1,000 screaming adults and children at the school, includ-ing men carrying ropes. One of the most famous photographs from that period shows an erect and determined Melba walking toward the school with a mob of white people behind her and one white girl screaming at her back, the girl’s face contorted into a hateful countenance. Someone later threw acid into Melba’s face. “My bodyguard (Danny) acted swiftly,” she recalls. “He rushed me to a water fountain and we

Continued on page 7

W hen Melba Pat-tillo Beals walks the halls of Dominican

University, a stirring chapter in American history walks with her. Dr. Beals, chair of Domini-can’s Communications De-partment, where she teaches journalism, is a member of the Little Rock Nine, the group of African-American students who integrated Little Rock, Arkansas, Central High School in 1957. In honor of African-American History Month, Whistlestop Ex-press had a conversation with Dr. Beals recently. Her name and those of the other eight students are forever linked to the names of Gov. Orval Faubus and President Dwight D. Eisenhower. She and her classmates found them-selves in the middle of one of the most dramatic showdowns in U.S. history, pitting the President against the gover-nor. Faubus defied the U.S.

Dominican Professor Reflects on Her Experience as One of the Little Rock Nineb y J O H N B O W M A N

E PRESSThe Leading Information Resource for Marin's Active Aging MovementFEBRUARY 2011 Whistlestop.org

Whistlestop

Murmurationspage 11

JeffStoffer'sFinancialNuggetspage 13

WordSearch page 15

R V L

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Dr. Melba Pattillo Beals

Supreme Court decision in Brown v Board of Education, which called for the desegrega-tion of all public schools in the United States. The governor used the Arkansas National Guard to block black children from entering Central High School. President Eisenhower countered on Sept. 24, 1957, by ordering the 101st Airborne Di-vision of the U.S. Army to Little Rock and by federalizing the entire 10,000 member Arkan-sas National Guard, taking it out of the hands of the governor. Melba Pattillo was 16 years old at the time and recalls, “The struggle, the shock of the struggle stunned me. As a child you do not expect it to be such a struggle, to experience such violence. You don’t expect human beings to treat other hu-man beings that way. It takes a great deal of energy to survive such extraordinary danger.” The danger was immense. Melba and her friends were met by a menacing crowd of

A f r i c a n - A m e r i c a n H i s t o r y M o n t h

2 Whistlestop Express February 2011

WhistlestopPERSPECTIVE by JOE O'HEHIR

Table ofCONTENTS

Readers Write InPaul Liberatore

Mystic TableMark LindsayRecipe of the Month

Half Marathon

At Whistlestop

Whistlestop Activities Calendar The Bird's Side of Marin Richard PavekThe HOPE Program Sally Douglas ArceFinancial Nuggets Jeff StofferGrand MomAudrey Mettel FixmerPuzzle

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Marin Senior Coordinating Council, Inc.930 Tamalpais Avenue San Rafael, CA 94901Chief Executive Officer, Joe O’HehirBoard of DirectorsPresident, Dennis ThompsonVice President, Terry ScusselChief Financial Officer, Jeff StofferSecretary, Michael Hingson

Whistlestop Express is a publication of the MarinSenior Coordinating Council, Inc. A 501 (c) 3not-for-profit organizationThe Mission of Whistlestop:

enhance their quality of life.Whistlestop Contact InformationMain Number 415-456-9062Whistlestop Fax 415-456-2858www.whistlestop.orgInformation & Referral Office415-459-6700Whistlestop Express Editorial, Art Direction & SalesJohn & Val Bowman Editors

Missy Reynolds Art Directormreynolds@pacificsun.comAdvertisingLinda Black 415-485-6700, Ext. 306

Whistlestop Express is printed on recycled paper

To be added to, or taken off, the email list for Whistlestop Express, please call

request, your name and address to

Subscriptions mailed to your home are $10/year.

