I heard a rumor if your Live Journal account isn't active, it will get deleted.

Therefore, I am conducting activity.  Look at the pretty pictures!

Current Mood: amused

This wine tonight is icky.

That's all...

knock knock, anybody here?

There it is again…you stumble into the kitchen in the morning – bleary eyed, and just wanting a little something to eat to get your day started. Toast. Yes, that’s it. You open the bread bag, and…MOLD! Yuck! Green furry spots now inhabit several slices of your bread. You swear they weren’t there just yesterday – or were they? Now you’re wondering if you unknowingly ate any yesterday morning, somehow overlooking the little green patches of fur. Into the trash goes the bread – and you’re disgusted at the waste, but know that it will happen again…

Mold is a funny thing, isn’t it? Kind of creepy, really, if you think about it – mold spores are essentially floating through the air at all times, or sitting on the surfaces around us, just waiting for the right conditions to grow. Their ultimate purpose is to cause the decay of whatever they grow on. They may be tiny, but they play a very important role on earth. They keep the world from being overrun with organic garbage.

We only see mold when the spores land on a suitable surface and germinate, growing and sending out a web of filaments called hyphae. Molds are not animals, and not plants, but rather a member of the fungi family. They survive by secreting enzymes that break down the organic matter they roost upon, allowing the nutrients to enter the hyphae. The mold spreads…the surface breaks down, and we are kept from drowning in a sea of organic matter. Mold is a highly beneficial organism on earth, but to us humans, it has both positive and negative impacts on our lives.

I got to thinking about mold recently when I discovered a leak in my apartment. It turned out that when the tenants above me got a new washer and dryer, the hoses had been connected improperly, and water began leaking from beneath the thermostat unit on my bedroom wall. I had noticed a musty smell coming from the area of my washer and dryer for a few days, but couldn’t really pinpoint what was causing it. Fortunately, I found the leak and the problem seems to be fixed now – the musty smell is almost gone, and my wall is no longer crying. I was also able to keep the water off of my carpet, which I’m sure will help in the long run. I don’t know the extent of the water damage within the wall, but thankfully our weather is still warm and things are drying quickly. However, the fact is any household leak can lead to an infestation of toxic mold if not addressed quickly. Cellulose based materials like wood, drywall, wallpaper, and carpet are all potential food sources for mold, and with enough moisture mold can obtain a foothold and begin to spread. And as luck would have it, our homes and businesses are full of these materials.

Molds are responsible for a number of human health ailments, though not all people will be affected in the same way by the same amount of mold. Many allergies, asthma, and other respiratory problems can be caused by breathing the airborne spores in our environment. By keeping our homes clean and dry, we can minimize the amount of mold spores we come in contact with. This is not always easy, as many of us live in climates that are very moist at least part of the year. If you suffer from allergies, chances are they may be caused by mold. Symptoms such as runny noses, headaches, fatigue and nausea may all be caused by mold. And as is often the case, anyone with already compromised health is at a greater risk to suffer from mold caused illness.

Mold really isn’t bad – it’s just an inconvenience to us as humans, and thus we consider it to be bad. It’s like a natural disaster – it’s only a disaster when it adversely affects human life and livelihood. We suffer from some of the effects of mold, but also benefit greatly from the decompositional activities of mold. Mold breaks down organic matter everywhere, releasing chemical compounds for reuse in the environment. But we are also able to use mold in the production of food and drink, and for the benefit of our health. Ironic, isn’t it?

A very common food and drink additive, citric acid, is the byproduct of a process that uses the mold species Aspergillus niger. Citric acid was originally obtained directly from citrus fruit, but in 1917 American scientist James Currie found that the acid could be produced from A. niger, and industrial production began soon after. Citric acid is used as a preservative, as a water softener, a cleaning agent, and in the photography developing process. It is also employed by drug users to increase the solubility of brown heroin, and in the synthesis of particular explosives. All this – from mold!

Molds are used to ferment soy and produce tempeh and soy sauce, and to ferment rice in the production of sake. Other varieties of mold are used in the production of cheese – most of us knowingly eat bleu cheese – full of green mold, yet so tasty! But that green fuzz on the bread? No way.

Have you ever looked at mold closely? I usually don’t spend much time pondering the fine colors and details of mold as I unceremoniously toss whatever infected food I’ve discovered into the garbage. It’s green, or black, or white – or a mix of the three…and no longer edible. End of story, right?

Of course not! I found a fantastic picture of molds growing in petri dishes, that lends an entirely different sense to those ubiquitous organisms. They are remarkably beautiful.

Photo by: Dr. David Midgley Cultures: Dr. David Midgley University of Sydney, Australia.

I look at this picture, and I am amazed at the colors and patterns the molds form when they grow. At first glance they remind me of sliced limes, or flowers, or sand dollars. Each one has a unique beauty in the way it grows – even the space between the mold patches has an artistic quality to it. At even the smallest scale, nature has the ability to produce such lovely creations…a reminder to me to slow down and enjoy every bit of the world around me. Sure, I’ll be annoyed the next time I open up that bread bag and find it spoiled by mold, but I’ll also take the time to look at that hardworking organism a little more closely. It’s only doing its job, after all. It really doesn’t have anything against me, so why should I hold a grudge towards it? I’ll just send it along, and have a bowl of oatmeal instead.

