of what it means (and doesn’t mean) to be a Native American in the twentyfirst century. Orange introduces us to a cast of vivid and memorable characters attending the upcoming Big Oakland Powwow. Among them is Dene Oxendene, trying to capture the oral history of his people before there are no more speakers; Jacquie Red Feather, struggling to face her past sober; her sister, Opal Viola Victoria Bear Shield, who is raising Jacquie’s three young grandsons; 13-year old Orvil Red Feather, excited to perform traditional dances he learned from watching YouTube videos; and Harvey, the powwow’s emcee, who is preparing to meet a son he never knew he had. They are drawn to the powwow for different reasons, and for the same reason: to connect to a heritage they never knew, and where for several days they will be “Indians dressed up as Indians.” (The book’s title comes
Getting us to cities was supposed to be the final, necessary step in our assimilation, absorption, erasure, the completion of a five-hundredyear-old genocidal campaign…We were not Urban Indians then. This was part of the Indian Relocation Act, which was part of the Indian Termination Policy, which was and is exactly what it sounds like. Make them look and act like us. Become us. And so disappear.
of Orvil and his younger brothers. The stories, like their lives, will converge on the Oakland powwow, propelled toward a climactic moment of violence. It is a bleak picture of modern day Native Americans who are caught in limbo, struggling to find an identity amid a lost past and an alien present, and who experience themselves as neither Native nor American. •••
~ from There There
from Gertrude Stein’s quote about returning to the Oakland of her youth and finding that “There is no there there.”) These are sad stories, tales of alcoholism and drug addiction, suicide, domestic violence, and of the despair that creates and feeds them. Yet shafts of hope break through the centuries-old gloom of such inherited despair, epitomized by Dene’s work, by Opal’s dignity and by the fresh dreams
Feb. . 12 • Cassava 1333 Broadway Longview
SECOND TUESDAY
www.alan-rose.com
Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019 / 27
Outings & Events
Performing & Fine Arts Music, Art, Theatre, Literary Broadway Gallery Artists co-op. Classes for all ages, workshops and paint parties. Guest Artists: Jan: Eileen Thompson (painting), Kathleen Duncan (carved wood turning); Feb: Aaron Anderson (photography), Mary Huels (ceramics). Annual studio clearance Jan 14–26. Gallery hours: Mon-Fri 10-5:30, Sat 10–4. 1418 Commerce, Longview, Wash. 360-577-0544. www.the-broadwaygallery.com.
Submission Guidelines Letters to the Editor (up to 200 words) relevant to the publication’s purpose — helping readers discover and enjoy the good life in the Columbia River region, at home and on the road — are welcome. Longer pieces, or excerpts thereof, in response to previously-published articles, may be printed at the discretion of the publisher and subject to editing and space limitations. Items sent to CRR will be considered for publication unless the writer specifies otherwise. Writer’s name and phone number must be included; anonymous submissions will not be considered. Political Endorsements CRR is a monthly publication serving readers in several towns, three counties, two states and beyond and does not publish Letters to the Editor that are endorsements or criticisms of political candidates or controversial issues. (Paid ad space is available.) Unsolicited submissions may be considered, provided they are consistent with the publication’s purpose. Advance contact with the editor is recommended. Information of general interest submitted by readers may be used as background or incorporated in future articles. Outings & Events calendar (free listing): Events must be open to the public. Non-profit organizations and the arts, entertainment, educational and recreational opportunities and community cultural events will receive listing priority. Fundraisers must be sanctioned/sponsored by the benefiting non-profit organization. Businesses and organizations wishing to promote their particular products or services are invited to purchase advertising (contact info, page 3).
HOW TO PUBLICIZE YOUR NON-PROFIT EVENT IN CRR Send your noncommercial community event’s basic info (name of event, sponsor, date & time, location, brief description and contact info) to publisher@ crreader.com Or mail or hand-deliver (in person or via mail slot) to: Columbia River Reader 1333-14th Ave Longview, WA 98632
Submission Deadlines Events occurring Feb. 15 – Mar 20: by Jan 25for Feb. issue. Events occurring: Mar 15 – April 20: by Feb. 25 for Mar 15 issue. Calendar submissions are considered for inclusion, subject to lead time, general relevance to readers, and space limitations. See Submission Guidelines, above.
FIRST THURSDAY • Feb. 7 Broadway Gallery Enjoy refreshments and meet the month’s featured artists.
McThread’s Free Saturday Demos, 9:30am. Jan. 19: Flat felt the chevron style, creating a stretchable fabric and foundation for the next demos. Feb. 16: Add silk ruching to flat felt. March 16: Using yarns, pre-felt and plant fiber. If enough interest, future demos will include microwave dying silk, basics of watercolor, basics of digital photography or other mediums by request, to be announced. 1233 Commerce Ave., Longview, Wash. 360-261-2373.
Reception, 5:30-7:30pm. Music: by Guy Live & Miz Mary www.the-broadway-gallery.com 1418 Commerce Ave. Downtown Longview, Wash. Across the River Cowlitz County Historical Museum 405 Allen St, Kelso, Wash. 7pm Program: TBA. Live dangerously! Take a chance. All the Museum’s programs are interesting.
Tsuga Gallery Fine arts and crafts by area artists. Thurs-Sat 11–5. 70 Main Street, Cathlamet, Wash. 360-795-0725. Redmen Hall History and art. 1394 SR-4, Skamokawa, Wash. Thurs-Sun, 12-4pm. Info: 360-795-3007 or email fos1894@ gmail.com.
CATERING Be a guest at your next event!
