San Juan Silver Stage | May 2021 Volume 25, No. 05
CELEBRATING OUR 25TH ANNIVERSARY
as the region’s Premier Lifestyles Publication since 1996
Live Theatre!
The Silverton season begins!
This issue
When you see this icon, click on it or on the STORY LINK next to it for a downloadable, printable version of the story. Many of our readers like to read a printed page. Since we are no longer producing a print issue of the Silver Stage, we’ve found a way for you to still have, hold, and read a paper page.
Montrose – Saturday – 9 am – 3 pm
LOTs of ways to support our vets.
May Day. What is it? Why is it?
Traditional Maypole dance from England with circle formed of dancers interweaving. Detail from 19th Century drawing. Source: Encyclopedia Britannica.
By Kathryn R. Burke. By most accounts, May Day is a fun day, festive and flower-filled, and maybe dancing around a maypole and celebrating spring. But the first of May has a grim side too. On that day in 1886 over 300,000 disgruntled workers walked off their jobs in protest of horrendous working conditions, an action that turned violent two days later. [Read more.]
May 22nd. 1st Train to Silverton
start of summer season
It’s a tradition! Miss Kitty always greets the train. Rain, snow, mud, sunshine – she’s always ready with her parasol. (Photo by K.R. Burke, who is always there to photograph her.)
By Kathryn R. Burke. The first train to Silverton was a green and yellow diesel. An hour or two later came the real train.(Quoting Miss Kitty.) The giant locomotive (the 493 and the biggest in the D&SNG fleet) sounded her melodic whistle as she rounded the canyon curves and crossed the tracks into town, blowing off some steam and smoke to announce her arrival. Leading the way was her cute little helper engine, the 18. Both locomotives have been converted to an oil-burner. Never the less, the band played and Miss Kitty did her ‘Happy Train Dance.” [Read more.]
2021 May Celebrations
May celebrates national day for pizza, coke, wine
By Kathryn R. Burke. From May Day to Memorial Day, May commemorates 137 widely diverse holidays. Some, like Mother’s Day, are commonly known. But others—celebrating jumping frogs, dancing chickens, lost socks, and refrigerated pillows— definitely fall under the “oddball” category.. [Discover more special days to celebrate May]
Garden Challenge 2021: Narrowing the Focus
Vintage lawnmower makes a nice accent to this strawberry patch. Wikipedia Creative Commons License
When planning and planting your garden, narrow the focus to increase yield and reduce gardening-related challenges. Consider growing an Italian Garden (with just the amount of food you can use). Small, themed gardens are fun and friendly to new gardeners, too [Story]
Hardscaping with Rocks
Gabions, or rock-filled wire structures, can be used to flank a driveway, as pillars in a modern fence, or as decorative walls for erosion-control. Photo © Mary Menz.
Attractive gardens mix plants and hardscape together to tease the senses. Flowers, shrubs, trees, and cactus provide scents and textures, while berms and pathways create divided spaces. Rock provides visual interest, color, and function in a landscape of living organisms.[Story]
2021 Heirlooms for Hospice
By Kathryn R. Burke.
Shop with a mission. When you shop at Heirlooms you are also giving back to your community. All proceeds from our stores support the programs of HopeWest. Three stores—in Delta, Montrose, and Grand Junction—offer an experience you won’t find anywhere else! Browse the displays and you will find jewelry and accessories, gently used clothing, beautiful furniture, home décor, and antiques. [Story]
We are out and about again, enjoying lovely spring weather, visiting indoor and outdoor venues for live music, theatre, performances, and art shows. Dining in and out with friends, planning summer picnics and get-togethers. Doing backyard improvement projects. And gardening! After the last year of dreary isolation, this sure feels good! Visit our just updated June Arts & Entertainment page to see what’s going on.
Timothy Brady, watercolor
Montrose Center for the Arts
Artist Tim Brady with his grandson. Courtesy photo.