Further Reading

Aspergillus - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspergillus

Citric Acid - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citric_acid

Mold - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molds

Washington State Department of Health: Got Mold? Frequently Asked Questions About Mold - http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/IAQ/Got_Mold.html

The first I heard of it was from my brother, when he asked if I was going to see Michelle Shocked at the Island Festival, here on Whidbey Island.

“What on earth are you talking about?” I asked him.

It turned out that my brother in Boise knew more about what was going on just a few miles from me than I did.  A festival, he tells me – three days of music, including some pretty big name artists.  He’d seen it advertised on a music website, and thought I’d be interested in going to see Michelle Shocked.  Correct he was.  I’d seen her play a couple of times in the past, and the chance to see her so close to home was not to be missed.  It looked like I’d be able to make it on Sunday to see her play, and see what this festival was all about.

There was just one little problem…so many shows I want to see this summer, and as can be expected, only a finite amount of funding to go around.  A few days before the festival, I was checking the ticket prices, and noticed in very tiny letters – VOLUNTEER.

Now we’re talking.  I clicked on the link to find out what they were looking for in a volunteer.  It sounded pretty reasonable - just twelve hours of my time over three days.  This would get me a three day pass, free parking, and even free camping if I chose to stay onsite.  Not only did it sound like a good deal to me, it also sounded like an adventure.

They accepted my application – who’s going to turn down a warm body that wants to help?  As I was to learn, there is a lot that goes into the running of even a small festival, and warm bodies (especially those with brains) are in high demand.  I attended the volunteer orientation meeting Thursday evening, only to discover that my glorious idea of being a musician host or helping out some other way with the music was not to be.  No, my friends, I was to work on the parking and traffic crew.

Parking and traffic.

I will not lie – my shoulders slumped a little and I imagined myself standing in a grassy field wearing a safety orange vest and waving cars by.  However, this didn’t turn out to be the case and actually, standing in a parking lot for twelve hours really wasn’t all that bad.  Really, it wasn’t!  Mark, the parking crew coordinator, discovered that I am a Librarian and have experience disseminating information to the public, so he decided to assign me to the main entrance as a greeter of sorts.  I quickly came up with a better title – Parking Information Specialist.  I decided that no matter what I ended up doing, I might as well make it fun.  And I took my job – which consisted of saying hello and briefing festival goers of the ticket and parking logistics – very seriously.  You may think I’m joking a little, and perhaps I am, but the truth is we were the first faces that people arriving saw – and it’s important for people to have a good experience from their first moments at the festival.  There were also a lot of local people driving through just to see what was going on, and other than the crotchety old man who wanted to know where he could find “the man in charge of this fiasco” (and wasn’t about to listen reasonably to anything I had to say), it was important to be able to answer their questions and make sure even their short visit to the parking lot was a positive experience.  Whether the festival returns in the future partially depends on how it was received in the community, and I wanted to do my part to help in their success.

***************

The Island Festival is the brainchild of two men, Jacob Mosler and Drew Elliott, who both lived here on the island when they were growing up.  I didn’t have the opportunity to talk to either of them over the course of the weekend (they were just a bit busy), but through my various conversations with other people and the local newspaper, I learned that this festival has been many years in the works.  Drew and Jacob spent 2002 traveling the country to research festivals like Burning Man (the grand-daddy of them all), and then got down to planning their own.  They chose Whidbey Island for their location, and after lining up funding and working closely with all of the local authorities, the festival was finally ready to roll in 2007.  Their intent was to provide a weekend of family friendly activities, good music, and educational offerings in an environment to inspire hope towards making the world a better place.  I had the pleasure and honor of being a part of the inaugural run, and if all bodes well, I’ll be right here again next year to pitch in.

***************

I arrived a bit early for my shift on Friday, and had the opportunity to watch the logistical swirl of people move around me for a little while as I leaned on a post outside the office.  It was raining, but nobody seemed to let this bother them.  People came and went, talking on radios or phones, working to get all the pieces to fall into place – ladders to put up, broken down RVs requiring mechanical assistance, and recycle bins to put into place throughout the festival site were just a few of the items that needed attention in that short time span.  There was certainly tension in the air, but despite the potential for disaster all parties had an air of calm and determination to get the festival up and running smoothly.

If one only attends a festival as a regular ticket buyer, it might slip by unnoticed just how much work goes into putting such an event together.  Not counting all of the work done prior to the festival – securing the venue, lining up artists, vendors, and other attractions – the sheer amount of manpower required during the actual festival is impressive.  There are, of course, several paid employees that work hard to keep things going.  But without the volunteers, it really couldn’t be done.  Volunteers stand in parking lots, pick up garbage, and take care of all the little tasks that need to be done, but that the paid staff doesn’t have time to do.

