-
VVVVVol. 4, # 12ol. 4, # 12ol. 4, # 12ol. 4, # 12ol. 4, # 12 TO
INFORM AND AMUSE ~ TO PROVOKE THINKING AND ACTIVISM June 6,
2007
Pages 18 & 19Page 11
Movementat Midlife in
Hanna’s barn
Jazz guitaristextraordinaire, 8
more words, dresseson trees, Mugoux hits
the beach in Greece
The Backbone Campaign willhold a benefit concert at
Bishop’s,Saturday, June 9, 8 p.m. tomidnight, featuring 30
differentIsland musicians. Each will play afavorite Beatle song.
There will alsobe a live and silent auction ofBackbone Bodywork,
(with LIVEdemonstrations!) and anappearance of Vashon’s
favoritetwisted criminals, the Chain Gang.Master of ceremonies
SteffonMoody will entertain the crowd atthis important fundraiser
andsendoff for the organization’sAtlanta trip.
VAA’s 17th annual GardenTour is no secret, to be sure, but
thisyear a special pre-Garden Tourevent, “Secrets of the Garden,”
willhappen Friday, June 23, 1 to 4 p.m.Designed with the serious
gardener
The National HistoricLandmark Steamer Virginia V isthe last of
the wooden hullpassenger steamers that werecalled the “Mosquito
Fleet”because they swarmed over PugetSound like mosquitoes.
TheVirginia V’s home port isLisabuela and for much of the1920s and
1930s, she carriedpassengers, mail and freight on theWest Pass
route. This summerIslanders will have a chance toexperience a
“Mosquito Feet”cruise around Vashon and MauryIslands aboard the
Virginia V onSunday, August 19. The Vashon-Maury Island
HeritageAssociation and Vashon Collegeare teaming together to offer
a“Mosquito Fleet” experience that
Experience theMosquito Fleet Years
By Bruce Haulman, Island Historianwill highlight Island
history,geology and ecology.
Tickets for the Mosquito FleetCruise aboard the Virginia V
arenow available, at $60 for VMIHAmembers and $75 for non-members.
For more informationor to purchase tickets, contact DickGordon at
(206) 463-5277 or [email protected]. Proceedssupport the
Island HeritageMuseum.
The cruise will begin and endat Vashon’s north end
passengerferry dock. Boarding will beginat 12:30 p.m., and the
vessel willdepart at 1:00 p.m. The cruise willrun until
approximately 5:30 p.m.Bring your own lunch; no alcoholallowed;
soft-soled shoesrequired.
The Virginia V. Photo Courtesy of Seattle Municipal Archives
Backbone Revolution:
Benefit ConcertFeatures 30
Island Musicians
Continued on page 6
Shhh…GardenSecrets
17th annual Garden Tour
Caption-Margaret Tylzcak’s watering canwill be one of a dozen on
display andavailable to bid on, sponsored by SPLASH!
By Janice Randall
Last Thursday night at a Budgetwork session, District
FinancialManager Brenda Hunt informed theSchool Board that the
budgetshortfall for this year is $660,000, not$360,000, as was
previouslybelieved.
“We underestimated the cost ofbenefits, and overestimated
ourrevenues,” Hunt said. “We are
Fewer Teachers,Larger ClassSizes Ahead
By Mary Litchfield Tuel
School Budget Blues:
Continued on page 5
Board member Bob Hennessey and ActingSuperintendent Terry
Lindquist discuss budgetoptions after the budget work session
lastThursday. Loop photo
Father Tryphon, of the All-Merciful Saviour Russian
OrthodoxMonastery here on Vashon, writes,“I just returned from
Moscow,Russia, this past Tuesday, May22nd, where I attended
toUnification Service in Christ theSaviour Cathedral. After some
90years of separation, the two parts ofthe Russian Church have
reunited.The Russian Orthodox Church,Moscow Patriarchate, and
the
Father Tryphon Returnsfrom Moscow, Russia
Continued on page 4
Continued on page 11
Page 16
Small buns,fun run,
sports shorts,rock and roll
Father Tryphon speaking with monks andpilgrims in the courtyard
of SretenskyMonastery in Moscow, Russia
The Chain Gang. Backbone Campaign photo
In this issue: Marva Dawn, Radio Field Day,Road Trips, Bear
tips, Home and heart,Dinner for the unattached, Travels withMugoux,
Don’t take that aspirin - hand methe chamomile! And much more!
-
June 6, ‘07The Vashon Loop, p. 2
The Vashon LoopWriters: Kathy Abascal, Deborah Anderson,
RachelBard, Sarah Blakemore, Marie Browne, MEarth, EricFrancis,
Troy Kindred, Melissa McCann, Orca
Annie, Kevin Pottinger, Rex Morris, Alice Orr,Jonathan Shipley,
Ed Swan, Mary Litchfield Tuel,
Marj Watkins, Susan Wolf
Guest Writers: Devon Atkins, Angela WeissIntern: Morgan
WegnerOriginal art, comics, cartoons: DeeBee, EdFrohning, Rick
Tuel, Jeff Hawley
Ad sales and design: Barbara Stratton Email:[email protected];
(206) 463-4004
Editor: Mary Litchfield TuelEmail: [email protected]; (206)
463-3327
Publishers: Marie Browne and Troy KindredPO Box 253, Vashon, WA
98070
Paid advertisements in The Vashon Loop in no wayexpress the
opinions of the publisher, editor, or staff.We reserve the right to
edit or not even print stuff.
Deal with it.Published every two weeksby Paradise Valley Press©
June 6, 2007 - Volume IV, Issue 12
Don’t miss an issue!Subscribe to The Loop!
$50 a year gets The Loop delivered to yourmailbox every two
weeks. Call (463-3327)or write (PO Box 253, Vashon) or
[email protected]!
Get in The LoopWet WhiskersGrooming SalonProfessional
InternationalTrained Groomer Certified
We Offer:Wash and Go
Bath and Brushout
Thin and Trim and Full Grooming
Call today for anAppointment!
(206) 463-220017321 Vashon Highway SW
Conveniently located inside
Pandora’s Box
Adopt-a-Cat DaysVashon Island Pet Protectors will
host an Adopt-A-Cat day EVERYSaturday from 11:30 a.m. to
2:30p.m. at Pandora’s Box. Please stopby or call VIPP (206)
389-1085.
Be part of Vashon Island PetProtectors’ 2008 Pet Calendar
andmake your pet a star. Email yourpet’s photo to
[email protected] are welcome — cats, dogs, pigs,goats...don’t
delay! Photos must bereceived by Sunday, July 15. Formore
information call Kathy (206)463-9203.
VIPP 2008 PetCalendar
Jack
ie M
ollis
on
Buyer’s Agent(206) 225-4726
Your Home Team Realty(206) 463-LIST (5478)
www.kwvashon.com
Correction: the ad above, “Queen of Fruits,”did not have the
correct website last issue.The address has been corrected this
issue.
The Vashon Education Association is encouraging
team-oriented,collaborative community members to run for the School
Board. Idealcandidates would be strong supporters of public
education, with nopersonal agendas, who are willing to educate
themselves on the roles andresponsibilities of School Board
members. Interested candidates need tofile their candidacy by
Friday, June 8 with the King County ElectionsBoard. Information is
available online at: http://www.metrokc.gov/elections
Saturday, June 16, Vashon Island Fruit Club is having an
orchardtour that will feature the care and maintenance of various
fruit trees andberries. The tour starts at 1:30 p.m. at the home of
Lu-Ann and ErikBranch at 7118 SW 240th St. (go to Maury Island
south on Dockton Rd.,turn east on 240th, go up the hill past the
former Peter’s Pumpkin Patch,and park on 240th). The second
location will be at 2:30 p.m. at the homeof Bob Norton at 6122
244th St. SW (continue east to 59th, turn south to244th, turn west
for 1/2 block, and park on the property). Nonmembersare welcome and
can sign up for a membership on the tour. For furtherinformation,
please contact Mary Ornstead at (206) 463-0565.
What can we do to help friendsand relatives with depression or
anymental illness? A support grouplearns from each other what
mayhelp. We will meet on Tuesday, June5th at 7:00 PM at the
Presbyterianchurch. Call Sally Knutson forquestions, directions, or
help, (206)463-2466
On Sunday, June 10, internationally renownedtheologian,
educator, and author, Dr Marva J. Dawn, willbe preaching at the
Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit.Dr Dawn will speak at both the
7:45 a.m. and at the 10:15a.m. services. She has also graciously
agreed to chair theReligious Exploration hour at 9 a.m. For this
hour, shehas suggested the topic, “Being Part of a Larger
Story:What does it mean to be a Christian in these crisis
times?”
Everyone is welcome to attend any or all of the timesthat Church
of the Holy Spirit is honored to host this woman of faith.
Afellowship hour will follow the later service. The Episcopal
Church islocated at 15420 Vashon Highway SW, across from the Vashon
CommunityCare Center.
School Board Members Needed -- File by Friday
Orchard Tour -- Fruit Tree Care and Maintenance
Dr Marva J. Dawn Speaks on Island June 10Theologian, educator,
and author
Mental HealthSupport Group Meets
Saturday, June 9, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.Shop for Christmas now! Gently
usedquality Toys, clothing, books, movies,and more! Go East on
Gorsuch, justNorth of town...follow signs!Questions: (206)
463-0870
Not Your AverageGarage Sale!
Did you know that only 15% of the Island’sphones can work at the
same time?
Our telephone system is not designed to provide service
toeverybody at the same time. During a disaster, don’t use your
phone unless it’s a life-threatening emergency.
And if you haven’t joined a Neighborhood Emergency
ResponseOrganization: Do it now before you need it! Each NERO meets
once ayear to get acquainted and learn how to check on one another
in anorganized way if disaster strikes. Call Joe Ulatoski at
463-1321.
Car-Free Vashon PossibilitiesOn Sunday, June 24, from 5 to 7
p.m., the Vashon-Maury Island Green
Party will host a community discussion on “Car-Free Vashon” at
the LandTrust on Bank Road.
Pros and cons of biodiesels, use of electric car shuttles, ways
to increasebicycle use, and working with Metro will all be covered.
Panel memberswill include Duff Badgley of Ballard Car Free and an
expert on the effectsof biofuels; Tom Herring, a Vashon retired
physicist; and, Wendy Van deSomple, a Vashon bicycle activist. The
VMIGP hopes to lead the communityin effecting a change in how we
view our automobiles and perhaps serveas a model for how
communities can become car-free. The Green Party ofWashington State
(GPoWS) is sponsoring this event on Vashon inpreparation for a
statewide campaign. For more information, pleasecontact Maryrose
Asher, Outreach Liaison Officer, GPoWS CoordinatingCouncil, (206)
567-0593 or [email protected].
