december 15.2000
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Binds of a feather
Lesbians flock together to enjoy the natural world
by
R ebecca R oyce
Crystal Dolph in
LE S members partaking o f the great outdoors
’ll be the first to admit that when I initially
came across Lesbians Enjoying the Sciences,
I was assaulted by images o f retired P.E.
teachers and school nutritionists sporting
Dorothy Hamill hairdos, all sitting about dis
cussing the most interesting aspects o f m ito
chondria— not your average dyke’s idea o f a
good time.
Now let me be the first to reprimand myself
for falling prey to gross generalizations and
stereotypes. T h e women o f LE S are not home-
bound gray women who force themselves into
commingling once a m onth to retain their ties
to humanity.
On the contrary, they surely know more
about themselves and the environm ent and
how each aifects the other than do most peo
ple. They are intelligent, inquisitive, active
women who explore every aspect o f the world
around them for the pure and unequivocal joy
of discovery.
In fact, the two outings I participated in
were so enjoyable, even refreshing, I do think
they have another m ember on their hands.
My first excursion with L E S began at the
terribly early Sunday morning hour o f 8 a.m.
We met in Sellw ood at O aks Bottom for a
nature walk organized by Susan, one o f the few
professional scientists in LES.
Members, about 40 at present, range any
where from lawyers to civil servants to blue-
collar workers. O n this particular rainy m orn
ing, however, only four braved the damp
November chill to explore Portland’s anomaly
of a wildlife refuge within city limits.
I had walked the loop at O aks Bottom
before, hut apparently 1 had missed much o f
what surrounded me. My com panions, howev
er, didn’t miss a thing.
They spotted alm ost 20 species o f birds,
many recognized by their musical calls. 1 got to
see an osprey nest splayed across the top of a
power line tower. I borrowed binoculars so I
could spy on the heron rookery on Hartack
Island, where a pair o f bald eagles were nesting
nearby.
I
These three women were a wealth o f infor
mation on Kith the history o f the region and its
natural resources, and it was tmly a pleasure to
spend the morning in such am iable company.
The following weekend, L E S met at the
Oregon Zoo for a behind-the-scenes tour o f the
tcllar G iv e exhibit. A senior zookeeper and
friend of an LE S member was kind enough to
take off two hours from her duties to provide
the tour.
Now I have some ethical issues with caging
animals, so 1 tend not to frequent such places,
but the knowledge I gained during the course
o f the morning helped erase another miscon
ception I had held. For instance, the mammals
o f Stellar G iv e are not caught in the wild, as
that method is highly frowned upon these days.
Instead, they either are acquired from facilities
o f poorer quality (as is the case with sea lions
Stella and Julius) or were unable to he released
hack to the wild.
W hat impressed us the most, though, was
the technology and people power it takes to
properly duplicate and manage the animals’
environments. The methods used to control
the specialized salt water mixture for each
species are so effective, they Kiast a 100 per
cent recovery rate for the water used in the
exhibit. By the time the tour was over, I had
concluded that the $6.50 I paid to enter the
zoo was an incredible bargain.
A s John Muir wrote, “W hen one tugs at a
single thing in nature, [sjhe finds it attached
to the rest o f the world.” Lesbians Enjoying
the Sciences not only do the tugging, they
explore the attachm ents. Such experiences
not only enrich the mind, they enhance the
spirit.
All members are encouraged to suggest
activities at the monthly potlucks, and any les
bian is free to join the group or just show up for
an outing. The annual membership fee of $12
provides a monthly newsletter and helps
finance certain wildlife sponsored by the group.
Past and future activities include bird watch
ing, snowshoeing, camping, fossiling, watching
meteor showers, touring museums, aquarium
outings, building bird and hat houses— and the
list goes on.
These women know how to have a good
time, so if you’re kxiking for a way to get more
out of life or simply spend a pleasurable day, 1
suggest you tag along. You just might fall in
love with the natural world and discover a
piece of yourself in the process. i n
Enjoy Sunday brunch, lunch or dinner cruises on the Portland Spirit.
Perfect for out-of-town guests. Commitment Ceremoni
mies.
Portland
group hooking and private yacht rental available.
I T O 'T
For reservation s and in form ation
please ca II 5 0 3 - 2 2 4 - 3 9 0 0 or 8 0 0 - 2 2 4 - 3 9 0 1 .
B ook on-line at w w w .portlandspirit.com
Join us for the Lighted Christmas Ship Parade on Dec. 11th-23rd,
New Year’s Eve Dinner Cruise, and the New Year s Party Cruise.
Gift Certificates Available.
2 mm 0 0 m r 1 m 0 ' A
¥
„ I K * 1* * '
New Year’s Eve
Buffet Dinner & Dance Extravaganza
Sunday, December 31, 2000 • 7:00 pm to 1:00 am
Lloyd Ctr. DoubleTree Hotel • 1000 NE Multnomah
B e n e fittin y L o v e M akes A F a m ily . P o rtla n d L e sb ia n C h o ir. L e sb ia n C o m m u n ity P ro je ct
Tickets $35-$50 sliding scale Children under 12 free.
A vailable from lienefit groups and from It's My Pleasure and In Other WbrcLs Bookstore.
For more information: 505/233-3913
♦ Buffet Dinner, 8-10 pm
a
Portrait Photo Booth
Tango/Flamenco Trio
a
All Ages
a
Special Overnight Rates
a
Wheelchair Accessible
a
ASL Interpreted
a
Free Parking
a
On Max Line
a
♦ Silent Auction
a
♦ No-host Bar
a
To jom L esbians E njoying the S ciences
call 503-289-3605 or 503466-0058 or send
Fortune Telling
Dancing at 9 pm
1
♦ Complimentary Midnight Toast
e-mail to lcspnu*u)aol.com.
R ebecca R oyce is a Portland freelance
writer.
Sponsored by Millynn lames (Equity Group). Floreid Walker (Waddell & Reed).
Hawthorne Auto Clinic. Celia /. Lyon (Equity Group). Healthy Pets NW.
lust Out. Alternative Sound. & Riverrun Graphics.
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