I found volunteering for the festival to be a very fulfilling experience.  Despite the lack of glamour, my hours spent in the parking lot were not wasted time.  Even though traffic was light, I and my fellow volunteers greeted each car with a smile and made sure their first impressions were good.  It wasn’t a lonely job, either – there was always somebody to talk to, whether it was another volunteer like Dietrich (who spent a full eight hours with me tending the lot on Friday) or the security company employee Hank (who really liked to talk, and though he seemed a little odd was actually a very nice guy).  I met a lot of good people, and have some new friends that I will see again.  We all know in the back of our minds that we should spend some of our time volunteering somehow, but finding the time or place is sometimes difficult.  This time, however, I took that step and made a commitment to help – and I’m glad I did.  I met people that live near, and people that live far…younger people and older people…men and women…but most importantly, I spent the weekend in the company of happy, peaceful, loving people in a harmonious environment.  I was a part of something meant to make the world a better place, and I know it has made me a better person.

The music was fantastic by the way – Anoushka Shankar and Karsh Kale, BLVD, Michelle Shocked, and Ganga Giri…each one was worth far more than the twelve hours I donated to the festival.  I could write an entire article on the music alone…and maybe I will.  In the meantime however, get out and volunteer your time somewhere!  You’ll be glad you did!

Links

Island Festival - http://www.islandfestival.com/

Michelle Shocked - http://www.michelleshocked.com/

Anoushka Shankar - http://www.anoushkashankar.com/

Karsh Kale - http://www.karshkale.com/

BLVD - http://www.myspace.com/blvdblvd

Ganga Giri - http://www.gangagiri.com/

Each spring as the temperatures warm up and the flowers begin to bloom, our trusty friend the bee comes to life and begins flying from flower to flower in the annual pollination ritual.  Billions of these buzzy little creatures work diligently spreading pollen as they collect the nectar and pollen to take back to the hive.  What’s this you say?  You don’t care much for bees, as they sting and generally make a nuisance of themselves buzzing around your head or interrupting your barbecue?  Think again before cursing those little black and yellow insects (besides, you’re probably thinking of yellowjackets, not honeybees).  Humans have come to rely heavily on the result of the bees’ labor.  Not only do we enjoy the golden sweet honey that the bees produce, but we also obtain over a quarter of our diet from plants pollinated by the honeybee.  Apples, citrus, cherries, melon, soybeans, nuts and berries are among the 100 or so food crops that rely on honeybees for the pollination that enables them to bear the fruits and vegetables we enjoy.

Where do the bees come from – surely there aren’t enough bees just “out there” to handle the massive requirements of our hungry population?  In California alone there are over 580,000 acres of just one crop – almonds – in need of the bees’ services.  Fortunately for you and me, an entire industry of migratory beekeepers has arisen to provide pollination services to the farmers.  These mobile beekeepers load thousands of hives onto semi trucks and take them to the fields where they are needed.  Large scale farming as we know it would be virtually impossible without the yearly visit by the bees.  The almond trees of California, for instance, produce 2,400 pounds of almonds per acre.  Without the extra bees, however, they would produce only a measly 40 pounds per acre.  After the bees have finished with the southern crops, the beekeepers pack up and move north to the Dakotas where the bees enjoy the fields of clover and alfalfa that blanket the area (and are excellent sources for honey production).  When the weather begins to cool down at last, the beekeepers and their tiny charges move south once again for the winter.

This beneficial relationship between beekeepers, bees, and farmers has been going on since 1908, when Nephi Miller became the first man to move his hives via train from Utah to California for the pollination season.  As large scale agriculture has increased, so has the number of migratory beekeepers.  The number today is near 1,000.  That’s right – a huge percentage of the United States agricultural industry relies on this small number of beekeepers and their bees to get the pollination job done.

Recently a new problem affecting the bees has arisen that has beekeepers, farmers, and scientists worried.  Beekeepers are finding empty hives – seemingly healthy just days before – in large numbers.  A certain amount of die-off is normal each year, but some beekeepers have lost up to 90% of their colonies.  The Apiary Inspectors of America estimate that the overall loss so far is over a quarter of the 2.4 million bee colonies in the United States.  Scientists have not been able to determine the cause of this die-off, but are working hard to find out as quickly as possible.  They have dubbed this problem Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).

CCD is characterized by the sudden disappearance of almost all adult bees in the colony (though occasionally the queen and a small number of survivors remain in the hive).  The bees disappear without a trace, and beekeepers don’t even find the usual dead bees near the hive – suggesting the bees fly off by the thousands and meet their tragic fate in the fields or orchards.  The hive condition appears relatively normal – honey and bee bread are present, and there is often evidence of recent brood rearing.  I liken this to the ghost ships sometimes found floating the seas – food and drink on the table, no sailors, and mysterious circumstances.  Migratory beekeepers have been especially hard hit by CCD, but non-mobile commercial operations have been affected as well.

