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July 2016 issue of The River Journal
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Because there’s more to life than bad news
A Newsmagazine Worth Wading Through
At CFHS, the Future is NowCounty Fair Continues to GrowCompton Becomes a River Rat
July 2016 • FREE
Alex Broughton visited the Doge’s Palace in Venice (Italy) in June. And so did the River Journal! “Oh, the places you will go...”
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2016 Garden TourJuly 17 • 10am-5pm
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bcgardeners.org208.265.2070
Who’s the Best Chef?
Daily at 3 pm
Flying Mammals
Tuesday at 9 pm
Hypnotist Chris Maybrey
Tues. & Wed. at 6 and 8 pm
Kid Davie’s Magic Show
Tuesday, 7:30 pm
Ranch SortingTuesday at 7:30 pm
Barrel RacingWednesday at 7:30 pm
Rob Ot the
RobotWednesday
at 11 amBashful Dan’s Dance Party
Wednesday at 9 pm
Country Sensation
Branch & DeanThursday at 9 pm
Challenge of Champions
Friday at 7:30 pm
Devon WadeFriday at 9 pm
Demolition Derby
Saturday at 7 pm
4203 North Boyer, Sandpoint • 208-263-8414
Page 4 July 2016
1123 Lake St. in Sandpoint
208-263-3613www.SandpointIdaho.govScholarships available.
The Summer Activity Booklet is available now! Get your copy at the City Rec office, the Sandpoint Library or online.
• Youth swimming lessons- reg. by July 8/22• Youth beg/adv sailing-reg. by July 13/Aug 10• Youth and adult Tennis for all skill levels. Classes in July. Don’t miss the high school Tennis Clinic July 11-15.• Adult dance classes include tango, cowboy cha cha, bolero, country swing and belly dancing.• Learn All About Bugs! Ages 8-14, reg. by July 18• Sandpoint Parks & Rec offers a variety of activities for youth, adults and families.
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July 2016 Page �
A News Magazine Worth Wading Through
~just going with the flow~P.O. Box 151•Clark Fork, ID 83811
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208.255.6957 • [email protected]
STAFFCalm Center of TranquilityTrish Gannon • [email protected] of Truth & PropagandaJody Forest • reach him in the great beyondSales & Other StuffDavid Broughton• 208.290.6577 •[email protected]
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a
habit.” Aristotle
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509.534.3625Contents of the River Journal are copyright 2016. Reproduction of any material, including original artwork and advertising, is prohibited. The River Journal is published the first week of each month and is distributed in over 16 communities in Sanders County, Montana, and Bonner, Boundary and Kootenai counties in Idaho.
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THE RIVER JOURNAL
• July 2016 • 6. COUNTY FAIR KEEPS GROWING.
Rhonda Livingstone’s dreams are turning into reality at the Bonner County Fairgrounds. Trish Gannon
8. CLARK FORK HIGH SCHOOL: THE FUTURE IS HERE. Once again, CFHS is ahead of the learning curve, providing exciting opportunities for students. MIKE TURNLUND
10. IF NOT YOU, WHO? It’s crucial for Parkinson’s patients to take charge of their own care. AC WOOLNOUGH - ALL SHOOK UP
11. TRAVELING CHICKENS. A spur-of-the-moment trip to Reno means finding a chicken babysitter. TRISH GANNON- POLITICALLY INCORRECT.
12. TRUMP WITH A CHASER OF ICE Gil Donald Trump invites the Republican party to his own kind of ALS Challenge. DAVID KEYES - AS I SEE IT
14. EVENING GROSBEAK. We all have songs or movies we turn to time and again. When it comes to birds, Mike keeps returning to one that’s bold, brash and beautiful. MIKE TURNLUND - A BIRD IN HAND
15. THE RIVER. Like life, the water can be a bitch. And also rewarding. SANDY COMPTON - THE SCENIC ROUTE
16 THE VIEW FROM THE FRONT. Seeing the Front Range from the other side of the Dvide. ERNIE HAWKS - THE HAWK’S NEST
17. ARMING THE REDOUBT Some thoughts on gun control and the growing Redoubt presence locally. GIL BEYER - IN THE MIDDLE
18. SHAKE OFF THE DUST Policy makers for the Presbyterians and the Methodists decide not to divest from fossil fuels. GARY PAYTON - GARY’S FAITH WALK
19. NEW FOOD FOR THOUGHT. The reality of climate change means new varieties and types of food to grow. So go ahead and go nuts! NANCY HASTINGS - GET GROWING
20. AIN’T BEE HAVIN’ Getting kids through the teenage years safely is difficult - even for bees. SCOTT CLAWSON - ACRES N’ PAINS
Our Thanks to these fine businesses where you can pick up a copy of the River Journal:Coeur d’AleneNorth Idaho CollegeAtholAthol ConocoWestmondWestmond StoreSagleSagle ConocoSandpointWaterfront ConocoThe Panida TheaterVanderford’s BooksEichardt’sDiLuna’s Cafe
Columbia BankDairy DepotBurger ExpressSandpoint City HallSandpoint Super DrugGas n’ GoSuper 1 FoodsPonderayThe Hoot Owl CafeBabe’s One StopCo-Op Country StoreThe Bonner MallSchweitzer ConocoHope
Holiday ShoresClark ForkHay’s ChevronMonarch MarketClark Fork BeverageSamuelsSamuels Service StationElmiraElmira StoreNaplesNaples Gen. StoreBonners FerrySuper One FoodsSafeway
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Page 6 July 2016
County Fair Keeps GrowingThere’s not a writer on earth who
can keep up with Rhonda Livingstone when she starts talking about the Bonner County Fairgrounds. The woman is a virtual idea generator, and the number of projects she has going at any one time is bewildering. If her essence could be bottled, the troubles of the world could be solved.
It was 14 years ago when Rhonda was hired by the county, first to manage the fair and now managing both the fair and the facility itself, and a lot of her ideas have come to fruition in those years. Constant attention to and improvement of the facility has had a beautiful result: this year, fairgoers might notice the new roof on the main exhibit building (and volleyball players this fall will definitely appreciate not having to play around buckets to catch leaking rain water!). They’ll certainly notice the remodeled food court, complete with commercial kitchen.
“You know, there’s been a need for a commercial kitchen in the community given the old one is no longer available,” Rhonda said. “I can see this being such a great benefit for a lot of people!”
It’s that vision of benefitting the community all year ‘round that has driven a lot of the work that Rhonda has spearheaded, including a fully renovated campground that features 33 sites complete with electricity and water, restrooms with showers, a covered pavilion, and an RV dump station.
“When I first started here, the outgoing fair manager told me not to expect to get any money to do
anything,” Rhonda explained. “But we’ve been able to find a way to make things happen.” That “way” includes a lot of grant writing, volunteer work, a supportive fair board, the backing of the county commissioners, and a community that still thinks a county fair is an important part of our local identity.
And what a fair! While 4-H exhibits and local efforts at flower arranging, quilting and canned goods are still staple attractions, every year Rhonda and her crew manages to add something more to the program. Bouncy houses for the kids, all sorts of hands-on activities, musicians, magicians, and contests galore. There’s barrel racing and bull riding, the demolition derby, dances and auctions and livestock to visit. The fair has pony rides and fashion shows and one of the most magnificent wildlife buildings around. Not to mention the chance to show off your skills and compete against your neighbors for ribbons and money in areas ranging from growing vegetables to knitting sweaters to writing song lyrics or building robots!
(There is way too much to list, but the new 140-page fair book, with Tennessee Mule Artist Bonnie Shields’ always incredible artwork on the cover, can be found just about anyplace you go in Bonner County. You can also visit bonnercountyfair.com to see what all is happening when.)
The fair is so action-packed and fabulous, in fact, that for years now it has continually won top honors for a fair of its size at international competitions:
by Trish Gannonan honor that Rhonda says is always surprising, but much appreciated.
When the fair is over, they turn around and do it again, at least in part, for area seniors at The Bridge Assisted Living. “I think that’s one of my favorite things,” said Rhonda, with tears in her eyes. “Getting to bring the fair to these people who appreciate it all so much. I took all the leftover veggies last year, and they all love to hold the animals. My job is great!”