Marva Dawn
It is not too late to join the seriesof classes on Italian wine
offered byChris Zimmerman. Classes will beheld one Sunday evening a
monthat Ferrara Ristorante from 5 to 6:45p.m. Pre-enrollment is
required. Toenroll or to get more information,please call Chris
Zimmerman at(206) 567-5903 or email him [email protected].
Italian Wine Classes
Don’t worry about avoidingtemptation. As you grow older, it
willavoid you — Winston Churchill
The blood drive is moving nextdoor to the Penny Farcy
Memorialbuilding this summer. Blooddonation days will be on July
19,September 20, and November 15,2007. Come on down and get
yourcookies and juice, plus the gratitudeof a lot of people, most
of whomyou’ll never meet. Blood Drives onVashon are sponsored
byWindermere Realty, andcoordinated by Windermere agentCarolyn
Amick.
Blood Drive Moves
-
The Vashon Loop, p. 3June 6, ‘07
Glendale Business Center
www.yourhtr.com
Your Home Team Realty (206) 463-LIST (5478)
Burton CharmerLive the good life in this adorable and well-known
home in the heart of Burton. Walk to thebeach, the historic corner
store, the coffee stand, the local art gallery and restaurant.
Hikethe trails on the Peninsula, launch your kayak off Jensen’s
Point. Then come home to abright and spacious 4 bedroom home
complete with hardwood floors, a cozy fireplace, anda covered porch
for watching the world go by in the Outer Harbor. And there’s more:
a fullbasement, a fully fenced back yard, lots of built-ins
complete the picture of this ideal andrare Island home.
$659,500.
Tramp Harbor TidelandsUnusual opportunity to own yourown
tidelands off Tramp Harbor,just north of the fishing pier.
Thisproperty is tidelands only, notwaterfront.
MLS # 26201915$9,000
Other HTR Properties Northilla Waterfront100 feet of pristine
private waterfrontnear Piner Pt in Northilla Beach.Southern
exposure and verysecluded! Great sound, city andmountain views.
Water shareavailable. $99,950
MLS # 27045308
Open Housesin June
Checkwww. yourhtr.com for details
Troy and Marie Hug a Salmon
Troy: Hey Marie, how was your workshop?
Marie: Fantastic! I learned tons about Puget Sound shoreline
ecologyand geology, and how the growth and development in the area
areimpacting both. I also learned a few practical ideas for
howwaterfront property owners can protect their property
whileminimizing impact on the really complex ecosystem here in the
PugetSound region that we all depend on.
Troy: I know that property rights and conservation do not need
to bemutually exclusive goals – but you are sounding suspiciously
like atree hugger.
Marie: Maybe. I am actually more of a salmon hugger. Did you
know thatthe Chinook salmon is now on the endangered species
list?
Troy: I did not know that. I’ll do my part by eating less salmon
and morePerry burgers.
Marie: Absolutely not. But we are not here to discuss your diet.
Speakingof diet, did you know that 50% of a salmon’s diet consists
of terrestrialinsects? Isn’t that amazing? I thought they just ate
stuff that lives inthe water.
Troy: Amazing. But what do salmon have to do with waterfront
property?
Marie: It’s pretty complicated, but in a nutshell the answer is
that thenearshore area, which is basically the zone where the land
and thewaters meet, is hugely important for salmon – and the vast
majorityof wildlife here in King County. In fact, 80% of our
wildlife lives inriparian areas, where water and land meet.
Troy: It’s not surprising that animals prefer to live by the
water. Mosthumans do, too. OK, so we all depend on the water and
thenearshore environment. Obviously, we need to protect the
waterfrom pollution. What else?
Marie: Work with Mother Nature instead of trying to fight her.
She alwaysgets her way, so you might as well respect her. The folks
who put onthe workshop showed some pictures of things that
waterfront ownershad done that were just ridiculous – like clearing
all the vegetationoff a high bank to get a better view. Some of
these houses got agood view, all right – after a heavy rainstorm as
they slid down thebank to the beach. A better solution might be to
prune trees for afiltered view (which is often more interesting
anyway). There arealso places where bulkheads can actually cause
more harm thangood by undermining the shoreline behind it. And
those blackcorrugated pipes that everyone uses to divert water to
the beach?Hah! Those things pinch and buckle and break and often
causeerosion rather than prevent it. The better solution is to use
moredurable (and more expensive) HDPE pipe to capture water
anddissipate it before it hits the beach. Also, people who dump
theiryard waste off the side of the slope should not dump it in the
sameplace each time. Too many grass clippings can kill off the
underlyingvegetation and cause a slope stability problem. There’s
more, butwe don’t have space for everything here.
Troy: I see you got a great little booklet that that tells about
shorelinestewardship. Maybe if people want one, they can call
us?
Marie: That’s a great idea. Call us at 463.LIST (5478) or
[email protected] for a copy. We can also tell you
abouttechnical assistance that the King Conservation District
provides tohomeowners who want to learn how to protect their
property in anenvironmentally sensitive way.
Last Saturday Marie attended a workshop called “Where the Water
Begins: Land Management Practices for Marine Shoreline andBluff
Property Owners.” The workshop was presented at Vashon’s Land Trust
building by the King Conservation District. In Marie’sopinion, this
agency seems to be one of the better uses of tax dollars. Troy has
no opinion, as he decided to sleep in that morning.
If you have suggestions for topics to cover in Tips For
Homeowners, or ifyou want to receive your copy via email, please
write [email protected] if you need real estate services,
please give us a call at (206) 463-LIST.We would love to work for
you.
Sunny, level half acre lot with solid three bedroom, two full
bath doublewide manufacturedhome. Cozy wood stove, separate laundry
room, greenhouse in the backyard. Close totown and park and ride.
Is this your chance to become an owner? It’s a great deal for
theright buyer. $ 225,000
Great Location,Affordable Price
!!!!!
!!!!!
2 Baths!!!!!
!!!!!
MLS # 27071774
9330 SW 171st St
3 bedrooms
Near TownWood Stove
24010 99th Ave SW
!!!!!
4 bedrooms
!!!!!
1700 Sq Ft
!!!!!
Full basement!!!!! Hardwood Floors
MLS # 27032424
Enough is enough! DDES is a governmental agency run amuck, and
it’s time to shine a light on their often ridiculous behavior. They
haven’t earned the nickname“Dysfunctional Department of Extortion
and Sadism” for nothing. Don’t get us wrong: Of course we have to
protect the environment and ensure safety inconstruction. And, in
fairness, we do know some people who have had good experiences with
DDES. But many of the stories are appalling. We recently heard
aboutan elderly couple who got ensnared by Code Enforcement for
building a small deck without a permit. The deck issue morphed into
a septic issue, and now they arebeing told to make repairs that
will cost tens of thousands of dollars that they don’t have. They
feel their only option is to sell. That is just plain wrong. What’s
yourstory? Want to blog about it - ANONYMOUSLY? Got to
www.yourhtr.com and click on the link to the DDES blog.
Stop the Insanity! Tell us about your DDES experience
-
June 6, ‘07The Vashon Loop, p. 4
Elizabeth de la Vega, author ofUnited States v. George W. Bush
et al.,will speak at Courthouse Square onSaturday, June 23. De la
Vega is aformer federal prosecutor with morethan twenty years of
experience.During her tenure, she was amember of the Organized
CrimeStrike Force and Chief of the SanJose Branch of the U.S.
Attorney’sOffice for the Northern District ofCalifornia. Her
articles haveappeared in The Nation, the Los
Angeles Times, the Christian ScienceMonitor, Salon.com, and
MotherJones. She is also a frequent guest ontalk shows, including
The ThomHartmann Program, DemocracyNow! and The Colbert Report.
In her book, set as a presentationto a grand jury, de la Vega
bringsher experience and her passion forjustice to the most
important caseof her career. The defendants areGeorge W. Bush, Dick
Cheney,Donald Rumsfeld, CondoleezzaRice, and Colin Powell. The
crimeis deceiving the nation into war, or,in legal terms,
conspiracy to defraudthe UnitedStates inconnection withp r e - I r
a q -i n v a s i o nintelligence.
U M OEnsemble, thew o r l d -r e n o w n e dVashon-Island-based
physical theater company,will present a staged reading ofshort
selections from de la Vega’sbook. They invite everyone to comeand
get a chance to be on the jury!The Backbone Campaign’s ChainGang
puppets will also be on handto welcome attendees.
This free event is open to thepublic. It begins at 7 p.m.;
doorsopen at 6:30. Participating groups:The Vashon-Maury Island
GreenParty, the Vashon Democratic Club,UMO Ensemble, and the
BackboneCampaign.
For more information, contactMaryrose Asher at 567-0593
[email protected].
Elizabeth de la VegaComes to
Vashon Island
Elizabeth de la Vega
Also appearing:UMO Ensemble
Tuesday, June 12, 7 p.m. - monthlyGreen Party meeting at:
JohnCornelison’s house: 10506 SW 132ndPl. Please call (206)
567-0010 fordirections. If you would like to participatein the
Strawberry Festival, please dropby.
Thursday, June 14, at 6:45 p.m.— The documentary Sound and
Furywill be shown at Café Luna as part ofthe VMIGP Progressive Film
Series.Josh Aronson’s remarkabledocumentary takes an
unexpectedapproach to the “medical miracle” filmby examining the
political and emotionalturmoil that erupts between brothersover the
cochlear implant that might allowtheir deaf children to hear. The
ways inwhich a so-called miracle cure can divideas well as heal
families and communitiesis the focus of Sound and Fury,
whichexplores with almost painful intimacy thepolitics of
disability. Oscar nominatedfor best documentary feature. The
filmseries is free and open to the public.
Saturday, June 23, at 7 p.m. -Elizabeth de la Vega, author of
UnitedStates vs Bush et al, will speak atCourthouse Square (across
from DIGNursery) on Vashon Island. Elizabeth dela Vega, a federal
prosecutor for morethan twenty years, was an Assistant U.S.Attorney
in Minneapolis, as well as amember of the Organized Crime
StrikeForce and Branch Chief in San Jose,CA. In the book, United
States v.George W. Bush et. al., de la Vega bringsher twenty-one
years of experience andher passion for justice to the mostimportant
case of her career. The
June Green Party Eventsdefendants are George W Bush,
RichardCheney, Donald Rumsfeld, CondoleezzaRice, and Colin Powell.
