Blackberry Wamors
As careful Upper Left Edge readers* may recall, I have been teaching
Working alongside Clatsop Community College English instructor Carol
Knutson, I have had the privilege to work with a small but dedicated
group of local students. In the classroom and in the field, I expounded
on north coast geography while Carol introduced students to our local
literatures. The students have been a thoughtful bunch, good observers
and critical thinkers; a cheerful band, of diverse ages and backgrounds,
tolerant of bad weather and muddy paths, united in their fondness for
the Oregon coast and their shared desire to explore its less traveled
comers by foot and by book.
Such a jointly-taught course, combining studies of literature and
geography, is a rarity. And this is hard to explain. Northwestern
literature is defined by its attention to the distinctive environments
and peoples of this place. And geography, in its most essential form,
is the study of places. So we set out to bridge the gaps, to speak
across disciplinary divides and find our points of mutual, regional
reference. All of us talked and read and talked some more. We sent
students out, to explore the north coast, to examine its cultural and
environmental patterns and to become more sensitive observers of the
landscapes around them. And we encouraged them to write.
Writing is an essential tool in the discovery of place - it sharpens
our focus, and helps us to see. Writing about places requires that we
tease the sensory details out of the taken-for-granted scenery. To
describe well, we must first be able to see well: searching for words,
writers notice patterns. And when trying to convey places on paper,
they must examine their own relationship to their surroundings; is it
alien; is it beautiful; is it home? And why? By asking these
questions and answering with an evocative, compelling response, a good
author can change the way we look at the environment in which we dwell.
With a few well-crafted essays, such authors as Rachael Carson, Henry
David Thoreau, and Aldo Leopold have changed our world, each by
carefully examining particular places and our relationships to these
places. By all means, I encourage Upper Lxft Edge readers to write!
Whether it is to sharpen your view or to convince us all of the need for
change, writing is a vital exercise.
And in this spirit, we challenged students to produce an evocative
written record of their observations of the north coast, in a style and
voice entirely of their choosing. I am pleased to say that they
succeeded. And I thought that Upper Left Edge readers might like to try
a sample. What I present below is a very small portion of that
evocative record, written by two of our students. The first three poems
are by Hilary Similä; two give us a glimpse of scenes from a north coast
autumn, while the other describes her return home from distant travels.
Her images are highly selective, creating impressionistic sensory
patchworks, providing just enough detail to draw the reader into some
very familiar terrain. The final piece, more political in nature, is
written by a local author who wishes to remain anonymous. This piece
does not seek to conceal the personal roots of the author's political
convictions, but instead, explores and revels in them There were many
other writings worthy of inclusion here, but these few selections might
give you some hint of how writing can allow us to see, to reflect on,
and to explore our load landscapes.
Smelling Autumn
You sit alert and sound
edges curling towards the ground.
The cool fall brings
your back reaching
for the sun.
Golden lights streaming
from above
Heavenly colors
of red and brown.
Your brittle veins
no longer hold life.
Crisped and withered
with the passing of time.
You smell of cool
Autumn days.
Walking above your
golden crown
crunch crunch
beneath my feet
you sigh
Sinking into the
earth's damp bed.
Machete in hand we go
running into battle.
Black rubber boots
slip, squish through the swamp
juicy morsels wait in
hesitation for our return.
Knowing their barrier will
be destroyed.
Their swords scrape, poke
the flesh, fresh blood
Purple stained fingers
dreaming about
blackberry pie!
In the spirit o f the new year 1 am reprinting an
article that 1 put together last year on non toxic
cleaning products I continue to have people ask me
to send them copies o f these recipes so for one last
tune here they are.
- Hilary Simila (c)1998
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5.
Coming Home
Stretching far with arms unseen
grassy knolls,
no mountains or rivers
to discourse my thoughts.
Where do these lines of power take us?
Through voices we speak of common knowledge
though minds can't express what they know
without knowing the words
to voice it.
Rambling on, going far with the breeze
of the wind and the silence of the desert lizard,
leaving tracks as words and old skin behind
Rolling hills bring me home today.