The Alcove Galler y Presented by Community Arts Workshop, with volunteer instructors and a variety of arts and crafts materials available. Free. Located in the CAP building,1526 Commerce, Longview, Wash. Open Mon–Thurs 12–3:30pm. For more info: 360-425-3430 x 306, or email capartsworkshop@gmail.com.
Serving the Columbia River region, including Longview-Kelso.
Koth Gallery, Longview Public Library Jan: Paintings by Judy MacLeod. Opening Reception for the public: Jan 12, 2–4pm. Also showing works by Tammy Jorgenson in the glass case.1600 Louisiana Street, Longview, Wash. Mon-Wed 10am-8pm, Thurs-Sat 10am-5pm. Info: Daniel, 360442-5307.
503-366-9099 800-330-9099 201 S. 1st Street St. Helens OR wildcurrantcatering.com
Foundations of Life! Creation Conference February 8
th
-9
th
, 2019
Friday: 7:00 pm - 9:15 pm Saturday: 9:00 am - 5:15 pm
Kids Prog on S ram aturd ay !
Absolutely FREE Event! Held at: Calvary Community Church 2655 38th Avenue Longview, WA 98632
www.FoundationsConference.org
28 / Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019
Cowlitz Valley Old Time Music Association Music jam night with open mic, 7–9pm, 1st, 3rd and 5th Fridays, Catlin Grange, 205 Shawnee, Kelso, Wash. Primary instruments: guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, piano, accordion. Traditional country and/or bluegrass. Dance floor open. Info: Archie Beyl, 360-636-3835. FOLK Book Sale Jan. 25-26, 10 – 4 pm, City Council chambers in the Kalama Public Library, 321 N. 1st Street, Kalama, Wash. Hardcovers $1 each; paperbacks 50 cents; children’s books 25 cents. A large shopping bag of “you-pick-’em” books is $5 each. Donations to F.O.L.K. (Friends of the Library at Kalama) to be used to support the Kalama Public Library will be gratefully accepted. For more info, call the library, 360-673-4568. Love Your Library Valentine’s Eve fundraiser to support building the new Woodland Library. Wednesday, February 13, 6–9pm, Peterson’s Red Barn, 1605 Caples Road, Woodland, Wash. Enjoy appetizers, wine, desserts, silent auction, and live music by Pride of the North Bank. Tickets: $40 on sale at the library, Pearl & Branch, True Value Hardware, and Woodland Visitors Center.
s
Enjoy one of the highest rated parks in Washington State!
Family Resort with loads of activities for kids Pool • Hot Tub • Fire Pits Private Saunas • Horseshoes Disc Golf • Volleyball & Basketball Courts Daily-Weekly-Monthly Rates
Reservations 360-274-8373 www.greatrvresort.com 150 Happy Trails Road Castle Rock, WA • I-5 Exit 52
10 PARK MODELS IN STOCK www.flickr.com/photos/parkmodels
Cavco Ashkicker Jr,Loaded $33,995; Ashkicker Loaded with deck $43,995, Ashkicker Loft w/deck (2 in stock) $46,495 and $48,995. Creekside Cabin (DB Cooper) LOADED $74,995, Used Cavco non-loft $45,995, Palm Sequoia (2 in stock) starting at $58,995. Models open 9am–4pm 7 days a week For further details:
360-274-7448 or 503-425-9105
Outings & Events
Recreation, Outdoors Gardening, History, Pets, Self-Help Cowlitz County Museum Open Tues-Sat 10am–4pm. 405 Allen St, Kelso, Wash. www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/museum. Info: 360577-3119. Wahkiakum County Historical Society Museum Logging, fishing and cultural displays. Open 1-4pm, Th-Sun. 65 River St, Cathlamet, Wash. For info 360-7953954. Appelo Archives Center Historic exhibits, Naselle-Grays River area. 1056 State Route 4, Naselle. T-Fri 10–4, Sat 10–2, or by appt. 360-484-7103. appeloarchives. org. Longview Bridge Club Weekly duplicate bridge games Mon 10:30am, Thurs 6:30pm, Kelso Senior Center, 106 NW 8th Ave. New players welcome. For info or help finding a partner: Rich Carle, 360-4250981 or rhcarle@msn.com. MATINEE MADNESS! Friends of the Library at Kalama (F.O.L.K.) will present “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” Tues, Jan. 22,1:00pm in the city council chamber at the Kalama Public Library, 312 North 1st Street, Kalama, Wash. The movie, starring Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, is free and open to the public. Donations to F.O.L.K. to benefit the Kalama Public Library will be gratefully accepted. For more info, contact the Kalama Public Library at 360-673-4568.
TAKE A
Historic Winter Transportations by Richard Brenne*. Sunday, Jan. 20, 1pm. “In Their Footsteps” free lecture series. Netul Room, Lewis and Clark Nat’l Historical Park, Fort Clatsop (near Astoria, Ore.). Series presented by Lewis and Clark National Park Assn. and Fort Clatsop. Info: 503-861-2471. *Note: People of northern climes have long used various methods of transportation specific to winter weather such as skis, sleds, and snowshoes. Did the Lewis and Clark Expedition use any of these or note seeing Indians use these tools? Join Richard Brenne for a discussion of the history of these transportation techniques. Brenne is a skier, mountain climber, world traveler, tour guide, freelance writer and award-winning screenwriter whose works have been produced by the Discovery Channel, HBO, and Warner Brothers. He also produces and moderates panel discussions and town meetings about human impacts on the earth. His program should be enjoyable for anyone, but will be of particular interest to those who love anthropology (including conjectural anthropology), big picture history, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, dog-sledding, or Scandinavian, Alpine and Western Mountain history.