The crime istricking the nation into war, or, in legalterms,
conspiracy to defraud the UnitedStates. UMO Ensemble, the
worldrenowned Vashon Island based physicaltheatre company, will be
presenting astaged reading of short selections fromMs. de la Vega’s
book. They inviteeveryone to come along and get a chanceto be on
the jury! The BackboneCampaign’s Chain Gang will also bepresent to
welcome attendees. Doorsopen at 6:30 p.m. This event is free
andopen to the public. Participating groups:The Vashon-Maury Island
Green Party,the Vashon Democratic Club, UMOEnsemble, and the
Backbone Campaign.
Sunday, June 24, 2 to 4 p.m.Vashon Tea Shop — Monthly book
clubmeeting. We will be discussing Peace isthe Way by Deepak
Chopra. All arewelcome.
Sunday, June 24, 5 to 7 p.m. atthe Land Trust - The
Vashon-MauryIsland Green Party will host a communitydiscussion on
“Car-Free Vashon.” Prosand cons of biodiesels, use of electriccar
shuttles, ways to increase bicycle use,and working with Metro will
all becovered. The VMIGP hopes to lead thecommunity in effecting a
change in howwe view our automobiles and perhapsserve as a model
for how communitiescan become car free. For moreinformation,
contact Ivy Sacks,Secretary, Vashon Maury-Island GreenParty, (206)
463-9579 [email protected]
Russian Orthodox Church Outsideof Russia are now one. And I
wasthere for a whole week of
pilgrimages to monasteries and holyplaces.”
Fr. Tryphon will be sharing someof his thoughts and
experienceswith Loop readers in future issues,but for now he has
sent these twophotos from his journey.
Continued from page 1
Father TryphonReturns
On Thursday June 14 at 7 p.m.,the VMICC Economic Committeemeets
at Courthouse Square. We’llbriefly review Island economichealth,
and discuss what to focuson. The topic list includes Islandgrowth
and benchmarks, ferryservice impacts, affordable housing,
Island Economy Discussionthe K2 property, the KCComprehensive
Plan, agriculture,sustainability, and the legacy of theEnergy
PUD.
I was always taught to respectmy elders, but it keeps
gettingharder to find one.
The Vashon Maury IslandRadio Club will be participatingin the
national annual “Field Day”exercise, on Saturday, June 23and
Sunday, June 24. It will beheld on the field behind theVashon
Health Center andGranny’s. The public is invited toattend and speak
to our membersabout ham radio. Youwill be able to seemany forms of
hamradio communicationand even try your handat transmitting
amessage.
Field Day was designed to testoperators’ abilities to set up
andoperate portable stations underemergency conditions such as
the
loss of electricity. Not only is thisevent a serious test of
skill, formany clubs and groups it’s asocial occasion too. During
the
weekend, participantstry to contact as manyother
participatingField Day stations aspossible.
Amateur Radio (or“ham radio”) operatorsthroughout the United
States willput their emergencycommunication and technicalexpertise
to the test during theField Day.
The annual exercise is onefacet of activities Amateur
Radiooperators undergo to ensure theywill be ready to volunteer
theirassistance with communicationsduring disasters and
emergencies.Field Day is sponsored by theAmerican Radio Relay
League(ARRL) — the national associationfor Amateur Radio.
Vashon MauryIsland Radio ClubHosts Field Day
By Sharon Danielson, KE7HBZ
Ward Silver making contact at the 2006 FieldDay. Loop photo
Phil Zook at 2006 Field Day. Loop photo
Give us a call. Loop photo
Father Tryphon standing inside the altar of Christ the Saviour
Cathedral in Moscow.Courtesy photo
-
The Vashon Loop, p. 5June 6, ‘07
(206) 794-9451 ~ Troy
Rock your Islandwith Loose Change!
Now booking forSummer and Fall
2007!(Not to mention
the holidays)
projecting that we will have a very,very small fund balance at
the endof the year, if any.”
The Budget Modification Planwhich the Board adopted on May17
will free up the $360,000.Hearing that another $300,000 wasneeded
was clearly a blow to all themembers of the Board.
Hunt explained that the actualsituation is the same; but the
figuresthat she and others used to craftbudget modifications were
$300,000short of the actual need. The end ofthe year Fund Balance
will beapproximately $44,000, which,Gene Lipitz noted, is,
“virtually zero.We are at zero.”
Hunt said that the budget fornext year will total $13.2
million,and projected expenditures will be$13.025 million, “if we
do budgetmodifications, if everything goesaccordingly.”
Board Chair Susan Loflandadded that Hunt meant
additionalrecommendations for budgetmodifications, above and
beyondthose already adopted by the Board.
Acting Superintendent TerryLindquist said, “If we choose not
tofill the three positions which are notfilled now, we should end
up in 2008with a $220,000 Fund Balance.”
“We need to look at the staffmix,” Lindquist said. “It is
notnecessarily these three positions thatneed to be unfilled.”
Teachers currently employed bythe District might be qualified
tomove in to these positions.
It was clarified that the highschool positions in question are
1FTE Special Ed; 1 FTE Math; and .25FTE Science.
Susan Lofland said, “Rehiringthose FTEs would continue ourliving
beyond our means. We havelegal requirements for maintenanceand
transportation (as well as staff).The recommendations are tough
tostomach, but we have to get back toliving within our means.”
“So,” Lipitz said, “we’ll reduceby 5.5 FTEs.”
“In 2001 we reduced 7 or 8FTEs,” Hunt said.
Lindquist said, “I know howdifficult this is. There aren’t any
easyanswers. I would like the Board toconsider staffing
alternatives, andcome back on June 14. Considerreducing 3 FTE
certified staff, andone classified, as well as otheralternatives.”
This would be inaddition to the 2 FTE certified and.5 FTE
classified reduced in theinitial Budget Modification Planadopted on
May 17.
“There is no easy way to dealwith this. Class size is not the
onlything. Staff training is moreimportant than class
size,”Lindquist said. “If we fill thesepositions, they become part
of theproblem. If we don’t put a lid onstaffing, it will be an
ongoingproblem. We have a projected FundBalance of $44,000. A one
per centerror in the budget is $120,000, and
there is potential litigation out therethat may hit the
budget.”
Lofland said, “I’d be extremelyuncomfortable hiring someone
intothis situation.”
Jake Jacobovitch asked Lindquistto set week by week goals for
theBudget process through June,“because the time limit to get it
donein July is coming up fast.”
“I can do that,” Lindquist said.“The Board is instructing me to
comeback with three alternatives on June14, and we’ll need to make
a decisionthat night.”
“We’ll need a second budgetmodification plan to go forwardwith
the Budget for presentation,”Lofland said.
Jacobovitch moved that, “At thenext regular meeting on June 14
wehave additional budgetmodifications for a decision item toaddress
the shortfall presented atthis meeting.” The motion wasseconded and
passed.
Chair Susan Lofland concludedby saying that she and
TerryLindquist, with input from FinancialAdvisor Robert Boesche,
and usingthe State Auditor’s guidelines,would come up with better
controlson budget planning and spending.
School Board member GeneLipitz reported to The Loop that
themorning after Thursday’s meeting,Financial Manager Brenda
Huntwas able to inform the Board thatmoney for the Debt Service
Fund isnot all gone, as was believed thenight before.
The Debt Service Fund is set upto pay off a loan taken out for
theCapital Fund to do building repairand mold removal. Funds
acquiredin a legal settlement weredesignated to pay it off, and are
stillin the Reserved Fund Balance.
What is still the same as it wason Thursday night, Lipitz said,
is,
“The budget is not only notbalanced, but it is off more than
wethought because we hired threepeople mid-year.”
“The Vashon District has 70teachers per 1000 students, whichis
the highest number of certificatedstaff per thousand students in
thestate, but we do not have the highestfunding in the state. We
will beshaving certified positions this yearand next until a total
of nine staffare gone and we have 64 or 65 staffper 1000
students.”
“A lot of the problem is thatbenefits are going up in cost.
Healthinsurance accounts for 32% of theDistrict payroll now. Also,
we haveteachers who are paid by the stateand teachers who are paid
by thelevy. When the state raises teachers’pay 5%, we have to raise
the pay ofall the other teachers by 5%, but wedon’t have a 5% raise
in funding.”
“Our co-curricular activities arenot funded by the state at
all.”
Continued from page 1
School BoardBudget Blues
And Furthermore...Slightly Good, Slightly
Bad Budget News
It is time to nominate someonefor The Doors of OpportunityAward.
This annual awardrecognizes and honors a VashonIsland teacher,
administrator, oremployee, pre-kindergarten through12th grade, who
exemplifies a truespirit and grit that goes beyond theclassroom to
open doors andmaximize students’ potential.
To begin identifying candidates,we ask the community,
faculty,students, and parents to send anomination letter no later
thanSunday, June 10 to:
Doors of OpportunitySelection CommitteeC/o Vashon Community
PTSAPO Box 2364Vashon, WA 98070
Submit your Vote forthe Doors of
Opportunity Award
-
June 6, ‘07The Vashon Loop, p. 6
Spiritual SmartSpiritual SmartSpiritual SmartSpiritual
SmartSpiritual SmartAleckAleckAleckAleckAleck
By Mary Litchfield Tuel
Concert organizer Pete Welch hasassembled an amazing and
diverselineup of Vashon talent. “I invited severalartists to
perform one Beatles song at thebenefit. Although it won’t be
acoustic perse, it won’t be a big amplified hugeextravaganza
either. Collaborations canbe pretty cool, so I’ve encouraged
peoplethat if they want to do a duet withsomeone or have someone
accompanythem…by all means, these types of thingscan turn into some
pretty specialmoments. It should be fun and somethinga little
different than the norm.”
Musicians include Spoken Word byErin Miller and by Brian
Quackenbush,solo music by Sarah Church, GregDember, Mark Shepherd,
John Browne,Bob Krinsky, Erik Reimnitz, MaryLitchfield Tuel, Mike
Marlatt, RobynLandis, Maren Metke, Hamish Todd,Patrick Bennion,
Mark Borax, SarahChristine, Brent Magstadt, and GlenRukwid. Songs
presented by two or threemusicians on stage will be performed
by:Ron Hook, Steve Brix, and Richard Lipke;Gaye Detzer, Annie
Roberts and MaryWalker; Rick Vanselow and Kim Thal;James Clapperton
and Colin Brynn;Rochelle Wolfe and Linda Hatfield; GayeDetzer,
Laura Cerven, and Elizabeth Nye;Greg Parrott and Frank Hein;
DevinSullivan and Chris Hayward; and Steffonand Arlette Moody.