What could possibly be causing this?  Scientists have ruled out a number of things in their search for a cause, based on interviews with beekeepers about their practices.  Supplementary feeding methods, chemical use (such as antibiotics and miticides), whether the bees were used for honey production, pollination, or both, and the source of the queen bees do not appear to play a role in causing CCD, though they may be factors in increasing the risk of CCD.  Researchers are looking into the possibility of new parasites or pathogens attacking the bees, chemical residues or contamination, nutritional fitness, stress levels, and the lack of genetic diversity among bees.  There are a few other theories making the rounds, but these have been counted out – genetically modified crops, mobile phone signals, and electromagnetic radiation are not being considered as causes at this time.  In all likelihood a new pathogen, fungus, or toxin is pushing already stressed colonies over the edge – and scientists hope to find out soon so they can begin to look for a solution.

One thing is certain – we rely heavily on bees for a varied diet of fruits and vegetables.  Without them, we would quickly find our abundance of tasty food dwindling.  As news of CCD has been released recently, the interest in the fate of the bees has been brought to the forefront of our attention.  Albert Einstein has been attributed with saying that if the bees disappeared off the face of the earth, then humans would be gone in four years – a very extreme prediction, and Einstein probably really never said it.  This quote has not been verified, and chances are some well meaning person decided it would sound better if somebody famous had said it.  It catches people’s attention, but in fact, is very unlikely.  The loss of the bees would be a hardship for humans (and other animals that rely on pollinated plants) – there is not doubt about that, and it is something we should be concerned about.  But for the time being, we can still enjoy those apples and cherries, or those melons and almonds.  The bees aren’t down for the count yet!  The next time you see one of these industrious little creatures hard at work, stop to watch and wonder at the amazing task they accomplish, and thank them for a job well done.

Bees Vanish, and Scientists Race for Reasons – Alexei Barrionuevo; New York Times (April 24, 2007); via Truthout.org

http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/042407ED.shtml

Honeybees Vanish, Leaving Keepers in Peril – Alexei Barrionuevo; New York Times (February 27, 2007); via Truthout.org

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/022707H.shtml

Mysterious honeybee killer could make dinner bland – CNN.com (May 3, 2007)

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/05/03/honeybees.dying.ap/index.html

The Silence of the Bees – Hannah Nordhaus; High Country News (March 19, 2007)

http://www.hcn.org/servlets/hcn.Article?article_id=16891

Colony Collapse Disorder – FAQ

http://www.ento.psu.edu/MAAREC/FAQ/FAQCCD.pdf

Einstein on Bees – Snopes.com

http://www.snopes.com/quotes/einstein/bees.asp

Letters From the Hive, an intimate history of bees, honey, and humankind – Stephan Buchmann; 2005

We’ve all experienced it – the gastrointestinal complaint commonly referred to as the 24-hour stomach flu.  One moment, you’re feeling perfectly fine, happily going about your business.  Then you sense the pain in your stomach, followed by cramping that grows increasingly uncomfortable.  Worse yet – you know you’re going to vomit – but when?  How long will you have to wait, sweating, sitting in the bathroom until the contents of your stomach and bowels erupt violently from your body as the battle to purge yourself of the illness begins?  And once it begins, it seems to go on forever…until it feels like the only thing left to heave are your innards themselves.  You know you need to drink water, but the thought of vomiting again is almost too much to take.  At last you’re able to rest a bit, and the length of time between upheavals gets longer and longer.  Eventually, the vomiting ends, and you’re able to sleep for a few hours.  In a day or two you begin to feel a bit better, but still tire easily and don’t feel quite right.  Nevertheless, you return to your normal daily routine – never suspecting that you may pass on your “gift” to somebody else…

Chances are good what you’ve just survived is a bout with a norovirus.  We call it the stomach flu, but in fact it’s not related to influenza, which is a respiratory illness caused by a different strain of viruses.  The norovirus family causes a variety of gastrointestinal ailments, and may be called viral gastroenteritis, stomach flu, or even food poisoning.  Noroviruses are highly contagious, and cause 23 million infections per year in the United States alone.  Approximately 50,000 of the people infected require hospitalization, and 310 people die due to complications from the norovirus infection.  The good news is for the majority of people that contract a norovirus, other than a miserable day or two of vomiting and diarrhea, there really isn’t any danger from becoming ill.  As is often the case, those most at risk are the very young, the elderly, and those with already weakened health.

The virus is transmitted through a variety of ways, including the consumption of contaminated food or water.  Because the virus is still present for several days after the initial vomiting bout, people often return to work when they are still contagious.  In the case of food handlers, this then may cause a large number of people to become infected as they eat the food that person has prepared.  Improperly prepared raw fruits and vegetables, or improperly prepared cooked shellfish (especially oysters) may also harbor the virus – thus the belief by some that they may be suffering from a form of food poisoning.  The virus may also be passed with direct contact between people – touching an infected person and then putting your hands in your mouth, or sharing eating utensils can cause infection.  And back to that contaminated water – this means swimming pools as well!