The pre-fair is also one of her favorite things, though, when she brings area elementary students out to the fairgrounds for a taste of what life used to be for most who lived here; raising animals, growing food, creating a home. “This year the pre-fair had 1,000 kids and 2,000 exhibits! The kids got to bottlefeed lambs, got hands-on experiences. Idaho Forest Group did a presentation, the US Forest Service was there, the Cattlewomen, Carter Country. Farm Bureau gives so much. The support is fantastic!”
Pretty much every subject Rhonda lights on, in fact, is her favorite, be it the demo derby or barrel racing or improvements to the facility, which is likely why she has been able to accomplish so much in her tenure as manager. That, and a dedicated team.
“I couldn’t do any of this without Bob and Sheena,” she said. “And Gary and Nancy, too.”
Bob Snider is the head groundskeeper for the fairgrounds, which doesn’t even begin to describe what he does for the facility. He not only worked to get grants for the campground improvements, he recently received a grant to improve the energy efficiency of the facility. Bob just finished a two-year program in the Institute of Fair Management.
Sheena Fieldler is Rhonda’s part-time assistant, and is just completing her first year at the Institute of Fair Management as well.
Gary Spurgeon is not only a part-time groundskeeper for the fairgrounds, but he also built many of the original buildings on the site.1 mi. north of WalMart on Hwy. 95
Cedar OutletFencing • Decking • Siding
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1-208-263-1208Opening April 7-8 for the Season
July 2016 Page �
And Nancy Henney comes in to work in the office as fair time approaches and things get really hectic; her 17 years as a fair superintendent gives her a good background for solving many of the puzzles that always come up.
It is this crew who backs Rhonda up on her never-ending adventure into maximizing the fairgrounds as a hub of the community.
Just this year, the team brought back the traditional Timberfest celebration, in June, which highlights the area’s historical tie with the timber industry and the amazing skills and effort that go along with it. The timbersports exhibitions show the level of skill still
held by many of our area’s timbermen.“My grandmother always won at
the fair for her pickles,” Rhonda said in explanation for her ties to the whole idea of a county fair. “Everybody that’s in the fair business loves the fair.”
The Bonner County Fair this year will be open to the public on Tuesday, August 9 at 10 am and will close at 11 pm on Saturday, August 13. Those interested in entering an exhibit can do so on August 7 and 8—please check the fair book for the specific times for each exhibit category.
-Photo and story by Trish Gannon
Tickets: $10 advance$12 at the door
Doors open at 5:30Join us for breakfast & lunch,
Wednesday-Monday, 8AM-2PM
Polly O’Kearyand the Rhythm Method
July 22nd
220 Cedar St. Sandpoint 208.263.0846
Emory Clark, Clark Fork High School Class of ‘57, always had a
hankering to run all the way from Sandpoint to Clark Fork. After graduation, he
worked as a juvenile probation officer, a school
teacher, a vocational counselor and an inventor. Along the way, he ran quite a few half marathons, and three full marathons in 2004 and 2005. But he never lost that dream of pounding feet along one of the most scenic highways in the nation.
“At age 77, I thought I’d better hurry a bit,” he said, and enlisted the help of Bob Hays, Brenda Haase and others in the Clark Fork community to not only make that 26.2 mile run a reality, but to raise some money for the high school as well.
The marathon will take place on July 30th at 5:30 am starting at Sandpoint City Beach. The route will follow the Bay Trail before returning to the highway and, near Samowen Peninsula, will hopefully follow the Slough on the old highway (though a repaving project there might get in the way). A half marathon will begin at 7:30 at mile 13.1 for those looking for less of a challenge, or who want to sleep in a bit.
If you don’t want to run, there are plenty of other ways to get involved. Lots of volunteers will be needed to man water stations and the like, and will receive a free t-shirt featuring the six-legged running Wampus Cat.
To learn more or to sign up, get in touch with Emory at 888-857-8746 or email him at emoryjp(at)msn.com. Or you can leave a message on the Clark Fork Facebook page (facebook.com/groups/clarkfork). The entry fee is $35.
It promises to be a good time for all and Emory says he’s even checking the freezer to see if he has enough venison steaks leftover for a feast at the end.
Wampus Cat Marathon
Page 8 July 2016
“What is going on at Clark Fork High School?”
This is the question that is most frequently asked of me whenever someone discovers that I am a teacher at Clark Fork High School. I have been teaching there the past eleven years.
“I hear such wonderful things about Clark Fork High School. Can you explain to me what you’re doing?”
You got a minute? Okay, maybe more like twenty minutes? It gets kind of complicated…
For the past many years, Clark Fork High School has enjoyed a reputation of academic excellence. The school has become a perennial winner of recognition as one of the top schools in the state by US News and World Report, received many acknowledgments from the state of Idaho, and the respect of higher education institutions.
But as they say, “the proof is in the pudding” and I can assure you that the students at CFHS have the test scores and other ancillary data necessary to prove their success. The data demonstrates that whatever CFHS is doing, it’s working. And this is not limited to our students’ high school careers, as their success follows them to the secondary level (as well it should). The staff is very proud of their students’ success and they have gladly put in all of the hard work necessary to make students successful.
So back to the original question, “What is going on at Clark Fork High School?” Two things: mastery-based education and the experiential-learning track system—two very different, but very complementary, programs. Let me explain them separately.
First, let’s look at mastery-based education, also commonly referred to as proficiency-based education. CFHS has been selected by the state of Idaho to serve as a mastery-based education pilot school for the state. This is advantageous for the school as it opens up resources to better implement this program. But CFHS was ahead of the state of Idaho. Indeed, ahead of
everybody! The school’s staff began the process of adopting the mastery-based education model last year and has nearly completely phased it in this year—a full two years before the state. The staff at CFHS had discovered on its own the case for mastery-based education and decided to implement it even before it was realized that the state was starting its own program. This is great, because, again, CFHS is sitting in the train’s engine rather than over its caboose. After the pilot phase is complete in five years, the state of Idaho is going to require all public schools statewide to adopt the model. It is that good. Kudos to the state of Idaho.
So what is mastery-based education and why has CFHS adopted it? First, it is student centric. Second, it is a proven method of teaching; in fact, it is probably the oldest form of teaching. And third, it works!
Most adults reading this article have engaged in mastery-based education sometime in their lifetime, probably without realizing it. Most on-the-job training is mastery-based. The military uses it extensively. Also, most professional-technical classes taught at the high-school level, such as shop classes, have been using it for decades. Ironically, student teachers are taught to teach using this method, although previously they might never employ it in their own classrooms!
Let me use an example to explain what mastery-based education is. First, you need a learning objective. What information is going to be learned or skill mastered? Second, what are the discrete steps necessary for you to reach that objective? What does a person have to do, one step at a time, to accomplish this goal? Third, you need to be tested to demonstrate your mastery or proficiency at reaching the goal.
So, you are now seventeen years of age and you want to get your driver’s license. This is your objective. So what steps do you need to take to get that driver’s license? Well, you’ll need to know the rules and regulations, so
the driver’s manual is essential. And you will also require some practical driving experience on the road to get the skills necessary to pass the driving test. So you will get the manual and study it. To prove that you understand it sufficiently you will be tested. And you need an 80 percent to pass. No, not a 60 percent—although that is a passing grade in most public high schools, it is not enough for this requirement. Nor is a 70 percent. You will need an 80 percent or better. And if you don’t pass the test the first time, you can always take it again. You will study those portions you failed, rather than those portions you have already proven you understand. And then you retest until you can demonstrate that you prove that you understand the information necessary to be a competent driver.
Now you have your driver’s permit. What’s the next step? You need to practice driving. Driving with a parent or adult mentor, you put practical time behind the wheel. And when you’re ready to test, you make whatever arrangements are necessary in order to take the driving section of the driver’s test. And if you pass, you’ve earned your license. If not, you review what you didn’t master and practice and practice till you have. Then you retest.