Attendees will have a chance to bidon bodywork gift certificates
and dessertswill be for sale. Tickets will be sold at thedoor;
suggested minimum donation is$10. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.; all ages
arewelcome until 9:30 p.m.
Since the musicians, organizer andthe venue have all provided
their servicesfree of charge, all proceeds will go totoward the
Backbone Campaign’supcoming Progressive Cabinet Summit inAtlanta,
June 26th, and the Campaign’sparticipation in the first ever U.S.
SocialForum, June 27 – July 1st in Atlanta.
Several policy leaders – members ofthe Backbone Progressive
Cabinet – willbe at the Cabinet Summit, including HollySklar (Secty
of Labor), Byllye Avery (Sectyof Health and Human Services),
TomHayden (Secty of Peace), Emira Wood(Secty of State – Africa),
Stephen Zunes(Secty of State – Middle East), Eric Cooper(Secty of
Education), Jakada Imani(Attorney General), Josh Silver (Chair
ofthe FCC), and many more. Leaders of theProgressive Media such as
John Nicholsof The Nation and Matt Power of LibertyNews TV will be
part of the discussion,which will be focused on “How do weconvey
the message that progressiveshave the leaders and the ideas to run
the
country?” Progressive Movement Leaderssuch as Medea Benjamin,
Tim Carpenter,Nina LaBoy, David Swanson, and GeorgeFriday will
contribute to the day.
Following the Summit will be the U.S.Social Forum, whose theme
is “If anotherworld is possible, another US isnecessary.” The
Backbone Campaignwill present three workshops and willorchestrate
the first Procession for theFuture at the opening day procession.
Acontingent of eight activists will be partof the Backbone
Campaign’s team,including Islanders Doug Skove, WallyFletcher,
Logan Price, Amy Morrison, andBill Moyer. Other Backbone
Teammembers going to Atlanta are DianeWittner of Baltimore, Linda
Wiener ofVancouver, and Kety Esquivel, Spanish-English
Translator.
Bill Moyer, Executive Director of theBackbone Campaign,
explains, “For toolong progressives have been definedaccording to
what we oppose, neglectingto identify what it is we propose. At
thispotentially historic Progressive CabinetSummit, progressive
policy, movement,and media leaders will begin workingtogether to
develop a framework forcommunicating our movement’spropositional
capacity.
“The Summit will build on theBackbone Campaign’s work over the
pastthree years. In 2004 we initiated aninteractive Cabinet Roster
andnomination process. In 2005 we began aseries of podcast/webcast
conferencecalls (57 so far) called Conversations withthe Cabinet,
featuring our nation’s mosteffective progressive policy andmovement
leaders. Now it is time to takethe next step and convene the
first-everProgressive Cabinet Summit.”
The Backbone Campaign could notdo this work without the
generoussponsorship of our Vashon community.Please join us in
celebrating the spirit ofrevolution. We’ll see you on June 9.
Continued from page 1Backbone Benefit
“Now I’ll eat another cookie, put thepedal to the metal, and
drive, drive,drive…”
That’s a line from a song I wrotemany years ago, after making
ascreaming trip down the SacramentoValley in the middle of the
night.Driving 85 miles per hour in a HondaCivic hatchback next to
semi-trucksalso doing 85 is not the most securefeeling in the
world. I guess it shookup my psyche enough that I wrote
thesong.
As I was driving home fromEastern Washington a couple of
weeksago, I was thinking about the GreatAmerican Road Trip, and
wonderingif it was a 20th century dinosaur thatwill pass away as
surely as thepetroleum made of dinosaur bones ispassing away. I was
also thinking ofroad trips I’ve known.
The worst: My dad had a buddywith whom he served in the
SouthPacific during World War II, and thebuddy lived in Idaho. Two
or threetimes during my childhood we madethe trek from California
to Idaho tovisit. The year I was eleven we madethe trip, and we
spent our first nightin Carson City, Nevada. We atedinner at a
restaurant called “The PineCone,” a name etched into mymemory. My
parents and I had thesirloin tips and noodles, but my 15-year-old
brother had a hamburger.
We got up the next morning andheaded out across the Nevada
desert.Some time during that day, myparents and I began to realize
thatSomething was Terribly Wrong. Wemade it to Elko, and checked
into amotel.
We had the worst night of ourcollective family life. My father,
mymother, and I were violently ill. Soviolently ill that if I had
been theowner of that motel and had comeinto that room after we
departed, Iwould have seriously consideredgiving up the motel
business. I’m notgoing to go into any more detail thanthat. You’re
welcome.
My brother was the only one ofus who was fine, so we
alwayssuspected the sirloin tips and noodles.My brother had his
learner’s drivingpermit, and he graciously offered
several times to drive, but my fatherdeclined. We drove on,
three gut-ravaged invalids and one heroicteenaged boy willing to
come to therescue of his family but deprived ofthe opportunity.
My mother fainted in a gas stationbathroom in Arco, Idaho. That
waswhen my parents decided to see adoctor, a kindly old gent
straight outof Norman Rockwell who diagnosedfood poisoning and
prescribed castoroil followed by a chocolate mintflavored stomach
soothing mixture. Icouldn’t eat chocolate mint for yearsafter
that.
We spent a week recuperating ina motel. In fact, I believe that
is whenI learned the word “recuperate.” Thenwe went to visit my
dad’s buddybefore heading home. No road tripsince has equaled that
one for green-gilled wretchedness.
The road trip is a classic Americanexperience, made iconic by
JackKerouac in On the Road. There issomething about getting in the
car andgoing that gets your blood pumpingand makes you feel
free.
Now that gasoline costs more, Iwonder again if the Great
AmericanRoad Trip will be history. The firsttime I wondered that
was during thegas crisis of 1973. I can tell you frommy recent trip
over Snoqualmie Passand back that a lot of people are stilltaking
road trips, many of themdriving RVs.
I suspect that our romance withdriving is far from over –
whether wedrive a car fueled by gasoline,biodiesel, electricity, or
whateversomeone comes up with next. I thinkthat if gasoline is no
longer available,we will find a way to drive, drive,drive. Cars
have only been around alittle over 100 years, but humanbeings have
always had wanderlustand the love of travel.
Happy road trips, Vashon. Stayaway from the sirloin tips
andnoodles. And you might want tocheck out the Car-Free
Vashondiscussion at the Land Trust onSunday, June 24, at 5 p.m.
Ironically,you’ll probably have to drive to getthere.
The Great AmericanRoad Trip
Backbone volunteer. Photo courtesy ofBackbone Campaign
Check out w
ww
.vashonloop.com for details
or call 206.463.4004
Advertise in T
he Loop!
Thousands of loyal readers -Fourth year of
publication
oooooo
-
The Vashon Loop, p. 7June 6, ‘07
www.backbayinn.net ~ www.insidevashon.com
The Back Bay InnThe Back Bay InnThe Back Bay InnThe Back Bay
InnThe Back Bay Inn(206) 463-5355
Solution on page 17
Island Birding GuideIsland Birding GuideIsland Birding
GuideIsland Birding GuideIsland Birding GuideSpecies
IdentificationSpecies IdentificationSpecies IdentificationSpecies
IdentificationSpecies IdentificationHow to Attract BirdsHow to
Attract BirdsHow to Attract BirdsHow to Attract BirdsHow to Attract
Birds
Ed SwanEd SwanEd SwanEd SwanEd Swan(206) 463-7976(206)
463-7976(206) 463-7976(206) 463-7976(206) 463-7976
[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected].
Deck OpeningStop by for a burger and a beer
on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Across 1 Droop 4 Stone 9 Loose gown worn at mass12 Draped14 Part
of the UK15 Canal16 Western state17 Like an org.18 Hold19 Almost (2
wds.)21 “Night of the ____”23 Compass pt.24 Business abbr.25 Gold28
Move a boat31 Chest muscles34 Subordinate36 Awful38 When ship is
coming in40 Still asleep41 Poor43 Smell44 Spiritedness45 Humorous46
Begin a journey48 Remain51 Query53 Light54 Hair product
56 Building addition58 Bedroom furniture61 Abducts66 After
awhile67 Sepals of a flower69 Manner70 Essence71 Utopian72 Less
than usual in size,power or character73 Pigpen74 Feathery75
Unhappy
Down 1 Eschew 2 Cab 3 Tiny insect 4 Admirer 5 Wine sipper 6
Otherwise 7 Constellation 8 Computer code forcharacters 9 Realm10
Legal claim11 Torah table13 General headquarters15 Deduce20
Preposition
22 Gross national product(abbr.)25 Jeers26 Tactless27 Cover29
Complies30 Bundle32 Native tree33 Narrative34 Traveler’s aid35
Compass point37 Henna39 Noah’s boat42 Epoch43 Kimono sash47 Thick
drink49 Clerk50 Congressional vote52 Certain African citizen55
Clear57 Not strictly58 Containers59 One60 Good outlook61 Killed62
Villain63 Tints64 Writer Bombeck65 Stated68 Flurry
Don’t Forget the BirdsDon’t Forget the BirdsDon’t Forget the
BirdsDon’t Forget the BirdsDon’t Forget the Birds
By Ed Swan
The Washington StateDepartment of Health started up itsWest Nile
Virus monitoring againon May 31. Their press release ath t t p : /
/ w w w . d o h . w a . g o v
/Publicat/2007_news/07-085.htmprovides some interesting reading.The
state hasn’t been hit hard yet butmore may be coming if
Washingtonfollows the same trends across thecountry. An article out
in May in thejournal Nature also talks about howhard the virus has
hit birdpopulations. It looks like it mightbe a good idea to
regularly emptyout the bird baths and eliminateaccidental standing
water in potsand other places around the yard inorder to keep the
mosquitoes down.
According to the Consortium forConservation Medicine, the
WestNile Virus is the most importantmosquito-borne illness in the
UnitedStates. Its introduction and spreadacross the continent
resulted in over996 human deaths and an estimated280,000 illnesses.
The WashingtonState Department of Health pressrelease remarks that
Idaho wentfrom three reported illnesses in 2004to 1000 human
infections and 23deaths in 2006. In Washington in2006, the first
three humaninfections occurred and 13 birdsfound dead tested
positive for WestNile.
