MONTANA

January 2015

A Monthly Publication for Folks 50 and Better

Hot rod builder

For the love of longhorns
Native Renaissance man
Therapeutic massage

INSIDE

Savvy Senior.............................................Page 3
Opinion.....................................................Page 4
Bookshelf..................................................Page 5
Volunteering..............................................Page 19

On the Menu.............................................Page 20
Calendar....................................................Page 21
Strange But True.......................................Page 22

News Lite
A smashing marriage proposal

AMSTERDAM (AP) A Dutchmans attempt at a romantic

wedding proposal was simply smashing.
The unidentified lover in the central town of Ijsselstein rented a
crane, planning to descend in front of his girlfriends bedroom
window first thing in the morning, play her a song and then pop
the question. Instead the crane toppled over, smashing a large
hole in the neighbors roof.
The man clambered to safety and no one was injured.
According to the Algemeen Dagblad newspaper, the girlfriend
said yes anyway. After speaking with police, the pair traveled
to Paris to celebrate.
Then the crane fell again during attempts to right it with a larger crane, bashing in the rest of the neighbors roof. The towns
mayor is on the spot after the building was declared unsafe. Six
apartments were evacuated.

Would-be carjackers couldnt drive stick shift

OCALA, Fla. (AP) Police in Florida say two would-be carjackers almost got away with a vehicle in Ocala but didnt know
how to drive a stick shift.
The Ocala Star-Banner reports the owner of a 2014 Toyota
Corolla told police he was sitting in his car talking on his cell
phone when a man with a gun tapped the window. Another man
was by the passenger side window.
Police say the gunman demanded the man get out of the car
and demanded his keys. He gave them the keys, they got in the
car and he walked away. The man stopped another motorist who
called police.
But the carjackers couldnt move the car because it was a stick
shift.
The duo ran before police arrived, leaving the keys in the ignition.

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Jim Miller, creator of the syndicated Savvy

Senior information column, is a longtime
advocate of senior issues. He has been featured in
Time magazine; is author of The Savvy Senior:
The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and
Finances for Senior Citizens; and is a regular
contributor to the NBC Today show.

How to Keep Tabs on an Elderly

Parent When You Cant Be There
Dear Savvy Senior,
Can you recommend any caregiving devices or technology
products that help families keep an eye on an elderly parent
that lives alone? Over the holidays, my sister and I noticed
that my dads health has slipped, so we would like to find
something that helps us keep closer tabs on him when were
not around.
Concerned Son
Dear Concerned,
There are many different assistive technology products
available today that can help families keep an eye on an
elderly loved one when they cant be there. Depending on
your dads needs and how much youre willing to spend,
here are some good options to consider.

Personal emergency response systems

If youre primarily worried about your dad falling and

needing help, one of the most commonly used and affordable products for seniors living alone is a personal emergency response system (PERS) also known as a medical
alert device.
For about a dollar or two a day, these systems provide a
wearable pendent button typically in the form of a necklace pendent or wristband and a base station that connects to the home phone line.
At the press of a button, your dad could call and talk to a
trained operator through the systems base station receiver,
which works like a powerful speakerphone. The operator
will find out whats wrong, and will notify family members, a neighbor, friend or emergency services as needed.
Some PERS today even offer motion-sensitive pendants
that can detect a fall and automatically call for help. And
some offer GPS mobile-alert pendants that work anywhere.
Some top companies that offer all levels of services include
Philips Lifeline (lifelinesys.com, 800-380-3111), Medical
Alert (medicalalert.com, 800-800-2537) and MobileHelp
(mobilehelpnow.com, 800-992-0616).

Sensor monitoring

If you want to keep closer tabs on your dad than what a

PERS offers, consider a sensor monitoring system. These

systems use small wireless sensors (not cameras) placed in
key areas of your dads home that can detect changes in his
activity patterns, and will notify you via text message or
email if something out of the ordinary is happening. For
instance, if he went to the bathroom and didnt leave, it
could indicate a fall or other emergency.
You can also check up on his patterns anytime you want
through the systems website. And for additional protection, most services also offer PERS call buttons that can be
placed around the house, or worn.
Some good companies that offer these services are
GrandCare Systems (grandcare.com, 262-338-6147),
which charges $300 for their activity sensors, plus a $50
monthly service fee. And BeClose (beclose.com, 866-5741784), which runs $399 for three sensors, and a $69
monthly service fee if paid a year in advance.
If youre interested in a more budget-friendly option,
consider Lively (mylively.com, 888-757-0711), which
costs only $50 with a $35 monthly service fee. Lively uses
small motion sensors that you attach to movable objects
like a pillbox, refrigerator door, front door, etc. These sensors will track your dads movement/activity and let you
know of any abnormalities in his routines. For example, if
he didnt pick up his pillbox to get his medicine, or he
didnt open the front door to go out and retrieve his morning newspaper, you would be notified and can check on
him. Lively also offers a PERS safety watch in case he
falls or needs to call for help.
Another affordable option to check out is Evermind
(evermind.us, 855-677-7625), which lets you keep an eye
on your dad by monitoring his frequently used electrical
appliances through small plug-in sensors. So, for example,
if your dad doesnt turn on the coffee maker in the morning, or if hes not watching his favorite television program
before bedtime, you would be notified. Evermind costs
$199 for the three sensors, plus a $29 monthly service fee.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box
5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visitSavvySenior.org.
January 2015

Opinion

New Years resolutions for 50-plussers

January 2015

health, memory, sex lives and finances with purchase of a

single product. Its a pipe dream. Save your time and money.
Dont sweat the small stuff. Some things are just not
worth getting frothed up about. Let it go.
Remember the Serenity Prayer, which could just as easily be called the 50-plussers Prayer:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot
change, the courage to change the things I can, and the
wisdom to know the difference.
Dwight Harriman
Montana Best Times Editor
MONTANA

There are all types of New Years Resolutions written

for folks struggling with weight, alcohol, compulsions, etc.
but I havent seen any for us 50-plussers. Now theres a
crowd that can really use some help with a handy list of
resolutions. So here goes:
In the new year, we 50-plussers resolve to:
Exercise more. A pretty boring commitment, but you
know what I mean. You have to move the body. Every day,
in some way, for a decent amount of time. And while
youre at it, try eating more healthily. But make it a lifestyle, not a diet. It wont work any other way.
Not freak out that there are many more years behind us
than in front of us. You can get down thinking about it, but
substitute that melancholic view with a resolution to make
the years in front of you the best ones yet.
Give ourselves a break for not accomplishing every single thing we ever wanted to do with our lives. Life is hard
enough without beating yourself over the head with that
lame club. Again, look ahead instead at what you want to
do.
View with great skepticism all advertising campaigns
aimed at getting 50-plussers to magically transform their

A Monthly Publication for Folks 50 and Better

P.O. Box 2000, 401 S. Main St., Livingston MT 59047

Tel. (406) 222-2000 or toll-free (800) 345-8412 Fax: (406) 222-8580
E-mail: montanabesttimes@livent.net Subscription rate: $25/yr.
Published monthly by Yellowstone Newspapers, Livingston, Montana
Dwight Harriman, Editor Tom Parisella, Designer

Bookshelf
Medicare for Dummies
By Patricia Barry
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2014
Paperback $19.99 366 pages
ISBN: 978-1-118-53278-2

Dont be a
dummy any
longer get
up to speed on
Medicare
By Montana Best Times Staff
OK, baby boomers, its time to face it: You need to learn more
about Medicare. Youve put it off long enough. It wont be long
before youll be needing it if you arent using it already so
you need to knuckle down and learn about it.
Written by Patricia Barry, AARPs Medicare expert, and published just this year by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Medicare for
Dummies written in tradition of a long string of for Dummies books can help guide 50-plussers through a confusing
maze of medical information.
The book answers a myriad of questions, including, of course,
The Big One: When should I start using Medicare?
To give you an idea of the books content, heres a look at section titles:
Part I: Getting Started with Medicare (among other topics,
this part deals with what Medicare is, how it works and what it
covers)
Part II: The Hows and Whens of Medicare (covers qualifying
and enrolling)