And this is how mastery-based education works in the classroom. A student is giving all of the learning objectives for the class (a semester’s worth), as well as the discrete steps necessary to be mastered in order to meet the objectives. These steps typically take the form of an “I can” statement, such as “I can explain the Bay of Pigs invasion within the context of the Cold War” or “I can demonstrate how to multiply mixed fractions.” The student studies the material in a fashion that best suits his or her learning styles, whether independently, in a small group, or following a teacher’s lecture—whatever is best for the student. And then the student tests when he or she is ready.
Mastery-based education is student
Clark Fork High School: The future of Idaho is happening right now by Mike Turnlund
July 2016 Page �
centric, not teacher centric. In other words, the students learn at a pace that fits their own pace of learning, not the teacher’s preordained scope and sequence. Some students can master a semester’s worth of work in less than a semester, while some students require a bit more time. It is not about cramming the content into a semester’s worth of classes—ready or not here it comes! It is about allowing the student to go at a pace that suits the student’s innate abilities. Students are not all created equal. Thus mastery-based education allows more capable students an opportunity to soar and complete the course early, and less-capable students the time and resources they need to be equally successful. And since a student cannot earn less than an 80 percent (“proficiency,” which is equal to a B), they simply learn more with the mastery model. Even if the student passes a specific section with an 80 percent grade, he or she may retake the summative test (a similar, not identical test) in order to improve their grade to a 90 percent or higher (“mastery,” which is equal to an A), if they’re willing to put in the time and effort.
And now about that experiential-learning track system…
Little schools face big challenges. Just as there are only so many hours in a day and days in a week, there are only so many courses that any one teacher can offer during a semester. CFHS has a small staff: the equivalent of eight and a half teachers covering six grade levels (7-12). And once the required courses are put into the yearly calendar, there are few options for electives or other courses that might interest students-—classes such as shop, computer
programming, cooking, and so on.And little rural schools have it
even worse. There are only so many community resources in a small town, especially ones as small as Clark Fork and Hope—communities that do not normally top the state list of the rich and famous.
How do you help students in an excellent, although minimalist, academic environment discover their passions? While the student population is low at CFHS—only 115 students—they are as diverse as any group of people. Each student has his or her own interests, plans, and dreams. This is the conundrum facing the faculty at CFHS. But the staff was up to the challenge as they are a serendipitous collection of out-of-the-box thinkers. Thus was born the experiential-learning track program.
Experiential learning simply means “learning by doing.” There are no lectures, no books, no assignments, no exams… unless required for the students to meet their personal learning goals. Students dedicate most Fridays to their experiential-learning experience.
There are two approaches to participating in the experiential-learning track program: formal tracks and individual tracks. There are currently four formal tracks. Individual tracks are whatever that student would like to pursue by oneself, working with a mentor.
Here is a list of our current formal tracks and what students experience:
• Great Outdoors Track: students spend almost every Friday away from the school. The Great Outdoors Track works with outdoor-related careers and activities such as wildlife biology, hydrology, soils, forest ecology, outdoor recreation, and gaining such skills as
skiing, snowshoeing, fly fishing, outdoor emergency first aid and survival, tree identification, and leadership. The Great Outdoor Track has worked with Selkirk Outdoors Leadership and Education, Kaniksu Land Trust, the University of Idaho, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the Forest Service, and many community specialists and volunteers.
• Culinary Arts Track: students spend every day in the kitchen. The approach of the Culinary Arts Track program is not only to learn culinary skills, but also to explore the culinary arts as a career. Subsequently, the curriculum is closely aligned with the culinary arts program at North Idaho College. Students also tour the NIC facilities. The Culinary Arts Track hosts many experts to lead classes, including professional chefs, restaurateurs, nutritionists, and community specialists. They also earn their food handler’s license.
• Arts Track: the Arts Track has been a balance between the visual arts and the performing arts. This past year the track leaders exposed students to a variety of art medias and stagecraft, culminating in both a juried art exhibit at Columbia Bank in Sandpoint and a student performance of the comedic play Charming! Students also attended the Broadway show Newsies in Spokane. Students were also able to directly interact with professionals, whether artists or thespians, not only learning fun and important skills, but also about exploring these fields as careers.
For the upcoming year the focus will be on the visual arts, with local professional artists serving as artists-in-residence to lead students in deeply
Continued on next page
Page 10 July 2016
Take Charge of Your Care by A.C. Woolnough
healthcare network (including support groups) and other appropriate sources helps keep you in control.
One of my favorite new words is neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to reorganize itself in the face of
injury or damage by making new neuronal connections. Amazingly, exercise—dancing, boxing, biking, walking—seems
to increase these new internal brain connections and help prevent or delay cognitive issues such as dementia. The best thing about exercise is that it’s free and the side effects are almost entirely positive. Directly related to neuroplasticity is managing negative emotions and using stress reduction techniques to increase self-efficacy. Prayer, meditation, yoga and contemplation are all means used to achieve this goal. For that matter, a walk in the woods or petting a dog can help lower blood pressure and reduce stress.
The last three elements of this program include the care partnership, complementary/alternative medicine and going forward. Having a care partner (see the April 2016 River Journal) is ideal, but self-care, personal reflection and journaling help one to understand their needs and provide an avenue for communicating them. Being open to non-traditional therapies may prove valuable as well. Finally, tenacity and resilience (what my mom used to call being stubborn) are also important. Getting involved through mentorship, research, advocacy and leadership is the capstone to self-efficacy.
Take charge! If not you, who? If not now, when?
Working with doctors and taking care of yourself can be a challenge. There is conflicting advice everywhere. Coffee is bad for you. No, coffee is good for you. Red wine is bad for you. No, it’s good for you. Eat this. No, eat that. Take this drug. No, that drug has serious side effects. One strategy is to research your condition or symptom on the Internet. Unfortunately, you are likely to find opposing views that merely increase confusion. Throw in the snake oil salesmen and outright quackery you find on some web sites and you begin to wonder… What’s a person to do?
In last month’s column, I introduced the concept of self-efficacy: A person’s belief about his or her ability and capacity to accomplish a task or to deal with the challenges of life. This is a common sense approach to one’s healthcare (and life). The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (with special thanks to Diane Cook) has a new program called PD SELF that incorporates nine elements related to self-efficacy that are appropriate to anyone with a serious condition.
This month we will continue exploring these topics. The fourth module includes medications and treatments. It is vital to know and understand the purpose, dosages, schedule and potential side effects of any drug or medication that is prescribed. The best and most accurate information comes from the insert that accompanies the treatment or a quick visit to the manufacturer’s home page. Any questions remaining can be answered by your physician or pharmacist. Titration (the process of gradually adjusting the dose of a medication until optimal results are reached) may also be necessary. Becoming knowledgeable through effective communication with your
All Shook Up
A.C. Woolnough has spent a lifetime in education. He serves the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation as both a Research Asso. and a member of the People with Parkinson’s Advisory
Council. In addition, he is the Asst. State Director for the Parkinson’s Action Network.
CFHS - continued
If Not You, Who? immersive experiences in different art medias. There are future plans to offer an immersive track in the performing arts as well.
• Tech Track: this is a wide-open venue for students, who focus on individual or small group projects. This past year included such activities as transforming a Suzuki Samurai into an expeditionary vehicle (including rebuilding the engine), welding, computer programming, building a remotely-piloted underwater vehicle, working with a variety of electric vehicles, soldering, welding, using a 3D printer, even constructing an inertial electrostatic confinement field generator!
Students are also encouraged to follow their own paths. Independent learning tracks are always an option, facilitated by a mentor drawn from the local community to guide their learning. Students get an opportunity to explore what they personally find compelling.
One of the most important student outcomes from the experiential-learning track program has been the development of soft skills, such as leadership, teamwork, problem solving, accountability, and overcoming obstacles. These are the very skills most coveted by employers and the most difficult to teach in a traditional classroom setting. The experiential-learning program offers them in spades!
Clark Fork Jr/Sr High School might be a small, remote, rural North Idaho high school, but it is far from being anonymous. Our school has already showed up on the radar screen of State Department of Education, the governor’s office, even the Idaho legislature, because of its success and innovation. I tell you, we’re going to be famous! Maybe we already are.