According to data com-piled from the 2007 U.S. Census American

Community Survey, of the 38,000 non-family households in Marin, 81% (or 31,000 house-holds) were occupied by someone who lives alone. Of the house-holds occupied by someone liv-ing alone, 35% or 11,000 house-holds were lived in by someone 65 years or older. A recent study out of the Uni-versity of Chicago suggests that loneliness contributes to poorer health for older adults. Those who feel lonely face even greater health risks. “Social disconnect-edness is associated with worse physical health, regardless of whether it prompts feelings of loneliness or a perceived lack of social support,” said the study’s co-author Linda Waite, a Profes-sor in Sociology at the Universi-ty of Chicago. Older adults who feel most isolated report 65% more depressive symptoms than those who feel least isolated. The consequences of poor men-tal health can be substantial, as deteriorating mental health reduces older adults’ willing-ness to stay physically and/or socially active. Researchers have also discov-ered that lonely older adults had higher blood pressure readings than those who were not lonely. In addition, tests showed that the older group of lonely people had significantly higher levels of the stress hormone epinephrine. This hormone is involved in the “fight or flight” response in the body, and researchers say that

Help Us End Loneliness

elevated epinephrine levels sug-gest that lonely older adults live in a heightened sense of arousal that can have long-term effects on heart disease. Marin now has nearly 11,000 older adults living alone, and this number will only get larger as our population ages. The lonely older adults could be your parents, neighbors, siblings, or friends. When someone is unable to get out of their home or is unable to drive, they can lose their independence and that leads to a lonely, isolated existence. Our mission at Whistlestop is to end loneliness for Marin’s older adults. You have seen our Whistlestop buses travelling around the county, helping indi-viduals with a disability get out of their homes to go for doctor’s appointments, go shopping, or visit relatives and friends. We also offer a warm and friendly atmosphere at Whistlestop's Ac-tive Aging Center, where older adults can come to relax, enjoy an affordable, delicious, fresh meal, take a class, make new friends, and stay socially con-nected. Our Whistlestop Help Desk is a one stop shop for older adults and their families to find the resources they need to live a fulfilled life. We cannot fight loneliness alone. We need your help. You can do something good for an older adult by donating, volun-teering, or leaving a legacy gift to Whistlestop. Now is the time to give locally where you can see the difference. ✦

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ReadersWRITE IN

(Written by Paul Liberatore in theMarin Independent Journal)

Whistlestop had the trappings of a Man-hattan literary salon one afternoon last week as a coterie of proud authors

signed copies of their new books, then took turns reading from their work for a rapt audience. The book-signing soiree was for “Lost, Then Found: Sharing Our Stories, Singing Our Songs,” a self-published anthology of writing by 20 seniors in the 2010 Remembrance Writing 101 Workshop, a group that meets on Thursday after-noons at the senior center. Its mission is to give “older adults a written voice” by encouraging them to share their stories. It’s facilitated by the workshop’s creator, 73-year-old Claudia Carroll, who earned a degree in arts education from Harvard when she was 65. “As older adults, we have the right to re-create our memories as we please, to pass them on to others — to our children, to our grandchildren, to our friends and families,” she said. “That’s what we do in remembrance writing. This is a wonder-ful gift to yourself and to others.” Carroll, who teaches various writing tech-niques to jog elderly memories, started Remem-brance Writing 101 at Whistlestop in May. It’s the first project of her newly launched Dream-catcher, a nonprofit writing, editing and publish-ing service for older adults. “In this group, none of us are professional writ-ers,” said 63-year-old Sandra Miller Brim, who has a piece in the anthology about a centenarian friend, titled “102 Years of Singing Life’s Song.” “This workshop is an inspiration for everyone to write their memoirs,” she went on. “None of us had that experience before. But by the end of the class time, we felt like we were writers. It was wonderful.” The next session of the workshop begins Jan. 13, and will meet for two hours on Thursday af-ternoons throughout the coming year, until there is enough material for the next book. “This is actually what we’re trying to encour-age, keeping people engaged, getting them out