Part III: Making Smart Choices Among Medicares Many

Options
Part IV: Navigating Medicare from the Inside (covers starting
out as a new medicare beneficiary, getting the scoop on benefits,
changing coverage, knowing your rights)
Part V: The Part of Tens (covers 10 proposed changes to
Medicare and 10 ways to stay healthier beyond age 65)
Part VI: Appendixes (sources of help and information).
The book is laid out in an easy-to-read style with helpful icons
and checkpoint points go guide dummies like us along the way.
The books jacket describes author Patricia Barry as a senior
editor of the AARP Bulletin who has written extensively about
Medicare from the consumers point of view for 14 years. Since
2008, she has answered thousands of questions sent by Medicare
beneficiaries across the nation to her Ask Ms. Medicare column
on the AARPs website.
So if youre looking for a practical gift for a 50-plusser in your
life or for yourself this book is a great choice.
Medicare for Dummies is available from the publishers website at http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA or from Amazon.com.
January 2015

Hot rod builder

Livingston man has a passion for car projects

By Jordon Niedermeier

Montana Best Times

LIVINGSTON Rodney Boehm built

his first hot rod in 1972. Like many gearheads, he found his place in the garage in
high school and never left.
Boehms 1967 Camaro is long gone, but
the wrench never left his hand. Hes been
in business 23 years and, while regular
auto repair work at his Riteway Automotive Service shop pays the bills, he gets to
work on hot rods and race cars in his Montana Hot Rod Shop under the same roof.
Boehms personal project, a 1970 Plymouth duster with a 440-cubic-inch engine,
sits in the corner of his shop. A thin layer
of dust coats the car, but the six-year project is near completion.
Boehm, 58, beamed as he pointed out
the relocation of the cars wiring harness

and electronics to a panel attached to the

roll cage on the passenger side of the car.
The placement allows for easy maintenance and quick tuning at the drag strip.
Thats where the simplicity comes in,
he said. Because in racing you have to go
rounds, and you may have a half hour,
then youre up for your next race. So if its
difficult to work on, its too complicated to
have it done in half an hour.

Doing modifications

Not all of the cars that come into Montana Hot Rods are complete builds. Boehm
gets a lot of jobs from people who work
on their vehicle but may not have the ability or tools to complete a modification.
Boehm said a few local racers, like Justin Townsend, bring their cars to his shop
on a regular basis. Among other modifica-

tions, he built Townsends roll cage.

The National Hot Rod Association and
International Hot Rod Association are the
major sanctioning bodies for drag racing
in the United States. Each organization has
different safety standards that change over
time.
Boehm said he builds his roll cages to
NHRA specifications because theyre
more stringent and can pass IHRA inspections as well. Less experienced fabricators
miss details like that and can cost racers
time fixing the issue that could be spent in
competition.
Townsend and his 1968 Pontiac Firebird
won the Pro class points championship
this year at Yellowstone Dragstrip in Billings.
Hes always improving, Boehm said.
Hell go race and (say), Well now, I
want to do this. So well make some

Above and on the cover: Rodney Boehm works on a 1971 Buick Skylark in his Montana Hot Rod Shop in Livingston last month.

MT Best Times photos by Hunter DAntuono
January 2015

MT Best Times photos by Hunter DAntuono

Left: A 1948 Ford Coupe with a Pendleton blanket interior is

pictured in Boehms Montana Hot Rod Shop.
Above: A skull tops the 1948 Ford Coupes air cleaner in
Boehms shop.
changes and make it more safe or more consistent or stop better.

Race cars and street cars

Boehm prefers to build race cars but he works on street cars,

too. A man from Edmonton, Alberta, recently hired Montana Hot
Rods to build a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro for the street. The Camaro received a 1,000-horsepower, supercharged engine, a modern
interior and a custom paint job.
According to Boehm, the main difference between drag cars
and street cars is the amount of safety equipment. The race cars
have full roll cages, but they lack other features like windshield
wipers and headlights. Dedicated race cars dont have passenger
seats or carpet, either. All unnecessary items are removed to save
weight.

Building for life

Boehm said he plans on building cars for the rest of his life.
They have people drag racing that are in their 80s, Boehm
said, pointing out that 83-year-old professional drag racer Chris
The Golden Greek Karamesines still drives top fuel dragsters

at over 300 mph.

So, if you can find someone who drag races till theyre 80
years old, Boehm said, I can build cars till Im 80 years old.
Reach Jordon Niedermeier at jordon@livent.net or (406) 2222000.

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January 2015

For the love of longhorns

and fine art

MT Best Times photos by Joe Sova

Dave Hodges reaches gently to touch one of his prized Texas Longhorns, Apokaiyo 13, a 3-year-old that won second place in her
class in tip-to-tip (TTT) horn measurement at the Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America Horn Showcase this October in Fort Worth, Texas.

By Joe Sova

Montana Best Times

BIG TIMBER Dave and Carmen

Hodges do not have a lot of free time these
days, but that appears to be quite all right
with them.
While Dave crafts sculptures and other
fine art and raises Texas Longhorn cattle,
Carmen operates the Hodges Fine Art studio in downtown Big Timber filled
with Daves handiwork, which includes
bronzes, paintings, Navajo Indian collectibles and much more. The Hodges accept
private and organizational commissions
for portraits and large bronze sculptures as
well.
In talking to Dave, its clear he really
enjoys working as a sculptor/artist in his
shop on the Hodges ranch on the north
bank of the Yellowstone River just off
January 2015

U.S. Highway 191 outside Big Timber. He

also has a love for raising and selling Texas Longhorn bulls, steers and heifers.
The Hodges have lived on their Big
Timber ranch for the last 22 years. While
Dave is a Pennsylvania native, Carmen
grew up in Sweet Grass County. Dave has
been an artist for about 42 years since
1972, when he moved to Montana and
officially became an artist. Dave and Carmen started the Big Timber gallery 14
years ago.
Coincidentally, Daves first sculpture
was a longhorn steer bronze in 1982. That
stemmed from Dave and Carmen bringing
about 20 head of beef cattle from up the
Boulder to Big Timber. While Dave now
has just longhorns on their local ranch, he
and Carmen own and rent out some beef
cattle at Harlowton.

Raising longhorns

Dave now has about 25 head of longhorn brood stock, including one steer
and one main bull. His other five bulls are
for sale.
Theyre line-bred cows Theyre all
related, he said.
According to Dave, his mature bulls are
locked up until June 10 each year.
Theyre then mixed with the female cows,
which come into heat every 21 days for
periods of just one week. Thats when
breeding occurs, setting the stage for a
nine-month gestation period for the pregnant cows.
The newborn calves about one-half
bulls and one-half heifers are weaned
around Nov. 5, and selling begins in midNovember. Most sales come in the spring,
from March to May.

Pictured is one of the Hodges longhorns with a horn spread

of nearly 70 inches tip to tip.

Dave Hodges is pictured with one of his sculptures in progress

a fisherman netting a fish. It will be a limited edition work
of art, with only 30 bronzes issued.
We sell ours as brood stock as breeders for the blood lines,
Dave said. I like to sell cows over 4 years old, while theyre still
in their prime. People like to know what theyre going to get.
Dave sells nearly all the longhorns he raises, but not by the
pound. Theyre sold to buyers mostly in Texas and Oklahoma
and sometimes California all year round.
If I have a late calf, its not critical, he said.
Some we raise to sell the meat, Dave said, since longhorn
meat has less cholesterol and fat, per pound, than the beef you
buy in stores. They build up a clientele.
The other market for longhorn bulls is to sell them to commercial beef breeders.

Six-foot-wide horns

In a visit to the Hodges ranch in November, one can see all his
longhorns have quite a spread of horns. The breed is known for
spreads of 80 inches or more at age 8 or 9; some of Daves animals are national award winners.
In fact, Dave has raised lots of longhorns over the years that
have won national awards several of them national champs in
their class and many second- and third-place finishers.
Theyre pretty spectacular when their horns are over 6 feet

wide, Dave said.

In 1981, the first longhorn in the U.S. to have horns more than
60 inches wide was measured in 1981. His name was Classic.
Dave bought two samples of Classics semen in 1982 to use in
artificial insemination. Back 33 years ago, longhorns whose
horns broke the 40-inch barrier were enshrined into the 40-inch
Club. Now, even Daves yearlings already have horns that wide.
Dave owns Apokaiyo 13, which won second in the nation in
the tip-to-tip (TTT) category for her age at the annual Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America Horn Showcase
held in October this year in Fort Worth, Texas. Apokaiyo was
entered in the Horn Showcase after a satellite horn-measuring
event at the Hodges ranch in early October.
Last year, Daves longhorn Badger 90 was third in the nation in
his class in TTT. Dave has had some sons and daughters of
national champion Top Caliber, which won a title with 86 1/2
inches in TTT.
Dave also once owned Trail Dust, which took most total horn
honors for seven years running, his reign ending this year. Dave
raised Scorpion, Trail Dusts son, which won his class for total
horn in 2014. Auki, a longhorn that Dave raised, was third at
nationals this year.
Most of it is genetics, Dave said of large horn width. Youre
up against people with a lot of money. They buy the biggest
(longhorns) at auctions.
One of the reasons for breeding longhorns is there is never any
problem with calving; they have a zero mortality rate, Dave said.
Dave and Carmen started with Herefords and switched to
Angus cows. Now the focus is strictly on the intriguing longhorns.