The article in Nature follows astudy by Drs. Shannon LaDeau
andPeter Marra of the SmithsonianInstitution’s Migratory Bird
Centerand Dr. A. Marm Kilpatrick withthe Consortium for
ConservationMedicine. They decided to studybirds that past history
indicatedmight most likely be infected withdiseases from
mosquitoes. Reportsshowed since the beginning of theonset of West
Nile Virus in NorthAmerica that crow and jaypopulations (both of
the corvidfamily) plummeted under the
oooooo
Bird Virus Update impact of the sickness. Thesescientists wanted
to look at howwide spread the phenomena wouldbe across a number of
bird families.They looked at Breeding Bird Surveydata from 1980 to
2005 and foundmany species hit hard afterexposure to West Nile
Virus.
The study demonstrated thatdifferent bird species
sufferedvariably in illness from infection.Many backyard species,
birds livingin urban and suburban areas, suchas American Robins,
Tufted Titmice,Carolina and Black-cappedChickadees and Blue Jays,
wereseverely affected. American Crows,Eastern Bluebirds and House
Wrensfaced less dramatic declines. Manyof these species lost at
least 50% oftheir population across a wholeregion with only Blue
Jays andHouse Wrens showing some bounceback over time. We’ll have
to hopethat none of the rarer speciesharmed by other factors such
ashabitat loss belong to the categoryof birds facing the most
significantlosses.
Here’s the advice from the stateDepartment of Health: “The
bestprotection against West Nile virusis to avoid mosquito bites.
Stayindoors when mosquitoes are mostactive (dusk to dawn),
coverexposed skin, and use an effectiverepellent. Reduce
mosquitobreeding habitat around the homeby dumping standing water;
changewater in birdbaths, fountains,wading pools, and animal
drinkingcontainers once or twice a week.”
In Bird Flu news, a recentreview of research on the spread
ofHighly Pathogenic Avian InfluenzaH5N, published in the
BritishOrnithologists Union journal Ibis,finds that the poultry
industryremains the main vector for globaldiffusion of avian flu.
Birds in thewild maintain a reservoir of fluviruses but the worst
viruses dependon a high density population, suchas in industrial
poultry farms, in
order to develop and then disperse.Wild birds found with the
especiallyvirulent form of the disease wereinfected by association
throughscavenging or predation of domesticbirds or their food
sources. Nospread of the disease throughmigratory corridors
followed thewild bird infections. Instead,poultry industry workers
picked upthe disease and passed it on to otherhumans. The
distribution of thedisease follows closely the majorroutes and
patterns of humancommerce. Correspondingly, the fluexpanded its
territory during non-migratory periods. The scientistsconclude that
the best strategyconsists of strong veterinaryobservation and
intervention intrade. They also state that thecontinued focus on
wild birds takesaway resources from the true causeof the virus’
ability to reach newpopulations.
In local birding news, the lastof our regular migrants arrived
withWillow Flycatchers showing up nearKVI Beach May 24 and seen by
Johnand Ellie Friars. ChippingSparrows, very rare on the
Island,visited the cemetery and AlanHuggins’ place on the north end
ofthe island. On the south end, GaryShugart saw the first Green
Heronof the year at the Tahlequah dock.Usually they don’t appear
until fall.If you have an interesting bird toreport or a question
about localbirds, call me at 463-7976 or emailat
[email protected].
With spring and summer slowlyapproaching, if you have visitors
tothe Island interested in seeingVashon’s birds, I am available
forguiding tours to the best birding hotspots on the island or for
findingparticular species. Also, I visitproperties to help identify
birdspresent and give advice onattracting birds to one’s
property.Give me a call or email, I’m availableboth during the week
andweekends.
Festival CarnivalTickets on Sale Now
This year’sF e s t i v a lCarnival will beopen ThursdayJuly 12
and runt h r o u g h .Sunday July 15.Pre-sale ticketsare
nowavailable atIsland Variety and Video. The costagain this year is
$15.00 and sessiontimes are on the tickets. All unsoldpre-sale
tickets will be picked uponThursday prior to the openingsession.
For any questions please callthe Chamber at (206) 463-6217.
-
June 6, ‘07The Vashon Loop, p. 8
By Sarah Blakemore, RQE
The Reigning QueenThe Reigning QueenThe Reigning QueenThe
Reigning QueenThe Reigning Queenof Everythingof Everythingof
Everythingof Everythingof Everything
Last we left the RQE her legswere cramping while sitting
cross-legged on a hardwood floor in asharing circle listening to
FrizzyHair yelling about walking in anger.
Now it is time for the rest of thegroup to share. We have to
pick upthe “talk rock” and tell somethingwe know is true. Example:
I knowthat Frizzy Hair WALKS INANGER. The talk rock is passedaround
and the usual stuff comesout of everyone’s mouth. “I knowthat bad
body image is the result ofan uncaring society, I know thatthere
will be a woman presidentsometime in my lifetime, I know thatI do
not need anyone else’svalidation for my life (then why areyou
here?????) and other suchplatitudes. Several of the women
arecrying.
Ethnic scarf woman grabs thetalk rock.
“I know that I am angry. I knowthat it is not my fault my
parentsdidn’t love me. I know that I am astrong woman. I know that…
[insertanother 10 minutes of what sheknows].”
She puts the rock down.“Pick up the damn rock,” my
inner bitch hisses. I pick up the rock.My inner bitch seizes the
moment.
“I know that 10 years of therapywas worth it,” my inner bitch
says,looking around. I put the rockdown.
One woman laughs and then isquickly hushed by the silence
ofeveryone else.
The sharing continues.We have to go around the circle
and share what we want to overcome. It comes to my turn. Well,
let’ssee.
I’m single and loving it. I’mwriting/directing theatre that
willsoon be on a stage and loving it. Ilove my job. I love my
apartment. Ilove my dog and my friends and myGod child. What am I
going to do?I have nothing to complain about.So I share this with
the group and itis met with total silence. For amoment I think this
might be thepart where they drown me in thealtar we are still
sitting around.
The afternoon culminates in theparticipants having to stand in
twosingle file lines shoulder to shoulder.This, we are informed, is
a symbolicbirth canal. We are now going to bereborn as empowered
women.Frizzy Hair beats on the drum whilechanting our “empowerment
word”that we have chosen while PudgyFriend orchestrates the
birthing.
I am not, repeat, NOT makingthis up.
By the time Elise, Friend and Iget through the symbolic birth
canal,the afternoon is gone. Frizzy Hairand Pudgy Friend make a
pitch fortheir empowerment workshops,which, by the way, cost
hundredsof dollars. Uh, right. My inner bitchwonders if I can pay
them in stickyone dollar bills that men stuff in mygarter.
Out on the street, I break fromElise as quickly as possible. I
am“walking in anger” because I justwasted an entire afternoon. To
befair to Elise, she thought it wasstupid too. But I’m still pissed
aboutmissing a sunny afternoon to listento a bunch of older women
talkabout things they should havegotten over a long time ago.
I’ve traveled in a lot of ThirdWorld countries, where women
donot have the luxury of “walking inanger.”
Walking in anger won’t feedtheir kids or help them
becomeliterate. It won’t stop them frombeing raped and beaten by
theirhusbands, family members or militiagroups. We spend a lot of
time in thiscountry making up problems forourselves. A bad
relationship withone’s parents/children becomes adebilitating
problem rather thansomething to get over. A fear ofcommitment
becomes a badge ofhonor to be worn proudly – look atme, I’m scarred
and jaded!! Wemake excuses for not having thejobs, partners and
lives that wewant, when, really, it is all there forus. “If only
things were different, wecould have what we want,” we
tellourselves. The only person holdingyou back is you. Spend less
timewalking in anger and more timelooking at yourself. The results
willbe striking.
My neighbor, Weisa, is a 36-year-old Polish immigrant. She is
asingle mom of two kids, divorcedfrom her alcoholic husband. She
islearning English and putting herselfthrough school. Weisa
doesn’twhine, she doesn’t complain andshe most certainly doesn’t
“walk inanger.” She cooks, she studies andshe has me over for the
occasionalglass of wine. My dogs play at herhouse with her kids.
She goes tocounseling to sort through some ofthe stuff she’s been
through but shedoesn’t waste her life “walking inanger.” She lives
her life andcelebrates the joy of it all despite thethings she has
been through.
That is an empowered woman.I, and my inner bitch, wouldhappily
waste a sunny afternoonwith her.
The RQE Learns toWalk in Anger
At one point this week, throughsome quirk of fate, I had four
relatedbut unrelated articles on my desk. Onewas from the Sunday
Times/P.I. abouthow Scott Fischbach had seen ouryoung bear visitor
jump into the waterat Pt. Robinson and start swimmingtoward Des
Moines (Washington, notIowa).
The second was from the frontpage of a May 5, 1960
Beachcomber(thank you Rayna Holtz) about howRonger Jensen had shot
a coyote inParadise Valley, west of Center. Hehad been reporting
sightings for someweeks and no one had believed him.The headline
read; “.30-06 QuietsCritics, Coyote as Ronger JensenProves Point.”
The article alsoincluded a picture of Buckly Jensen,Ronger’s son,
with the dead coyote.
The third was actually from abook called Isle of the Sea Breezes
byRoland Carey, published in 1976, alsoprovided by Rayna Holtz,
whichrecounts the 1915 slaying of a cougarby Dan Landers in the
Cross Landingarea, off Redding Beach Road.Landers, at least, had
some reason tokill the cougar—he had reason tobelieve it had been
stalking hisdaughters.
The reason all these articles cametogether in my mind is because
I hadheard that some of the young Islandhunters had gone home to
get theirguns and drove up and down thehighway after the bear
sighting hadbeen reported. The first thing thatcame to mind was
that people haven’tchanged a lick in a hundred years.
First of all, it is a grossmisdemeanor to hunt a bear withouta
license and out of season. It is alsohighly illegal to hunt from
yourmotor vehicle. People who did noteven see the bear were
activelybreaking the law and could (andperhaps should) have been
cited.What the hell were they thinking?
Secondly, Sgt. Kim Chandler ofthe Department of Fish and
Wildlifeis quoted in the Tuesday P.I. assaying, “...no Washington
residentshave been killed by black bears in thepast 50 years, even
though WesternWashington is home to more than20,000 black
bears.”
The proper thing to do, shouldyou encounter a black bear, is
remaincalm and, as one Island womanlearned last week, DO NOT RUN.
Letthe bear know you are there and thatyou are a human being—in
myencounter with a bear, years ago, I justtalked to it. It seemed
to listen.