Lost, Then Found: Sharing Our Stories, Singing Our Songs

of their homes, ending loneliness and getting them involved,” said Yvonne Roberts, Whis-tlestop’s director of development and market-ing. “And this is a wonderful way for them to capture their memories and share them with future generations.” Workshop participants range in age from 50-something to 90-something. At 96, Fran Cohen describes herself as “the oldest with a young heart.” One of her pieces in the anthology is about 1914, the year she was born. It’s titled “The Way the World Was.” She is a tiny woman with the excited manner of someone who has discovered something new. She’s one of four seniors in the workshop who won creative writ-ing awards in the Marin County Fair. Before taking the workshop, she had never written a word in her long life. Another fair winner is Ali Rostambiek of San Rafael, an 80-year-old Iranian who came to the U.S. when he was 60. Carroll helps him translate his writing from Farsi into English. He hopes someday to return to Iran, but not until it’s more welcoming politically. ✦

4 The Whistlestop Express February 2011

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Last month we roasted lots of beets. We as-sumed, for the sake

of illustration, that we were overzealous and cooked too many to eat at one meal. We used some of them last month to make a simple-but-hearty beet salad. This month, we’ll do something entirely differ-ent with the remaining beets. We’ll chop them up and make a pasta sauce from them. Like last month, for the sake of clarity, we’ll present the en-tire recipe from scratch, with enough beets for only this dish. This sauce reminds me of the Roman dish, aglio e olio,

The MysticTABLE b y M A R K L I N D S AY

Beets Redux

spaghetti with garlic and olive oil. We get the same robust flavor of chopped garlic sautéed in extra-virgin olive oil, but the beets add their lovely color and a complex sweetness to the dish. The dish is very simple and fast to prepare, especially if you have some leftover, roasted beets in the fridge. Romans, being the insomniacs that they are, eat aglio e olio late at night. Likewise, I can imag-ine cooking up a big bowl of beets and spaghetti for a party

crowd at midnight during a holiday party. This dish is fes-tive and irresistible. Food like this illustrates how inventive we can be with leftover ingredients. We could have made another salad on the second day of our beet marathon but it’s far more fun to transform our leftovers into something new. Life is too short to be bored. Reinvent your leftovers! ✦

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Recipe ofTHE MONTHSpaghetti with Roasted Beets, Garlic and Olive OilServes 4 8 fresh beets, medium-sized 3 garlic cloves, chopped fine 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil hot, dried, red pepper flakes, salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 pkg imported Italian spaghetti

Preheat the oven to 400º F. Cut the leaves and root end from the beets and wash thoroughly. Discard the

leaves. Wrap the beets tightly in aluminum foil — it’s best to make 2 packages each of 4 beets — and bake them for about an hour. Test the beets with a skewer. Once they are soft, remove them from the oven, open the foil packages and let them cool to the touch. Peel and dice into 1/2-inch cubes. Set them aside. Put a large pot of water on the stove, turn the burner to high. Place the garlic and oil in a large sauté pan and turn the burner to medium. Sauté the garlic until it emits its lovely scent. Add the red pepper flakes. You want the garlic to be colored a very pale gold but do not brown it or let it burn. You must watch this very carefully. When the garlic just begins to color, add the beets and some salt and pepper. Toss vigorously, cook for several min-utes and then take the pan off the burner. Taste for seasoning and adjust, if necessary. The sauce should taste a bit too salty. When the pot of water starts to boil, add a good amount of salt. Put a few ladles of hot water into a large, pasta bowl to warm it. Then add the spa-ghetti to the pot and stir the water immediately for a minute or two. This keeps the pasta from sticking together. Gently reheat the sauce while the pasta is cooking, keeping an eye on it. Once the pasta starts to soften, test it constant-ly by eating a strand every minute or so. When the pasta is just slightly too firm, or molto al dente as Italians would say, drain the pasta. Pour out the water from the bowl it was heating and add the spaghetti. Toss the sauce and spaghetti, adding a little bit of fresh olive oil. Serve immediately in shallow bowls. ✦

www.Whistlestop.org 5

6 Whistlestop Express February 2011

The third annual Marin County Half Mar-athon is scheduled for Saturday, April 23 at McNear’s Beach Park in San Rafael.