Busy in the shop

Dave and Carmen make a living with their sculpting and painting business. Dave creates bronzes of a variety of animals,
including horses and wildlife, and many western subjects. In the
past, they have sold up to 300 pieces of art in a single year. But
the lower market the smaller pieces has dwindled and
most of Daves work is larger bronzes along with his paintings.
Carmen staffs the Hodges Fine Art studio at 122 McLeod St. in
Big Timber Monday-Saturday from spring through fall. The studio is open Tuesday-Friday during the winter.
January 2015

Native Renaissance man

Henry Real Bird talks bucking horses, writing and

an upcoming reenactment for a famous battle

Henry Real Bird talks about his life during a recent interview at Crow Agency.

By Andrew Turck

Montana Best Times

CROW AGENCY Henry Real Bird

is a man who likes to shoot for the top,
whether it be raising and riding bucking
horses, writing poetry, or putting on a
show.
A Crow tribal member, Real Bird grew
up along the Little Bighorn River by Garryowen, at the mouth of the Medicine
Tail Coulee. Decades before his birth,
Curley, a Crow scout from whom many
tribal members claim ancestry, stood near
this coulee as he witnessed the famed
Battle of the Little Bighorn in June 1876,
when Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custers
7th Cavalry met a violent end against the
January 2015

10

combined forces of the Northern Cheyenne, Lakota and Arapaho tribes.

Faith and education

According to Real Bird, two of the

most important elements in his development were faith and education.
To go to church, to pray and to
believe, he said. To know theres a
bigger world than Big Horn County and
the Crow Reservation, and to go beyond
the region here.
Helping him gain knowledge of both
the local and outside world is the fact he
was educated in a string of five educational institutions: Crow Agency Elementary, Hardin High School, Western Mon-

MT Best Times photo by Andrew Turck

tana College, Montana State UniversityBozeman and Montana State UniversityBillings.

As someone who holds education in
high regard, Real Bird obtained a masters degree in general education from
MSU-Billings. He has taught in all levels
from kindergarten through college and
was the interim president of Little Big
Horn College from 2001 to 2002. He has
taught in the Northern Cheyenne Tribal
School, and was the former director for
the Seven Hills Healing Center and Crow
Tribe Head Start.

Raising bucking horses

Real Bird, who describes himself as the

A Native American
volunteer reenactor
rides off with the 7th
Cavalry flag in the
2013 Real Bird
Reenactment following another victorious battle. Real Bird
said many of the
Native reenactors
are picked several
hours before each
event.
Photo by Andrew Turck/
courtesy Big Horn
County News

only Crow living just east of Busby, raises horses for riding and
competitions; he currently has about 70. He has been able to compete in bronc riding at the high school, college, amateur and professional levels. He has had horses that bucked in the National Finals
Rodeo.
He said while working with horses, he learned to avoid hanging
around jackpot rodeos in order to move higher into the world of
competitive riding.
For bucking horses, he said it was important to go with the
bloodline, rather than focusing on just obtaining a good mare. His
main horse is called Bob Barnes, many of whose ancestors have
showed up in the finals of assorted rodeo competitions.
You take care of horses before you take care of yourself, he
said. To know these horses depend on you and then to be a teacher
... everything is built together in life.

tle Bighorn. The bay paints, the strawberry browns and the black,
bull-faced white billy four-stocking horse.
Real Bird has begun to turn his sights toward poetry to inform
readers on the history of the land. Ranches that once bought land
for $1.50 an acre, he said, are now selling it for more than $1,000.
An unknown cowboy was bucked off and buried; I know where
he is, Real Bird said. I know where the last horse from the inception of the reservation days, and the end of counting coups and
stealing horses (is located).
According to Real Bird, one of the last horses to be stolen was
from his grandfather Medicine Crow by Cherries, a Sioux.They
caught (the thief) stealing the horse and said, What is your last
request? Real Bird said. He said, To have tobacco. Then he
smoked tobacco and said, Alright. Then they killed him there on
that spot.

Writing

Battle of the Little Bighorn Reenactment

Real Bird, Montanas Poet Laureate from 2009 to 2011, draws

from everyday life to write both poetry and childrens books. He
has written 12 childrens books and two books of poetry.
Just like yesterday, I was chasing horses in the snow all by
myself, he said. It teaches you to not complain about anything.
Its 110 degrees outside and you still water them. Yesterday, it was
a blizzard outside, and I was taking them out to a better pasture.
He began writing in school starting during the late 1960s. He
said his writing was fostered by living in an isolated state on the
Crow Reservation combined with listening to western-themed
songs from Johnny Horton, Frankie Laine and Johnny Cash on
records and the radio.
He equates poetry to describing the beauty of Mother Earth.
The isolation can get you to zero in on sounds, meter and the
time. Not only that, you can also get it from dreams, he said. In a
dream I saw the horses, the many-colored horses, crossing the Lit-

The Real Bird family happens to still own a famous piece of history: the land where the Battle of the Little Bighorn was fought.
Every June, they hold the Real Bird Reenactment, which draws 7th
Cavalry reenactors from across the country and local Native Americans familiar with horse riding. The reenactment occurs in conjunction with Crow Native Days on the Crow Reservation, which
will likely occur in 2015 on June 25, 26 and 27.
The value is like Plymouth Rock: This is where Custer tried to
cross the Little Bighorn River. Were blessed to have that, Real
Bird said. That stage were at to the base of that hill, thats what
we own. We dont own very much; we only own 80 acres there.
We own the best part.
On the Native American side of the battle, reenactment casting is
often improvisational, with potential Sitting Bulls or Crazy Horses
often showing up about two hours before each show three
See Native Renaissance man, Page 16
January 2015

11

Montana at work
Therapeutic massage:

Powerful tool for recovery

Relieving trigger points key for pain relief says masseuse
Story and photos by Kathleen Gilluly
Montana Best Times

LAUREL Running her own massage business entails

much more than Donna Podolak, a petite and very limber
74-year-old, ever imagined when she attended massage therapy school in Helena 15 years ago.
As the owner of Donnas Massage in Laurel, she performs
the role of bookkeeper, insurance biller, scheduler and masseuse. Podolak also has to keep up with the latest in medically necessary massage, Western massage, Shiatsu, therapeutic
and Swedish massage techniques. On top of those, she also
does hot stone and aroma therapy, pregnancy and post-pregnancy, and neuromuscular and stretch therapies.
That sounds like a lot to juggle, but Podolak takes it in
stride, driven by a dedication to and a natural talent for the
kind of hands-on healing that can change lives.
I get a lot of referrals from doctors who are looking to
help patients with chronic pain, vehicle, and work injuries
and stress, she said. Many people have low-back pain, sciatic pain and headaches. Much of that can be stress related.

Healing hands

Donna Podolak gives a chair massage during the Christmas to Remember Bazaar held at Laurel Middle School on
Dec. 7.
January 2015

12

The wife of a retired rancher, Podolak got into massage

long before she became licensed.
Ive always liked people, and this is an extension of
that, she commented. Someone I knew had a sore foot and
I offered to massage it. It helped so much she suggested I go
into massage as a business.
Before opening in her current location with Chiropractic
Plus, she worked for 10 years at Elite Salon in Laurel and for
several more years at various clinics in Billings. After she
and her husband, Ron, moved to Rockvale, she needed to
find a closer location, and she is very happy to be back in
Laurel.
I grew up in the fields of eastern Nebraska, and we came
here on our honeymoon, Podolak said. Laurel is a great
small town. It offers charm and rolling hills and lots of
pheasants, but we have access to everything a city offers in
Billings.
Laurel is often the destination for folks living in Red
Lodge and Joliet and even Wyoming, who dont want to
fight Billings crowds to shop or get services, so it is a great
central location for Donnas Massage.
Although she loves her work, Podolak would like to retire
within the next few years. But as she said, Someone has to
pay the bills.