HIKE
Sat Feb 3 3:00pm
Tickets $10 General $8 Students/Seniors $6 Children Birkenfeld Theatre Clatskanie Cultural Center Clatskanie, Ore. “Across a Barrier of Fear” follows Eleanor Roosevelt through much of her life, beginning with her early years and concluding with her instrumental role in helping draft the Declaration for Human Rights — what many consider her greatest achievement — while delving into her troubled childhood, marriage and various works. Even before she took on the role of the famed first lady, Jan Van Boskirk was no stranger to historybased performances. She says she has been stepping into the shoes of female pioneers. activists, immigrants and missionaries onstage since 1980.
with
Mt. St. Helens Club
This friendly club welcomes newcomers. For more info please call the hike leader or visit mtsthelensclub.org. RT(round trip) distances are from Longview. E=easy, M=moderate, S=strenuous, e.g.=elevation gain. Wed, Jan 16 Lake Sacajawea (E) Walk around the entire lake 3+ miles or walk half the lake (1+ mile) with little elevation gain. Leaders: Trudy and Ed 360-414-1160. Sat, Jan 19 Forest Park Trillium Loop (M) Drive 95 miles RT; from Skyline Road in Portland hike 6.5 miles RT with 800ft. e.g. through lesser used section of Forest Park; lunch afterward at historic Skyline Bar & Grill. Leader: Bruce 360-425-0256. Wed, Jan 23 Fort Vancouver and Waterfront Renaissance Trail (E) Drive 80 miles RT, hike 4 miles out and back; possibly tour the fort and then hike along the Columbia River; trail is mostly paved. Leader: Art 360-425-3140. Sat, Jan 26 Mazama Ridge (Mount Rainier) Snowshoe (M/S snowshoe) Drive 210 mi. RT. Snowshoe 6 mi. r.t. with 1,500 ft. e.g. No matter sun or clouds, this is the full alpine meadows experience. Leader: George 360-562-0001.
Sat, Feb 2 Trillium Lake Snowshoe SS (E/M) Drive 196 miles RT, snowshoe 5-mile loop on groomed path with little e.g. Longer distances available. Awesome view of Mt. Hood, weather permitting. Leader: Bruce 360-425-0256. Wed, Feb 6 WSU Vancouver Campus (E) Drive 72 miles RT, hike 3+-mile loop in and around the campus and a nature trail with mostly paved path and some gravel and dirt. Leaders Art 360-270-9991 and Chere 702-467-0752. Sat, Feb 9 Hummocks to Johnston Ridge SS (S) Drive 120 miles RT, snowshoe 10 miles with 1,500 ft. e.g. This is an out-andback which is perfect for those wanting to do less than 10 miles. Open terrain and great views of Mt. St. Helens. Leaders: Mary Jane 360-355-5220. Wed, Feb 13 Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge (E) Drive 105 miles RT to Sellwood Park in SE Portland. Walk a 4-mile loop with 30 ft. e.g. next to Willamette River. Leader: Bruce 360-425-0256. Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019 / 29
Clatskanie Fultano’s Pizza 770 E. Columbia River Hwy Family style with unique pizza offerings, hot grill items & more! Sun-Thurs 11am–9pm. Fri-Sat 11am–10pm.. 503-728-2922
Ixtapa Fine Mexican Restaurant 640 E. Columbia River Hwy Fine Mexican cuisine. Daily specials. The best margarita in town. Daily drink specials. Sports bar. M-Th 11am–9:30pm; Fri & Sat 11am–11:30pm; Sun 11am–9pm. 503-728-3344
Rainier Alston Pub & Grub 25196 Alston Rd., Rainier 503-556-4213 11 beers on tap, cocktails. Open daily 11am. 503-556-9753 See ad, page 4.
COLUMBIA RIVER
dining guide
Evergreen Pub & Café 115-117 East 1st Street Burgers, halibut, prime rib, full bar. 503-556-9935. See ad, page 4. Goble Tavern 70255 Columbia River Hwy. (Milepost 31, Hwy. 30) Food, beer & wine + full bar, Live entertainment. 503-556-4090. See ad page 4.
Luigi’s Pizza 117 East 1st Street, Rainier 503-556-4213 Pizza, spaghetti, burgers, beer & wine. See ad, page 4.
To advertise in Columbia River Dining Guide, call 360-749-2632
Toutle/Mt St Helens 1260 Commerce Ave. Serving lunch & dinner Mon–Sat 11am–10pm. Full bar, banquet space, American comfort food. 360-703-3904. www.millcitygrill.com. See ad, page 8.
The Original Pietrio’s Pizzeria Homestyle cooking from the 1960s-1970. All natural ingredients. Beer and wine available. Open Wed. thru Sun, 7am–8pm. 1140 15th Ave., Longview. See ad, page 8.
614 Commerce Ave., Longview. 18 varieties of pizza. Salad bar, Lunch buffet all-you-can-eat. Beer & wine. Mon-Fri open 11am, Sat-Sun 12 Noon. 360-353-3512.
The Carriage Restaurant & Lounge
Full breakfast, lunch and dinner 6am– 9pm. Full bar in lounge, open 6am. Three happy hours daily (8–10am, 12– 2pm, 5–7pm). Group meeting room, free use with $150 food/drink purchases. 1334 12th Ave. 360-425-8545.