All races are both walker and runner friend-ly. There are also 10k and 5k events. The Half Marathon (13.1 miles) features a scenic run through the rolling hills on the road and along the waters of San Pablo Bay for the first part, then turns inland and back into the trail sys-

Half Marathon Set for April 23 at McNear’s Beach Park

Award-winning journalist and author Joan Ryan will interview Mike Singletary, new assistant head coach of the Minnesota

Vikings, at the kick-off session of the Im speaking series February 16 at 8pm. Singletary received the Walker Camp “Man of the Year” award based on his reputation for integrity, leadership and contributions benefiting his community, country and fellow man. A Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee, Mike is also the author of three books including, Daddy’s Home at Last, and has seven children with his wife Kim. The series is produced by longtime Marin na-tive Gary Ferroni, and other speakers to appear include Valerie Plame Wilson, ex-CIA officer and author of Fair Game (March 3); Marin’s Sammy Hagar, Grammy Award winner and Rock and

Imspeaking.com Kicks Off Series with Mike Singletary

Volunteers Honored at WhistlestopWhistlestop volunteers honored recently

for the wonderful work they do for older

adults. Left to right, back row: Gene Dyer,

Rob Harrison, Ed Essick, Marc Greenberg,

George John, Celeste Purcell,

Amido Rapkin, Scott Marcum,

Denise Bertucelli, Judy Countermine,

Lynn Huelsmann, Janice Lovi and

Linda Sampson.

Left to right, front row: Letitia Sanders,

Paula Ross, Edna Trimm, Claudia Carroll,

Jean Harrison, Yee Coleiro,

Mehrbanoo Esmaili,

Left to right, kneeling: Herman Clasen

and Denise Scussel

Roll Hall of Fame inductee (April 1); Richard Picciotto, FDNY Chief and highest-ranking firefighter to survive the World Trade Center col-lapse (Sept. 9); and Robert Wittman, founder of the FBI Art Crime Team and referred to as the most famous art detective in the world. (Octo-ber 6). Sold as a series, tickets for all five events range from $195 to $475. A limited number of individual tickets are available for $47. Tickets are available for purchase online at imspeak-ing.com; by mail by downloading a request form from the website; in person at the Marin Center Box Office or by calling 415-499-6800. For more information, info@imspeaking.com or phone 415-381-2022. Please mention Whistlestop so that we receive a portion of the proceeds. The imspeaking.com series takes place at the Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium, 10 Avenue of the Flags at Civic Center Drive in San Rafael. ✦

tem of China Camp State Park. The 10k (6.2 miles) is all road with a small portion of trail and the 5k (3.1 miles) all road. This is a great opportunity to set your New Year's resolution to getting healthy. With all net proceeds going to very worth-while charities, the Marin County Half Mara-thon, 10k and 5k events attract famous musi-cians, celebrities and athletes who embrace the scope of what takes place at this very special race. Registration is now open at www.marinmar-athon.com. ✦

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washed my eyes with water. It was a quick and brave act on his part. They took me to a physician who said that saved the quality of my sight.” Melba moved to Santa Rosa a year later, after the Ku Klux Klan put a bounty on her head — $10,000 dead and $5,000 alive. With the help of the NAACP, she moved in with foster parents, Dr. George McCabe and his wife, and finished high school at Montgomery High. She earned her bachelor’s degree at San Francisco State University, her masters in journalism at Co-lumbia University and in 2009 completed her Doctoral Degree in Education at the University of San Francisco. She has written a book about her experience, titled Warriors Don’t Cry. The book has now been made into a play, which Dr. Beals saw at Bushnell Theatre in Hartford, CT. “It was stun-ning to watch my life unfold on stage,” she said. When asked if her students know about her experience she replied, “I try not to bring it up. I have two or three lives, as we all do. On one hand, my name is etched in the ceiling of the Capitol. And I am a teacher and I have a fam-ily. But they will ask questions after they see something on TV or read it in the papers.” She also has received numerous honors and awards, including the Congressional Medal of Honor, and is a much sought-after motivation-al speaker. Does she stay in touch with the others in the Little Rock Nine? “Of course. We are like fam-ily; we’re brothers and sisters. I just spoke with Carlotta yesterday.” Carlotta Walls LaNeir was another of the nine, which also includes Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, Jefferson Thomas, Terrence Roberts, Minniean Brown, Gloria Ray Karlmark, and Thelma Mothershed. They have been invited back to the Oprah Winfrey pro-gram in 2011 to do a reprise of an earlier show. Dr. Beals turned 69 on December 7, 2010. She understands her role in history, but makes every effort to not overstate it. How does she want to be remembered? In an inter-view in Marin Magazine, she answered, “As a good mother, and as a child of God who strug-gles hard daily to qualify … also as someone who was kind and friendly and who merely wanted what was due to her: equality and the right to be the best I can be.” ✦

