Goldendale Cafe, by Gerry Warner

Not your typical breakfast restaurant

“Perceptions” by Gerry Warner

It was with some trepidation that the good wife and I headed to Oregon for a vacation two weeks ago.

We couldn’t help thinking to ourselves that with all the craziness happening in the Excited States of America, a vulgar lout nominated for president and police killing and being killed in the streets, was this a good idea?

But we decided to take the plunge in our recently purchased Volkswagen camper van and bravely (foolishly?) headed out. A day later in Goldendale, Washington we had our perceptions disabused.

Goldendale, a small town on the Columbia Plateau close to the Oregon border, has clearly seen better days. But after a late start we decided to have breakfast there. Oddly enough, we had difficulty finding a restaurant open for breakfast in a country that usually serves the best breakfasts in the world and then we noticed there were several closed storefronts in the dusty town.

But we persevered and were finally directed to the “Coyote Café,” which we had difficulty finding because the sign over the door said the “Golden Chinook Café” that proudly served breakfast “all day, every day,” and in a previous incarnation, was known as the “Top Hat Tavern.” As we settled into our chairs and looked around, it certainly had the atmosphere of a tavern with dim lighting and a cast of characters that looked like they wanted to be in a tavern.

But then I looked closer and there was grandma knitting and watching her grandchildren in the corner as they played with toys thoughtfully provided by the restaurant. In another corner there was an old gentleman dozing in a deep, leather sofa that had probably been left over from the tavern days as well as a huge stack of old newspapers and magazines on the end of the counter including the Goldendale Sentinel.

It wasn’t fancy and certainly wasn’t bright and antiseptic like your typical fast-food restaurant. But I couldn’t help thinking “I could get to like this place.” It wasn’t just a restaurant. It was a warm and cheery community meeting place.

Then I saw the folded, one-page, paper menu that had a distinct military vibe to it. There was a “Basic Training” breakfast (bacon or Polish sausage patty with two eggs, hash browns and sausage gravy), “French Foreign Legion Toast” and a “Heavy Lift” (three-egg omelet, cheese, sautéed vegetables, hash browns and toast). And the restaurant also offered a salad with a “free cookie” and its own special blend of Goldendale Chinook Coffee. Not exactly your typical fast food joint for sure, but what a refreshing change!

When the “special blend” coffee arrived, it was served by a tall waiter with a goatee and macramé dreadlocks, who was the part owner with his father and a retired army vet. The coffee was great, I told him. “I spent 14 years in the army and I swore when I got out that I’d never drink a bad cup of coffee again,” he quickly replied.

As it turned out, it was a typically great American breakfast that took a while to arrive but was worth the wait. As we waited, I read in the Goldendale Sentinel about the shocking resignation of the Klickitat County Fair Queen. She wasn’t talking to the press, but the board president was and he said the board was seeking legal advice. And I watched as restaurant patrons leafed through a stack of paperbacks in the restaurant book exchange and I watched the kids play and do puzzles and I wondered if those millennial kids of mine would ever provide the good wife and I with grandchildren of our own?

But most of all, I wondered about the ambiguous country I was visiting, which on the one-hand seemed to be sinking into anarchy and despair and the other could provide a “clean, well-lighted place” that would make Hemingway proud.

Strange people, Americans, but I wouldn’t count the country out yet.

Gerry Warner is a retired journalist, who loves to travel and go out for breakfast with his wife Sandra.

      

  

What's Happening...

Saturday July 30th

Cranbrook Farmer's Market
Tenth Avenue South
Adjacent to Rotary Park
9:00am - 1:00pm

Summer Sounds Rotary Park
5:00pm - 9:00pm
Red Girl and East West Connection

Gateway to Nature Hike
Meet at Riverside Campground St Mary's Lake Road
9:00am Flo Brokop
250-427-2019

East Kootenay Outdoor Club Hike
Kiakho Mountain
Lorne Sinclair
250-426-8864

Friday August 5th

Kid's Art Day Camp
The Gallery
Baker St.
Cranbrook
250-426-4223

Sunset, Moonset, Planet and Star Hike
with Paul Parronetto
3 hour hike beginning:
7:30pm
Riverside campground
250-427-1950

Seven reasons why civil servants should use social media, John Fitzpatrick, The Guardian

Seven reasons why civil servants should use social media

https://www.theguardian.com/public-leaders-network/2014/nov/28/seven-reasons-why-civil-servants-should-use-social-media