What’s going on at Clark Fork High School? Many things. Cool things. Meaningful things. And lasting things. Want to see it in action? What to be part of it? Drop me a line at [email protected].
Come see success, innovation, and the future, today, at Clark Fork Jr/Sr High School.
You can reach Clark Fork High School at 208.255.7177.
For that matter, a walk in the woods or petting a dog can help lower blood pressure and reduce stress.
July 2016 Page 11
Politically Incorrect
Trish Gannon is the owner/publisher of the River Journal. She lives in Clark Fork and despite the suggestion of many friends, will never knit a sweater for her chickens to wear.
Re-Defining Free Range by Trish Gannon
Any farmer can tell you that there’s an awful lot of responsibility that comes with livestock. Dairy cows and goats need to be milked, cows and horses need to be rotated into new pasture, water troughs have to be kept clean and morning and night, the animals have to be let out and put up again, safe from predators.
And that’s no different even if your “farm” is simply a few backyard chickens.
Every night, those chickens have to be shut up in the coop unless you’re prepared to find chicken carcasses left from when the raccoons and skunks move through your property—and they will move through your property if you have food for them to eat; food like fresh chicken.
Ask me how I know this, but be prepared for me to burst into tears when I tell you.
Ever since I got chickens, I have been tied to my home by this inflexible shut-’em-up-at-sundown, let-’em-out-in-the-morning schedule. But I was also the primary caretaker for my mother as her health declined with age, and for my brother when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, so the chickens were a relatively light responsibility so to speak.
Now that Mom and Joe have passed on to whatever awaits us at the end of life, however, the chickens are the only things left that tie me inflexibly to home, and a spur-of-the-moment decision to accompany my David on a trip to Reno to see his mother and his brothers meant I had to deal with this reality face-to-face.
I don’t have a local chicken
babysitter, so a decision had to be made.
That decision was to take my chickens to Sandpoint so my daughter, who also has chickens, could babysit.
Let me say here that mixing flocks is not really a good idea. It’s a big no-no, in fact, when it comes to chicken bio-security.
But I figured that given we are both in each other’s chicken yards frequently, and given that our bio-security practices (wearing only one pair of shoes per chicken coop, washing religiously after handling chickens) is pretty much non-existent, our flocks probably share all of the same germs.
So late one afternoon, I loaded all my girls into the car for a trip to Sandpoint.
Have you ever tried to catch a chicken in the late afternoon? It is almost an exercise in futility. Yes, they will run straight to you as soon as they hear the crinkle of the plastic bag that holds the meal worm treats, but while they’re happy to leap up for treats out of your hand, they’re not particularly happy to sit still while you scoop them up and put them into the back of a car.
Not happy at all, in fact.I chased that last damn chicken
around the back yard for almost 40 minutes before I could trap her in a
corner and scoop her up. And by that time, the chickens waiting in the car had had plenty of time to poop out some of their anxiety over being in the back of the car.
Oh my god, the smell! I am so happy I thought to lay down a plastic tarp over the back of the wagon before I put the first chicken in.
My idea to run plastic fencing as a kind of “dog gate” to keep the chickens in the back worked... for about 10 minutes. And then Malayla took it down. That 40-minute drive into Sandpoint was hell. But thankfully, Malayla had apparently already cleared her system of ready poop before she broke through to ride on all my supplies for the trip.
The chickens were so happy to be out of the car that they settled in quite easily at Misty’s house. A few dominance battles, some scratching throughout her yard and they were quite happy to march into the coop as night fell, leaving me and David free to get on the road to Reno.
My chickens, however, have over an acre to roam here in Clark Fork, given that my neighbors cut a hole into the fence so that the chickens could wander all over their place, as well as my own. Misty has slightly less property. By noon the next day, she was sending me pictures as she held down each one of my chickens and cut their flight wings. Seems they just didn’t understand why they couldn’t visit every neighbor’s yard in a three-block radius.
In the end, everything worked. None of the mixed flock got sick. None of my chickens successfully took flight for freedom. David and I had a nice visit with his family. And the girls were not traumatized enough to even quit laying eggs, though they seemed to be very happy when I brought them home. And all it cost me was one tarp (frankly, I decided it was easier to throw that one away than it would ever be to get it clean again).
And what I realized is that, just like my girls, I like to be a little free-ranging as well. I have been tied to one place for far too long. It might be time to invest in a large chicken crate for transport.
Page 12 July 2016
For the past two years, the ALS Association has been the recipient of a fundraising phenomenon.
The Ice Bucket Challenge is the epitome of an event going viral and raising awareness of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or Lou Gehrigs Disease.
As you recall, the challenge was simple: Pour a bucket of ice water over your head or donate to an ALS organization. As important, make sure you post your feat on Facebook and call another group out. Repeat as necessary.
Buckets full of ice came in the form of front-end loaders to water balloons to nearly frozen ponds or rivers. There were 7,000 challenges on YouTube at one time and there is even a YouTube channel called ice challenge fails where the task went epically wrong.
In just six weeks, the challenge brought in $115 million and 308,000 new donors to the ALS Association. Throw in 700,000 new Facebook likes and you have a digitally viral fundraising sensation.
I was thinking about the Ice Bucket Challenge recently when I was trying to find an apt comparison to what Donald Trump and others have done to Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan’s Republican Party.
Donald Trump, with an Ice Chaser“We feel very fortunate that the Ice
Bucket Challenge increased awareness and understanding of the disease because that’s obviously a huge hurdle, getting people engaged with your cause no matter what it is,” said the marketing person for the ALSA.
For most Republicans, just the specter of Hillary Clinton is enough for them to withstand the Trump Ice Bucket Challenge. In fact, there are many people who would stand under a Niagra Falls of ice water versus pulling the lever for Killery or Hitlery or Cutlery or whatever the anti-Clinton forks are calling her.
Remember, the anti-Clintonistas have had eight years of putting the Hillary insults on ice after they were ready for her before that Obama guy came from nowhere and took the nomination and presidency from her in 2008.
For the majority of Republicans and nearly every Democrat, black, Hispanic, woman, girl, Muslim, et al, Trump is one ice bucket challenge too many.
The unpredictability of this unproven candidate has forced them to scramble for drier ground.
They grew wary of him as he whack-a-moled his way through the Republican primary season knocking off governors,
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July 2016 Page 13
The Way I See It by David Keyes
David Keyes is the former publisher of the Bonner
County Daily Bee, and is busy stalking
the presidential candidates.
senators, whatever Ben Carson is and even a Bush on his way to locking up the nomination.
Several contenders, such as Sen. Canadian, America, Martian Ted Cruz, were happy to draft behind Trump during most of the primary season. They just knew the Celebrity Apprentice would be fired by the GOP faithful somewhere along the way. Sen. Marco Rubio, who figured he would be the mainstream GOP favorite after Jeb Bush faltered, went from fair-haired boy to drunken, angry frat boy in the span of several months.
Early in the primary, Rubio had visions of raising up the country but as he was flaming out, he spent most of his time comparing hand sizes with Trump. The Lincoln, Douglas debate had nothing on the “Little Marco” debate that played out on national TV.
How many times has Trump thrown ice water on the GOP faithful so far during this election cycle?
I am sure there are columnists who actually research questions like this that they pose to themselves but this is a free column and you get the type of research you pay for. I choose to employ whatever is on the top of my mind.
Help me rate the amount of ice water each of these comments were worth during campaign so far:
• Sen. John McCain is no war hero. Real heroes don’t get caught.
• Mexico is not sending us their best citizens. Rapists, etc.
• Megyn Kelly. Enough said.• No Syrian refugees.• Brexit is good for Trump properties
in Britain. • Reporters are lowlifes, etc.• More flipflops than a beach house
porch.• I can shoot somebody along Fifth
Avenue and it wouldn’t change anyone’s vote.
• Fill in your favorite Trump ice cube right here and save room for the many more I have forgotten.
What is really telling is that these incidents – and one I made up – are hanging right there on the top of my mind.
I am not a life-long Republican and if I can rattle off these incidents, I know darn well the dyed in the wool GOPers are downright apoplectic right now.