Conestoga Pub Cornerstone Café 102 East “A” Street Microbrews, wines & spirits Prime rib Friday & Sat. Open M-F 6am–8pm; Sat-Sun 7am–8pm. 503-556-8772. See ad, page 12.
Parker’s Restaurant & Brewery 1300 Mt. St. Helens Way. I-5 Exit 49. Lunch, Dinner. Burgers, hand-cut steak; seafood and pasta. Restaurant opens 11am, Lounge 12 Noon. Closed Monday. 360-967-2333
Longview 716 Triangle Shopping Center. 18 rotating craft brews, pub fare. M-W 12 noon –9pm, Th-Sat 12 noon-11pm, Sun 12 Noon-8pm. 360-232-8283. Follow us on Untappd .
Country Folks Deli 1329 Commerce Ave., Longview. Serving lunch and dinner. Sandwiches, soups, salads. Open M-Sat 11am. 360-425-2837.
Freddy’s Just for the Halibut. Cod, halibut & tuna fish and chips, oysters & clams., award-winning clam chowder. Prime rib every Thurs. Beer and wine. M-W 10–8, Th-Sat 10–9, Sun 11–8. 1110 Commerce 360-414-3288. See ad, page 16.
Hop N Grape 924 15th Ave., Longview M–Th 11am–8pm; Fri & Sat 11am– 9pm; Sun 11am–7pm. BBQ meat slowcooked on site. Pulled pork, chicken brisket, ribs, turkey, salmon. Worldfamous mac & cheese. 360-577-1541 See ad page 9.
Masthead Castaways 1124 Washington Way, Longview. Famous fish & chips, gourmet burgers, Chowders. 13 beers on tap. Extra parking in back. 360-232-8500.
30 / Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019
Castle Rock
Porky’s Public House 561 Industrial Way, Longview Slow-roasted prime rib Fri & Sat, flat iron steaks, 1/3-lb burgers, fish & chips. 33 draft beers. Full bar. Family-friendly, weekly jazz and acoustic dinner hour sets on Weds. 360-636-1616. See ad, page 25.
Red Kitchen 848 15th Ave., Longview. Cocktails, taps, vino. Traditional diner fare, breakfast, lunch, dinner. Sandwiches, burgers, funky comfort food, incl. Bacon Gouda Mac n Cheese, shepherd’s pie, healthy options. Full service bar, incl 12 taps. 7am–10pm, M-F, 8am–10pm Sat-Sun.
Roland Wines 1106 Florida St., Longview. Authentic Italian wood-fired pizza, wine, and beer. Casual ambience. 5–9pm Wed-Sat. See ad, page 33.
Teri’s 3225 Ocean Beach Hwy, Longview. Lunch and dinner. Fine dining, with specials, fresh NW cuisine. Happy Hour. Full bar. Mon–Sat open 11am. Closed Sundays. 360-577-0717.
Fire Mountain Grill 9440 Spirit Lake Hwy, Milepost 19. Lunch & Dinner: Burgers, sandwiches, salads, steaks seafood, chicken & dumplings, housemade cobblers and infamous Bigfoot Burger. Riverside dining. Open 10am–8pm daily. 360-274-5217.
St. Helens, Oregon
Sunshine Pizza & Catering 2124 Columbia Blvd. Hot pizza, cool salad bar. Beer & wine. 503-397-3211 See ad, page 33.
Scappoose Fultano’s Pizza 51511 SE 2nd. Family style with unique pizza offerings, hot grill items & more! “Best pizza around!” Sun–Th 11am–9pm; Fri-Sat 11am– 10pm. Full bar service ‘til 10pm Fri & Sat. Deliveries in Scappoose. 503-5435100.
Ixtapa Fine Mexican Restaurant
33452 Havlik Rd. Fine Mexican cuisine. Daily specials. The best margarita in town. Daily drink specials. M-Th 11am–9:30pm; Fri & Sat 11am–11:30pm; Sun 11am–9pm. 503-543-3017
Warren Warren Country Inn 56575 Columbia River Hwy. Fine family dining. Breakfast, lunch & dinner. Fri Prime Rib special, Taco Tuesday. Full bar. M-Th 8am–9:30pm, Fri-Sat 8am–10:30pm, Sun 9am–9pm. Karaoke Fri & Sat.503-410-5479.
Woodland Fresh-roasted coffee, snack and pastries. 1335 14th Ave., M-F 7am–4pm, Sat-Sun 9am–4pm. 360-232-8642 See ad, page 8.
The Oak Tree 1020 Atlantic Ave., Woodland. Full breakfast, lunch and dinner menu. Fresh from scratch cooking. Great happy hour menu. Sun 7am–9pm, M-Th 8am–9pm, Fri-Sat 7am–10pm. 360-841-8567
SKY REPORT / FRIENDS OF GALILEO
Astronomy
January 10 – February 15 A Lunar Eclipse! Don’t miss this amazing celestial event! By Ted Gruber Total Lunar Eclipse A total lunar eclipse takes place the night of January 20 and will be visible across the entire western hemisphere. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth lies directly between the sun and the moon, causing the resulting shadow of the Earth to be cast upon the moon. Unlike a solar eclipse, it is completely safe to look directly at a lunar eclipse, or view it through binoculars or telescopes without any filters. During a lunar eclipse, the moon typically turns a reddish orange color, sometimes called a “blood moon.” This occurs because the Earth’s atmosphere bends red sunlight onto the shadow (and hence onto the moon) and filters out, or scatters, blue light. This is the same reason why sunrises and sunsets have a reddish color. The partial eclipse begins when the Earth’s shadow starts to encroach upon the moon at 7:33pm local time on January 20. Over the next hour or so, the shadow slowly covers the moon until totality occurs at 8:41pm. Totality lasts 62 minutes, when the opposite edge of the moon begins to reappear at 9:43pm. The trailing partial eclipse phase ends at 10:50pm. Kelso resident Ted Gruber makes a regular report to fellow members of Friends of Galileo, a familyfriendly astronomy club which meets monthly in Longview. For info about FOG, visit friendsofgalileo.com.