Do not engage in eye contact,which bears take as a threat—it is
the
cougars you can stare down, not thebears. Back away slowly and
calmly.Likely as not, the bear will go theother way—unless it is on
the trail ofa particularly tempting garbage can.
It is we who have foisted outlifestyle into increasing numbers
ofthe nooks and crannies that belongedto the bears since long
before wecame. If they do us the honor ofcoming onto our Island,
they shouldbe treated with respect and maybethey could teach us a
thing or two.
I am glad to hear that numerouspeople did not have that reaction
tothe bear on our Island. There are moresupporters of wildlife on
the Islandthan there ever have been and I amglad of that. I agree
with most ofthem—we must realize we share aplanet with other big
predators andwe must find a gentle way to makepeace with that. Such
creatures areour closest relatives in this entireuniverse. It is
high time we treatedthem accordingly.
Our brother bear, namedColumbia by someone, was clearlyheaded
somewhere. It is not easy toget from the north end of the Islandout
to Pt. Robinson. Did he cross atPortage? At last report, he
wascaptured by Fish and Wildlife andtaken to a “remote location in
theCascades.” I hear he was pissed offwhen they caught him and I
hopewhere they took him was somewherenear where he wanted to
go.
Garden TheGarden TheGarden TheGarden TheGarden
TheWorldWorldWorldWorldWorld By MEarth
oooooo
Br’er Bear
oooooo
Friday, June 15
Loopy sez: Deadline for thenext edition of The Loop is
Only Irish coffee provides in asingle glass all four essential
foodgroups: alcohol, caffeine, sugarand fat. — Alex Levine
The publishers of The Loop received complaints about a joke
thatran on the Loopy Laffs page in the last issue, and want readers
toknow that offense was never intended. We are sorry. We will see
thatit doesn’t happen again.
The joke was a line attributed to Charles Pierce, an actor and
nightclub performer. Peter Mintun of the San Francisco Chronicle
wrote atthe time of Pierce’s death in 1999: “His career included
acting, andradio announcing, but as a female impersonator, Pierce
has left hisaudiences weak with laughter, and brightened their
lives with hiswicked and sometimes irreverent impressions of film
stars...” We’resorry that this joke was a little too wicked and a
little too irreverentfor some of our readers.
Retraction
-
The Vashon Loop, p. 9June 6, ‘07
EssayAn Essay by Alice OrrI have done a lot of what the
English refer to as “moving house.”I can’t blame my birth family
for myrestless spirit and its quest forsomething never long
presentwherever I happen to be. They livedin the same house from
the time Iwas six months old until I left forcollege. Once, when
they mentionedthe possibility of selling our gray-shingled
bungalow, I gripped a darkmahogany pillar between the livingroom
and dining room and wept. Iloved the look and feel of that houseat
439 East Avenue in Watertown,New York, but I never truly thoughtof
it as Home.
What is “Home” exactly? Wetalk a great deal about it,
foreversearching for one or running awayfrom one or missing one so
much weare stricken “homesick.” All ofwhich indicates intensity. We
arenever lukewarm about home. Weeither burn to be there or yearn
toget away. Anywhere that fails toexcite such passion is merely
aresting spot, a temporary stopping-off point on the road to our
heart’strue destination. In my own history,three such heart places
stand outfrom the incipient restlessness of therest. In each of
these, a specialrelationship occurred, a quality oflove and caring
not previouslyencountered, nor to be experiencedquite the same way
again.
First came Grandma’s house at833 West Main Street, also
inWatertown, a place I mention often.I’ve written of her garden,
herkitchen, her bedroom but neverabout what she called her
“middleparlor.” The front parlor was aspecial occasion room, saved
forChristmas, family reunions andeventually her funeral. The
kitchenat the back of the house was aworkroom, where she toiled at
afairly urgent pace three times a day.Grandma worked in her
middleparlor, too, but with her needles.Years later, when I
discovered fiberart, I realized that Grandma hadbeen a fiber
artist. Her yarns,embroidery flosses and tatting toolswere her
creative media. Sheworked with them lovingly, and sheincluded me in
that love. I wasfrequently with Grandma in thekitchen cooking or in
the gardenplanting. She was always kind andpatient, but she
expressed thesweetest tenderness while workingin her middle parlor.
She would stopstitching for a moment, reach downand run her fingers
through my hair
in a slow, gentle movement andwhisper, “Spun gold.”
Mygrandmother’s middle parlor wasthe first place in my life that
qualifiesin my estimation as Home.
The second was only a few milesbut nearly two decades away.
Ishared the house on Moffett Streetwith my friend Gayle and
ourseveral combined children. Gayleand I were both escapees
fromunwise marriages. My three Homeswere havens of refuge as well
aslove and caring. Grandma’s housewas refuge from my parents’
chaoticlife. Moffett Street was refuge fromthe chaos of life in
general, thoughit didn’t appear so on the surface,particularly the
surface of ourkitchen table. Each of our kids ate adifferent
breakfast cereal, and eachspilled some of it every morning.There
was never time to clean upthe mess before rushing off to workand
school. Every evening wereturned to a mosaic of cereals gluedto the
tabletop in a paste of milk andsugar that generally required
thesharp edge of a metal spatula toscrape loose. Our Moffett
Streetbrood was like that also, a familyglued together by affection
ratherthan blood. It would take the hard-scraping edge of sharp
lifecircumstance to dislodge useventually from one another.
A few more years and miles on,my third Home memory happens,at
Burnup Road in Black River, NewYork. All of my life I’d hoped for
butnever quite believed in the OneGreat Romance that I would not
fallbut plummet into, crazy in lovebeyond reason and doubt. That
lovetook flame on Burnup Road. I recallthe bedroom most vividly,
and notjust because of the S-word. We toldeach other our deepest
secrets there.We had our first technicolorquarrels there. We ate
chocolatecake and drank whiskey sours there.Visitors to Burnup Road
wouldmarvel at our housekeeping. Theliving room, kitchen, bath and
yardwere always in perfect order. Wewere careful never to show
themour bedroom. Not just because ofthe perpetual mess, but because
itwas another refuge. Our refugewhere we could leave the baggageof
the past at the door.
We have moved house one moretime recently to yet another
heartlocation, the neighborhood whereour grandchildren live in
Seattle.Our granddaughter wants to learnneedlework. Our grandson
spillscereal and milk on the tabletop quiteregularly. And, though
agemediates against too muchchocolate cake and whiskey sours,my one
great love and I still spendlots of time in the bedroom, nowwith
two kids and two catscrowding in. Perhaps, I have foundHome yet
again.
Home Is Where theHeart Is
I moved to this Island for a veryspecific reason. Simply put, it
is safehere. I was able to raise my boys asa single parent knowing
that whenI left for the day, they would beintact when I returned.
The schoolsare great. The community is caring.The weather is
tolerable both insummer and winter. Sure, nowhereis perfect, but
this place comes close.
So, now that the boys are grownand gone, what keeps me
here?Frankly, it is still because it is safe.When I come home after
a long day,I can unwind or be involved, totallyup to me. I have
established myfriends and community family alongwith new interests
and hobbies.Everybody knows my name. At leastit seems that way.
However, thoughI have been single most of my life,now that the boys
are gone I havediscovered what this really means.Now, an invitation
means just me,not me and the boys. I seem to havefound a small
crowd of 40-something and 50-something folkswho have also found
themselves inthe same situation. There are a fewof us but we keep
ourselves busywith the activities we enjoy most.The friends whom we
have come totrust. The community we have cometo love. A comfortable
circle.
So how do we find other singleson the Island? That is the
question.
There is a group who hang outat the local pubs and they seem
toknow each other. There is a smallergroup that goes to wine
tastings. Butwhat about those of us who don’tfocus our time on
alcohol? Don’t getme wrong, I love a good glass ofwine with some
great cheese or adelicious meal but Wine, althoughterrific, isn’t
my main focus in life. Iwant to talk about books, current
Finding a Safe Placeand Meeting Singles
By Angela Weiss
events, or travel. I want to attendthe art tours and gallery
walks aswell as shop at the Village Green onSaturday mornings. I
want to havedinner parties to explore my newlove of cooking and
attend dinnerparties hosted by others in turn. Sowhere does one
find activities andcompanions when a primary reasonfor choosing an
Island lifestyle issafety, both physical andemotional?
My gut tells me that we need tobroaden the circle of
knownavailable singles and maybebroadcast that interest a bit.
Invitethose who don’t feel so safe to leavetheir comfortable circle
or couch.Especially those men who tell thereal estate agents that
the mainreason they are selling their home isbecause there are no
single womenon the Island. Are you kidding?There are so many of us
but wedon’t have a way of finding eachother.
An idea whose time has come:In January, just in time for
mydivorce, I started hosting dinnerparties for my single friends.
Thishas become a monthly event. Theyhave become so much fun that a
fewpeople are calling and asking to beput on a list for the next
one. Onecall was from a friend of a friendwho lives all the way
over on QueenAnne. Wow, what does this say,that single men are
calling fromSeattle and Tacoma for a seat at adinner table on
Vashon? Oneparticipant has come from Tacomafor three events and
counting. So, Ifind the idea works well.
Next time: the ground rules forsingles dinner parties.
Single onVashon
Tom Wallace
FarrierLicensed Massage TherapistPracticing on both humans and
equines
Because there was a crooked rider who rode a crooked horse
www.vashonfarrier.com | Tel: 206.463.9689
We do passport photos -- apply for passports at theCourthouse on
Tuesdays, Noon-3:30 pm; 4-7 p.m.
oooooo
ooooooFrustration is trying to find
your glasses without your glasses.
-
June 6, ‘07The Vashon Loop, p. 10
The Dorsal Spin
(206) 463-3401$8 Nail trimming with no appointment
17321 Vashon Hwy SW Big Red building w/Animal Stuff on the
porch
The Dorsal Spin is undergoing amajor transition and will return
soon.Please continue to report whale sightingsto the VHP at 206-
463-9041. Thanks toeveryone, especially ferry commuters, forrecent
reports.
Hallelujah!!!Jenny has flown home from down south.Come say hello
and shop on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday.
Then order something really difficult just to keep her on her
toes.
Horus is still hanging in there,and he appreciates all your kind
wishes.
Come give him some extra love.
Yesterday morning Henry (whois now part of Wolftown’s team andan
old dear friend) and I followedmy little sheep dog Cap through
thewoods to try to spot where a bearwas holing up in the warm part
ofthe day.