Stretching horizons of knowledge
unseen.
O VEN SPILLS: Pour salt onto spill and let it sit fo r
5 minutes. Then wipe up w ith damp sponge or rag.
3
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w ith white toothpaste
How extraordinary it is to live in this region of the Pacific
Northwest, enclosed by forest on one side and ocean on the other. Each
morning I take advantage of my access to the natural world, as I hike
what is referred to by some as "Gainor's Trail," which leads one through
swampy skunk cabbage wetlands and old growth Hemlock and Sitka Spruce
into Ecola State Park. This gorgeous walk through the forest comes to
an end as it meets the ocean on Crescent Beach, and I depart the
enchanted forest and enter the world of the rocky shoreline. I am
deeply moved and inspired by both environments. However as I have come
to know the forest more intimately over the past several years, I have
become more closely connected to the forest than the ocean.
These ancient, abundantly rich woods provide shelter for the body and
soul. They have become my sanctuary where I find a sense of peace,
transcending from this reality into a higher spiritual realm. The
forest ecosystem is the most sacred place that I know, and I am deeply
concerned that, not too far in the future, there will be hardly any
ancient ecosystems left, because they all will have been replaced by
tree farms and clear cuts. The ancient forests that will remain will be
in state and national parks. They will serve as a reminder of how
things were, and still could be, if humanity had only had a different
relationship with the forest ecosystem. Timothy Egan, in lus book The
Good Rain, reminds us of what happened to much of the Olympic forest in
Washington as a result of unconscientious logging practices. He writes,
"Something which has lived longer than most of Western Civilization was
wiped out in a few years."
Unfortunately, tliis is the reality for all but one to five percent of
old growth forests on the North American continent, depending on the
data source one is relying on. Regardless of the exact percentage left,
we must come to the inevitable conclusion that too much old-growth has
already been lost. The American peoples can not afford to lose any more
of these precious national jewels, nor can we continue to allow the
destruction of the complex and unique forest ecosystems that
characterize our great Northwest! On the ballot tliis November there was
a measure to ban all ciearcutting as well as to ban all use of
pesticides and herbicides in Oregon forests. Whether or not one agreed
with the measure in its totality, this measure did create political
space for some extremely important dialogue with regard to the
relationship that we, as a society, have with the forest ecosystems in
Oregon.
In my opinion, banning ciearcutting is the only responsible choice in
the matter. Unfortunately both environmentalists and timber companies
always present the issue of cicarcutting in black and wlutc terms You
are either for or against ciearcutting and there is no in-between. Yet
the practice of logging is multifaceted, and a ban on cicarcutting does
not necessarily equal job losses for loggers. More accurately and
precisely, it means a cut in the high profit margin that timber
companies have unfairly enjoyed for decades as a result of destroying
entire forest ecosystems. This is the reality that gets lost in
political debates and it is simply wrong.
The trees of the forest should not be looked upon as only a resource to
be exploited and controlled for humanity's selfish purposes. Rather,
the trees should be regarded as living beings, which are part of an
irreplaceable part of a magical kingdom of plant and animal life. The
great Sequoia, Spruce, and Hemlock; these are the saints of the forest
for me. Mono-cropped tree farms, half-heartedly replanted with little
concern for rebuilding a complete ecosystem (if tliis is even possible)