Compassionate care

Podolaks work also keeps her in good shape and gives her the
energy of a much more youthful person.
Stretching is so vital to health, she said. Stretching makes
older people younger.
As she demonstrated, breathing in sync with stretching is also
important.
Always stretch on the exhale, she coached.
Another tip Podolak offered for people tied to a desk is to look
up at the ceiling often to prevent neck and shoulder pain caused
by repetitive posture.
I really specialize in pain, she said. I do lots of neuro-muscular therapy, working with nerves in the muscles to release trigger points. People who have been in an accident often have 100
or more trigger points that cause severe pain.
Generally those massages are deep tissue, but she also utilizes
Shiatsu for structural dysfunction.
Shiatsu uses acupressure points. Its also good for detoxification because it is cleansing, she explained. Shiatsu can actually
move bones back into alignment.
Most people get a massage to help them unwind and relax.
They dont realize some of the other benefits, Podolak said. In
addition to pain and stress, massage can be helpful for stiff joints,
grief and emotional issues like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD).
Ask yourself, What is your pain costing you? Close your

Podolak is pictured at her desk at her business, Donnas

Massage, in Laurel.
eyes and envision what you would like to be doing, she
advised.
Donnas Massage may be reached at (406) 861-7839, or visit
Chiropractic Plus at 104 E. First St. in Laurel. More information
is available at www.donnasmassagetherapymt.com.
Reach Kathleen Gilluly at schools@laureloutlook.com or (406)
628-4412.

How to prevent forgetting a name in seven easy steps

By Molly Raisch and Nina Elias
Prevention magazine/TNS
Weve all done it. Someone calls out your name as youre running errands and the moment you turn to reply, your mind goes
completely blank. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. You couldnt remember
her name if your life depended on it, so you simply reply with a
generic (and embarrassing), Hey ... you! Heres how to never
let it happen again.
1. Dont stress.
When youre introduced to someone new, avoid thinking, Im
terrible with names, Im never going to remember this, says
memory trainer Jon Keith. Stress interferes with memory, so if
youre anxious, youre going to have trouble cementing someones name into your brain.
2. Observe your surroundings.
When you meet someone new, take special note of your environment, from the wall color to the view outside the window. The
reason: visual cues will help commit the people you meet to your
long-term memory, says Keith.
3. Listen closely.
This sounds obvious, but I cant tell you how many people
dont make sure they accurately hear someones entire name,
says Keith. Since you often meet new people in noisy environments, like at cocktail parties and in loud restaurants, its crucial
to make sure you get it right.
4. Take a Z-scan.
Keith recommends imagining drawing a Z over a new persons face in your head. This will allow you to take note of her

features, like bright blue eyes or a megawatt smile, helping you

marry the association of her name to her face.
5. Spell it out.
Dont worry if you dont actually know the spelling of the
name; this exercise is just one more visual cue to help you associate the person with her name. And if the name is difficult to spell,
dont be afraid to ask, says Gary Small, MD, director of the
UCLA Longevity Center. Even type it on your smartphone
anything that helps you see it in your minds eye.
6. Put it on repeat.
Once someone gives you her name, instantly repeat it in a,
Nice to meet you, Jason context. Then, as you continue to
exchange pleasantries, find ways to slip their name into conversation several more times before she walks away, suggests Small.
7. Have a partner in crime.
Keep your significant other or friend nearby, and introduce him
to the person youve just met. Chances are, your new acquaintance will reintroduce herself, giving you an extra opportunity to
hear her name and make the connection, says Small. (This trick
also works if youve already forgotten the name.)
... But, what if its too late?
If you run into someone whose name youve forgotten, start
with an enthusiastic, Hi, how are you? Distract the conversation away from your brain fart by asking questions: What
was their week like? Whats new at work? Once you start
talking, you may remember details about that persons life,
even if you dont remember her name, explains Small. And
isnt having a meaningful conversation the most important
part?
January 2015

13

Travel

Well-mannered Charleston
& Wild Dunes Resort

Shown is an aerial view of Middleton Place Plantation, a National Historic Landmark.

By Kathy Witt

KathyWitt.com/MCT

Founded in 1680 as Charles Town, Charleston is South Carolinas oldest city and famous for its aggressively preserved architecture, white-glove good manners and abundance of historic
treasures, many of them tucked out of view. But you can see
these and anything else youve got your heart set on when you
visit; Charleston loves to show off its charms.
Walk through the doors of the Charleston Library Society, the
oldest cultural institution in the South and the third oldest circulating library in the U.S., and enjoy some leisurely browse time
among the stacks. Among the collections are letters from George
Washington and DuBose Heywards handwritten manuscript of
Porgy. With advance notice, you can go behind-the-scenes and
into the vault to see Colonial-era newspapers; the library has
January 2015

14

Photo courtesy Middleton Place Plantation/MCT

every colonial newspaper dating back to 1732, the year after the
printing press arrived in Charles Town.
Whereas the late Printer of this Gazette hath been deprived of
his Life, by an unhappy Accident, I take this Opportunity of
informing the Publick, that I shall continue the said Paper as usual ... Elizabeth Timothy the first woman printer and publisher
in America and one cited by Benjamin Franklin for her business
management style wrote in The South-Carolina Gazette on
Jan. 4, 1739, upon taking over the newspaper from her deceased
husband. Whereas I flatter my self, that all Persons . . . will be
kindly pleased to continue their Favors and good Offices to his
poor afflicted Widow and six small Children and another hourly
expected.
The steward for gems like this is bookbinder Brien Beidler,
responsible for overseeing the repair and conservation of priceless

tomes dating to the 15th century. Beidler

writes about some of his favorite discoveries on his blog, www.BrienBeidler.com: a
book bound with a pre-15th century medieval music manuscript; An easy Method
of detecting counterfeited Paper Currency
from the late 18th century; and a record of
the first bookbinder mentioned in a city
directory Charles Morgan of Charleston
(1782). Finding these historical documents
online is an unexpected treat; seeing them
in person and perhaps even holding them
in your hands is like touching the past.
Hidden away in the massive spread of
gardens at Middleton Place Plantation,
home to Americas oldest landscaped gardens are visually stunning garden
rooms visitors simply happen upon as they
stroll the grounds. Accented with graceful
statuary, these rooms invite quiet reflection and inspire photographers both casual
and professional to capture the symmetry
and intricacies of the landscape. No matter
the season, something is always abloom
centuries-old camellias in winter; azaleas in spring; magnolias, crape myrtles,
roses and more in summer and fall. Flora
scents the air year-round; especially intoxicating in early fall is the delicate, sometimes elusive aroma of the blooming Fragrant Tea Olive trees.
In addition to the 65 acres of gardens,
there is much to see at this National Historic Landmark situated on the Ashley
River. The House Museum narrates the
story of the Henry Middleton family and
the slaves and freedmen who served it
through original portraits, furniture and
family belongings going back several generations to 1755. In one room, a silken
copy of the Declaration of Independence
(Arthur Middleton was a signatory) and
South Carolinas Ordinance of Succession
(signed by Arthurs grandson, Williams
Middleton) hang on opposite sides of a
wall. In another, a ladys busy box hints at
a homey slice of life long before electronics entered the picture. Family portraits by
Benjamin West, known for his historical
American Revolution-era paintings, are
also in the museum.
Visitors may take a guided tour of the
house; tour the gardens by foot or by carriage; see the ruins of the main house and
North Flanker burned by Union soldiers
just before the end of the Civil War; watch
a blacksmithing, weaving, spinning or other demonstration in the Stableyards; visit a
freedmans residence, circa 1870; browse
the thoughtfully stocked gift shop; dine on
traditional Lowcountry fare (she-crab

soup, catfish stew, shrimp and grits) in the

restaurant; and even overnight at the
55-room Inn at Middleton overlooking the
tidal river where the rice plantation culture
once flourished.
Tucked away from the busyness of
Charleston is Isle of Palms, a barrier island
bordered by beaches and marsh creeks and
home to Wild Dunes Resort, a pretty, pastel-colored idyll ringed by palm trees.
Staying here gives visitors to this part of
South Carolina a chance to experience the
best of both worlds: the cultured charm of
Charleston and the more relaxed vibe of
island living.
Choose a beach condo; a studio, suite or
even penthouse at the AAA Four Diamond-rated Village at Wild Dunes; or a
room or suite at the oceanfront AAA Four
Diamond Boardwalk Inn. At the heart of
the resort is Village Plaza where youll
find a grocery market, fitness center, Sand
and Sea Spa and casual dining hotspots,
the Lettered Olive and, a short walk away,
the open-air ocean-side eatery Grand
Pavilion Cafe & Bar.
More formal dining is offered at the Sea
Island Grill, located in the Boardwalk Inn
and where Chef Jeff Miller performs
nightly culinary magic with Lowcountry
cuisine for seasonally inspired dishes:
South Carolina moonshine tuna, truffle
popcorn crusted scallops with sweet potato
peanut puree, grilled Denver steak with
black truffle croquette.
You can be as lazy or active as you like
at the resort, enjoying one (or more) of its
four swimming pools and attendant
poolside service water sports on the
Intracoastal waterway, tennis, golf, biking,
fishing even a cruise on a covered pontoon boat to explore Capers Island where
youll sit down to a cookout prepared for
you on the beach. Of course, you cant beat
a day spent at the spa, and the Sand and
Sea Spa offers several treatments steeped
in scents reminiscent of the elements of the
Lowcountry: earth, sun and fresh air.