Funny, this was not east of themountains, but on Vashon. Cap
thesheep dog is just recently learningtracking work which by the
wayhelps us with our non-invasive fieldwork studies off-Island. Cap
findsthis rather amusing from the dailygrind of moving a flock of
rams andanother flock of ewes and lambs tothe various pastures
aroundWolftown.
Cap followed scent ‘til Henryand I spotted tracks and scat of
ablack bear. While we walked,thoughts came and went throughmy
mind.
I had received about ten callsabout the bear and I
personallyspoke to sheriff officials and StateFish and Wildlife
numerous timeswithin the past several days.
The bear brought up manythings to me.
The first is the fact that peoplefreaked out. Now please realize
themajority of people on Vashon didn’tfreak but the more freaked
onescalled me right away. Maybe someof you that are not freaking
need tocall me so I can balance thissomehow. And those who did
freak,I understand you freaked becauseyou were faced with the
unknownand you were truly concerned foryourselves, the bear and
your pets,livestock and gardens…in thatorder.
A refreshing change fromdealing with a Montana rancherwho has
lost four horses and twocalves to grizzly and wolf. Theyfreak in an
entirely different way. Itcan involve much cursing andwaving of
weapons andshovels…but usually can be workedout.
But I needed to look at thisclosely.
First those that were concernedwith safety issues. Black bears
do notconsider people food. They canattack people…but folks, THIS
ISEXTREMELY RARE! The bear on-Island had been frightened by whatit
thought was a terrible danger andhad scrambled 12 feet up a tree
toescape — horror of bear horrors —a 75-year-old grandma looking
out
Lions and Tigersand Bears!
Or Aunt Em!By T Martino
Sheep dog Cap. He is learning to track, andpracticed tracking
the bear. Wolftown photo
a window at it. Ahhhhhhhhh! Runaway!
Bears are actually very shy. Howmany of you have seen them in
thewild? As Henry and I walkedthrough the forest of Vashon wewere
in what many would callsuburbia…5 acres and a house butwith a thick
belt of trees between.These are wildlife corridors. Henryand I
walked with all ourequipment, with a dog that had abell on, and
people surrounded usand they did not see us. Bears arelike that.
You don’t see them, theyare hiding! This is because they arescared
of people. And Henry and Iwere much more conspicuous and Ilost my
shoe and got trapped bybranches on MY idea of a trail.When I take
interns off-Island Ireally have to LOOK to find bears.
Now here’s the rub. That ismostly true of adult bears. This
isbecause they have lived a season ortwo and know that people
huntthem. So they learn to avoid people.Juvenile bears like the one
on Islandhave not learned this lesson. Thatbear had been probably
chased offhis territory by an adult. Black bearsbreed in June.
Someone told me they werekeeping their children home fromschool
because of bears. This wasinteresting.
I grew up where there werebears and lion and MANYrattlesnakes.
Funny — therattlesnakes liked to rest on ourporch and my Pop was
alwayssweeping them off. Sometimes he atethem, too, which helped
control thepopulation but that’s another story.My relatives taught
us from a veryearly age what to do aroundwildlife.
Common sense things like, don’trun. Keep your eyes open. Stay
withyour brothers, yell, look taller. Don’tbother young cubs, don’t
bothercarcasses…and the biggest one: Donot bring it home!
The last thing was a really bigone for my family.
The famous photo: Bear on Gorsuch Road withcar escort. Photo by
Maria Winkler, King CountyNoxious Weeds official
I guess I thought everyone hadlearned this as a child but I
guessnot. But it’s OK to learn this now.
On the bear’s side is it better forthe bear to be here or
elsewhere?Hum? Well the bear chose to comehere. He sought out a
place where Ihad seen bears in times past onVashon. It has good
berryingpotential.
It is good for our ecosystem tohave the bear here. For one
becauseof carrion which Wolftown is nolonger taking. By the way,
the scatwe found was 95% plant material.Bears try to eat the
easiest things tofind and catch. Prey that does notrun fast - like
berries, shoots, grassand dead stuff.
As far as your pets areconcerned: Keep your pet foodinside. Do
not let your dog chasebears. When I was a kid we did notlet our
dogs out to run unattended.This was because they, beinghunting
dogs, would run deer or
livestock and get shot. They alsocould get bit by rattlesnakes
that myFather had not eaten yet.
Our dogs treed bobcat and lionoccasionally and so I think
theywere savvy on the cat end of things.
I got called out by a local VashonSheep person and they
wereconcerned about letting their flockout to graze after sighting
the bearrecently. A mature ewe can out-dodge a bear if she has
enoughroom. And the bear is going tothink, hum, this is too hard.
But thisflock had garbage cans, incontainers which was good,
butright next to the sheep pens. So thatneeded to be moved. Also 4
strandsof heavily charged hot wire set atdifferent heights will
deter mostblack bears. This also helps withgardens.
And your garbage and gardenscan also be kept free of deer,
dogs,and raccoons with hot wire.Raccoons carry a parasite
thatfrankly I fear more than any bear.And I do worry about our deer
withtheir parasite load. The bear could
help with these things. Read myarticle on Wolftown’s blog
calledBalance.
You folks are my community andI love you even though
sometimesyou kinda baffle me. But I am sure Ido the same to you
sometimes.Please know that I will help at anytime day or night if
you have anyproblem with the bear.
And I will help Fish and Wildlifeor the Sheriff remove him if he
is aproblem. But the law says they haveto ask me. But I hope we can
learnto live with him. When I saw histracks in the forest leaf
litter ofVashon…I thought of my childhood.There’s no place like
home!
Sound & Fury ( 2000) is thismonth’s film. It will show
onThursday, June 14, at 6:45 p.m. 80minutes NR. Josh
Aronson’sremarkable documentary takes anunexpected approach to
the“medical miracle” film byexamining the political andemotional
turmoil that eruptsbetween brothers over the cochlearimplant that
might allow their deafchildren to hear. The ways in whicha
so-called miracle cure can divideas well as heal families
andcommunities is the focus of Soundand Fury, which explores
withalmost painful intimacy the politicsof disability. Oscar
nominated forBest Documentary Feature.
Progressive/GreenParty Film Discussion
Series
More Wolftown News:Check that SnagT Martino of Wolftown
Sanctuary reports that they werecalled the other day to rescue a
litterof raccoon kits. An Islander waslandscaping his yard and
knockedover a tree snag, only to discoverthat it was being used as
a nurseryby a raccoon mother.
“They called us right away,which was the right thing to do,
andwere very gracious about helping usfind a safe place to put the
babieswhere their mom would come backand find them,” Martino
said.
Martino has been working withwolves since 1984 and Wolftownhas
had a 501-3 C non-profit statusfor ten years.
“We do a talk the last Fridayeach month at Back Bay Inn,”Martino
said, for people interestedin learning about wildlife
andWolftown.
-
The Vashon Loop, p. 11June 6, ‘07
in mind, participants will spendmore intimate time with
gardenerswhose gardens have been featuredpublications such as
PacificMagazine, Fine Gardening, GardenDesign, Sunset and more.
DIG owners Sylvia Matlock andRoss Johnson invite
participantsinto their garden sanctuary to learnhow 17 years of
gardening havebeen reinforced with a striking newexterior on their
home. Cindy andSteve Stockett will tour participantsthrough
recently redesigned andrefurbished beautifully designedgarden rooms
and water features.In addition, the Stocketts will sharesecrets of
how to have a successful,abundant garden, good plantcombinations,
citing plants ideally,and how to integrate designelements.
Continued from page 1Annual Garden Tour “Secrets” will include
plant lists
from both gardens. Complimentaryrefreshments provided at
DIG,courtesy of The Monkey Tree.Tickets for “Secrets of the
Garden”are $55 per person or $70 (includesweekend Garden Tour
ticket) andare available by calling Blue HeronArt Center, (206)
463-5131.
As for Garden Tour itself, youwon’t want to miss the five
fabulousgardens, along with art, music andpoetry. And don’t forget
to bid onyour favorite watering can,creatively embellished by
Islandartists! VAA’s annual Garden Touris graciously sponsored by
John L.Scott. Additional sponsors includeVashon Thriftway, Puget
SoundEnergy, DIG and SPLASH and JRCrawford. Tickets are
availablenow by calling Blue Heron, (206)463-5131. See you at the
GardenTour!
Many Islanders know of JoanHanna’s barn – that glorious
studiowhere movement of all kinds takesplace, that
sun-drenched,beautifully–floored structure nestledaway in a meadow
dotted withstatues of the Buddha andflowerbeds, the place where
manya dancer has surelystood and thought:I’ve died and goneto
Heaven. This isit.
Joan createdthe studio in thelate 80s afterreturning fromNaropa
Institute inBoulder, Coloradowhere she studiedDance and
TheaterImprovisation. Formany previousyears, she was aninstructor
of yogaand Tai Chi. In thedecades since,Hanna’s barn hashoused
classesacross a broad spectrum ofmovement, music and theater.
New to the barn this summer isMoving At Midlife with
BrendaHowald, a modern dance class foradults where you
stretch,strengthen, and learn to moveeffortlessly from your core.
ThisMonday morning, 10 to 11:30 a.m.,class will begin Monday, June
11,and includes patterns fromBartenieff Movement Fundamentals,yoga,
and Feldenkrais work. Theformat is one of basic locomotorpatterns
in space, floor work,standing strengthening work, anddance
combinations across the floor.Both trained and non-traineddancers
do fine with this material.Brenda danced with DanceKaleidium of St.
Louis and Co-motion Dance in Seattle, of whichshe was a founding
member. Ifyou’ve been partner dancing andwant to break out on your
own, ifyou simply want to get out the kinks,or if you’re new to
movementaltogether, this is your class. Brendais also looking to
start an eveningclass on Wednesday or Thursdayevenings in another
location inVashon, so if you’re interested inevening slots only, or
for any
Joan Hanna’s Barn: Movement on MauryBy Brenda Howald
Patti Kiriazis at Pt. Robinson. Photo by Molly O’Brien
Patti Kiriazis. Photo by Molly O’Brien
questions about the class, please callher at (206) 463-4080.
On-going is Joan’sContemplative Dance Practicewhich meets Friday
mornings from9:30 to 11 a.m. and includesmeditation, personal warm
up,
interacting in OpenSpace, and writing/drawing. Class fee ison a
donation basis.Joan’s MondayMornings, from 7:30to 9:30 a.m., is a
classin which new themesare introduced eachweek, an approachthat
focuses oninvestigating the useof the body ineveryday movement,a
session where, asJoan says “Rest isalways waiting to berecognized,
Just abreath away.” Forquestions call Joan at(206) 463-3530.