MELBA BEALS—Continued from page 1

8 The Whistlestop Express February 2011

Keep Learning atWHISTLESTOP

BREAD & ROSESWhistlestop wants to say a special thank you to Bread & Roses for providing live entertainment for our special luncheons throughout the years. The music groups are extremely talented and caring people, who are volunteering their time. Our reward is watching the older adults walk out from our special luncheons with big smiles and a lighter step. The music is healing and uplifting. We appreciate the hard work you do for many agencies. Thank you for being a part of Whistlestop.

BEGINNING COMPUTER/PICTURE CLASS

Computer Room | Fee: $15 | Gene Dyer Basic Computer Skills

Pre-registration required: call Learn to transfer your digital photos from a camera, CD or fl ash drive onto your computer and how to send and receive them with your friends and family by attaching them to

emails. Bring camera and cable.

ADVANCED COMPUTER/PICTURE CLASS

Computer Room | Fee: $15 Gene Dyer

Basic Computer SkillsRegister: call Learn how to Tell a Picture Story on computer monitors and TVs in slide shows, using Word, PDF, PowerPoint Presentations and movie formats.

COMPUTER LAB

Computer Room | FreeWhistlestop offers free drop-in computer instruction every Wednesday from 10am to noon in the Computer Room. Price Hall, a computer technician, is present to answer your questions and provide one-on-one instruction.

GMAIL FOR OLDER ADULTS

Computer Room | Fee: $56Susan Wilkins

Registration required: call It’s easy to stay in touch with old friends and family using the Internet. We will be setting up a Google account, which includes the free email program, Gmail. We will explore Google calendar, Google Reader, blogs and search the internet using Advanced Search. We will also explore Social Networking … what is it? Do I need it? We want you to succeed in this course and recommend that you be familiar with the mouse and keyboard before enrolling. Instruction in this class is not textbook-based. This class is in partnership with the College Of Marin.

AARP DRIVER SAFETY PROGRAM AT WHISTLESTOP

Information and to register: call Sharpen your driving skills through the AARP Driver Safety program. This course is developed to help drivers 50 years or older adjust to age-related changes in vision, hearing and reaction time. Medication and its effects on driving will also be addressed. At the end of this course, a certifi cate of completion will be given, which may save you money on auto insurance.

ANSWERSN L R D B R V R F

F R P H R T L FV T D R P

N R V L B NR L L V L N T N RB F R N D D R D L DN V T R T B N L T R N RH P H N T L R DL B T P R P L P R N

N T T V JR D D D D R P F N

T D L B D P T VD H H R L N RR B T D P

N F P P N T N F L R RD T T N T F T N H

N F N R R

Whistlestop.org 9

GET FREE TAX HELP!February 1 to April 15Whistlestop and Novato’s Margaret Todd Senior CenterSchedule appointments starting January 24: call 415-459-6700Whistlestop is offering a free tax service by IRS-certifi ed tax preparers for people with basic, uncomplicated

tax situations to help them fi le their 2010 tax returns.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITYVolunteers with sewing experience needed to make curtains for the Jackson Café. Whistlestop will provide the material. Must have your own sewing machine.For more information: call 415-456-9062

“KNIT YOUR PART” KNITTING GROUP

Lounge | Free | Confi rm Day: call 415-456-9062Everyone is knitting squares to eventually put together and make an afghan to give to charity. Bring your needles (size 7 or 8) and any yarn you might have lying around. Everyone is welcome to come and join us!