If you go

Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, www.CharlestonCVB.com,

(843) 853-8000.
Charleston Library Society, www.
charlestonlibrarysociety.org. Brien Beidler,
director of the Bindery, teaches workshops
on the art of the book, including bookbinding courses. There are currently no workshops scheduled, although Beidler is planning one for January 2015. Check the website for dates and times. In the meantime,

Above: Bookbinder Brien Beidler works

in the bindery at the Charleston Library
Society. Photo courtesy Charleston Library

Society/MCT

Below: Charlestons Caviar and

Bananas is an upscale specialty food
destination. Photo courtesy Caviar and
Bananas/MCT

visit www.BrienBeidler.com to see Beidlers

most recent finds from the archives.
Middleton Place Plantation, www.
MiddletonPlace.org.
Wild Dunes Resort, www.WildDunes.
com. Come One, Come Fall offers 20 percent off nightly rates for stays in the Boardwalk Inn and Village at Wild Dunes and
select vacation homes and condos through
Dec. 31, 2014. Arrive on Sunday through
Wednesday and also receive a $25 dinner
credit per day. See website for details and
for information about other packages.
EDITORS NOTE: Author, travel and
lifestyle writer, and travel goods expert
Kathy Witt feels you should never get to
the end of your bucket list; theres just too
much to see and do in the world. She can
be reached at KathyWitt24@gmail.com or
KathyWitt.com.
January 2015

15

Native Renaissance man, from Page 11

shows in total where they receive their instructions.
Cavalry reenacts set up camp nearby and are taught horse riding
and equipment maintenance through the weekend by Keith Herrin,
a full-time cavalry instructor for the National Guard whose previous work includes teaching the Iraqi Army combat techniques and
working with two Special Forces units in Afghanistan on mule
packing. Herrin has worked in the reenactment for more than a
decade, and Real Bird said he is scheduled to return for this year.
The script, Real Bird said, is also constantly changing and
improvisational.
The Hardin Chamber of Commerce usually holds a second reenactment the Little Big Horn Days Reenactment about 25
miles away near Hardin in conjunction with the Real Bird event,
leading to the sometimes-used joke that Custer dies six times that
weekend. However, the Little Big Horn Days skirmish was canceled for this year due to financial constraints.
Real Bird said he hopes to work with the chamber for 2015 to
promote his event.
We still want to be part of the deal, because were all here
together, Real Bird said. We all need each other.
Reach Andrew Turck at news@bighorncountynews.com or (406)
665-1008.
Right: 7th Cavalry reenactors oil up their saddles after participating in the 2013 Real Bird Reenactment in Crow Agency. A
full-time cavalry instructor for the National Guard has been
giving behind-the-scenes training to the participants for more
than a decade.
Photo by Andrew Turck/courtesy Bighorn County News

File photo by David Larsen/courtesy Big Horn County News

Riders for the 2014 Real Bird Reenactment takes horses through the Little Bighorn River before leading them to a hilled enclosure. Much of Real Birds work and writing revolves around raising about 70 bucking horses on the Crow Reservation.
January 2015

16

y
k
S
g
Bi
Birding
Terry McEneaney is ornithologist emeritus for Yellowstone National Park, and is the author of three books: Birding Montana, Birds of
Yellowstone, and The Uncommon Loon. He has been watching birds for 50 years and is one of Montanas most experienced birders.

How the Dabchick, Waterwitch and

Helldiver became the Pied-billed Grebe
EDITORS NOTE:
Montana Best Times
has been featuring
some of the fascinating adventures Terry
McEneaney had
when he was Yellowstone National Parks
ornithologist. Following is another
excerpt from a new book he is writing,
Lucky Feathers: Adventures and Experiences of a Yellowstone Ornithologist.
The word grebe is of French origin and
refers to a particular type of diving bird
possessing a very reduced tail, unique flat
lobate feet with flat nails, and satin-like
breast feathers. Grebes comprise a single
family, Podicipedidae, of the order Podicipediformes. The Latin name podiceps
literally means arsefeet, which is in reference to the feet being positioned very
close to its posterior.
There are approximately 22 species of
grebes in the world, usually placed in five
genera: Aechmophorus (the western grebe
group), Podiceps (general grebe group),
Podilymbus (the pied-billed grebe group),
Rollandia (Rollands and short-winged
grebe group), and Tachybaptus (dabchicks
group).
The Podilymbus, or Pied-billed Grebe
group, is represented only by two species
the smaller Pied-billed Grebe (P.
podiceps) and the much larger, now
extinct Atitlan Grebe (P. gigas). Both species ranges are found only in the Americas, with the Pied-billed Grebe found in
both North and South America, while the
Atitlan Grebe was restricted and endemic
to and last seen on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala in the mid-1980s. The word pied is

Photo by Mike Weimer/courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Pictured A Pied-billed Grebe in winter plumage. Note also the lack of a pied-colored or black and white bill in the winter. The birds acquire the pied-colored bill
primarily during the summer and breeding months. When the grebes are about to
crash-dive, only the tail, and the head and neck are visible before they submerge.
in reference to their black ring on a white
bill, thus two-toned or pied in color.
Specialized, feather-type arrangements
allow grebes to display ornate headdresses
during courtship displays. But the specialized satin-like qualities of the feathers of
the breast allow grebe to dive differently
from most birds. This satiny finish to the

breast feathers is due to their loose feather

structure, which is comprised of only one
in every two or three barbules on the inner
barb clinging to the next barb. These odd
barbules are spirally coiled when dry, but
when wet they straighten out and are
quickly waterlogged, thus allowing fast
submarine diving and periscoping.
January 2015

17

Courtesy of Terry McEneaney

Above: Shown is Terry McEneaneys illustration of a Piedbilled Grebe shallow surfacing only to get air, then resuming
underwater swimming to avoid detection by predators.
Below: McEneaneys illustration of a Pied-billed Grebe swimming with only its head out of water, also know as periscoping. This unusual behavior allows grebes to escape threats
such as those posed by predators and people.

podiceps), for instance, had a litany of common English names

ranging from Dabchick, Waterwitch, Dipper, and Didapper to
Helldiver, Little Diver, Little Grebe and Carolina Grebe. The
current day Pied-billed Grebe was first described as a Carolina
Grebe under the genus Colymbus by Linnaeus based on a type
specimen collected in South Carolina in 1758, and later described
and changed to a Podilymbus grebe by Lesson in 1831.
The term dabchick, for instance, most likely originated from
a dual description encapsulated into one, such as to this birds dipping or dabbing diving behavior coupled with its diminutive or
mite size. The term waterwitch, on the other hand, is perplexing but most likely is in reference to its ability to disappear in
front of even the most keen observers eyes, but most importantly, the speed in which they dive.
Yet at the same time the Pied-billed Grebe can produce some
very exotic sounds, which suggests the magical or mysterious
qualities of this bird, which could suggest a witchs laugh. They
have both a wailing call and a rattle call, and if you are not familiar with either one of these sounds, they can startle and scare the
living daylights out of you. The wailing call can extend up to 15
seconds in length and is slightly slower of the two calls with a
series of loud who, who, who, quat, quat, quat, quat, quat, quat,
quat, quat, quat, quat, quat, quat notes. The rattle call is much
shorter and up to 12 seconds in length and faster, almost with
machine gun-like speed consisting of loud kuk, kuk, kuk, kuk,
kuk, kuk, kuk, kuk, kuk, kuk, kuk, kuk, kuk, kuk, kuk, kuk, kuk,
kuk, kuk, kuk notes.

Strange diving behaviors

Reducing residual air from the air sacs throughout the body
also assists this bird in diving fast. And it is the speed with which
these grebes can submerge without forming a ripple at times that
earned this bird several odd names.