The next total lunar eclipse visible here isn’t until May 2021, so let’s hope for clear skies for this amazing celestial event! Evening Sky Look for Mars high in the southwestern sky as darkness falls. The red planet remains visible until setting in the west around midnight. Mercury returns to the evening sky in midFebruary and makes its best evening sky appearance of the year later that month. We’ll talk more about Mercury in next month’s sky report. Morning Sky Venus and Jupiter dominate the early morning southeastern sky. Through January 22, brighter Venus rises first with Jupiter following soon after. Venus rises a bit later with each passing day, while Jupiter rises a bit earlier. Jupiter catches Venus on January 22 when the two planets make their closest apparent approach with Venus passing 2° north of Jupiter just before dawn. After that, Jupiter rises first with Venus right on its tail. The morning of January 31 provides a special treat when a thin crescent moon passes only 0.1° north of Venus. Saturn returns to the morning sky in mid-February. The ringed planet quickly makes a dramatic entrance when it appears just 1° south of Venus the morning of February 18. •••
New discoveries in a new year By Greg Smith
T
he new year has just started and a number of things have recently happened: a visitor to Mars, a close look at a very far object, a lander on the far side of the moon, landers on asteroids and a very small planet 120 times as far from the sun as the Earth. We have no idea as to what we will learn from all of these discoveries and observations! NASA’s Insight lander is safely on Mars and is beginning its scientific look at the interior of Mars. It is using a seismometer to record Marsquakes to get a look at the interior structure of Mars, just as the seismometers on Earth do. There is a weather station built on the lander to record wind and get a first-hand look at its atmosphere. There is even a probe that will take the planet’s temperature. It’s kind of like getting a medical checkup: heart rate, temperature, and respiration test. Looking for signs of life forms or the remains of them is not part of the lander’s job; that will be left to the next rover that arrives in a couple of years. Then, we have the second mission of the New Horizons probe that photographed Pluto. This time it will be a lot closer to the icy body known as Ultima Thule and even further out in the Kuiper Belt. We should get some very highly detailed images of Ultima Thule, even better than we did at Pluto and those were amazing. There is even talk of another Kuiper Belt object flyby in the future for this intrepid explorer. We have no real idea of what we will see and everything will be new to our scientists.
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The Japanese have landed a probe on asteroid Ryugu to collect a surface sample and return it to Earth. NASA’s OSIRIS-Rex probe landed on Asteroid Bennu recently on a mission to examine its surface and bring back the largest load of samples since the Apollo Moon missions. A new dwarf planet has been discovered, measured to be 120 times as far away from the sun as the earth is (93 million miles) or about 11 billion, 160 million miles from the sun. It took two of the world’s largest telescopes to see it and measure it. It is round with a diameter of about 300 miles and is a pinkish color, which suggests that it is made of ice. How do they know its color? It is done with a spectrograph that measures the light reflected off this object known as 2018 VG18 (unofficially named “Farout”). We are starting to learn that what we thought we knew about things way out in the solar system are not what we expected at all. There are more things coming up in space exploration and astronomy in general that will be surprising — too many to list here, but keep your eyes and ears open for what will be happening this coming year.
Financial Network Investment Adviser Representative
The Chinese are trying to land on the far side of the moon and may well have done so by the time you read this article. They have a communication satellite that will be talking to the lander, so China will direct the landing without a direct link to the lander. We have never tried this ourselves; we will learn a lot about how this process works or doesn’t. The purpose of the lander is to examine soil on the far side, as it does not have the large “seas” that the near side does.
Original • Local • Organic All about the good life No privacy worries Lewis & Clark subscribed
••• Greg Smith is the president of Friends of Galileo, now in its 23rd year. For info about FOG, visit friendsofgalileo.com.
Past covers could be used for making hats to wear while moonwatching Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019 / 31
Northwest Gardening
The Bloom...is ON in Castle Rock! Nancy shares tips to make it happen
V
isit Castle Rock, Wash., in the summer and you see flowers. Thousands of flowers in parks, gardens, baskets and planters. Volunteer gardeners scurry about in their bright yellow, “Bloom Team” vests. We are often asked: “How do you do it? What is your secret?” Whether it be a single basket to highlight your front porch or nurturing hundreds of floral displays, the fundamentals are the same. To thrive, plants need good SOIL Our baskets are planted in a 50-50 blend of a custom Cornell University Peat Lite Mix (visit www.greenhouse.cornell.edu/crops/factsheets/ peatlite.pdf) and good potting soil with no bark in it. There is coco fiber in this mix, which helps maintain soil m o i s t u r e . Wa t e r small plants sparingly so as not to saturate the soil and rot the roots. Soil in our containers is a similar mixture and compost is added to flowers transplanted to gardens.
By Nancy Chennault Originally published in CRR • July 2017
IF YOU GO to see Floral Displays in Castle Rock Take I-5 Exit 48 or 49. The downtown and uptown business districts all have flowers. Downtown (west of I-5) features 102 hanging baskets and the majority of the containers and gardens. Mid-July through September are premium viewing weeks. When you see “Bloom Team” gardeners in their bright yellow vests, be sure to ask questions. We will happily help you “Get Your Bloom On!”