are an insult to the wondrous and diverse ecosystems that existed before
the forest was destroyed. Maybe it is true that Oregon will never nm
out of trees, but we are on the fast track to turning Oregon's once
amazing and diverse ecosystems into tree farms. Wc must rethink how we
relate to the trees and the forest before it is entirely too late
47 N. HOLLADAY DR.
SEASIDE, OR 97138
738-8877
1235 S. Hemlock, Cannon Beach, OR
(503) 436*1016
1
COFFEE & T E A STAINS: M ix baking soda and
water to form a paste and rub onto stains
TUB &. SINK STAINS: M ix cream o f tartar into a
cup o f hydrogen peroxide until it forms a paste
Gentlv rub stains away I f this doesn't work applv
paste, cover w ith damp cloth and leave overnight
Then wipe dean
BURNT PANS: Sprinkle baking soda over the
bottom o f the pan Add just enough water to cover
soda Let sit for 2 -3 hours and wipe clean
A L U M IN U M PANS: F ill pot w ith water and add
baking soda (ratio 1 quart water to 1/2 c. soda) Boil
5 minutes When 1 do this I add more soda as my
pans tend to get really dingy
M USTY PLASTIC CONTAINERS Refresh them by
pouring a teaspoon o f v anilla onto a sponge and
wiping container Then wash w ith soap and water
Another method is to crush up newspaper and place
in container Put cover on and leave overnight. Then
wash w ith soap and water This also works in
garbage cans
GREASE CUTTER. Add a tablespoon o f vinegar to
the soapy water and it w ill help cut grease Works
well on appliances, dishes and counters.
CAN OPENERS Many o f us forget that hand or
electnc can openers often get food splashed on them
which can create a germ breeding surface. Clean
routinely w ith hot soapy water and 1 Tablespoon
vinegar
A R T IF IC IA L SILK & DRIED FLOWERS Place tn
a bag filled 1/2 way w ith salt and shake. Trust me it
really works
S M A LL NECKED VASES & GLASS VESSELS:
F ill w ith water and add a denture cleaning tablet. Let
sit for 20 minutes and rinse w ith clean water
PHOTOGRAPHS: Rub w ith a piece o f bread. I have
nev er tried this but a friend o f mine who owns a
photography store does it routinely!
COUNTER STAINS Pour club soda onto stain, let
sit a few minutes then wipe clean I f stain is still
there try soaking a paper towel in hydrogen peroxide
and laying it over the stain Place a heavy frying pan
over the toweling and let it sit for an hour Wipe
clean
The important thing to remember w hen trying to
cut down on the toxic products and aerosol cans we
use is that there are many simple remedies that work
just as well Most o f the above listed "recipes" arc
ones our grandmothers used effectively Products do
not have to be made commercially io be effective
THE LARGEST GROCERY S TOREj
IN CANNON BEACH! ■
Mariner Market
• O ver 5 ,0 0 0 f o o d &i. non fo o d items f e a tu r in g the h ig h e st
q u a lity f r e s h m ea t (V f r e s h produ ce.
• L arge s e le c tio n o f d ru g sto re p ro d u c ts. Deli. O regon L o ttery
• V ideo
VCR re n ta ls: over 1.0 0 0 vid eo s.
“ Au +♦* U sual C hai »
L r s op Seoo S hjpf
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CLOGGED DRAINS: M ix equal parts baking soda,
salt and vinegar. Pour down drain, let sit for IS
minutes. (It w ill foam) Flush drain w ith a pan o f
boiling water
IH 1
I UNIVERSALE VIDEO.
G- good to the ta s te *
M IL D E W STAINS: rub gently w ith a lemon cut in
half. I f the stains w ill not come o ff make a paste by
m ixing 2 cups baking soda and 1/2 cup water. Using
a sponge wipe away m ildew w ith the paste. To
remove mildew from grout apply paste w ith a
toothbrush and gentlv scrub. How do you keep your
plastic SHOWER CURTAINS m ildew free? Soak
them in salt water before hanging them up. 1 know
this sounds bizarre but it does work.
W ATER SPOTS: remove by rubbing gently w ith
rubbing alcohol. Another method is to rub gently
- Hilary Simila (c)1998
* (those few readers, like yourself, who read the fine print)
“ In n o u a tlu e
’ OVEN CLEANER: Commercial oven cleaning
products work well but the fumes are not my idea o f
making my house feel fresh and clean. A method I
use to avoid cleaning the oven is to catch spills
quickly before they get cooked onto the oven surface
for too long In a cold oven place a small bow l o f
ammonia on the top rack and a bowl o f boiling water
on the bottom rack. Clo6e door overnight. In the
morning wipe out the bottom o f oven w ith a wet
soapy sponge
STEVE HAUGEN
JIM HAUGEN
n e a t s the P m « OlSce « Ith u n p ie p u U n «
«36 2442
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12. “ It was love at first sight.
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