ENTERTAINMENT
Saturday, October 7, 2017
East Oregonian
Page 3C
Hermiston-grown author finds humor in farm life
Brianna Walker writes
collection ‘High Heels
& Tractor Wheels’
By ANGEL CARPENTER
EO Media Group
Whether she’s writing about
bipolar balers, zucchini advice or
country road etiquette, Brianna
Renée Walker has a knack for
making people laugh out loud.
Walker, who writes the weekly
column “Farmer’s Fate,” has
published a new book titled “High
Heels & Tractor Wheels.”
“One of my college professors
said to write what you know
best, and for me that is farm
life,” Walker said. “I like to think
that my writing is like the ‘farm
version’ of Erma Bombeck —
just a humorous look at regular,
everyday-life experiences that
hopefully people can relate to.”
Walker lives in the Walla Walla
Valley with her husband and their
two boys, and they farm 600 acres
of corn, wheat and alfalfa.
She grew up in Hermiston
where her parents have been
growing watermelon since 1934.
“It keeps me busy running
between the two farms, but I love
it,” Walker said. “We also have a
Contributed photo
Brianna Walker grew up in Hermiston and writes a weekly col-
umn called “Farmer’s Fate.” Her new book is “High Heels & Tractor
Wheels.”
few sheep and goats — basically
just enough to qualify for old
McDonald’s farm!”
Writing stories since she was
little, her grandma gave her an
opportunity to publish her first
book when she was a teen.
Walker said she was thrilled
when she received it, “so thrilled
that my teenage self got into my
car to go show the book to friends
and family, and I backed right
into my grandparents’ car!”
She said writing the “Farmer’s
Fate” column has been a type of
therapy for her.
“Ripping the hydraulic hoses
off the tractor, or blowing a tire
with a full load of melons is never
fun, but by having a column to
write, I am forced to ask myself,
‘Is this a bad day? Or is this a
bad five minutes?’ and ‘Will this
be funny later? And if it will be,
let’s see what we can do to make
it funny now,’” she said.
She said thinking this way
helps her adjust her attitude.
“No one wants to read about
toil, misery and despair all the
time,” she said.
Walker offered an example.
“So, instead of ‘Honey, the
hydraulic hoses just blew, looks
like we’re gonna be out $500 and
half a day of work,’ my phone
call is more like ‘Honey, want to
go out for lunch today? Maybe
do a little shopping afterward?
Like maybe some new hydraulic
hoses for the rake? I know I’m
an expensive date, but I’m worth
it.’”
She added, “Because of this
constant change in thought, I
really do value it as my therapy,
which makes me especially
thankful for my readers, because
without them, I might not be
writing so much.”
Walker said her grandma, who
could quote a poem for nearly any
situation, had a big influence on
her.
“I included several of her
poems in my book with topics
ranging from zucchinis to
cancer,” she said.
Walker’s own advice for an
overabundance of zucchini from
the garden?
Just look up “The Ford
Zucchini 350” in her book.
“Go to a busy feed store. Drive
around until you find a pickup
without a dog. Put the zucchini
in the back and drive away fast!”
she writes.
Most of Walker’s stories are
about a page and a half long, the
same length as her columns, and
the book is available at some
local stores, and can be ordered at
bookstores and through amazon.
WHAT TO DO
Festivals
Inland chorale sets fall performances
Harvest Festival
•Saturday, Oct. 7; 9 a.m.-5
p.m.
•SAGE Center, 101 Olson
Road, Boardman
Free. Family fun event fea-
tured kids’ activities, beer/wine
tasting, a photo booth, vendors,
mule-drawn wagon rides and
more.
Project Community
Connect & Umatilla/Mor-
row Veterans Stand Down
•Saturday, Oct. 7; 10 a.m.-2
p.m.
•Pendleton Convention Cen-
ter, 1601 Westgate
Free. For veterans, the
homeless and those at risk of
homelessness. Offers a hot
meal, health screenings and ex-
ams, information booths for com-
munity resources interactive dis-
plays, pet care, haircuts, hygiene
supplies, clothing and more. For
info, call 800-752-1139 or 541-
276-1926. Free transportation on
Kayak.
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Former Helix residents Tylor Bushman Ketchum,
left, plays music with his brother, Jason Bushman,
in 2016 in Pendleton. The Boise-based band Tylor
& The Train Robbers will play a trio of upcoming
shows in Pendleton.