John Fitzpatrick

It will be a while before this becomes the norm, but there’s a lot going on to encourage more public servants to use social media. I recently created a quick survey, which had over 100 responses, to collate views on why civil servants like to use social media. Based on the survey and my own experiences, here are seven reasons why I would encourage public servants to use social media, along with some advice on how to do it.
1. It’s easy to get startedMy social media skills are still limited but the more effort I put in the better the outcomes, and it doesn’t take long to get the hang of it. Digital tools are usually very accessible and designed to be easy to use. This guide by Mashable on how to get started on Twitter is very comprehensive and the Government Digital Service’s guide to free internet tools is also useful.

2. It’s instantI promoted my survey via Twitter, and within a day 800 people had viewed it. Just a few minutes on social media can provide access to hundreds or even thousands of people. There are digital tools that record and analyse results; the days of collating and re-keying paper survey results are thankfully over. And for Twitter, the character restriction makes you think about what you really want to say, which is a time-saver for everyone.

To read more go to the link above.

Suzanne Simard: How trees talk to each other

What's Happening....

July 9 to 29

Cranbrook and District Arts Council
'New', an exhibit of
 new members and long time members new work

Roy Magee in the Gallery, 1013 Baker St.

Cranbrook Arts is excited to host Roy Magee of Canadian Classic Cowboy fame in the Gallery on July 22^nd and 23^rd.

Roy has become internationally known for his whimsical and imaginative horseshoe creations. 

Born in Sexsmith, Alberta, Roy learned to work with horseshoes, while turning the forge for Fred Holman, in Canal Flats.  He was eight years old at the time and horses were used in the lumber industry.  Fred Holman was the blacksmith.  Roy started at that young age to play with horseshoes and use his creative eye to put together one of a kind sculptures.  His imaginative eye has created over time, hundreds of different figures representing everyday people and their activities.  Roy is especially well known for his cowboy or rodeo figures including wheelchair cowboys, fiddlers, and pack horses but golfers, piano players and more help round out his diverse collection.

Roy’s first big show was at BC Place in 1966, where his work was recognized with awards, launching a career that has seen his work being shipped all over the world.  Roy is well known in some student circles for he has generously volunteered time at both Parkland Junior Secondary School and Mt. Baker Schools, igniting creativity in students and helping to inspire future hobbyists and artists.

We are fortunate to have Roy living in Cranbrook and look forward to having the public come and say hello to this one of a kind craftsman and artist.  Roy Magee will be in the Gallery July 22^nd and 23^rd 10:00 am to 5:00pm.

Saturday July 23rd

Cranbrook Farmers Market

9:00am to 1:00pm

Tenth Avenue South adjacent to Rotary Park

Rotary Park

Summer Sounds 5:00pm - 9:30pm

Music in the park

Bring your lawn chair , listen, dance and enjoy

performing tonight:

Missing Links and Tick Magnets

Wednesday July 27

Key City Theatre

Book Launch

'Stripped to the Bone'

short stories of Syrian women by Ghada Alatrash

also pianist Ivana Ferraro

Saturday July 30

Hike

Riverside campground meet 9:00am

Gateway to Nature

"Fort Steele Rifle Range Site - precursor to the Cambrian Explosion....." Free lecture, Royal Alexandra Hall.

Out and About with Stewart

Input sought for The Little Brick Building

From the City website:

http://www.cranbrook.ca/news/article/city-seeking-public-ideas-on-future-use-of-brick-building-behind-city-hall

Carl Schmideder volunteering his skills on the building



Cranbrook, BC (July 13, 2016) 

In order to tailor restoration work to meet the intended final use, the City of Cranbrook is seeking input from residents and local organizations for possible uses of the brick garage situated behind City Hall.

Situated at the southeast corner of Cranbrook City Hall the brick garage (the “garage”) is a municipally-owned building constructed in the early 1930s and used, at the time, as part of Cranbrook’ s Electrical & Waterworks department. 

To date the City has invested approximately $42,000 in restoration work on the garage, including asbestos abatement.  Additionally, the Cranbrook Heritage Association contributed roughly $30,000 in materials and labour to the restoration work.  The Cranbrook Heritage Association’s recent efforts focused on restoring the brick shell and roof of the garage.  Additionally, the interior of the garage was framed with dimension lumber to support the trusses and cladding of the new roof and strengthen the overall building structure. 