On one hand they are hoping Hillary will be chained, drawn and quartered and her remains sent to Guantanamo Bay for setting up an email server or
jaywalking.The latest poll numbers has Trump’s
approval rating running just above Congress but trailing anybody who could possibly run against him if Clinton is booted from the ticket. He also trails Planned Parenthood and the NRA as far as popularity goes.
There is a long list of Never Trump folks throughout the country and that list is growing as the Republican National Convention draws near.
It will be interesting to see if the GOP chills out before the convention and gets behind its orange-toned candidate or throws Trump out with the ice water.
David Keyes is former publisher of
the Bonner County Daily Bee, Priest River Times and the Western News.
Page 14 July 2016
I still get excited watching birds. My life list is fairly long, I suppose, at least when compared to the average bear. I got them bears beat, paws down. But simply because I’ve identified a bird in the past does not mean it still doesn’t excite me in the present. Like a favorite movie or song, I like to see favorite birds again and again. Put it on replay… one more time!
And counted among these favorites is the Evening grosbeak, our bird of the month. These birds are unmistakable, and when they’re in the ‘hood everyone takes notice. They command your attention. And you better look, because in a moment they could be gone and it might be years before you see them again.
The Evening grosbeak is a finch. The moniker “grosbeak” – which means one big hurkin’ bill – is not a species nor genus name. It is a common term that confuses people, as it is applied to different species, such as the Black-headed grosbeak, the Pine grosbeak, the Rose-breasted grosbeak, that may or may not be related. All these birds are somewhat similar because they all tend to be bulky seed eaters with oversized beaks. But that is only because they are that very thing, seed eaters, that happen to specialize in handling the large seeds and nuts too large for other species. They’re specialists.
Subsequently that big bill is a field mark. In the case of the Evening grosbeak it might not even be its most notable feature, at least in regards to the male. This little fellow is a large chunky finch, what his momma might call “big boned.” And his coloration is
Evening Grosbeak: Big, Bold, Brash and Beautiful
A Bird in Hand by Mike Turnlund
distinctive. You’ll first notice the bright canary-yellow body, that morphs into a deep brown or bronze color at the shoulders, upper back, neck, and head that gets increasingly dark towards the top. There is a very distinctive and thick bright yellow “eyebrow” that links together on the forehead. That bright unibrow is a definitive field mark. The view of the back of the birds shows off two huge white wing patches that from a distance look like a bright inverted triangle. Unmistakable. The folded wing tips and tail are jet black.
While female songbirds in general tend to be colored in more covert color patterns of browns, greens, and grays in order to be camouflaged while nesting, the female Evening grosbeaks tends to stand out. Her coloration is equally distinctive. She’ll be mostly a light gray, although you’ll see yellow hints breaking out around the collar and perhaps the belly. I’ve also seen darker striping along the flanks. The black folded wings show off large white wing bars, and the black tail sports white spotting. But that bill! Often yellowish, but more often a strange greenish-gray color that just stands out. It just does not look natural.
These are also big birds, at least for being finches. They are notably larger than their regular finch cousins and when a flock of them descends on your feeder you’ll know it. You’ll hear them!
Do you love birds, and
want to know more? Check
out Mike’s bird photos, online at birdsidaho.blogspot.com.
Lots of loud single-note flocking calls, that sounds like the first note of a lewd wolf whistle.
These birds are actually a year-round resident, although I mostly see them only during the late spring, summer, and into fall. But many such resident bird species are local migrants, moving some place more suitable in the winter without having to change zip codes.
The Evening grosbeak was originally only a western bird, but with the development of the Great Plains they migrated east, probably hopping from community to community accessing the new found resources of bird feeders and box elders — a common ornamental that provides a favored seed. So now they are found across the continent, although they appear to be declining in the east. They are also a famously irruptive species, meaning that they’ll suddenly move long distances during the winter if a favorite food source becomes unavailable. In many parts of the United States, this is how they experience this species, as irregular but en masse visitors. Smaller species such as Pine siskins and Hairy redpolls might hang with them during the winter too, letting the big-billed grosbeaks make a mess of the larger seeds at the feeder and the smaller birds gleaning from their pickings.
While these birds are primarily seed eaters, those summer caterpillars and other bugs are too tempting to resist. And bugs are what you feed babies, as their rapidly growing little bodies need as much protein as they can get. In this way the Evening grosbeak is a beneficial species in that they favor the Spruce budworm, an otherwise destructive species of caterpillars. In the spring they’ll also break off the tips of maple tree branches in order to extract the sweet sap. What great things you can do with the right tools!
So there we have it, the Evening grosbeak. Not your typical backyard visitor, but one that will give you endless bird watching pleasure. If you’re serious about attracting this species to your backyard, stuff that feeder with sunflower seeds, install a bird bath, and get rid of the cat – or at least keep it inside. And keep your ears peeled for the distinctive whistle. Happy birding!
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For interesting reasons, I applied in January to recreation.gov’s river lottery and in February won a permit to float the Snake River from Hell’s Canyon Dam to Heller Bar, 80 miles and five days of wild river. About the time I drew the permit, though, the reasons I applied evaporated, leaving me with no river knowledge — high and dry before I even got on the water. With the exception of a day on the St. Joe years ago, I’d never been on a river adventure.
Still, I had the permit. Friends assured me it would be fun, but I had no idea what I was doing, so I cast around for folks who did, and I found some. In fact, when we launched, I was the only one who’d never been on a white-water trip.
At least, I know who to invite. At first, lots of folks were willing to
join up, but as time passed, so did many of them. Time. Money. Kids. Jobs. Other flimsy excuses. Twelve. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Eight. We leveled out at seven folks and three rafts ten days before launch and those made the trip.
The river was lovely, even as it tried to tip us over, which it did one of our craft, first day. The duo in the red raft took a dip, but survived it nicely, and even salvaged dinner. I learned about white water and how to move through it; read the approach, row in bow first, ride the wave train, do your best to get the folks in the front wet. We cast ourselves through Class II, III and IV stretches, Captain Randy at the oars in big water. Brother Chris took us through some Class III. I learned to
row and managed some stretches of Class II without disaster, though my raft mates were somewhat nervous about that one rock. We missed it, to their credit, for they were silent through the passage. They learned that when they simultaneously gave me advice, it only served to confuse me. I was happy to have them learn that.
The river is ultimately interesting, and it can be a bitch when it wants, for it will turn in and around and back on itself without warning, even in calmer water. Sometimes, water to starboard travels at a different rate — and in a different direction — than water to port. Rowing can be an exercise in frustration. I lost my temper beyond quick redemption when the river pulled me into an eddy and wouldn’t let me row out, try as I might. I later realized I could have allowed the river to take me gracefully back to the current; let me out of the eddy without a fight.
People ask if I had fun. I tell them that it was good. There is much history in the brown, broken hills rising above the relucent river; abandoned camps and cabins left from golden dreams and hardscrabble hideouts. Silence overlays the canyon, companion and accomplice to the white noise of the Snake and its tributaries; hissing, swishing, gurgling, rushing, roaring through the igneous shards they themselves have created over the eons; driving ever deeper into the basalt and granite, cracking and grinding stone into ever smaller pieces, even unto the sand we sleep on each night.
It rains. We get wet and cold. The
The River by Sandy ComptonSandy Compton’s book
The Scenic Route, as well as his many others,
is available online at bluecreekpress.com,
or at Vanderford’s Books or The
Corner Bookstore in Sandpoint.
The Scenic Route
sun comes out. We get sunburned. The river stands on edge and we ride through it, oars at the ready; a stroke here, a full pull there, subtle as a fast run through trees on skis. The water turns flat, and we row for an hour, two hours. We bring too much food —Pringles for God’s sake — gear we never use; beer we never drink. We have plenty to eat, sleep dry each night, never run out of beer.
On the third day, we row all morning in the rain to Pittsburg Landing. Cold and wet and ready to stretch, we pull the rafts to shore by mutual understanding with no discussion. We clamber out as another raft pulls in. The man rowing looks like us; raincoat on the verge of failure, water dripping from his hat brim, soaked from the waist down, peaceful. His three companions, dressed in identical blue rain suits, immediately jump out and begin swirling around; unloading, relieved to get off the river, it seems; maybe not so happy to have been on it.