Tylor brings the band to town
PENDLETON — Tylor Bushman Ketchum is
coming ’round the bend — the Helix native is bringing
his band to town for several area performances.
Tylor & The Train Robbers, a Boise-based band,
will be rockin’ a trio of local shows:
•Friday, Oct. 13 at 9 p.m. at Hamley Steakhouse
& Saloon, 8 S.E. Court Ave.,
Tylor & The Train
Pendleton. There is no cover
Robbers
charge.
•Friday, Oct. 13; 9 p.m.
•Saturday, Oct. 14 during
No cover
•Hamley
Steakhouse
Oktoberfest Pendleton (noon
& Saloon, 8 S.E. Court
to 9 p.m.) at the Round-Up
Ave., Pendleton
Grounds, 1205 S.W. Court
•Saturday, Oct. 14; 5
Ave. Admission is $12, which p.m. (during Oktoberfest
Pendleton), Round-Up
includes a glass mug and one
Grounds, 1205 S.W.
beer ticket. Non-drinkers and
Court Ave., Pendleton
minors are $5.
Costs $12/adults; $5/mi-
nors, non-drinkers
•Monday, Oct. 16 at 7
•Monday, Oct. 16; 7 p.m.
p.m. at Great Pacific Wine &
All ages, no cover
Coffee Co., 403 S. Main St.,
•Great Pacific Wine &
Coffee Co., 403 S. Main
Pendleton There is no cover
St., Pendleton
charge for the all-ages event.
The group, which has
created a unique blend of gritty Americana and outlaw
honky tonk, recently released “Gravel.” The album
is said to be inviting with honest confessions and
memorable guitar shreds.
Frenchtown Rendezvous
• Saturday, Oct. 7; 2-6 p.m.
•Assumption Church Parish
Hall, 2098 E. Alder St., Walla
Walla
$35/admission.
$5/raffle
tickets. Historical presentations
about Frenchtown, silent auction
items, historic displays, a raf-
fle and hands-on family history
workshop.
Oktoberfest Pendleton
•Saturday, Oct. 14; noon-9
p.m.
•Pendleton
Round-Up
Grounds
$12/includes beer bug and
drink ticket. $5/non-drinkers. Live
music, kids activities, food and, of
course, beer.
Altrusa Oktoberfest
•Saturday, Oct. 14; 4 p.m.
•Hermiston Conference Cen-
ter, 415 S. Highway 395
www.facebook.com/Altru-
saInternationalOfHermiston
$30. Festive fun with authen-
tic German meal catered by Din-
ner Thyme (5-7 p.m.), silent/live
auctions, raffle for $2,000 VISA
card.
Art, Museums
& Authors
“Places to Thrive”
•Monday-Thursdays,
9:30
a.m.-1:30 p.m.
•Betty Feves Memorial Gal-
lery, BMCC, 2411 N.W. Carden
Ave., Pendleton.
Free. Features professional
and emerging Pacific Northwest
artists. The annual invitational art
exhibit is organized by the Ore-
gon State University College of
Agricultural Sciences through its
Art About Agriculture program.
Gallery also open by appoint-
ment by calling 541-278-5952.
The exhibit runs through Oct. 26.
Fall Fantasia, an eight-piece
“Soon-a Will Be Done,” with soloists
performance by the Inland Northwest
Becky Henshaw of Pendleton and Salli
Chorale, will feature such familiar tunes
Ketchersid of Hermiston; and “The
as “Shenandoah,” an American folk song, Heavens Are Telling,” with Arlene
and “Goin’ Home” from
Thompson of Pendleton
the Largo of the New
and Phil Hector and
Inland Northwest Chorale
•Saturday, Oct. 14; 4 p.m.
World Symphony by
Dean Mason, both of
•Umatilla High School
Anton Dvorak.
Hermiston.
•Sunday, Oct. 15; 4 p.m.
An ensemble of
Ensembles of the
•Pilot Rock Elementary School.
the Inland Northwest
Inland Northwest
Musicians, a pair of free
Musicians provide free
shows are Saturday, Oct. 14 at 4 p.m. at
live performances throughout Eastern
Umatilla High School and Sunday, Oct. 15 Oregon and southeast Washington. The
at 4 p.m. at Pilot Rock Elementary School. group is open to all interested musicians
Receptions follow each of the concerts.
and doesn’t hold auditions.