CONTAINERS To support the growth of your vigorous plants, baskets and containers must be of adequate size. The 130 baskets on display in Castle Rock (shown here) are 23” wide. They have a water reservoir that holds 2.5 gallons of water/fertilizer mix in reserve for the hottest days (available at www.h2olaborsaver.com). Containers are at least 24” wide and 18-24” deep. PLANT SELECTION Choose plants for baskets by reading the labels and asking questions about mature size, vigor and sun exposure. We plant Proven Winners because of their diversity and performance. Volunteers and students raise our plants from the juvenile stage to transplant size and on to maturity. The plants must succeed in many different growing regimes. Generally, seven plants per 14-inch basket is a good size for home gardeners. Increase the number as the size increases. We put 10-11 plants in a 23-inch basket and 11-12 plants in a 24-inch container (at right). NUTRITION Flowering baskets and containers need to be fed. Expectations are high. You are asking them to grow into voluminous, overflowing mountains of color in just a few months. Good food and ample water are mandatory. We use Natures Source Plant Food, a natural blend of seed extracts. It provides all that a plant needs. Apply a couple of times a week. NSPF absorbs through the leaves as well as up through the roots. WATER Early in the season there are few roots and lower temperatures. Plants don’t need to be watered as often. Early hot days may mean frequent light watering. As the plants grow more roots and temperatures rise, the plants will require more water, more often. You’ll become a ‘weather forecast junkie’, just like us! Flexibility is key. Be ready to adjust on a moment’s notice. ••• 32 / Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019
Longtime grower/nursery operator/gardening maven Nancy Chennault is credited with inspiring and leading the community of Castle Rock to go bloomin’ crazy every year. This column was reprinted and used by the Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce as a free handout to visitors interested in knowing the ”secrets to success.”
Belated
Holiday Greetings From Ginger and Smokey, who were unintentionally overlooked in the Nov/Dec issue and boy, are they mad about it?! They may even go on strike. We thought she thought we were cute.
No excuses accepted.
HOT PIZZA FRESH COOL SALAD BAR THE BEST AROUND!
IN ST HELENS 2124 Columbia Blvd.
Valentine’s Day At Roland Wines
Join us for a great evening of music, wine, appetizers, and dessert with Portland soul singer Zendra Torrey. Get tickets at the winery or online at rolandwines.com
1106 Florida St.,Longview 360-846-7304, Wed–Sat 4–9pm
503-397-3211
$
5,000 REWARD • A New Year’s Wish Bring our adored giant missing Newfoundland boy home!! He disappeared on June 2nd, and we’re desperate to find him. If you see him, please take a picture.
PLEASE CALL
Alex (213)507-6616 or Rob (213)507-6672. We live in the Portland suburbs. Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019 / 33
the Lower Columbia
Informer by Perry Piper
Are you paying too much for your Internet?
H
elping many clients in our community fix their various technology snafus, I’ve noticed a great number are paying an incredible amount for poor Internet service. Several pay $100 per month or more for Internet with only 1 Mbps download, which is too slow for watching Netflix except at the lowest quality. At this speed all web pages and files will download slowly. Although locals might live 30 minutes out into the country, there are a growing number of alternatives that don’t require waiting for traditional cable-like infrastructure. I would recommend people these days have at least 5 – 10 Mbps speed in order to do most things online without waiting too long. In cities, though, and Longview, surprisingly, gigabit fiber optic service is increasing. This is 1,000 Mbps for only $86 per month including taxes if leasing their gear. We might laugh and wonder why we would need such fast Internet, but the more members in the household, the more it matters, especially if raising kids or teens. As an enthusiast, I use virtual reality and use 6GB of data per hour when watching online 4K content and up to four times that for 8K, and you can tell a clear difference with current hardware. So I would pass the monthly data cap of Comcast alone after usage of a mere hour and a half per day! Now, imagine that compounded by multiple kids all taking online classes through virtual reality and you have a problem. And if something is 1,000 times better for less money, why not go for it? Crucially, Centurylink has no contract and no data cap, so an infinite amount of data per month can be transferred. Gigabit speed means that your online file use will be as fast as if it were plugged into your computer on your desk, from anywhere in the world! Virtual reality and similar technologies will overtake and replace all screen technology like standalone television
and phones in just a few short years and once experienced, the possibilities are far more compelling than these older devices. You can experience first-person tourism, fitness coaching, education, videos, gaming, social interactions with friends from around the world and many other things. The Oculus Quest device this spring and existing Oculus Go could be the mainstream catalyst for VR adoption and fast Internet is a must for optimal performance. For rural residents, satellite Internet is a possibility and over this next decade, multiple companies like OneWeb, Facebook and especially Elon Musk’s SpaceX will be launching low Earth
next decade. Some private citizens are starting their own small Internet companies to help their neighbors if nothing else is available. For the time being, rural folks should consider HughesNet or look into other local options like FiberXstream started by T.J. Steele, serving Castle Rock, Toutle, Silver Lake, Ryderwood and Vader. HughesNet is a high earth orbit option that in contrast means that the satellites are 20,000 miles away, creating significant delay for phone and video calls of half a second and beyond. This is fine for email, web browsing and basic video, though. SpaceX and newer companies are only 400 miles above the Earth’s surface, so the connection will be much better. Finally, if there is great cell phone reception at homes out in the country, that plan can be upgraded to unlimited data and every wifi device can be tethered to the phone or tablet when at home. The only problem here is that high data users might be throttled or slowed down each month after a certain point. For the future as far as emergencies and local communication is concerned, mesh networks created by locals themselves on their devices may be what is popular for making plans with neighbors, as these will be more immune to corporate Internet blackouts and the like.
orbit satellite network constellations numbering 12,000 nodes or similar for globally accessible gigabit connections with low latency that all but the most competitive gamers will approve of. These services will be launching in the U.S. over the next three years or so and expanding globally over the
34 / Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019
Whatever you decide, it’s important to check your bills and consider the ever more competitive market to provide you with better service. ••• Perry Piper enjoys world travel and keeping up with emerging technology. He is available for technical consulting and helping people with their computer needs. Reach him at 360-270-0608.