If you’ve heard anything of the norovirus, it was probably in a news report of people falling ill on a cruise ship – until recently that was my only knowledge of the virus, despite the fact I have probably contracted it several times during my life.  Large outbreaks are being reported on more often, and it isn’t just cruise ship travelers that run the risk of infection.  Hospitals, prisons, daycares, and retirement centers are all potential places for large scale outbreaks.  The common factor is a large number of people in a somewhat confined area, spreading the virus to one another and/or all eating the same contaminated food.  In early April, close to 100 people were stricken at a girl’s badminton tournament in Christchurch, New Zealand.  The probable culprit – a rice salad served by the caterer for the tournament.  Last December, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigated reports of norovirus contracted from raw, frozen oysters on the half shell, imported from South Korea.  The distributor consequently recalled 1,100 cases of affected oysters in five western states.  Incidentally, outbreaks occur frequently, but are not always reported in the national news.

Even small outbreaks can have devastating effects on a community, with the high number of people that become ill in a relatively short time period.  Businesses and schools can be practically empty of employees and students.  Last month, several of our library staff attended a breakfast together on a Monday morning.  One person became mildly ill Monday night, and didn’t really think much of it.  However, by Tuesday night almost everyone else had become ill, and on Wednesday ten people called in sick to work.  This left management (those that weren’t ill) scrambling to find enough staff to keep the three affected libraries open that day.  The outbreak was traced to an employee of the restaurant that had been sick the previous week that had returned to work thinking they were no longer contagious.  Unfortunately, the virus lives on in the body for several days, even after signs of the illness have subsided – potentially infecting many more people.

By now you’re probably thinking you ought not to go on a cruise, swim in a public pool, eat catered food, or for that matter – ever eat in a restaurant again.  That may be one way to prevent getting sick, but it might get a little old sitting around at home all the time hiding from the germs.  Instead, there are some simple precautions that you can take to minimize your chances of becoming ill.  First and foremost – wash your hands!  Frequent cleansing with warm water and soap go a long way in preventing the spread of viruses and other germs.  Before and after food preparation, after using the bathroom or changing a diaper, and after contact with someone who is ill are all times when you should wash your hands thoroughly.  Food should be cleaned and cooked properly, and all work surfaces should be kept clean as well.  If you or someone in your family becomes ill, immediately wash all clothing and bedding that may be contaminated, and try to minimize direct contact with others.  Most importantly – if you suspect you may have become ill due to contaminated food or water, report this to your local health department so they can undertake an investigation.  Due to the highly contagious nature of noroviruses, quick identification and isolation of the source helps minimize impact.

Everyone is susceptible to the norovirus, and chances are you may get it at some point in your life.  That’s a risk we all take – but it’s also a risk we can minimize through proper food handling and hygiene.  Here’s wishing good health to you!

Resources

Foodborne Norovirus Infection – http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/norovirus.htm

Norovirus – http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/fs/food-disease/causes/noroview.html

Norovirus Blog (current news and information on localized outbreaks) - http://www.noroblog.com/

It’s not often one makes a musical discovery because of an owl.  But it is precisely because of an owl, or a picture of an owl, that I discovered Amy Honey.  Our friendship began because she wondered what type of owl she had seen, and my librarian nature had to find out for her.  I got it wrong – understandably – but for a time we believed it was a spotted owl.  It was a wonderful delusion.  The mere thought that she had seen a spotted owl in the woods brought a sense of joy to the world – a joy that is much needed in these troubled times.  And the serendipity of it all led me to one of my most recent favorite musical finds – Amy Honey, a woman of style, class, and talent not often seen these days.

One thing I am sure of, and have no delusions about, is Amy Honey’s music.  Her latest CD, Pioneer Woman, is aptly named.  Amy has the true spirit of a pioneer in both her music and approach to life.  No frills, yet full of the beauty, joy and heartache that are so easily hidden by all the glitzy trappings of modern day life.  She sings of the things close to her heart, and after listening to Pioneer Woman I feel like I know her in a way I know very few people.  She opens up her soul to those of us that take the time to sit a spell and listen to what she has to say.

Pioneer Woman is Amy’s second CD, the first being her self titled disc of 2004.  I find it difficult to categorize her music – some songs have a country sound, others have a good pop sensibility about them, and a few really rock and roll.  I prefer not trying to pinhole her music though, and give each song a fresh ear whenever I listen.  We could call her alternative, but that doesn’t really mean much anymore.  The songs on Pioneer Woman are an eclectic collection of tunes, yet somehow they fit together nicely to complete the whole.

Amy originally hails from Nova Scotia, Canada – a land of hearty souls and excellent music; she certainly has inherited both characteristics!  It must be something in the water there.  She grew up on the shores of Chezzetcook Inlet, near Halifax, on the northeastern coast of the continent.  Amy sings dearly of her home in Sweet Old West Chezzetcook, and it’s very clear she cherishes her roots.  However, almost ten years ago she felt the need to spread her wings and move westward to Vancouver, B.C., where she now makes her home.  She is truly one to step out into the unknown and take what lives sees fit to give her.