MARDI GRAS LUNCHEON

Jackson Café | Fee: $6 for older adults, $9 for under 60Reservations required: call 456-9062

Please join us for a delicious meal and live entertainment.

ART FROM THE HEART

Lounge | Carin Powers | FreeTo sign up: call 415-456-9062Join us for a fun new art program! We will use a variety of media (paints, pastels, collage, etc.) Come explore your world from a whole new vantage point. You may even reacquaint yourself with your inner child! All levels are welcome. No experience necessary.

Scheduling Rides: 454-0964Cancelling Rides: 457-4630Eligibility Coordinator,

Janet Van Rijsbergen 456-9062, ext. 160janet.vanrijsbergen@whistlestop.org

Transportation Numbers

GENTLE CHIROPRACTIC SERVICES

Arcade | Fee: $2 Dr. Jennifer Burns. Sign-ups will be

taken on the day chiropractic services are offered only. Available on a fi rst-come, fi rst-served basis.Do you suffer from back or neck pain, tension headaches or aching muscles and joints? For relief from aches and pains of everyday stress and strains, visit Whistlestop to see a chiropractic professional who provides safe, gentle and effective chiropractic care.

WHISTLESTOP TEA DANCE

Fee: $2Enjoy music, dancing, fun people, raffl e, and light snacks and refreshments.For information: call 415-456-9062

VIETNAMESE LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONYear of the Cat 2011Thursday, February 10

Jackson Café | Fee: $6 for older adults, $8 for under 60Reservations required: call 415-456-9062Please join us at Whistlestop to celebrate the 2011 Year of the Cat Vietnamese New Year! Enjoy dinner and a lion dance.

DEUTSCHE GESELLSCHAFT (GERMAN GROUP)

Wir haben eine neue Idee in Whistlestop wo wir eine Deutsch sprechende Gruppe Zusammen bringen und wir uns in Deutsch amusieren konnen. Wir freuen uns auf Ihr kennen lernen, bitte rufen Sie fur Auskunft.

10 Whistlestop Express February 2011

WhistlestopACTIVITIES This Month at Whistlestop

TIME CLASS LOCATION MISC. COST

10:30–NOON Persian Group Lounge 472-6020 for info Free11:00–NOON Computer Literacy Computer Lab Open Free11:00–12:30 PM German Group TBD Open Free2:00–4:00 PM ESL Caboose/Café Jan 24th-May 18th Free4:00–5:30 PM Citizenship Caboose 454-0998 for info Free

10:00–2:00 PM Asian Group Caboose 454-1552 for info Free9:15–10:30 AM Whistlesizers Caboose Open $210:45–11:45 AM Cardio Exercise Caboose Open Free11:00–12:30 German Group TBD Open Free1:00–3:00 PM Spanish Class Caboose Open Free2:00–3:30 PM English Conversation Board Room 454-0998 for info Free

10:00–2:00 PM Asian Group Caboose 454-1552 for info Free10:30–NOON Art from the Heart Lounge Open Free9:15–10:30 AM Whistlesizers Caboose Open $22:00-3:30 PM English Conversation Caboose 454-0998 for info Free 2:00–3:00 PM Vietn.Citizenship Caboose 454-1552 for info Free2:00–4:00 PM Remembrance Writing Board Room Open $5

9:00–10:30 AM Tai Chi Qigong Caboose Suggested Donation $1010:00–11:30 AM Seniors' Circle Board Room Open Free10:00–NOON Computer Lab Computer Lab Open Free10:30–NOON Persian Group Lounge 472-6020 for info Free11:00–NOON Corazón Latino Caboose Open Free2:00–4:00 PM ESL Caboose/Café Jan 24th-May 18th Free 2:00–4:00 PM Adv. Remembr. Writing Board Room Open $5

11:00–1:00 PM Loom Knitting Caboose 1st Fri. Arts & Crafts Free1:30–3:30 PM ACASA Board Room Peer Counseling Free1:30–3:30 PM Spanish Club Caboose Open Free 2:00-4:00 PM Friday Movie Jackson Café Free Snacks/Drinks Free

MO

ND

AYS

TUES

DAY

STH

URS

DAY

SW

EDNE

SDAY

SFR

IDAY

S

The Caboose, Computer Lab, Board Room and Jackson Café are all located at Whistlestop’s Active Aging Center – 930 Tamalpais Ave., San Rafael.