I wonder if this is the scheduled end of their trip, or if they are leaving early.
When we push off, it is still raining. An hour later, the sun appears, and we begin to warm and dry. I think about the folks in the blue Smurf suits. Given time, I think the river would bring even them out of their eddy.
For more of Sandy Compton, visit www.bluecreekpress.com. His books are there, at Vanderford’s and the Corner Book Store in Sandpoint, Cabinet Books in Libby, and at amazon.com
The River Journal - A News Magazine Worth Wading Through | www.RiverJournal.com | Vol 17 No. 18 | November 2008 | Page 5
increase nutrients, such as nitrogen and
This septic pilot project is being introduced in order to comply with water quality standards as determined by the Federal Clean Water Act. Designated to protect water quality, the plan, known as a “Total Maximum Daily Load” for Lake Pend Oreille, addresses nutrient issues
In addition, many lakeshore homeowners participated in a survey in 2007 concerning a variety of water quality issues. As is turns out, their
Council website at tristatecouncil.org.
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Looking west, the Rocky Mountain front rises thousands of feet creating evening sunsets that silhouette their peaks and ridges with dark shadows still spotted with remnants of last year’s snows. The front looks like a series of giant ripples in the western plain and form the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains.
I’ve explored this Rocky Mountain Range from the west, and Glacier National Park is a familiar yet fascinating place to me. I can’t get enough of the summits that rise above bluffs, even though I know it rather well.
A few miles south of the park is the Bob Marshall Wilderness, which I have studied and made short forays into from the west. This, however, was the first time to see the front from the high plain to the east.
We were in the town of Choteau, Montana, an attractive, small farming community of slightly less then 1,700 people, to celebrate with Wendy and Chad on their wedding day.
Wendy teaches school and Chad runs a family business: Alpine Touch, Montana’s Special Spice. His family took over the 30-plus-year-old company a few years ago with Chad as the manager. In the mid ‘60s, his grandparents bought the John Deere dealership and ran it for several years. Now they are in another local industry. That kind of family history generates many close local friends and the wedding was a major event everyone enjoyed. In addition, there were family and friends from all over the country.
Getting to the picturesque ranch where the wedding was held meant a drive west up the Teton River. It flows from the Continental Divide east out of the mountains on its eventual journey to the Missouri River. After leaving the high elevations, it meanders through a shallow valley, winding around and between buttes covered with short gnarled pines and into the grassland as it drains Teton and Choteau counties. Huge Cottonwood trees and other deciduous vegetation produce a dense riparian area.
Behind the ranch house where the ceremony took place, Ear Mountain,
Ernie Hawks is the author of “Every Day is a High Holy
Day: Stories of an Adventuring Spirit,” available
on Amazon, Kindle or in
your favorite bookstore.
just a few miles off, set the horizon nearly four thousand feet above us. It dominated our view, first with a steep talus slope of boulders and rocks, then by its cap of a five hundred foot cliff.
The town is on the plains at an elevation of about 3,800 feet and is only about twenty miles from Ear Mountain at over 8,500’. It creates one of many vertical faces that are common sights caused from the uplift of the Front.
The Front, a series of buttes, crags, and sawtooth spires, is where the famous grassland plains of the Midwest meet the Rocky Mountains. As the populations moved west across the prairies, at the rate of about 10 miles a day, they could see the precipices of the Front for days. It must have been intimidating to see, especially after months of struggle on the westward trails.
I was told that the area is desolate. I know that people’s perceptions of a given landscape will determine their descriptors of a place. I can see dramatic, tree-covered mountains in nearly every direction when I am home. But this does not make the expansive prairies of west central Montana desolate to me. The buttes and valleys created by wind and rain are every bit as awe inspiring as the terrain near my home in North Idaho. I appreciate the gift of Nature’s diversified landscapes.
There is a wildness and primitive feel about the area. In fact, all of the large herbivores and carnivores, except Bison, which roamed the area when Lewis and Clark and the early settlers traveled the area, still inhabit the land.
The geology is old, very old, a span of time greater than I can wrap my mind around. And yet, geologically, the mountains are very young.
The reason for the trip was to celebrate with Wendy and Chad. However, I also was looking forward to seeing the geology of this famous area.
In addition to the peaks, the area is home to a large number of dinosaur fossils. In the tiny town of Bynum, a little north of Choteau, is the Two Medicine Dinosaur Center. They have records, bones and full skeletons of these giants who roamed the area
millions of years ago. In a room the size of a large garage is a skeleton of a Seismosaurus, one hundred and thirty seven feet long. It is believed to be the world’s largest dinosaur. We also saw the first baby dinosaur bones collected in North America. The staff of professional paleontologists was very helpful with our visit. We spent several hours in the museum, and for those interested, or on another trip for me, they offer an opportunity to go on a dig with the pros.
I did expect to be fascinated by the mountains but the dinosaurs certainly caught my attention. The idea of digging next to the bluffs of the front is quite intriguing.
Many thanks to Wendy and Chad Ekegren for including us in their special day and giving us the opportunity to explore new vistas.
The View at the Front by Ernie HawksThe Hawk’s Nest
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been right on that. I don’t think anybody really wants a room full of people consuming alcohol armed with semi-automatic weapons.
Having armed people in bars doesn’t seem to bother Idaho legislators or our Governor, though. The list of places that you can’t carry guns will get shorter when ‘permitless carry’ comes into effect on July 1st. If I’m reading this new law correctly, the only places one can’t carry a weapon are courthouses, jails or schools (unless one has an enhanced carry permit). It appears that libraries and city streets are now okay, along with any retail establishment that hasn’t put up the appropriate signage. I know that I, for one, will feel a lot safer when I see people with guns near the children’s reading areas of our library.
This new carry law really cheapens my privileges as an elected official. When this law goes into effect, everybody will have the same ‘rights’ as anyone who has ever won a race for elected office. It almost isn’t worth my while to pick up my election certificate from the county Clerk. Come to think of it, that may be why so many far right Republicans ran for precinct committee person a few years back. Because those elected can legally carry without the hassle of having to get a permit. Wouldn’t want any ‘government’ interference with Second Amendment rights.
Another item that attracted my attention is the apparently firm belief amongst the far right that state legislators have the power to affect federal policy on international relations. Recently I witnessed a discussion where it was stated in no uncertain terms that state legislators could impact international relationships. In last year’s Special Session of the Idaho Legislature, this was the underlying concept. A few legislators tried to infer that by passing a state law that made it easier to collect child support payments in other states and countries could lead to an international usurpation of Idaho’s sovereignty by an Islamic country. I’m sorry, but that is ludicrous on its face. Idaho, with a total population of 1.65
When I was asked to cover local politics here I believed that it would be fairly low stress. Boy! — was I wrong. Events over the past few weeks have brought the rest of the nation to the forefront of local politics. As the old saying goes, “All politics is local.”
The atrocity that occurred in Orlando, Florida sent out shock waves that covered the entire country. In the US Senate partisanship swept aside all rationale thought. The House recessed in the midst of a ‘sit-in’. The extremes of both ends of the political spectrum howled in outrage and as has become Congress’ habit, nothing got done.
People on the ‘No Fly’ list can still buy damned near any weapon they want – with proper ID. The loopholes that allow convicted felons and domestic abusers to buy weapons at gun shows still exist. The funerals and memorials weren’t even over when we’ve apparently returned to the status quo. I am embarrassed to note that both of Idaho’s Senators voted to keep the loopholes in our laws and regulations intact. They wouldn’t want to lose a dime of the NRA’s money.
The 114th Congress is setting new standards for inertia and partisanship. The only good thing I’ve seen is that every Senator had to state publicly where they stood on these votes. It appears that the money that the NRA dumps into campaign funding was well spent. NRA – 53: National Public Opinion – Zero. Now we can see exactly how unlimited money influences politics.
By the by, according to those that keep track of such things, the NRA spends approximately $36 million per year just on the Senate. It’s a safe bet that far and away the majority of that goes to the GOP. Aren’t you glad you continue to send the NRA your dues?