The performance also features
For more information, contact
“Great Day,” featuring soloists Ra Niel
541-289-4696, inwm@machmedia.net
Dunn of Hermiston and Phil Rudd and
or visit www.inlandnorthwestmusicians.
Harvey Foreman, both of Pendleton;
com.
“Fall Colors”
•Tuesday-Sundays, 10 a.m.-
6 p.m.
•Peterson’s Gallery and
Chocolatier, 1925 Main St., Bak-
er City
Free. Features a collection
of artwork by regional artists de-
picting the fall season in Eastern
Oregon. Runs through Oct. 31.
“Parts of a Life”
•Thursday, Oct. 12, 5-7 p.m.
opening reception
•Monday-Saturdays 10 a.m.-
5 p.m.
•Pendleton Art + Frame, 36
S.W. Court Ave., Pendleton
Free. Lorie Baxter will be on
hand Oct. 12 to discuss her new-
est works; refreshments. Runs
through Nov. 18.
First Draft Writers’ Series
•Thursday, Oct. 19; 7 p.m.
•Pendleton Center for the
Arts, 214 N. Main St.
Free. Features Ki Russell and
Matt Schumacher. Also, short
open mic readings from the au-
dience.
Music
•Monday-Fridays, 11 a.m.-4
p.m.
•Nightingale Gallery, Eastern
Oregon University, La Grande
Free. John Whitten, a Port-
land-based artist and art instruc-
tor at Oregon State University,
explores the philosophical signif-
icance of what it means to wan-
der. Runs through Nov. 3.
“Bookworks: Recent
Excavations”
•Tuesday-Fridays, 10 a.m.-4
p.m.; Saturdays, noon-4 p.m.
•Pendleton Center for the
Arts, 214 N. Main St.
Free. James Allen creates
compositions with pages of dis-
carded books and fragments of
images. Also, local artist featured
in Lorenzen Board Room Gallery.
Runs through Oct. 31.
A Kaleidoscope of Color:
American Indian Trade
Blankets
•Monday-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-
5 p.m.
•Tamástslikt Cultural Institute,
near Wildhorse Resort & Casino.
$10/adults, $9/senior citi-
zens, $6/youths, free/5 and un-
der or $25/family of four. Show-
cases pre-1925 Indian trade
blankets from historic manu-
facturers, including Pendleton
Woolen Mills. Runs through
Oct. 14.
Night life
Sawyer Brown
•Saturdays in Sept.; 9 p.m.
•The Pheasant, 149 E. Main
St., Hermiston
No cover. Night with DJ Di-
ego! Features music, videos, live
mixing and fun.
•Saturday, Oct. 7; 8 p.m.
•Rivers Event Center, Wild-
horse Resort & Casino, off I-84
Exit 216, Mission
$89-$99. All tickets for the
21-and-older show are standing/
dancing room only. Ticket price
includes barbecue from 6-8 p.m..
No-host bar available.
Liberty Quartet
•Sunday, Oct. 8; 6 p.m.
•Stanfield Baptist Church,
310 E. Wheeler Ave.
Free, love offering taken. The
Southern gospel quartet provides
ministry in music.
Live Music Thursday
•Thursday, Oct. 12; 7-9 p.m.
No cover
•40 Taps, 337 S.W. Emigrant
Ave., Pendleton
Acoustic Kings Wasteland
Stripdown
•Friday, Oct. 13; 6:30-9:30
p.m. No cover.
•Nookie’s/Hermiston Brewing
Co., 125 N. First St., Hermiston
RockBot
Brass Fire
“Stochastic Resonance”
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild-
horse Resort & Casino, off I-84
Exit 216, Mission
•Saturday, Oct. 7; 7-10 p.m.
•Red Lion, 304 S.E. Nye Ave.,
Pendleton
No cover. Features regional
horn band, playing the music of
Santana, Chicago, Elvis, Earth
Wind & Fire.
Oldies Night in Mil-
ton-Freewater
•Saturday, Oct. 7; 7 p.m.
•Wesley Methodist Church,
816 S. Main St., Milton-Freewa-
ter.
Free. BJ the DJ, along with
guest DJ Dalena Norton, spins
Cajun and Zydeco tunes of
southwestern Louisiana. Snacks
available.
RockNRoll Cowboys
•Saturday, Oct. 7; 8 p.m. No cover
•Friday, Oct. 13; Saturday,
Oct. 14; 8 p.m. No cover
•Wildhorse Sports Bar, Wild-
horse Resort & Casino, off I-84
Exit 216, Mission
Cale Moon
•Saturday, Oct 14; 9 p.m. No cover
•Midway Tavern, 1750 N.