Jackson Café

LUNC

H M

ENU

Monday-Friday 11:30am-1:30pmLocated in Whistlestop Active Aging Center

60+ PRICESMain Entrée $4.00Turkey Sandwich $3.00Soup $1.50Hamburger $4.25Pizza $4.00Salads $2.50

UNDER 60 PRICESMain Entrée $6.75Turkey Sandwich $4.00Soup $2.00Hamburger $5.25Pizza $5.00Salads $4.00

OTHER ITEMSTuna Salad Side $1.25Fresh Fruit Cup $1.00Desserts $1.50Beverages $1.00

Jackson Café

www.Whistlestop.org 11

Sitting on my Walk-stool with

my camera in my lap, just North of High-way 37, I was

watching two harriers off in the distance, hoping they would turn and hunt closer to me. Behind me was a vineyard, its green leaves already assuming the vibrant colors of autumn. Gradually, I became aware of a faint, low-pitched mur-muring sound behind me, and then without warning, a subtle pressure pushed against my back. Startled, I turned to a

rush of hundreds of silent birds – starlings – flying through the vineyard behind me on murmuring wings. I barely managed to capture a single usable image before they were off in a great cloud sinking down between the rows. In less than a minute the cloud shot up from the vineyard and proceeded to twist and coil its way through the late afternoon sky, a mes-merizing aerial display that would have had a delighted Terpsichore clapping her hands, had she been there to see it. These amazing perfor-

mances are common in the UK where there may be as many as ten thousand starlings in one of these “Murmurations.” No one knows why the star-lings do this but they have been doing it for centuries. You can see a video of the aerial dance on my blog at: www.RichardsBirdBlog.com Each weekend I email an interesting bird photo to a select list. If you’d like to be added just ask SHENmaker@MSN.com. ✦

‘Till next month,Richard

The Bird's SideOF MARIN b y R I C H A R D P A V E K

Murmurations

12 Whistlestop Express February 2011

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Find the right place for your loved one or for yourself

Nearly one-fifth of older adults in America suffer from depression, but many of them may not realize it. “People, including

friends and family, often don’t recognize the symptoms of depression,” says Patty Lyons, MA, MFT, supervisor of The HOPE Program and Se-nior Peer Counseling, a program within Marin County’s Community Mental Health Services. “It is not uncommon for us to imagine unbear-able sadness and uncontrollable crying when we think of depression. However, depression can look and feel very different and many may try to explain away these symptoms of depression. For example, it is not uncommon for someone with depression to have digestive problems or unex-plained aches and pains.” The following are signs that a person might be experiencing ongoing depression and emotional distress.

unlovable

enjoyed

It is important to remember that depression is not a normal part of aging. In fact, many older people are satisfied with their lives, even when confronted with health problems or the loss of friends or a spouse. Resources:

, a multi-disciplinary approach for those over 60. Home and office visits offered.Phone number 415-473-4306

A program of Jewish Family and Children’s Services, Marin County, which offers a range of services to meet individualized needs 415-449-3777 or info@seniorsathome.org. ✦

Sally Douglas Arce is with Full Court Press Communications.

Feeling Low? Be in the Know;HOPE Program Offers Just ThatBY SALLY DOUGLAS ARCEGuest Columnist

www.Whistlestop.org 13

We Can Be Thereto Assist You!

Assessments are Performed by a Qualifi ed R.N.

415-499-1200

Visiting Angels® Can Help Share the Care

Give the gift of health…Therapeutic Yoga For Older Adults

YOGa TO YOu seeks to share the ancient wisdom found in yoga, now widely embraced by integrated

medicine that underscore the health benefi ts of yoga. We take Yoga to individuals and groups in their

private homes, or in assisted living centers,nursing homes, independent living sites, and other

residential care facilities for older adults.Call for a Free demonstration today!