Speaking of the NRA, even they backed off from supporting ‘presumptive GOP Presidential nominee’, Donald Trump, when he said that it would have been better if several of the patrons at ‘Pulse’ in Orlando had been armed when the shooter came into the club. I have to admit that the NRA may have
million, doesn’t qualify as a gnat when it comes to international policies. Our Idaho legislators should concentrate on making Idaho as good as it can be and leave international relations to the adults in the room.
One more item of interest before I forget. I’ve heard that there is a real estate company operating in both Bonner and Boundary counties that is actively seeking purchasers for property that they identify as having ‘defensible space’. These buyers are coming from all over the nation to join the ‘The Redoubt.’ The Redoubt is an idea that north Idaho, eastern Washington, western Montana and Wyoming should become a new nation. This new nation would be based on Jeffersonian principles like states’ rights, an economy based on the gold standard and minimal governmental interference in the citizen’s lives. The reason for the ‘defensible space’? Well, when the national government collapses, they will be able to fend off all those urban dwellers that come to this Utopia. This idea is not new. It’s been tried before in many different places and guises. Throughout history I have never found a successful outcome occurring with this premise. Seems some people will do anything for a buck.
With the official start of summer we can look forward to four fun-filled months before the election in November. I know that I’ll be looking for more memorable quotes from our candidates as they try to convince us they are really working in our best interests. Try selling that snake oil to the working people who still can’t afford health insurance. Until next month take care.
Arming the Redoubt by Gil BeyerA retired Navy man, Gil Beyer has served
as a library trustee and on the county Planning & Zoning
board, (where he had the distinction of being fired from a volunteer
position). He is currently the county Democratic State Committeeman
and LD1 Chair.
Here in the Middle
Page 18 July 2016
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The instructions Jesus gave to his twelve disciples were explicit. “Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave... If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.” (Matthew 10: 11, 14 NRSV).
Across the landscape of two historic Protestant denominations, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the United Methodist Church, advocates for God’s creation are facing difficult personal choices. In recent weeks, the highest policy making bodies of both denominations rejected calls from the grassroots to divest tens of millions of dollars in fossil fuel holdings (oil, gas, and coal) from their pension boards
Shake off the Dust by Gary Paytonor foundations. The unwillingness to divest came with decisions to “stay at the table” and try to influence the companies through shareholder engagement – even in the face of the urgency for climate action and the track record of major fossil fuel companies.
The issues and the choices are far from abstract for me. For the last three years, I’ve served on the steering committee of Fossil Free PCUSA, journeying in my faith walk with thousands of others who want their religious community “to put their money where their values are.”
My angst is framed by conversations with Africans suffering from devastating drought and agricultural disruption, with Filipinos still reeling from the impact of Typhoon Haiyan, and the never ending deaths in the Syrian civil war – all events accelerated by human caused climate change and a fossil fuel industry bent on “drill baby drill.”
Meanwhile, the record is clear. For decades, senior leaders of fossil fuel companies have poured millions of dollars into pseudo think tanks, disinformation campaigns, and political contributions for the purpose of sowing doubt about the science of climate change, delaying effective climate action, and blocking legislation to move the nation toward greater use of
renewable energy. As denominations have previously divested from tobacco, alcohol, gambling, and for-profit prison industries, so we’ve judged the time is now to begin divestment from those companies whose very business plans threaten lives and the continued habitation of our planet.
The prayerful soul searching continues. Understanding the urgency of action in the face of climate change, what path will faithful grassroots divestment advocates chose? How will they, how will I, wrestle with a deeply moral question?
• End efforts to change denominational policies at the national level seeing the institution of the church as too cautious, slow moving, and focused on its own preservation?
• Shift focus from “higher bodies” to concentrate on climate action at the presbytery/district and congregation level?
• Disengage from their faith community’s creation care work and pour personal energy into a secular environmental NGO in hopes of effecting change more swiftly?
• Sever connections with their current faith community and seek another whose values and actions are more focused on the urgent issue of climate change?
• A mix of the above?There are deep ironies in the
Presbyterian and Methodist decisions. Both denominations face declining memberships, aging populations, and challenges in attracting young people “into the pews.” I heard it best from an engaged young adult urging fossil fuel divestment. “You say that you respect our voices and want us in the life of the church. I say, first give us something to respect.” And then the policy making body voted to “stay at the table” with the fossil fuel companies and continue their millions in investment.
But finally, Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24, NIV)
Gary’s Faith Walk
321 N. First Ave. - Sandpoint800.829.6370208.263.6370
EvergreenRealty.comSchweitzerMountain.com
EVERGREEN REALTYCurt Hagan
Sales Associate, GRI
Gary Payton is an environmental advocate who is actively engaged
with Presbyterians for Earth Care, Fossil
Free Presbyterian Church (USA), and
leading conservation organizations in Idaho
and the region.
July 2016 Page 1�
their traditional recipes. The shoots of jointed, long, slender variegated leaves can be harvested periodically throughout the growing season for your dishes and even the beautiful orchid-like flower bud is edible.
Plant your White Arrow in a moist, part shade location with good, loose well-drained soil so it’s rhizome like base can spread to its 18-24 inches and give you plenty of beauty and spice. This new introduction is hardy to -10 degrees so a little winter mulch doesn’t hurt for a “blanket,” but remove mulch layer so the leaves easily emerge in spring. Plant with and fertilize periodically with an organic fertilizer to keep it healthy and free of slugs and enjoy throughout the summer and fall in your wok!
For a sunny hot spot, another great treat not commonly found in our area is a true fig tree. These can be grown as a container plant or if you are in Hope or downtown Sandpoint, against a south facing, winter wind protected wall. The most hardy varieties to try are Chicago, Celeste and Brown Turkey. Many will take temperatures down to -10 degrees but they may have some die back in the spring and will regenerate after pruning. Fruit will come forth from the oldest wood first in early summer and later the new growth may also bear the rich dark mahogany gems. The good news is that Figs are self-pollinating so you don’t need two varieties for fruiting and it allows you to create an interesting, wide-leaf sunny “deck tree” that you may grow in a large container and roll it into a non-heated garage for protection. Most varieties can get 10 to 15 feet tall, so light pruning in spring and root pruning every three years will contain the size of your fig in a planter. Although they are heat and drought tolerant, figs need even moisture, especially in the hottest months or they may drop their fruit.
If you are nuts about nuts, then you are indeed pursuing some healthy habits. We are fortunate to be able to grow many different nuts here including hazelnuts (filberts), walnuts and even almonds! Nuts contain
Nancy Hastings grew up on a 300-acre farm and owns All Seasons Garden and Floral in Sandpoint with her husband John. They
have been cultivating community gardens and growing for almost two decades in North Idaho.
beneficial unsaturated fats, protein, vitamins and fiber that help sustain energy between meals and help curb unhealthy snack attacks. Besides being beautiful landscape trees, the hazelnut and Carpathian English Walnut are some of the easiest nuts to grow here in our area. Hazelnuts will need two varieties to pollinate, so you will need about 20 feet from trunk to trunk when planting, but not more than 40 feet apart for optimal pollination. All Hazelnuts will want to sucker and therefore it is imperative that you periodically prune the suckers to groom your tree into a strong single trunk between 15 to 20 feet tall when mature. You may have to net your harvest to keep the squirrels at bay... but oh, the rewards!
The Carpathian English Walnut tree is a large, wonderful addition to any landscape, providing shade and an abundance of nutrition with its easy-to- peel, soft shelled walnuts to eat, unlike its cousin, the black walnut. This fast growing nut tree can reach 40 feet by 40 feet, so give it lots of room. Plant your walnut in rich loamy soil that drains well without any standing water during heavy rains and in full sun. The best part is that unlike fruit trees, you just sit under its shady canopy waiting for your harvest to drop! It will bear nuts within 4 to 6 years after planting and is partially self fertile, but will produce a larger crop if you have another variety planted within 50 feet. Don’t panic if you look out in the spring and your tree hasn’t leafed out when others have, these walnuts are typically the last trees to leaf each spring.
So dig in … branch out and enjoy a new harvest in your landscape in the
Our changing climate has brought warmer summers, longer, frost-free autumns, earlier springs and milder winters. What that means to ”Foodies” in the region is a whole new array of edible plants that now may be grown in your own backyard that you may never have considered possible here before!