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Blackwood on Movies
TWO FOR THE MONEY
Eastwood’s “The Mule” and James Wan’s “Aquaman”
C
By Dr. Bob Blackwood
lint Eastwood’s “The Mule” is based on a real-life 90-year-old man who made a bundle of money picking up loads of cocaine in Mexico for the Sinaloa cartel for about 12 trips into the USA.
We don’t know how much money the old man made. But, as he was carrying at times hundreds of pounds of the very expensive white powder, it was a lot. We do know, in the film, that one of the first things the old man bought, and the only thing we saw him spending much money on — except for two different braces of women that he partied with — was a new truck to replace the battered truck that he had used on his little failing farm. He was not a wild man, just an old grouch with a sense of humor — as played by Eastwood — who was trying to save his little farm. Eastwood not only played the WWII veteran farmer, he also directed the film — more of a challenge for him, an 88-yearold man — than even smuggling cocaine over the Mexican border and moving it as far north as Michigan.
Warner Bros. Pictures
I
remember reading “Aquaman” comic books in the early 1950s. They were certainly different, based on the survivors of Atlantis who now live underwater but, on occasion, they visit the dirt people (you and me). Jason Mamoa plays Aquaman, the valid king of Atlantis, who, with his girl pal, Mera (Amber Heard), has to face the sleazy villain Orm (Patrick Wilson) and his scum of the seas. Luckily Willem Dafoe is around to give Aquaman some pointers in being a king. Nicole Kidman shows up, too, as Aquaman’s mother— Jason Mamoa as Aquaman and Amber Heard as Mera do their best to bring a valid king to though she looks more the undersea kingdom of Atlantis. Warner Bros. Pictures like his older sister.
No, this is not the usual gangster film. Oh, some of the Mexican gunmen were certainly tough and rough, but the old man didn’t break into tears. He knew the hoods needed him more than he needed them. None of them wanted to do 10–15 years for smuggling drugs. He figured he didn’t have that long to worry, and he was probably right. Did he go to jail? Well, I’ll let you see the film and find out. I can only say that this was a fascinating character study. It certainly had its share of gangsters who were faced down by an old man who had been through WW II. Towards the end of the film, you see Andy Garcia as the drug lord treating the old man with respect, more so than he showed his underlings. Give the film a try. Dr. Bob Blackwood, professor emeritus of the City Colleges of Chicago, co-authored with Dr. John Flynn the book, Everything I Know about Life I Learned from James Bond. Mr. Blackwood lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
e
Clint Eastwood as a 90-year-old cocaine smuggler outside his busted out farm in “The Mule.”
How would I evaluate this film? I would say that it has more special effects than I have ever seen before. The screen is often filled with hordes of creatures battling. It must have cost many millions to produce. If that is what you want, go for it. I would have liked a more clever plot and better characterization. Happy 2019! •••
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1700 Hudson Street, Suite 300 • Longview, WA • walstead.com Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019 / 35
Their “first stand” at Custer’s Last Stand
Longview residents Kathy and David Johnson at the site of the battle in 1876 along the Little Bighorn River in the Crow Indian Reservation in southeastern Montana Territory. The two were on a 6 week road trip/genealogy journey, towing their travel trailer. “The main purpose of the trip was to see some of the towns where my family lived, “ Kathy said, “visit grave sites and see a lot of touristy places. If I never see another corn field it will be too soon.”
Upbeat but feeling low Kim and
Steve Sharp, of Puget Island (near Cathlamet, Wash.) at Badwater Basin in Death Valley, California, the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level.
36 / Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019
Italian getaway Longview, Wash. residents Mark and Eileen Bergeson outside their accommodation in Cortona, Tuscany, the use of which they purchased at an Ethnic Support Council fundraiser.
Where do you read
THE READER?
Just a tad light-headed Mary Mitchell, of Rainier, Ore., David Silvesan,
Where’s the Sangria? In Barcelona, left to right: Bob Lucas, of Rainier, Ore., Tori Turner Puig, Oriol Puig. Front row: Susie Lucas of Rainier, Ore., and granddaughters Juliette Puig and Addel Puig.
Longview, Wash.., enjoying a beverage atop the Palm Springs tram.
Take me out to the ball game! In her volunteer job as VIP Area Hostess at last summer’s 13-15 Babe Ruth World Series in Longview, Wash., Dorothy Hanson rounded up some fans for a photo. Left to right: Rhonda Lahman-Morris, Longview; Laurie Metzger, Kelso, Wash.; Britta Hammer, Fowler, Calif.; Dorothy Hanson, Longview; Christine Proctor, Spanish Fork, Utah.
WHERE DO YOU READ THE READER?