Dr. Melanie Hahn

YOGa TO YOu©

Are we in a bond bubble or not? Propo-nents point to several factors: huge amounts of money poured into bonds

since 2007, superior performance of bonds over stocks in the last 40 years and current histori-cally low interest rates. The two most recent “bubbles” – real estate this decade, and technology stocks in the 1990’s – are all too fresh in most of our minds. Inves-tors were fixated on the opportunity to make quick gains. Speculation was rampant and people used leverage, i.e., borrowed money, to enhance returns. In the context of the current investment en-vironment for bonds, the word “bubble” seems like an over-reaction (or perhaps a media buzz?). Investors have flocked toward bonds not for quick profits, but for price stability and a steady income stream. Those attributes might make us feel warm and fuzzy about bonds, but investors’ at-titudes can hardly be called euphoric. Why then all the fuss? The first major concern is inflation. Recall that inflation erodes the value of your original investment. It may take several more years, but at some point the economy will return to stronger growth, bringing with it the risk of inflation. A big spike in inflation could bring about a sell-off in bonds. Those selling into the fear will lock in losses. Those with more patience will continue to receive interest income and eventually the return of their principal. In a previous installment, we noted the risk inherent in “herd” behavior, when investors follow the crowd. The favored asset can become overpriced. This increases the risk that investors could see more volatility, or wider price swings. In the future we expect more volatility and the eventual return of inflation. Those who know what to expect and who keep clear heads will weather the storm better than most. Next month we’ll look at what our conclusions mean for investing in bonds. ✦Jeff Stoffer is a Whistlestop Board member.

FinancialNUGGETS by JEFF STOFFER, CFA, CFP®

Bonds: Too Much of a Good Thing?(Part IV)

14 Whistlestop Express February 2011

180° DIFFERENTSENIOR LIVING FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW.

At Kisco Senior Living we’re about nurturing the mind, body and

spirit, continuing the process of personal growth and having

a newfound sense of connection to others.

We call it Th e Art of Living Well.SM

WWW.KISCOSENIORLIVING.COMFOLLOW US ONLINE

(415) 491-1935 Lic # 216801028 275 Los Ranchitos RoadSan Rafael, CA 94903

HEALTH CARE CONNECTION

415 4572256www.HealthCareConnectionLLC.com

GrandMOMby AUDREY METTEL FIXMER

Usually when senior citizens marvel at the progress we have seen in our lives, the first thing that comes to our minds

is technology advances in communication or transportation. One of the greatest wonders of our time, however, has to be the progress of race relations we’ve seen unfold. I grew up in Aurora, Illinois, in the 1930’s and 40’s. My first interaction with a black child was an encounter I had while walking to school one morning when I was about seven. My daily route took me past one home of a black family, where countless children raced around their front yard. I walked on the other side of the street. One day somebody in the group yelled, “There she is, Snowball! There’s your girl-friend! Go get her!” Before I could think, this wiry little black kid came tearing across the street, leaping on me and planting a big kiss on my cheek. I took off run-ning, my heart pounding in my chest, and the spot on my cheek burning for the remaining few blocks to school. From then on, I found another. My private high school experience during World War II was just as sheltered, but in college I loved the one black girl in the school, Joyce. Then came the Civil Rights era, where we all got an education, to say nothing of an awareness of ra-cial prejudice. That was a rude awakening for me, but it still did not touch me directly until many years later when my wonderful granddaughter, Bridget, married a young man from Africa. We all loved Sira from the day we met him. He was well educated, polite, loving and so dedicated to his selfless work with handicapped people. Frankly, though, I worried about an interracial marriage. In the six years since Sira has been in our fam-ily, he has become one of our dearest grandchil-dren. He has provided us with two precious great-grandchildren. ✦

Audrey has been publishing her column in the Mad-ison, WI, Diocesan Catholic Herald for 15 years.

Living the Slow Evolution of Race

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Bread & Roses Connects Heart-to-Heart through Music

Cassandra Flipper

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