Name origins, exotic sounds

Before the days of bird books, birds acquired common names

primarily through legend and folklore. Oftentimes these bird
names were handed down over generations provided by native
peoples or gunners/waterfowl hunters who experienced these
birds up close and personal. The Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus

But the odd common name helldiver in reference to the Piedbilled Grebe, where did that come from? It can only be speculated, but its theorized the term refers to the Pied-billed Grebes
very strange but quick diving behaviors.
For instance, to escape danger it can crash-dive, which involves
quickly sinking the breast first in the water to a point that the last
thing one sees before it is completely underwater is only its head
and tail. As the bird goes straight down, it could be suggestive of
going straight to nowhere, going to hell. It also can perform a
gradual sinking behavior, where it remains stationary on a pond
or lake without leaving a wake and then slowly submarines or
submerges, with only its head above water.
So at times, while swimming with only its head exposed, it can
resemble what appears to be the head of a swimming snake or
mouse. When really alarmed and trying to escape a predatory
threat, Pied-billed Grebes will travel in excess of 100 feet underwater, only to bring the stealthy bill barely to the surface of the
water to get air and then swim further on underwater. Once they
reach the safety of emergent vegetation, they hide from predators
by keeping a low profile until the immediate threat is gone.
So the next time you are on a pond or small lake surrounded by
cattail or bulrush, keep a lookout for an odd-looking arsefoot of a
bird. And you can tell whoever is with you how the dabchick,
waterwitch and helldiver became the Pied-billed Grebe.

More short stories from Lucky Feathers: Adventures and Experiences of a Yellowstone Ornithologist, will be featured in forthcoming issues
of Montana Best Times. In the meantime, enjoy Montana birds! And the Best of Big Sky Birding to you!
Bird watching questions may be sent to Terry McEneaney by writing to 1215 Lolo St., Missoula, MT 59802; emailing terry@ravenidiot.com; or visiting
www.yellowstonewildlifeguides.com or www.ravenidiot.com. If questions are mailed, include a phone number at which you can be reached.

January 2015

18

RSVP
Gallatin County

Below is a list of volunteer openings available through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) in
communities across southern Montana. To learn more about RSVP, call (800) 424-8867 or TTY (800) 833-3722;
or log on to www. seniorcorps.org.

- American Cancer Society-Road to

Recovery: Drivers needed for patients
receiving treatments from their home to the
hospital
- American Red Cross Blood Drive: Two
volunteer opportunities available: an
ambassador needed to welcome, greet,
thank and provide overview for blood
donors; and phone team volunteers needed
to remind, recruit or thank blood donors.
Excellent customer service skills needed,
training will be provided, flexible schedule.
- Befrienders: Befriend a senior; visit on a
regular weekly basis.
- Belgrade Senior Center: Meals on
Wheels needs regular and substitute drivers, beforenoon, MondayFriday, to deliver meals to seniors.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters: Be a positive
role model for only a few hours each week.
- Bozeman and Belgrade Sacks Thrift
Stores: Need volunteers 2-3 hour shifts on
any day,Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m.-6
p.m.
- Bozeman Deaconess Hospital: Volunteers
needed for the information desks in the Atrium and the Perk,8 a.m. to noon,noon to 4
p.m.
- Bozeman Senior Center Foot Clinic:
Retired or nearly retired nurses are urgently
needed, 2 days a month, either 4- or 8-hour
shifts.
- Community Caf: Volunteer needed, 2-3
hours at the beginning and end of the
month, to enter computer data into Excel
spreadsheets.
- Galavan: Volunteer drivers neededMonday-Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. CDL required
and Galavan will assist you in obtaining
one. Also volunteers are needed to make
reminder calls and confirm rides for the following day.
- Gallatin Rest Home: Volunteers wanted
for visiting the residents, sharing your
knowledge of a craft, playing cards or reading to a resident.
- Gallatin Valley Food Bank: Volunteers
needed to deliver commodities to seniors in
their homes once a month. Deliveries in
Belgrade are especially needed.
-Gallatin Valley Food Bank Huffing For
Stuffing: Volunteers needed for race registration and water tables.
- HRDC Housing Department Ready to
Rent: Offering a comprehensive curriculum
for families and individuals who have rental barriers such as lack of poor rental history, property upkeep, renter responsibilities,
landlord/tenant communication and financial priorities. Call or email Kate at 5854856 or readytorent@thehrdc.org for more
information.

- HRDC Vita Program: Volunteer Income

Tax Assistance Program: Volunteers needed
to help with paperwork beginning at the
end of January, training provided.
- Habitat for Humanity Restore: Belgrade
store needs volunteers for general help,
sorting donations and assisting customers.
- Heart of The Valley: Compassionate volunteers especially needed to love, play with
and cuddle cats.
- Help Center: Computer literate volunteer
interested in entering data into a social services database. Also volunteers needed to
make phone calls to different agencies/programs to make sure database is up to date
and make safety calls to home bound
seniors.
- Jessie Wilber Gallery at The Emerson:
Volunteers needed on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays to greet people at the
main desk, answer questions and keep track
the number of visitors.
- Museum of the Rockies: Variety of
opportunities available such as helping in
the gift shop and more.
- RSVP Handcrafters: Volunteers to quilt,
knit, crochet and embroider hats for chemo
patients, baby blankets and other handmade
goods once a week (can work from home).
-Three Forks Food Bank:Volunteer needed on Mondays and/orThursdaysto help
with administrative duties, including
answer phones and questions, some paper
and computer work. They will train.
- Warming Center: Volunteers are needed
for overnight shifts at the center, training is
provided.
- Your unique skills and interests are needed, without making a long-term commitment, in a variety of ongoing, special, onetime events.
Contact: Debi Casagranda, RSVP Program Coordinator, 807 N. Tracy, Bozeman,
MT 59715; phone(406) 587-5444;
fax(406) 582-8499; email: dcasagranda@
thehrdc.org.

Park County

- Big Brothers Big Sisters: Mentor and

positive role model to a boy or girl, one
hour a week. Also needed is a Community
Program Mentor, who matches children and
adults to find that perfect fit for both.
- City of Livingston: Needs volunteers to
help with mailings and other work stations
that do require standing and walking.
- Fix-It-Brigade: Needs volunteers of all
skill levels for 2-hour tasks on your schedule to help seniors or veterans with small
home repairs, such as changing a light bulb,
shoveling snow, or weatherization.
- Links for Learning: Help needed with
1st- through 5th-graders, one hour a week

on Tuesday or Wednesday, after school,

with reading, homework, or playing games.
- Livingston Health and Rehab: Activity
volunteers needed weekends for bingo callers and movie showings, Monday through
Friday, 9-11 a.m.; for coffee and reading the
local news, Tuesdays and Thursdays 7 p.m.
movie night.
- Loaves and Fishes and/or Food Pantry:
Many volunteer opportunities available.
- RSVP: Volunteers to give people rides to
doctor or other appointments.
- RSVP Handcrafters: Volunteers to knit
and crochet caps and scarves for each child
at Head Start, also as gifts for children of
prenatal classes, Thursdays at 1 p.m. at the
Senior Center. Also needed: donated fabric
(a yard or more pieces) for projects for prenatal nursing classes which include nursing
capes and baby care packages for new
mothers.
- Senior Center Main Streeter Thrift Store:
Someone who enjoys working with the
public. Come help greet customers, ring up
purchases, tag and hang clothes and accept
donations.
- Shane Center: Friendly volunteers needed to greet, answer questions and show
people around the center on Tuesdays and
Fridays. Also a need for volunteers to
research the old East Side School building,
collecting stories and finding pictures of
past teachers, students and the building
itself.
- Shopko Santa Senior Christmas Tree Gift tags are on the tree for local elderly in
need.
- Stafford Animal Shelter: Volunteers
needed to play with the cats and kittens,
and to walk the dogs.
- Yellowstone Gateway Museum: Volunteers needed for a variety of exciting projects.
- Various other agencies are in need of
your unique skills and help in a variety of
ongoing and one-time special events,
including help with mailings needed.
Contact: Deb Downs, Program Coordinator, 206 So. Main St., Livingston, MT
59047; phone (406) 222-8181; email: debdowns@rsvpmt.org

Fergus & Judith Basin counties

- America Reads program: Local schools

need reading tutors.
- Boys and Girls Club and Local School:
Need volunteers to serve as tutors.
- Community Cupboard (Food Bank): volunteers are needed to help any week mornings as well as with deliveries.
- Council on Aging: volunteers needed to
assist at the Senior Center (Grub Steaks)
See RSVP, Page 21
January 2015
19

On The Menu

With Jim Durfey

Get crazy like Vincent van Gogh

Although the recipe for the chicken dish below
wont give you hallucinations, some say the same
cant be said for an ingredient in the cocktail recipe
near the bottom of the page. More in a minute on
the liquor absinthe and its alleged effect on ones
ability to reason.
A chicken thats stuffed in an unconventional
manner is fowl fit for a king. The chicken recipe
below directs the cook to prepare a filling and then
stuff it in between the skin and the meat of the bird.
None of the filling goes in the chest cavity of the
chicken. This is your Best Times recipe contributors favorite way to dine on chicken.
Although the stuffing process may seem a bit

tedious, its worth the time and effort.