Another on-going favorite isYoga with Patti Kiriazis on
Tuesdayand Thursday mornings, whichpresents Patti’s blend of Hatha
andKundalini yoga to folks of a varyingage and fitness range.
Theintermediate level class meets from9 to 10:30 a.m., both days,
and aneasier class follows called“floorwork/gentle” from 10:30
to11:30 a.m. both days. Patti’s yogaexperience is vast, beginning
withher studies with renowned teacherMarie Svboda, and followed by
20years of teaching in venues all overthe Island, including The
VashonAthletic Club, K-2, Ober Park andthe YMCA. Patti brings to
herapproach a solid knowledge of howto successfully work through
injurywithin the class discipline. Forquestions, call Patti at
(206) 567-0018.
Future possible offerings at thebarn include a Lotte Berk
methodExercise class with Carol Eggen,which is a non-aerobic,
non-highimpact method of working the body.Those interested in a
class shouldcontact Carol at 567-0066.
Come on down to the barn at7712 S.W. Point Robinson Road(Call
individual teachers fordirections).
Much more than just a bike storeBreeze on in and ride out
Same day serviceDowntown Vashon next to the Post Office
+Unisex step-through design+Cross bar is only six inches from
the ground+Upright seating for less back painand clear view of the
road+Relaxed arm position for more control+A new smaller 15" frame
for more stability+3-speed and 8-speed Shimano Nexus internalgear
for a smooth ride and low maintenance+Coaster foot brake
(206) 463-6225(206) 463-6225(206) 463-6225(206) 463-6225(206)
463-6225
A fun way to stay fit and healthyA fun way to stay fit and
healthyA fun way to stay fit and healthyA fun way to stay fit and
healthyA fun way to stay fit and healthyNow Available at
Vashon IslandBicycle
Check us out on the web: www.vashonislandbicycles.com
-
June 6, ‘07The Vashon Loop, p. 12
Kathy Abascal is a professionalmember of the American
HerbalistsGuild and is certified by Michael Mooreof the Southwest
School of BotanicalMedicine. She recently started a blogwhich you
can read atwww.herbsandinfluenza.com/blog.
You can email her if you havequestions about
herbs([email protected]) or you can
stop by the Roasterieon Fridayafternoons todiscuss any aspectof
herbal medicinewith her in person.
You can buyKathy Abascal’sbook Herbs &Influenza – How
herbsused in the 1918 flupandemic can be
effective today at local Vashon stores.For more information on
the book andon the 1918 flu pandemic, visit Kathy’swebsite at
http://www.HerbsandInfluenza.com.
Inflammation plays an importantrole in healing. In chronic
diseases,however, inflammation tends tocomplicate healing. In fact,
it is hardto think of a chronic disease that doesnot involve some
degree ofundesirable inflammation.Hypertension, heart problems,
jointproblems, Alzheimer’s, eczema, andintestinal disorders all
involveinflammation. Often anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed
tosuppress this inflammation and quietits uncomfortable effects.
However,studies increasingly show that longterm use of these drugs
may actuallyworsen the underlying disease,especially in
osteoarthritis andrheumatoid arthritis. In
addition,anti-inflammatory drugs havesignificant sideeffects.
Have you everread the warningson some of thec o m m o
nprescriptions forpain andi n f l a m m a t i o n ?Ibuprofen
warns“this medicine canincrease your risk ofl i f e - threa ten
ingheart or circulationproblems, including heart attack orstroke.
This medicine can alsoincrease your risk of serious effectson the
stomach or intestines,including bleeding or perforation(forming of
a hole). These conditionscan be fatal and gastrointestinal
effectscan occur without warning at any timewhile you are taking
ibuprofen. Olderadults may have an even greater riskof these
serious gastrointestinal sideeffects.” Tylenol is harmful to
theliver and its use is associated withsome 25,000
hospitalizations, and 450deaths every year. A study testing theuse
of Aleve in Alzheimer’s diseasewas stopped because those on
Alevehad about a 50 percent greater chanceof suffering strokes or
heart attacksthan those taking the placebo.Celebrex and Vioxx are
now used verycautiously because of their ability tocause strokes
and heart attacks.Overall, the drugs we typically use toquiet the
pain of inflammation are farfrom benign.
Many herbs can be used as analternative to these
anti-inflammatorydrugs. Although often called “anti-inflammatory,”
these herbs do notsimply suppress inflammation.
Instead, they moderate and temper it.They act on multiple
targets, andgenerally do not act as strongly on asingle target as
drugs do. The resultis a gentler, slower onset of actioncoupled
with vastly reduced orabsent adverse effects compared
tofast-acting, powerful but more toxicdrugs.
Curcuma longa (turmeric) andMatricaria recutita (chamomile) are
twowell known herbs that can be used toquiet inflammation.
Turmeric root is a relative ofginger and is acommon cookingspice
in manycultures. Itscomponents work ona wide range of thedifferent
aspects ofour inflammatoryresponse. Moststudies have lookedonly at
one oft u r m e r i c ’ sc o m p o n e n t s ,curcumin, but
many
of its other constituents have also aquieting effect on an
out-of-balanceinflammation response. But, unlikeanti-inflammatory
drugs, turmeric isnot sufficiently powerful to suppressinflammatory
pathways to the pointthat adverse effects occur. It does notcause
stomach bleeds or ulcers. Infact, it has been used as a
treatmentfor stomach ulcers. It protects theliver and in animals
helped protectagainst the liver damage fromTylenol.
Studies show that turmeric is aseffective as phenylbutazone, a
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, atreducing postoperative
inflammation.Turmeric in combination with otherherbs like Withania
somnifera(ashwagandha) and/or Boswellia carteri(olibanum,
frankincense) quieted thesymptoms of osteoarthritis. It
alsorelieved symptoms of rheumatoidarthritis but did not do so
quite asefficiently as the drugphenylbutazone. Turmeric is very
safeand appears to help prevent liverdamage, cancer, and
Alzheimer’sdisease as well as quiet inflammation.
Chamomile flowers also have asignificant ability to quiet
inflammation. Chamomile has a muchmilder action than drugs but
probablyis better in the long run because, liketurmeric, it acts on
multiple pathwaysinvolved in inflammation, and hasnumerous other
beneficial actions: Itis antioxidant, soothes jangled nerves,is
mildly antimicrobial, and quietsspasms. It is widely used to
sootheand quiet the stomach, and has anability to prevent stomach
ulcers. It isalso extremely safe, with no adverseeffects except
rarely causing allergicreactions in some. It is safe for use
inpregnancy and lactation as well as inchildren of any age
includingnewborns. In fact, a recent studyconfirmed that chamomile
tea canquiet colic in babies.
Chamomile is particularly usefultopically, whether applied
directly tothe skin or taken as a tea to act as atopical for the
gut. In fact, studiesconfirm that chamomile extracts areas good as
low-dose corticosteroidsat relieving chronic atopic dermatitis.It
is good for any type of abrasion tothe skin and may be useful as
part ofthe treatment for mucositis due tochemotherapy.
If you are suffering from aninflammatory condition and
areconsidering taking an anti-inflammatory drug, I would
stronglyrecommend that you first experimentwith diet and herbs. If
you learn howdiet can slow or reverse many chronicailments and
select herbs that will
quiet the symptoms of your particularproblem, you will be able
to “save”the anti-inflammatory drugs foroccasional flare ups when
you reallyneed to suppress the entireinflammatory process. This
way, youwill not need to rely on drugs withsubstantial side effects
on a day-to-day basis and will benefit from a moreintegrated
approach to wellbeing thatmelds the best of modern andtraditional
medicine.
By Kathy Abascal
oooooo
Herbs That QuietInflammation
Learn more about quietinginflammation:
Eating for health and weight lossBeing overweight is an
inflammatory condition that takes a tollon your health. In this
series of 5 classesyou will learn how to use diet and herbsto quiet
inflammation and improve yourhealth. A significant side benefit is
arelatively effortless weight loss,improved sleep, and the
disappearanceof annoying aches and pains. A newclass series begins
Thursday June 14at 6 p.m. Advance registration isrequired. For more
information, contactKathy Abascal (463-9211 [email protected])
or pick up aclass outline at the Roasterie.
Panel Presentation oninflammation
Join Kathy Abascal and otherhealth practitioners for a
discussion onhow diet, herbs, and body work canhelp you reduce
chronic inflammationand pain. Wednesday June 13 at theVashon
Library 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Chamomile
-
The Vashon Loop, p. 13June 6, ‘07
Aries (March 20-April 19): Your chartis giving the impression
you’re living atwork these days. If so, I suggest you bringin a
real toaster oven rather than amicrowave. In fact, bring in
home-cookedmeals and bring enough for everyone.What are you up to,
anyway? Regardless,your aspirations, be they money-making,creative
or just generically ambitious, feedyourself well and keep those in
yourenvironment fed well. I tell you, just belowthe surface, this
is all about food, and theconnection between your emotions andfood.
This is the time to have all thosemysteries reveal themselves, and
to get agrasp on what’s really good for you.
Taurus (April 19-May 20): You seem,once again, to be feeling
cramped in yourenvironment or attitude. Stick with it.Within that
feeling are many layers ofinformation, each of which
containsspecific advice to yourself about what youneed. Dialog with
a partner is essentialnow: they, too, are sensing the
inevitablebrink that you are crossing over, which isnone other than
a bridge to the here andnow. That bridge involves reckoning withso
much you have experienced in thepast. It involves burying the dead,
sayinggoodbye to those lost and forgotten, andaffirming that you
are indeed quite aliveand in the midst of your life.
Gemini (May 20-June 21): Keepclearing out the clutter and making
roomfor what is new. The more junk you getrid of, the more space
you will have forfeeling, for breathing and generally forfeeling
like you have enough space to live.Much of what you are getting rid
of arethings that hold an emotional attachmentto the past. I don’t
suggest you just throwthem on the fire, however; take a little
timeand feel the sensations associated withthese things,
particularly if they belongedto your parents. Once you’ve
madecontact, say goodbye and let go of them.
Cancer (June 21-July 22): To be in thepresent, one must let go
of the past. Thatrequires a grieving process, or some
otherconscious way of releasing what existedbefore. You can feel
that you’re reallyletting go in part because of the uncertainsense
of the future. Make friends with thatuncertainty, if you have not
already doneso. It is rich; it is full of life and more
thananything, it begs the question of what youwant. Once you know
what you did not
want, and what you do not want, Isuggest you let the