Two songs on the disc, Woods Hag (Modern Life is Such a Drag) and the title track, Pioneer Woman, touch especially close to my heart.  I sometimes think that I had a previous life as a pioneer crossing the continent in a covered wagon, or that maybe I was just born during the wrong time period.  I am confident Amy feels the same way.  In Woods Hag she sings of moving to the woods, where she can live free from the crowds of the city:

I don’t mind you but I hate people

They’re all so worried about gettin’ old

They can’t seem to live for the day at hand

I wonder how they’d do livin’ off of the land

I believe the desire to live a simpler life is growing stronger among certain groups of people, and it is so refreshing to hear her sing of that wish.  The simple life is not an easy life though, as Amy makes clear in Pioneer Woman.  It’s the story of a woman living off the land in a sod house with her family, making her way in a “mean, mean world.”  Even though it’s a tale of a difficult time in the past, the strength of that woman can be just as relevant today, as the heavy metal break towards the end of the otherwise banjo infused hillbilly-esque song conveys.  In Amy’s world, the simple life is desired, but is not necessarily the easy path to take.

Amy Honey is certainly not without humor, as the song Larry the Homicidal Maniac shows.  She claims it is the true account of a boy she went to school with in Nova Scotia.  In fact, I think we all went to school with a kid like Larry – the boy with the crazy look in his eyes; that wears the black trench coat.  The boy it’s best to run away from when you see him coming.  The song itself has a very upbeat sound – quite danceable!  And what better way to remember the crazy kids in school than with a cheery sounding tune?

The rest of the disc ambles through a lovely collection of songs that showcase Amy’s beautiful, earthy voice.  There are the bluesy tunes Red Wine and Hopeless, and the celebration of a life well lived, Do or Be Damned (despite the roadblocks life herself throws in our way).  Amy also sings a tribute to her favorite author and biologist, Farley Mowat.  Amy had originally planned to become a biologist herself, but the issue of grades and the draw of a musical life sent her down a different path.  Whether she’s singing of sadness or joy, life or death, Amy finds a way to reach the depths of our hearts with her music.

Amy and her husband recently sold their Vancouver record shop, Red Cat Records.  Amy plans to forge ahead full time with her music career, and see what she can do with it.  She admits she’s nervous about the changes, but excited at the prospect of throwing herself headlong into her music.  I suspect she’ll be a success, as she taps into that pioneer spirit and resilience that lives on so strongly in her heart.

Not too long ago I had the opportunity to meet Amy in person and see her play live.  It is easy to see where her down to earth songs come from.  She is nothing if not a true gem of a woman, as friendly and unpretentious as one could possibly be.  If you ever have the chance to meet Amy, you will know her by her polka dot dress, the glass of red wine in her hand, and her welcoming smile.  And you will be very lucky indeed.

How to Find Amy Honey:

Amy Honey’s MySpace

Self Righteous Records – Amy’s record label

CD Baby – Buy Amy’s first CD here

Red Cat Records

When Ice is More Than That Cube in Your Drink – a Primer on the Planetary Ice Supply

At the end of December, amid all the exciting year-end news, the New York Times, National Geographic News, and other media agencies published a report by Canadian scientists that the Ayles Ice Shelf had broken free from Ellesmere Island in northern Canada during the summer of 2005 (map).  Scientists determined that the approximately 3,000 year old ice shelf broke free during a particularly warm period that summer, when lack of sea ice at the edge of the shelf allowed waves to batter the ice shelf. Long term warming had weakened the shelf, and over the course of just a few hours it broke free, and eventually floated 30 miles offshore.

The news seemed to drop into obscurity very quickly, with little or no further discussion in the media.  Of what importance is a broken ice sheet, after all, when historical figures are dying and we’re busy ringing in a new year?  Global warming, or climate change if you prefer, is an ongoing issue that we are facing in the news more and more.  To most people, this story might not have seemed to have undue significance among all the other climate related stories.  However, I believe the state of the world’s ice “supply” is of great significance, though easily overlooked.  We all know that as global temperatures rise ice will melt, but we may only have a vague understanding of what exactly that means.  I would like to share some information with you about ice, in the hopes that when you read future news reports you might have a better understanding of what is really going on in the world of ice.

Ice is ice, right?

Technically, yes – all ice is frozen water.  We make nice orderly cubes of it in our freezers all the time.  However, the ice we find in nature varies widely in form.  We experience snow and ice in our daily lives during the winter, and depending on where we live it may happen every year or only occasionally.  There are also large ice forms around the world that persist through the entire year, and hold much of the world’s fresh water in store.  These are the forms that climate change scientists are keeping an eye on.  Here are some simple descriptions that will help you keep all the types of cold stuff straight:

Glaciers – glaciers are formed in mountains (alpine glaciers) and over continents (continental glaciers) when snowfall does not melt over the summer.  Each winter as more snow falls, the weight of it compresses the snow below until it becomes ice.  Over many thousands of years, an alpine glacier grows and begins to slowly move down the mountain.  If temperatures warm to the point that there is more annual melting than snowfall, the glacier will begin to “retreat” back up the mountain.