Absinthe is an anise-flavored liquor that is 45 percent to 74 percent alcohol. Both Edgar Allen Poe
and Vincent van Gogh were rumored to have been
driven insane by their over-indulgence of that particular spirit.
Absinthe was at one time banned for many
years in the United States because it was thought
to be an hallucinogenic. Due to the high alcohol
content of absinthe, it should definitely be treated with care.
However, enjoyed in moderation, the cocktails
made from the recipes below will please the palate
without affecting ones grasp of reality.

Under the Skin Stuffed Chicken

4 garlic cloves (minced)
5 tbsp. olive oil, divided
4 c. ricotta (whole-milk, preferably fresh, about 2 lbs.)
2 large eggs (lightly beaten)
1 c. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
1/4 c. fresh oregano, chopped
1/4 c. flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 whole chickens, about 3 1/2 lbs. each

Preheat oven to 400 with racks in middle and lower third.

Cook garlic in oil in a small heavy skillet over medium-low
heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about one
minute. Transfer to bowl and stir in ricotta, eggs, Parmigiano
Reggiano, herbs, half teaspoon salt, and quarter teaspoon
pepper.
Cut out backbones from chickens with kitchen shears. Pat
chickens dry. Spread chickens flat, skin sides up, on cutting
board. Cut half inch slit on each side of chicken in center of
triangle of skin between thigh and breast, near drumstick.
Tuck knob of each drumstick through slit. Sprinkle each
chicken with 3/4 teaspoon salt and half teaspoon pepper and
spread chickens flat, skin sides up, in oiled large, shallow
baking pan. Gently slide finger between skin and flesh of
breast and legs of one chicken to loosen skin (be careful not
to tear skin). Using small spoon, slide 2/3 cup ricotta mixture
under skin, using finger on outside of skin to spread filling
over meat of breast, thighs, and drumsticks. Tuck wing tips
under. Stuff second chicken in same manner. Brush skin of
chickens all over with two tablespoons oil and sprinkle each
with 3/4 teaspoon salt and half teaspoon pepper.
Spoon remaining filling into an oiled one-quart shallow
baking dish 10 x 10.
January 2015

20

Bake chickens in middle of oven 30 minutes, then put dish

of stuffing in oven on lower rack. Continue baking until
chicken is just cooked through and an instant-read
thermometer inserted into thickest part of a thigh (through
stuffing; do not touch bone) registers 170 and until gratin is
puffed and golden, about 30 minutes more. Let chickens
stand 10 minutes, then cut each into quarters. Serve with
gratin.

The Swamp Thing

1 oz. light rum
1/2 oz. absinthe
1/4 oz. lime juice
1/4 oz. simple syrup
2 slices cucumber (quartered)

Combine first four ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice.

Shake well. Pour into cocktail glass with ice. Add cucumber
slices for garnish. Note: simple syrup is half sugar and half
water that is stirred and boiled until sugar dissolves.

The Dandy Lion

3 slices cucumber (2 peeled, 1 slice for garnish, unpeeled)
1/2 oz. absinthe
2 oz. gin
3/4 oz. lemon juice
3/4 oz. simple syrup
4 oz. tonic water (chilled)

Put two slices peeled cucumber, absinthe, gin, lemon juice

and simple syrup in blender. Blend well. Pour into cocktail
glass with ice cubes. Add tonic water. Stir well. Place
unpeeled cucumber slice on rim of glass for garnish.

January 2015 Calendar

 Thursday, January 1
Ice Skating at Bannack State Park,

through Feb. 28, Dillon

 Saturday, January 3

New Years Moonlight Fun Run,

Ponderosa Show Warriors Clubhouse,

Lincoln

 Friday, January 9

Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy

Troupe, through Jan. 10, Big Sky
Great Rockies Sportshow, through Jan.

11, Metrapark, Billings

 Sunday, January 11
Take Six A Cappella Performance, 7:30

p.m., Warren Miller Performing Arts

Center, Gallatin Gateway

 Thursday, January 15
Winter Film Festival, Thursdays through
Feb. 5, Lewis and Clark Interpretive
Center, Great Falls

 Friday, January 16
Fun Run Sled Dog Races, through Jan.

 Saturday, January 17
Sno-ball and Sno-bar, through Jan. 24,

Big Sky Mountain Village, Big Sky

 Monday, January 19
Martin Luther King Jr. Film Festival,

Myrna Loy Center, Helena

 Saturday, January 24
Billings Symphony: Family Concert:
Peter and the Wolf, Alberta Bair Theater,

Billings

17, West Yellowstone

RSVP, from Page 19

and with home delivered meals and senior transportation.
- Library and Art Center: Volunteer help always appreciated.
- ROWL (Recycle Our Waste Lewistown): Recruiting volunteers
for the 3rd Saturday of the month to help sorting, baling and loading
recyclables
- Treasure Depot: thrift store needs volunteers to sort, hang clothes
and put other items on display for sale.
- Always have various needs for your skills and volunteer services
in our community.
Contact: RSVP Coordinator Sara Wald, 404 W. Broadway, Wells
Fargo Bank building (upstairs), Lewistown, MT 59457; phone (406)
535-0077; email: rsvplew@midrivers.com.

Musselshell, Golden Valley & Petroleum counties

- America Reads: Tutor students in the important skill of reading.

Other tutoring is intertwined with this program.
- Food Bank: Distribute food commodities to seniors and others in
the community; help unload the truck as needed.
- Meals on Wheels Program: Deliver meals to the housebound in
the community, just one day a week, an hour and a half, meal provided.
- Nursing Home: Pianoplayers and singers neededon Fridays to
entertain residents, alsoassistant needed in activities for residents to
enrich supported lifestyle.
- School Lunch Program: Help serve and supervise children in the
lunch room, meal provided.
- Senior Bus: Volunteers to pickup folks whom are unable to drive
themselves.
- Senior Center: Volunteers are needed to provide meals, clean up
in the dining room and/or keep records; meal provided.
- RSVP offers maximum flexibility and choice to its volunteers as
it matches the personal interests and skills of older Americans with
opportunities to serve their communities. You choose how and where
to serve. Volunteering is an opportunity to learn new skills, make
friends and connect with your community.
Contact: Amanda Turley, South Central MT RSVP, 315 1/2 Main
St., Ste. #1, Roundup, MT 59072; phone (406) 323-1403; fax (406)

323-4403; email: rdprsvp2@midrivers.com ; Facebook: South Central MT RSVP.

Custer & Rosebud counties

- Clinic Ambassador: Need volunteer to greet patients and visitors,

providing directions and more.
- Custer County Food Bank: Volunteers needed for food distribution Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
- Custer County Network Against Domestic Violence: Crisis line
volunteer needed.
- Historic Miles City Academy: Volunteers needed to assist in thrift
store and maintenance.
- Holy Rosary Health Care: Volunteer receptionists needed at the
front desk.
- Kircher School: Volunteer to deliver lunches from Miles City to
school, 2-3 times per week, lunch provided and mileage paid.
- St. Vincent DePaul: Volunteers to assist in several different capacities.
- WaterWorks Art Museum: Volunteer receptionists needed, 2 hour
shifts Tuesdays-Sundays.
If you are interested in these or other volunteer opportunities please
contact: Betty Vail, RSVP Director; 210 Winchester Ave. #225, MT
59301; phone (406) 234-0505; email: rsvp05@midrivers.com.

Dawson County

- Local Farm to Table Store: Someone to help in and during store

hours, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
- RSVP Program: Looking to establish Telephone Reassurance
program entailing volunteers (needed) calling shut-ins on a regular
basis to check on their welfare.
- Volunteers needed and interested in receiving tax training and
assisting seniors with completion of their returns. Training is provided through AARP Taxaide program.
- If you have a need for or a special interest or desire to volunteer
somewhere in the community, please contact: Patty Atwell, RSVP
Director, 604 Grant, Glendive, MT 59330; phone (406) 377-4716;
email: rsvp@midrivers.com.
January 2015

21

By Bill Sones and Rich Sones, Ph.D.