If you’re like me, then stir fry is not complete without a little … or a lot, of ginger added in. Well even here, far from the Orient, you can grow your own spice and make your shade garden landscape twice as nice. The normal “root ginger” you find at the stores is Zingiber officinale, not reliably hardy here. But now the White Arrow, Zingiber mioga, has been introduced that is not only the hardiest of the ginger family, it is also a beautiful addition with its long, sturdy 1-2 foot glossy leaves feathered with lovely white splashes. This rare species is grown in the colder parts of Japan where they use its edible young shoots and beautiful flower buds in
New Food for Thought... and Growth!
Get Growing! by Nancy Hastings
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Page 20 July 2016
Daisy’s mother, ever vigilant, was worried sick about her kids consorting with or even simply bumping into low-life predators and parasites whose only known pursuit seemed to be spreading their seeds of destruction. The little bastards were everywhere, feeding off of the innocent as well as the hard and diligent work of others. Indeed, many of her ‘boys’ were already taking on the manners and appearance of zombies by lying around all day avoiding work and then sneaking out at odd hours of the night, attracted by the bright lights of the city.
Daisy May (so named for her mother’s favorite flower and month), meanwhile, was five miles away having a late breakfast in a small, out of the way city park across from a humongous field of corn and “minding her own beeswax” as she fondly put it (usually to herself). Being conscious of her young figure, she often hovered as she nibbled here and there but today she was tired, mostly just tired of the flack she got at home. A light July breeze rustled the tiny hairs on her forehead, annoying her mood even further into that dark and cavernous abyss where it sometimes stayed for the whole damn day. She halfheartedly admitted to being addicted, but only to the notion that she could think for herself, thank you very much, and not be constrained by her mother’s antique ways of seeing this brave and wide-open world full of possibilities. There was so much more on the outside for those with an open mind and enough guts for a little “self-discovery.”
She’d stayed home just long enough this morning to get into another royal argument with the ‘Queen Bee’ herself over her diet again. This never went well anymore. Nag, nag, nag! “Don’t eat THAT!” and “What have I told you day after day after day? Stay out of the damn garbage” and, “ABOVE ALL; DON’T bring it home in your pockets where the little ones can get into it!”
Her mother’s definition of garbage: anything that isn’t natural and organic! (like the neighbor’s strawberries, blueberries and cherries).
Just more antiquated dogma she could no longer listen to with any respect, due or otherwise. Lately, she’d been seen in the vicinity of ‘well known scumbags’ (as her mother would phrase it) not only for the thrill but also to piss her mother off. A nasty job but somebody has to drag her mom into the current century!
Her mother was constantly on her case about where she went, what she touched, who she communicated with and never without adding, “Why can’t you be more help around here and less of a pain in the anus?”
“I mean, really! How can I be such a prude when everything around me is bright and new and so intriguing?!!” she mused out loud looking around. Not lost on her attention was the strangely intoxicating effects carried on the breeze coming from that delicious looking field of corn on the other side of the road. Independence drove her on over there like it would many of her siblings in the days to come.
As she neared the first rows, it seemed as though the plants were singing in chorus, the voices of the individual leaves rustled against each other in the warm moving air, building to higher and higher levels as a gust worked through the thick jungle of giant stalks towards her. Purely mesmerized by nearly all of her senses, she sat down abruptly, not even caring where exactly she landed. She just didn’t want to lose the naughty tingle she felt in every living cell of her being at this moment, at this very time of her young life.
“Hey, Baby, open yourself up and take it all in. Take a big drag of this beautiful life!” came a voice from behind her.
Although young and sensitive, Daisy’s eyes didn’t show how startled she was to be staring right into the dreaded face of one of “the Phorids”, a predatory gang of ‘flea-like’ hoods known for letting nearly anyone raise their young as long as it wasn’t them doing the raising.
But to her, they had this cool Devil-may-care air about them that spoke volumes to Daisy’s own subconscious
by Scott ClawsonAmerican Heritage Wildlife Foundationpreserving wildlife through rehabilitation and education. An Idaho 501(c)3 and
North Idaho’s only non-profit with permits to work with mammals and birds.
YOU CAN HELP!
PINTS FOR A CAUSESeptember 14 at Idaho Pour
Authority, 203 Cedar in Sandpoint, 5–8 pm
COMEDY NIGHT FOR WILDLIFESeptember 17 at the Sandpoint Center (Columbia Bank Bldg.) with Kermit Apio.
6 pm. Tickets $20. Appetizers provided, silent auction, raffles
Sip n’ Shop for WildlifeOct. 5 at the Pend d’Oreille Winery, 301
Cedar in Sandpoint. 5–8 pm.Scarecrow Contest
through October at Hickey Farms. Entry fee is $10, prizes awarded!
American Heritage Wildlife Foundation
www.AHWF.org208.266.1488
July 2016 Page 21
feelings. There were times when she actually wanted to be one of these guys instead of just ‘droning along’ through her short lifespan like most of her constricted family members do, always at the beck and call of “Her High-ness the Queen.”
If she wanted to, she could actually trace this feeling back to a time when this field was nothing but dirt, freshly furrowed and planted, with a barely noticeable dusting of white powder that wafted around her bare feet as she padded through the soft warm earth, breathing deep the sensuous odors. When she’d gotten home, her mom had a cow over the dust she was tacking in and made her droning brothers march her outside and clean her up in front of God and everybody to laugh at!
Still feeling that shame, she said to the Phorid leader, “This is, like, so cool!”
“You have no idea!” crooned Spike (nick-named for the upright adornments poking out of his head). “You oughta try the pollen here. It’ll set you free, baby!” he said as he put his skinny arm around her shoulder. She almost didn’t notice the light poke just below her shoulder blade but figured it was only the Phorid’s way of introduction, which was true enough.
“Don’t mind if I do!” she cried with a gust of self-righteous independence, got up and buried herself in the rich abundant corn tassels until a small cloud
Scott Clawson ruminates on life
somewhere in the backwoods of
Careywood, and turns it all into humor. And he’s even on Pinterest now! (Facebook, too.)
Acres n Painsof pollen hung in the sudden stillness.
She knew it was wrong but she could not fight off the thrill she was experiencing in this fight to be herself. Her destiny was calling. She stuck her nose in pollen so thick it made her head swim until she fell into a deep dream that lasted for days.
She was lying on the ground under a dumpster behind a Taco Bell, where one of her sisters was desperately trying to bring her around, when she woke up and cried, “Where the Hell am I?”
“In Deep Doo-Doo Land, Daisy May! Mom’s gonna lay an egg!” her sister, Marigold, replied. “Look at yourself! You reek with every substance mom has warned you to stay away from!”
“Mom is always layin’ eggs! That seems to be her only pastime! What’s the big deal, anyway?!”
“I’ll admit she lays a lot of eggs, but you’ve been gone for a week! That’s the big deal! And if she sees you like this, she’ll throw you out!” her sister hollered.
“Good! That ought to show her I can take care of myself without all of her tirades and rules! I, unlike you, need to be free! Why can’t you see that? Free to take in the rest of the world and see where it takes me!” she countered. But her speech was slurring badly all of a sudden and there was a stirring in her chest that threatened to overwhelm her emotions, not to mention her motor
skills. She rolled over on her back, moaning things about somebody named Spike.
Marigold sadly watched as her sister lost her mind, indeed her whole head, as an opening appeared to unzip at the base of her neck and out came the head of a larval Phorid fly looking for a nice place to pupate. Not being her first time seeing this, Marigold headed back to the hive to tell her mom she’d lost yet another one to the curses that seemed to literally plague her fragile world. Her mother responded by laying some more eggs.
Bet you didn’t see that coming!(Author’s note: originally, I was
going to do a story on glyphosates, neonicotinoids, organophosphates, pyrethroids, carbamates and other knee-slappers of the modern honey bee world, but my head popped off after too much research! Do your own, preferably while taking a nap!)
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208.255.2417In Bonners Ferry at 6452 Main
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1x4 Cedar $.82/ linear ft.
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