First St., Hermiston
J.D. Kindle & the Eastern
Oregon Playboys
•Wednesday, Oct. 18; 7-9
p.m.
•Great Pacific Wine & Coffee
Co., 403 S. Main St., Pendleton
No cover. All ages.
James Dean. Kindle
•Thursday, Oct. 19; 7-9 p.m.
•Great Pacific Wine & Coffee
Co., 403 S. Main St., Pendleton
No cover. All ages.
Saturday Night with Diego
Karaoke w/DJ David
•Saturdays; 8 p.m.
•Riverside Sports Bar, 1501
Sixth St., Umatilla
Digital Karaoke
•Thursdays and Fridays, 8
p.m.
•The Pheasant, 149 E. Main
St., Hermiston
Wine tasting
•Fridays, 4-8 p.m.
•Sno Road Winery, 111 W.
Main St., Echo.
Karaoke w/DJ David
•Fridays; 8 p.m.
•Riverside Sports Bar, 1501
Sixth St., Umatilla
DJ and dancing
•Fridays, 8 p.m.
•The Pheasant, 149 E. Main
St., Hermiston
Cimmi’s Late Night
Martini Lounge
•Fridays; 9 p.m.-midnight
•Virgil’s at Cimmiyotti’s, 137
S. Main St., Pendleton
No cover. Features martinis,
mixology and music.
Theater, stage,
film & lectures
“Tomás & the Library Lady”
•Saturday, Oct. 7; 2 p.m.
•Pendleton Center for the
Arts, 214 N. Main St.
www.octc.org.
Free. Bilingual production
that’s based on the true story of
Mexican-American author and
educator Tomás Rivera.
Literary musician serves up an ace of a metaphorical record
I
n tennis, ad out is when the
server is sitting at deuce serving
what could be the winning shot
to his opponent.
Using another sport as an
analogy, it’s the bottom of the
ninth, two outs
and a runner on
second. The home
team is down one
run. The batter
has a full count ...
Minneapolis
singer/songwriter
and pianist Dylan
Johnny
Hicks’ latest
Vinyl
CD “Ad Out,”
Comment
available Oct. 20
on Soft Launch
Records, contains
audio-vignettes of 11 individuals
who are in ad out-like situations.
Hicks, a Minneapolis transplant
since his early teens, is a literary
author with two well-received
novels as well as pieces in the
Village Voice, The New York
Photo contributed by Wilson Webb
Minneapolis-based musician Dylan Hicks, who was born in the
bohemian sector of Austin, Texas, releases his fifth album Oct. 20.
Times, New England Review
and numerous other publications.
During those teen years, Hicks
started making his own cassettes
that led to three releases in the ‘90s
via No Alternative/TRG records
showcasing his audio storytelling.
In the early 2000s, Hicks turned
his attention to more literary
pursuits. To accompany his debut
novel, “Boarded Windows” (2012),
he released “Dylan Hicks Sings
Bolling Greene,” an album of
material to accompany the novel,
with most of the songs sung from
the perspective of one the book’s
secondary characters, bringing both
of his worlds together.
Musically, the songs are all
piano-based, but that’s where
the similarities end: lounge jazz,
country folk, acoustic ballads
and even a few tasty electric
guitar licks — truly a little bit of
everything.
And, as one might expect
from an author of fiction, the
sense of humor is firmly in place
throughout. A standout is “A
Chance in Hell,” told from the
viewpoint of a scorned lover who
will eventually see that person in
Hell. Name-dropping from eternal
damnation, wow! It’s a blast to see
what Bon Scott has been up to.
“Ad Out” is a release that
rewards repeated attention,
because to get the most out of
Dylan Hicks and artists like
him, you have to pay attention
to the lyrics. This album is being
released on vinyl, which may
be the best way to address this.
Vinyl listeners tend to pay closer
attention to music because they
have to physically deal with the
needle every 15 minutes or so.
“Ad Out” will probably not
make Dylan Hicks a household
name. Yet for those who are
willing to give Hicks’ characters
some quality time, a multidimen-
sional experience is available for
the taking.
———
A retired educator, Johnny
Vinyl spends his days with Lucifer,
an 8-year-old German shepherd,
reading and riding the vibe. His
column, Ride the vibe, focuses on
entertainment. Contact him via
tmalgesini@eastoregonian.com