Send STRANGE questions to brothers Bill and Rich at strangetrue@cs.com

One of the most useful

in

bullet holes

Q. What was one of the most useful

bullet holes in human history? Not
pretty, not painless but curiously
educational.

A. It was 1822, and Dr. William

Beaumont was tending a patient whod
been accidentally shot in the stomach, as
reported in National Geographics
Ultimate Bodypedia, by Christina
Wilsdon, et al. Even though the wound
healed, the man was left with a small hole
on his left side. Call it a stomach
peephole, if you will, because Beaumont
used it as an opportunity to watch bodily
processes at work: He tied different types
of food to bits of string and lowered them
in through the hole, noting the results. The
doctor and subject worked together for 10
years.
It sounds gross (and it was), but
Beaumonts research revealed how
digestion worked. Before his discovery, it
was believed that food was digested by
rotting inside the stomach, like garbage
dumped in a pit.
Q. Whos been snooping into peoples
bedrooms lately? Clue: Think sports,
hard play and lots of big money.

A. Instead of snooping, make that

digitally tracking, as more and more
firms, including sports teams, are
electronically following their employees at
work, rest, and play, says Aviva Rutkin in
New Scientist magazine. Consider the
Dallas Mavericks, whose management
believes that if you sleep hard, you can
play hard. So this team and other
basketball, football, soccer and ice hockey
teams in the U.S. have begun monitoring
their players sleep habits in bed. The
Mavericks were the first to make their
players wear a wristband-like smart patch
called Readiband to keep track of body
temperature, movement and heart rate.
Players were also able to access their sleep
score at the push of a button.
January 2015

22

human
history

The idea is that the data lets team

coaches see how sleep affects
performance. They can then adjust training
regimes or travel arrangements to
maximize their players sleep quality.
Q. Why might you want to shave your
eyebrows? Is this some new fad or
what?

A. Do you really want to sacrifice your

eyes natural barrier to sweat, rain or other
unwanted moisture running down into
them? You want clear vision, dont you?
asks Matt Sonick in Mental Floss
magazine. Your brows are also facilitators
of nonverbal communication. Scientists
who study facial expressions say eyebrows
are key to expressing happiness, surprise
and anger. Theyre especially useful to
speakers of sign language, who contort
their eyebrows to complement hand
signals. And much more. Theyre an ID
card of sorts, standing out against the
forehead and clearly visible from a
distance. Nor do they change much over
time--staying locked in as your own
personal signature.
In a 2003 study at M.I.T., when people
were shown two pictures of Richard Nixon
one with the eyes erased and another
with the eyebrows removed they had
more trouble identifying Nixon and other
celebrities when the brow was bald. The
takeaway? If youre going undercover,
forget the sunglasses. Shave your
eyebrows instead.
Q. Try to name the celebrity common
denominator here: Orson Welles,
Virginia Woolf, Robert Redford,
Rihanna Fenty, Eleanor Roosevelt,
Steve McQueen and Harper Lee?
A. They all adopted their middle names
as their first names, dropping (in order)
George, Adeline, Charles, Robyn, Anna,
Terence and Nelle, reports Sean
Hutchinson in Mental Floss magazine.
The phrase middle name first appeared

in 1835 in Harvard Universitys

Harvardiana, though the practice dates
back to ancient times. The three-name
structure used today began in the Middle
Ages when Europeans were torn between
giving their child a saints name or a
common family name. By World War I,
U.S. enlistment forms were including
official space for a middle name.
Q. In what highly singular
biotechnological sense can Vincent van
Goghs severed ear still hear?

A. Certainly nothing can bring back the

reportedly self-severed left ear of the
Dutch artist who gave us dazzling
paintings like The Starry Night and
Still Life: Vase with Twelve Sunflowers,
says IEEE Spectrum magazine. But
continued fascination with the missing
appendage, combined with the latest in
bioengineering, has led to another work of
art: a 3-D printed replica of van Goghs
ear generated from tissue taken from a
descendant of van Goghs brother Theo.
At an exhibition at the Center for Art
and Media in Karlsruhe, Germany, artist
Diemut Strebe featured this replica--and it
can even hear. It picks up sound with a
built-in microphone and software that
simulates auditory nerves. In this strange
sense, van Goghs ear lives on.
Q. Eyewitness testimony is one thing,
but what if you dont actually see a
criminal perpetrator but just hear his
or her voice. Whats one of the more
unusual features to come out of such
ear-witness testimony?
A. Telling male from female voices is
common, as are getting tips on age,
linguistic accent, region of origin and so
forth. But one of the more surprising
aspects of voice revelation is height, as in
You Sound Tall, by Michael Franco in
Discover magazine. To test this out,
Washington University psychologist John
Morton recorded two people of the same

sex but different heights reading identical

sentences. He then asked listeners to gauge
who was taller and further to rank a number
of speakers from tallest to shortest. Though
not exactly easy, listeners could do this 62
percent of the time.
Researchers think this works because of a
vocal property known as subglottal resonance
sounds produced in our lower airways.
Taller peoples lower airways are larger,
allowing more room for vocal sounds to
reverberate and create deeper-pitched tones.
As Franco concludes, ear-witness testimony
would have a decent chance of being correct
just like with eyewitness testimony.

Q. How tall an order is it for mens

pro-basketball management to find competitive players for the team? Numerically speaking, are you up to this challenge?
A. Start with the average American adult
male being about 5 feet, 10 inches tall, with
some of course being much shorter, some
much taller. But a graph of all heights
would show a nice bell-shaped distribution,
says John M. Henshaw in an (equation) for
every occasion = 52 formulas + (why) they
matter. Given the average height and the
standard deviation of about three inches, the
full curve shows that just over two-thirds of
American men are between 5-foot-7 and

6-foot-1, and that means one-third are not.

Half of those men one-sixth of the total
are shorter than 5-foot-7, and the other
one-sixth are taller than 6-foot-1.
But as any basketball fan knows, many
players are 6-foot-10 or taller, fully 12 inches above the average. In the American population of about 100 million adult men, only
about 3,200 are 6-foot-10 or taller, Henshaw reports. If you selected 31,000 American men at random, you would expect to
find only one that was 6-foot-10 or taller.
Thats just a single potential player in a
city the size of Utica, New York, or Laramie, Wyoming.

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Crossword

Across

1 Go figure?
10 Scented candle
option
15 One may become an
exurb
16 Carews Twins
roommate
17 Monopoly duo
18 Inspiration for some
Yahtzee categories
19 Reasons for handshakes
20 Large volume
22 Alt-rock subgenre
23 Material for Caesar
24 Russian crepes
26 Egyptian __: cat
breed
27 Warm time for Nancy?
28 Nursery nourishment
29 Slinky ad feature
32 1970 Top 40 song
with the lyric And Im
lucky that youre mine
34 Restraining device
37 Numskull
38 Nickname for the

NFL drafts last pick

40 High regard
41 Alices workplace
42 1956 milestone for
Ford: Abbr.
45 __ anglais: English
horn
46 Actor Ken and others
48 Hitch
49 Its Batman version
contains a Joker
50 Like some annoying
blog posts: Abbr.
51 Coming-out party?
52 Quality of a good
math proof
54 Zen-like Caddyshack mantra
57 Grenobles river
58 Hoops matchups
59 Former lab heaters
60 Like many lotteries

6 Place to wrestle
7 George W.s first
press secretary
8 Drivers appointment?
9 Sports
10 Make big strides
11 U.N. workers gp.
12 2002 Lil Bow Wow
film
13 Prayer sung by Desdemona in Otello
14 Carried on
21 Makes bad calls?

24 Hall of Fame pitcher

who managed the Yankees to a 1978 title
25 Tag
28 Ill-gotten loot
30 Chances
31 Vier times zwei
32 Special
33 Poetic rapper
34 Only woman with
two Nobel prizes, formally
35 Insurance fraud per-

petrator, perhaps
36 Ammonia component
39 Distinguished
42 Historic island palace
43 __ pork
44 Uncreative threat
47 Latin rock group Los
__
48 First sophomore to
win the Heisman Trophy
50 Iliad war god
51 Factor opening
53 Mouths, anatomically
55 See 56-Down
56 With 55-Down, sore
throat soother

Down

1 Lowly worker
2 Best in a mess
3 ER protocol
4 Vapor Action brand
5 2013 NCAA Mens
Ice Hockey champs

January 2015

23

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