Ice Sheets – ice sheets are essentially very large continental glaciers.  They form, as above, when annual snowfall is greater than annual melting.  In order for a continental glacier to be considered an ice sheet, it must be at least 50,000 square kilometers in size.  There are currently only two ice sheets on earth; the Greenland Ice Sheet and the Antarctic Ice Sheet.

Ice Shelves – ice shelves form when continental ice sheets reach the ocean, and the ice forms a floating shelf over the water.  Due to the density of the ice, the majority actually sits below the surface of the water, even though it is held in place by the continental ice sheet.  Ice shelves are only found in Antarctica, Canada, and Greenland.

Sea Ice – sea ice is the thin layer that forms when ocean water freezes, and may also be referred to as pack ice. It breaks easily, and may move about on ocean currents or be attached to land (fast ice).  Sea ice is found in the polar regions.

Iceberg – icebergs are large chunks of freshwater ice that have broken off of the end of a glacier or ice shelf.  They float in the water, though may get caught in the midst of sea ice.

Now that we have a feel for the different types of ice that exist in the colder regions of our planet, let’s consider what happens when temperatures increase and they begin to melt.  There are several different things that occur when large amounts of ice melt and water is introduced into the ocean environment.

Rising sea levels are the most common effect we hear of in discussions of climate change.  This is a very real occurrence, and some island nations are already finding it necessary to evacuate their citizens as sea levels rise.  The first inhabited island to be completely washed away was reported on December 24^th, by The Guardian – the Indian island of Lohachara, once home to over 10,000 people, is now completely covered with water.  The major cause of sea level rise is the melting of glaciers and ice sheets, which are land based ice forms.  Ice shelves and pack ice float on the water, and thus are already displacing approximately the same amount of water as is contained in their ice.  Even if the Arctic polar ice cap melted, it would have little effect on sea levels as it is all pack ice.  As alpine glaciers recede, their water eventually makes its way to the ocean without being replaced as new snow and ice in the mountains.  The Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets have the largest potential for increasing sea level as they melt.  It would take many thousands of years for the ice sheets to melt completely, unless they experience an accelerated rate of melting as the earth warms.  The Greenland Ice Sheet alone would add about 7 meters to world sea levels if it melted completely.  Also, the icebergs that break off of the ice sheets add to the sea level, as long as an equal quantity of ice is not being added to the sheets (which it currently is not).

The ocean’s salinity levels change as large quantities of fresh water are added when glaciers and ice sheets melt.  Not only does this have an adverse effect on habitats for the ocean’s living creatures, it also has the potential to disrupt very important currents that help moderate the earth’s climate.  Scientists are closely watching what is called the Atlantic heat conveyor – the warm surface waters that flow far into the North Atlantic.  When the salty water reaches the northern latitudes, it cools and sinks, than slowly moves south as more warm water takes its place.  This process, called thermohaline circulation, is partially responsible for keeping northern Europe several degrees warmer than it would be otherwise.  The addition of fresh water to the North Atlantic as the Greenland Ice Sheet melts could slow or, in the worst case scenario, halt the circulation completely.  You may recall the movie The Day After Tomorrow, where this change took place over the course of a few days, and created an instant ice age in the northern hemisphere?  Scientists ensure us that this process would take several years to happen, but also remind us that it has happened in the past.  The bad news is that scientists have detected a slowing of the current over the past few years, and even a partial slowdown could have devastating effects.  Northern Europe would ironically face markedly colder temperatures, which would disrupt the agriculture that millions of people rely on for subsistence.  In the ocean, plankton stocks would be affected (they are already affected locally by the addition of fresh water due to melting ice), which in turn would break the food chains that rely on their abundant supply.

It quickly becomes clear that the health of the planet’s ice supply is a good indicator of the planet’s overall health, with regard to global warming.  The debates will continue, though it does appear that the trend of discussions will soon move towards finding ways to perhaps slow the changes, and finding solutions for the world’s inhabitants as they are faced with what now look like inevitable changes.  The day my article is published, February 2^nd, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will release the first section of their new assessment of the state of the planet’s climate.  While they do not expect everyone to read the thousands of pages of scientific reports and policy recommendations, there will be many news reports and summaries available for anyone that is interested.  Perhaps my ice primer will help you understand better what the reports say.  I certainly hope so.