By Kathryn R. Burke. Since 2015, Brady has served as the president of the Western Colorado Watercolor Society (WCWS), where he is a signature member. For the last seven years, he entered the Rockies West National Watercolor Show held annually in March at the Art Center in Grand Junction. Brady is currently showing at the Montrose Center for the Arts. [Story]
. [Story]
VSA Musician
Carol Franklin, Bassoon
Carol Franklin, bassoon, VSA. Courtesy photo.
“When I was 5, my mother sat me down on our piano bench and taught me to read music. I took to it like a duck to water. … I played while in school, [but later, took time off to raise a family.] In 1998, when my youngest child was a senior in high school, I found out that the VSA owned a bassoon that was available. My brother told me about it. He played the bassoon part on his euphonium in the VSO from 1984-1998. … It had been 26 years since I had played. It was difficult at first, but I was determined and kept at it. I’ve been playing every since.
[Read story]
Cecelia Calderon
Works in Copper
By Kathryn R. B urke. Cecilia Calderon has been in the art field for over 40 years. She was born and raised in Mexico City, Mexico, a place renowned for color and texture. “I have always been fascinated by color. The best gift I have received in my life was a big box of Crayola Crayons brought to me by an aunt from the US when I was about 7 years old. I couldn’t believe so many colors existed, I almost wanted to eat them!” That fascination with color continued as she moved to Texas, Arizona, and finally Paonia, Colorado. All the while she was experimenting with color,texture, natural materials, and a variety of art forms. Her latest creations are tapestries made of a combination of fabric, rope, oil paints, copper, gemstones, beads, and other natural materials. [Read story]
People & Pets Live Better Together
2nd Chance Humane Society. Courtesy Photo.
By Kelly Goodin. Second Chance Humane Society believes that pets and people live better together. People are turning more than ever to pets for comfort and companionship and to battle anxiety and other emotional responses to our unprecedented and unstable times. [Read Story Here].
Second Chance Community Medical Programs
By Kelly Goodin. The cost of veterinary care is out of reach for millions of families with pets, threatening the wellbeing of pets and their families. Second Chance Humane Society’s Community Medical Program eliminates these disparities and creates a pathway to additional pet services as well. [Read story here].
g. Second Chance Humane Society believes the power of the pet has never been more needed. [read story here].
2nd Chance Pet Training
Trainer: Krissi Goetz, Founder of Animal Adoption Center’s Training and Behavior Program.
By Kelly Goodin. The mission of Second Chance Humane Society is Connecting Pets, People & Community While Saving Lives. One of the ways we do this is by offering an effective and affordable pet behavioral support program. For 2021 we were able to import a new trainer to our service region by hiring Krissi Goetz as our Behavioral Manager at Second Chance. [read story here].
Community Living Services:
OAM, Communities of Strength
By Eva Veitch, Region 10 Community Living Services Program Director.
In tough times, communities find strength in people—and people find strength in their communities. In the past year, we have seen this time and again in Western Colorado as friends, neighbors, and businesses have found new ways to support each other. In our community, older adults are a key source of this strength. Through their experiences, successes, and difficulties, they have built resilience that helps them to face new challenges. When communities tap into this, they become stronger too.
Older Americans Month
The Power of Connections & Engagement
By Kathryn R. Burke. San Juan Silver Stage publisher. Older adults have built resilience and durability over their lives through successes, failures, joys, and difficulties. Their stories and contributions help to support and inspire others. This year’s OAM celebrates the strength of older adults and the Aging Network, with special emphasis on the power of connection and engagement in building strong communities.[Learn more]
Caregiver Services:
Art Journaling Support Group for Caregivers
By Kathyn R. Burke. Caregiving can be stressful, and it is usually a full-time commitment that allows little or no personal time. Unfortunately, and all too often, caregivers neglect themselves to the point of mental exhaustion and physical illness. Caregivers need a break! They also need support, which best comes from others who understand what they are going through. This programs offers both, with the added benefit of journaling emotions and feelings in writing and graphic illustrations.
[Learn how it works.]
Click HERE or on image to contact me for information or to sign up for the class.
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