Hiking boots in her other hand Longview resident Jo Brewer at
Send your photo reading the Reader (high-resolution JPEG) to Publisher@CRReader.com. If sending a cell phone photo, choose the largest file size up to 2 MB. Include names and cities of residence. Thank you for your participation and patience, as we usually have a small backlog. Keep those photos coming!
Enjoying the net proceeds Left-right: Tennis enthusiasts Ann Wright, Longview, Wash.; Nancy McCoy, Cathlamet, Wash.; Chris Roelsvig and Michele Waite, both of Longview, went to Chicago for Laver Cup (Europe vs. Rest of the World) in September. The highlight was watching Roger Federer play singles and doubles matches. Laver Cup will be held next year in Geneva. “Geneva, here we come!” the foursome says.
the Great Wall of China.
Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019 / 37
the spectator
PLUGGED IN
to
by ned piper
COWLITZ PUD
Sports frenzy at the Shamrock “Well, I guess there’s always next year.” The disappointing cry of Northwest sports fans after their favored team meets elimination from postseason play, often by a lesser team. At least by a team that we all believed to be inferior to ours. While our teams rack up their fair share of victories throughout the season, a loss seems to be more devastating when dealt in a playoff game, or in one of the many bowl games that flourish at year’s end. On the Saturday night before this issue wrapped up, Sue and I accompanied friends to the Shamrock Tavern, a local popular sports bar, for a bite to eat. To our surprise, the place was packed wall to wall with enthusiastic Seahawk fans. In fact, we managed to garner the last four seats available. Excitement was definitely in the air. With every halfway decent play the Seahawks made, the crowd erupted with ear-splitting cheers. The 12th Man volume made conversation with our friends practically impossible. The food was good, the service okay, considering the circumstances. We will definitely go back, but not on a night the Seahawks are on the big screens, fighting it out in a playoff game. I’m a huge sports fan — let me rephrase that: I love sports as much
as the next guy, maybe even more than most. But the decibel level in the bar that night was nearly unbearable. While I appreciated the opportunity to watch the game, I would rather have been watching it at home in the quiet comfort of our cozy TV room. Three hours after we left the bar, my ears were still buzzing. I wonder how much louder the crowd could have gotten if the Hawks had pulled off a comeback victory. That said, I am reminded of one of my favorite bits of sports humor: A man walked into a sports bar with his dog on a leash. Seeing the dog, the bartender informed the man that dogs were not allowed in the establishment. The man said, “But, aren’t the Cleveland Browns playing today?” “Yeah,” the bartender said. “So what?” “My dog is a huge Browns fan. Won’t you make an exception and let us watch the game. I promise, he’ll be good.” “Alright,” the bartender said, “but any sort of commotion, and the two of you are out of here.” About halfway through the first quarter, the Cleveland running back
By Alice Dietz
Give a Little, Receive a Lot
I broke through the line for a 20-yard run before being tackled. Well, the dog goes absolutely crazy, jumping around and barking up a storm. “Alright,” the bartender yelled. “That’s it. You two are out the door, now!” The dog’s owner pleaded, “Oh come on. Please let us stay. He is such a fan. I promise, no more outbursts.” “Look,” the bartender said, “if a 20yard run makes him go that nuts, what will he do if the Browns score a touchdown?” “I don’t know,” the man said. “I’ve only owned him four years.” Go Seahawks... next year. New Year. ••• Longview native Ned Piper enjoys reading, writing, and schmoozing with CRR advertisers and readers and, of course, watching sports on TV or in live venues.
FEBRUARY ISSUE COMING OUT FEB 15
Featuring • Oysters! • Snowshoeing • HaikuFest Winners • Surprises!
Ad Deadline: Jan. 25. Submission Guidelines, p. 28.
Ad Reps:
Wahkiakum, Pacific, Clatsop Counties, Mouth of the Columbia
Ron Baldwin 503-791-7985
Downtown Longview, Castle Rock
Tiffany Dickinson 706-284-4008
Other areas/Ad Manager:
Ned Piper 360-749-2632 38 / Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019
’m a fan of the verse in Matthew, “…do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing…” describing how, when giving, it is not necessary to let everyone know what good you’ve done. But, when it comes to recognizing what others have done and continue to do, there’s an opportunity to brag. Upon starting my position here at Cowlitz PUD, I was pleasantly surprised by the abundant giving I saw from my peers. From Jeans Wednesday, where employees can pay one dollar towards the Warm Neighbor Fund to wear their denim, to an immediate response to help a fellow employee who is in need. This last year especially, I think it’s important to recognize the impact our employees voluntarily make to our great community. Cowlitz PUD employees have volunteered over 2,000 hours of their service to many events. Employees donated more than $1,000 worth of items for the first annual Veteran’s Day Drive and were able to serve lunch to more than 20 local Veterans. Through volunteer time and effort, our employees organized the first annual Eat for Heat Dinner that brought in $6,000 for the Warm Neighbor Fund. Most notable (and tug at your heart strings-able) has to be the annual Operation Christmas Miracle, organized by a handful of employees. The PUD reaches out to local school officials and requests recommendations for a family in need. This year we were able to make Christmas special for a family of 12. This included presents for 10 children, consisting of something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read. Groceries for the family were also provided, along with a basket of family games and a gas card for a visit to family across the state. This effort is 100 percent the result of a workforce that cares about people. As we head into the new year, it feels great to reflect on the generosity that surrounds our community. Happy New Year from Cowlitz PUD! •••
Alice Dietz is Communications and Public Relations Manager at Cowlitz PUD. Reach her at adietz@cowlitzpud.org, or 360-5019146.
Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019 / 39
40 / Columbia River Reader / January 10 – February 15, 2019