References:

Apocalypse Now: How Mankind is Sleepwalking to the End of the Earth – Maria Gilardin; Left Curve. Oakland: 2006., Iss. 30; pg. 4

Arctic Ice Shelf Broke Off Canadian Island – New York Times, December 30, 2006; accessed January 23, 2007

Disappearing World: Global warming claims tropical island – The Independent, December 24, 2006; accessed January 25, 2007

Giant Ice Shelf Breaks Off in Canadian Arctic – National Geographic News, December 29, 2006; accessed January 23, 2007

The Atlantic heat conveyor slows – Detlef Quadfasel; Nature: December 1, 2005., Volume 438; pg. 565

Wikipedia Articles (accessed January 24/25, 2007):

            Glaciers

Iceberg

            Ice Sheet

            Ice Shelf

            Sea Ice

            Sea Level Rise

            Shutdown of Thermohaline Circulation

Have you ever had an inkling that a particular book would be really good, but put off reading it for a while?  When you finally got around to reading it, did you kick yourself for waiting?  I recently had that experience, but thankfully read those books I’d been putting off.

For a long time, I noticed the Cirque du Freak series by Irish writer Darren Shan (real name Darren O’Shaughnessy) coming and going at the library.  I also noticed it was popular with middle school age boys.  So popular, in fact, that I witnessed more than one of them drop his façade of cool in favor of genuine glee when the next installment of the series came in on hold for him.

That really caught my attention.  It’s well known that many boys don’t spend a lot of time reading.  Comics and graphic novels are popular, but it really takes something special to draw in the boys that might be a little bit reluctant to pick up a book.  I knew I ought to give the series a try, but just kept putting it off – horror isn’t usually my genre of choice.  However, last summer I brought the first book home and handed it to my son with a “here, you might like this…”

He then proceeded to read half of the series of twelve books in the week before school started!  Needless to say, I dove in too at his insistence – that way we could discuss the books together as we made our way through the series.  I read many books written for young children and teens, not only because it is useful in my job at the library, but because I genuinely like them.  However, I usually don’t read an entire series of books by an author.  Harry Potter is of course an exception; because once you get started on those you must read each new book.  And we also read all three books of Phillip Pullman’s Golden Compass Trilogy together – much to our chagrin, as we found the last book to be longwinded and disappointing.

The Cirque du Freak books are neither longwinded nor disappointing.  Darren Shan has created a world in his books that draws you in from the very beginning, and keeps you enthralled until the last word of the last book.  What is it, you ask, that Mr. Shan could possibly write about that might be so good?  Vampires.  He takes a fresh view of the vampire myth, and the result is the captivating Cirque du Freak series.

The tale begins when young Darren Shan and his friend Steve sneak out late one night to visit a mysterious traveling circus, the Cirque du Freak.  What they see astounds Darren, especially a man, Larten Crepsley, who performs with a large spider called Madam Octa.  Even more astonishing is the fact that Steve recognizes the performer to be an old vampire he had read about.  He tries to hide this from Darren, but Darren spies on Steve as he confronts the old vampire and begs him to help him become a vampire himself.  Mr. Crepsley declines, and Darren runs home in fright at what he has witnessed.  However, in the next few days, he becomes obsessed with owning Madam Octa, and returns to the circus to steal her.  This sets into motion a chain of events that changes the course of Darren’s life forever, with the only possible solution being that Darren become Mr. Crepsley’s apprentice – and a half-vampire.

From beginning to end, these books are full of unusual characters, from the various members of the Cirque du Freak to Desmond Tiny, the mysterious and very sinister man that appears from time to time to remind everyone that he ultimately controls the fate of the world – yet is giving them a chance to have a small bit of control over the outcome.  Darren befriends Harkat Mulds, one of the strange hooded creatures known as the Little People that accompany the circus, and the loyalty they share with one another is a strong theme throughout the books.

Darren soon learns the way of the vampires, which is very different from what the myths portray.  They do not kill when they feed, and though they are fierce fighters, they avoid disrupting humans as much as possible.  There is another race of vampires – the Vampaneze, who do harm humans when they feed.  As the tale unfolds, Darren finds that an epic battle between the two races is coming, called the War of Scars.  He also discovers that he plays a surprisingly important part in the outcome of the war, and reluctantly takes on the role of hero he seems destined for.

That is as brief a summary I can give without giving anything away – and this is one series of books that deserve not to be spoiled for future readers.  The twists and turns of plot literally kept me glued to the books, eager to find out what would happen next.  An author who can successfully maintain that sense through twelve volumes, in my mind, is truly a master at his craft.  I would think it would be difficult to end a long series such as this satisfactorily, but Mr. Shan pulled that off as well.  I truly felt completion to the tale, and though I was a bit choked up, I was also left feeling hopeful.

I would recommend this series to anyone with an interest in the myth of vampires, or as a gift for a reluctant teen reader.  One visit to Mr. Shan’s blog on his MySpace account (how better to reach your young readers?) shows that he receives a steady stream of letters from appreciative teens and parents for the work he’s done.  Even better, he accepts the compliments humbly and continues to encourage and inspire others.

For more information on the series, visit Darren Shan’s websites.

http://www.darrenshan.com/

http://www.myspace.com/therealdarrenshan

Titles in the Series

Cirque du Freak

The Vampire’s Assistant

Tunnels of Blood

Vampire Mountain

Trials of Death

The Vampire Prince

Hunters of the Dusk

Allies of the Night

Killers of the Dawn

The Lake of Souls

Lord of the Shadows