At this time, the garage’s interior is unfinished and lacks water, sewer, and electrical services as well as any form of heating / air conditioning.  Furthermore, there is no dedicated parking associated with the garage building.

The City is seeking input from residents and local organizations for possible uses of the brick garage.  A location map of the brick building and a full information backgrounder document are available by following the links provided.

You may submit your ideas in writing by email to info@cranbrook.ca, please refer to “Repurposing the Brick Garage” in your subject line, or by mail to:

40 – 10th Avenue South,

Cranbrook, BC  V1C 2M8.

ATTENTION: “Repurposing the Brick Garage”

All submissions must be received in City Hall no later than 4:30pm MDT, Friday August 12, 2016.

Please note that submission of your ideas to the City does not constitute any form of contractual agreement or understanding between the City and respondents to this invitation.  By submitting your ideas to the City you are giving the City an unrestricted right to use your ideas at the City’s discretion with no form of compensation from the City.

To help in formulating your ideas for repurposing of the garage, an open house of the garage will be held on Monday July 25, 2016 from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm (MDT).  City staff will be in attendance at that time to answer your questions regarding repurposing of the garage.

What's Happening......

Saturday July 16th

Cranbrook Farmer's Market
Tenth Av. S
9:00am - 1;00pm

Is it safe to drive to Oregon? Gerry Warner

Is it safe to drive to Oregon?

Perceptions by Gerry Warner

So the good wife and I are going down to the Oregon coast next week for a little R&R and to refresh my memory of one of the most beautiful coast lines in the world and when I mention this to a friend his immediate response is “be careful down there.”

So has it come to this? A little holiday in the United States of America is cause for a dear friend to express concern for your personal safety??

I guess it has got that way when you have mass shootings almost every month, cops being mowed down five at-a-time and the possibility that the most vulgar man in politics could become president by the end of the year. That can only mean things are sliding into the sewer. 

But you know, it wasn’t always that way. Roll the tape back 60 years or so and the US was the great beacon of power and democracy in the world, standing like a colossus over the rest of us mere mortals. As a young lad, I can remember trips to Spokane with my parents and gaping in wonder at the incredible variety of goods on display at Penny’s and the Bon Marche. The Woolworth’s Five and Dime in Trail didn’t cut it after that.

I first saw TV in 1954 in Los Angeles where we drove to in our old, green, Chevy pickup with a crude camper on the back that my father built out of scrap lumber from Cominco. My sister was still a toddler then so in the days before Pampers my mother kept a diaper bucket in the camper and Lord how that camper stunk. Then,  after reaching a campsite, my mother would wash the diapers and hang them on various parts of our truck as we enjoyed dinner cooked on our trusty Coleman gas stove.

I’m sure we looked like something out of the Beverley Hillbillies!

I can also remember the adults talking politics and one of the biggest political items of discussion was should Canada join the United States as one country. Who would even raise that topic now? But back then it sounded like a pretty good idea to many naive Canadians and we were certainly some of them.

But you have to put yourself back in those halcyon times. Uncle Sam was clearly number one. In most people’s minds, the US had won World War II as long as you ignored what Stalin did to Hitler on the Eastern Front. President Eisenhower was a war hero and rightly so and the fear then was of communism despite what our Russian allies had done to help us win the war. And what was the only country on earth that could stand up to the Bolsheviks? The US, of course. They were the mightiest military force on earth, and of course, they had the bomb. No one was going to mess with them.

The American economy was also by far the biggest on earth. Europe was still in shambles recovering from the war, the Chinese were barely on bicycles and Russians could only dream of owning a car. It seemed nothing could go wrong for that generation of Americans which is often referred to as “the greatest generation.”

But oh how the mighty have fallen!

Today the US is clearly an empire in decline. It’s true they still have the world’s most powerful military, but when was the last time they won a war? The American economy is still the biggest in the world, but China will surpass it in less than a decade and wealth distribution is falling into fewer and fewer American hands with each passing year. In fact, according to a recent New York Times article, the average Canadian middle class family now has a higher income than its American counterpart though the one per cent of super-wealthy Americans are still the wealthiest in the world.

But what’s wealth, even super-wealth, if it’s not safe to walk down the street? But I hear that Oregon is still safe and its coastline is beautiful beyond mere words.

That’s enough for me.

Gerry Warner is a retired journalist and an eternal traveller.