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A publication of Mountain C.A.R.E. (http://mtncare.com) Spring/Summer 2011 Volume 5, Number 2 Editors Karen Goodyear Mountain C.A.R.E. President’s Message Rod Goodyear George Forgues Advertising Director Shirley Bauer I always have employed what I call “a reasonable I don’t mean to present a negative message but I Mailing Director person’s theory.” My test is to ask what a reasonable hear about these things all the time and am asked Barbara Vance person would do in any particular situation. why I do not mention them in the paper. So here they are, all in one issue. Mountain C.A.R.E. When I stand outside the El Mex or the Gift Shop Board and someone speeds by at 50 miles per hour, that I also want to observe that our economy continues President just does not seem reasonable to me. There are peo- to be in a slump, affecting everyone in one way or George Forgues ple moving and crossing the street and getting in and another. I know people who went without heat this out of cars. I have actually seen cars speed up going winter because they could not afford propane. I Vice President through downtown! know people whose leach field is fouled but can not Matt Bottenberg afford a new system so they have their tanks Administrative Vice- Nor does it seem reasonable to me to shoot small pumped and used their toilets as little as they can. President bears in a residential neighborhoods. Like most of Some of our local business are struggling to keep - - - - us up here, I love that we are able to coexist with their doors open. The post office needs our support. wildlife, including our bears — and for the bears’ Foreclosures are up. Treasurer own good, it is important that we keep them wild. Gina Johnson But they will be drawn to human food, especially Fortunately, people in our communities support Secretary and when it is easily accessible garbage in the back of a each other. I want to acknowledge the support we Calendar Director pickup truck. And aside from the senseless taking of give each other by, for example, using local vendors Michelle Macri a bear’s life, to discharge a firearm in a residential and handymen; shopping the advertisers in this pa- neighborhood endangers other people. per; buying gifts from the local gift shops and galler- Membership Chairperson ies; supporting the Elkhorn, The Oaks, and The El Shirley Bauer Because of some rule changes at the post office I Mex; and renting, the Community Center for now have to hand deliver the Bear Facts to Moun- events. Webmaster tain Home Village. Good exercise I thought to my- MJ Turner self and I could walk my two dogs while I deliver. I We are a community and community matters. This encountered 4 large dogs, 2 that wanted me and my was so evident during Canyon Clean Up and Gail Member at Large Sunny Broman dogs for breakfast. It seems that someone should be Cox Day. Thank you to everyone who participated. able to walk their leashed dogs safely in our three What a great day it was. communities. To Bean, or Not to Bean…. Debi Welch It’s that time of year again! Forest Falls 14th Annual There also is the pie, cake and salsa contest. So if chili Chili Cook-Off. Sunday July 3rd, tasting begins at is not your forte, don’t worry: you can compete in one 11:00 am and the town photo wraps it up around 3pm. of the other venues. As always the proceeds from this fundraiser will be going to worthy causes within our community, includ- Activities will include the ever popular dunk tank, ing Fallsvale School updating their playground equip- bouncer, Kid and Pet Parade, live band and of course ment and the VFCCi @ Big Falls Lodge, our Commu- everyone’s favorite, the raffle where fun and wonderful nity Center where many of you already enjoy Souper prizes can be had for the nominal sum of one dollar. Thursday’s! If you would like to volunteer and be a part of this We need chili cookers! This year local business’s will wonderful event contact: Debi Welch @ Gillmore Real sponsor many of the cookers, covering the $20 entry Estate 794.2518, or Gail Forgues @ The Elkhorn Gen- fee. Don’t delay or there may not be a sponsor left. eral Store 794.1212. Applications are available at the Elkhorn General Store. Page 2 - Volume 5(2) A Publication of Mountain C.A.R.E. Considering Books….. one, still is writing them.” All readers have to do to become a collec- Katherine Thomerson tor of Kalpakian’s writing is read the first paragraph of any story. For any one who asks me….I will share the story about Laura’s meeting Finally spring blooms here on the mountain each of her fictional characters; it is one that will make you gasp! – tulips, lilac bushes, daffodils, lupin, Indian paintbrush – flowers flourishing dramatically, The Lacuna (by Barbara Kingsolver): I enjoy reading Kingsolver’s staging nature’s most elegant colors and mel- books – some have disappointed me – others have enlightened me. lifluous aromas. I am reminded how very This, her newest book, gave me more than I ever expected. lucky – we are to live here. Finally…warmer days have allowed me to sit in my rocking chair on the front porch or Lacuna means ‘empty space’ or a cavity or depression. The main curl up in the “North Carolina” chair (a gift from my mother) in the character as a young boy – Harrison Shepherd – finds solace in the spring house and lose myself in mountain air and a good book. Here sea (“in deep water you can soar”) and in the cave that “lay under the are a few reviews that might motivate readers to do the same. water,” sometimes “too far below the surface to find.” He is born in the U.S. but is taken to Mexico by his Mexican mother to be raised Educating Waverly (by Laura Kalpakian): A while ago I reviewed away from his American father. Harrison describes his new country: Kalpakian’s American Cookery and thought I might bring her around again for her writing always remains in my heart and head. She is a Mexico admits you through an arched stone orifice into the tree-filled good story teller and has been compared to Faulkner in bringing Courtyard of its heart, where a dog pisses against a wall and a waiter characters to life that a reader never forgets. Hustles through a curtain of jasmine to bring a bowl of tortilla soup, Steaming with cilantro and lime. The book begins when a young girl – Waverly Scott – arrives on Isa- dora Island in 1939. She is to attend the Temple School, banished for Through a clever structure of letters, journal entries, magazine and secret reasons shared later in the book. Miss Sophia Westervelt – the newspaper articles and Harrison Shepherd’s own diaries, the reader headmistress of the school – has a mysterious past. She has a passion follows Harrison’s life journey from a young boy in Mexico, a young for educating young women, motivating them to become equal or man in Mexico and a grown man and published writer in Asheville, superior to men in a time when women, socially, could not. Waverly North Carolina. On his journey, Harrison becomes a plaster assistant has never known communal/familial surroundings and Isadora Island to artist, Diego Rivera and a cook and informal secretary to artist, opens new worlds of friendship and new definitions of love for her. Frido Kahlo. In the book, Harrison describes Kahlo: Then in Europe, war cries out and even this isolated island is greatly Senora Frida is a confusion of terms: sometimes like a stern little man affected; change becomes a challenge. The Temple School must then suddenly a woman or a child, but in every form demanding that you struggle to maintain its structure and Waverly’s new life is torn apart. remain in love with her. Below is one of many favorite passages from the book: Life for Harrison is history in progress as he works for Diego, writes Avril waited until the footsteps had died away altogether and even and interprets for Kahlo, meets and writes for Trotsky who is in pro- then she did not move. She waited to cry. She thought she might cry at last. tective asylum with Diego, and inadvertently casts his lot with art and Wanted to. She should have been able to. Only old women have used up their revolution. When Harrison ends up back in America and becomes a allotment of tears. Only very old women are left tearless in the face of tragedy. published writer, he is targeted by the MacArthur era – and World That’s what her grandmother always told her: Save your tears. One day you War II. will need them and you will have used them all up if you weep over petty tri- fles. So shut up. This book is told through Shepherd’s diaries, which were rescued by both Frida Kahlo and later Mrs. Brown – a faithful secretary to Harri- The New Yorker described this book as “a rich, beautifully rendered son Shepherd. The story takes place in the 1930’s and 1940’s depict- novel of discovery and change from an award-winning writer – so ing in great detail the Hoover and Roosevelt political history of the entertaining it takes you a while to realize how smart she is.” I’m a time.

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