Are
you living with several chronic conditions - conditions that won’t go away and
you have just learned to live with? A 2017 study by Rand Health showed that over
82% of adults 65 and older have more than one chronic condition that range from
an irritant to life threatening.
But
living with a serious chronic condition for years is a struggle and each person
finds their own way to cope. Such was the case for Carole Anderson who turned
to writing and painting to support her healing for over thirteen years after
being diagnosed with Lymphoma.
To
share her story of the healing power of art, Carole, Corliss Marsh and Scott
Stephenson, the new director of The Dalles Art Center, have created a
fascinating ongoing and evolving exhibition this month at the Art Center called
“In Process: My Handmade Life”. The exhibition features writings and paintings
from Carole’s book My Handmade Life which she hopes will provide encouragement
and comfort for others living with cancer or another serious chronic condition.
The opening reception was last week, but at the Art Center on July 11th
from 5:30-7:30 pm, you can hear Carole read excerpts from her book as well as view
many of her paintings.
This
exhibit is both an opportunity for Carole to share her story of living life
with a chronic illness which she describes as a patchwork quilt; and an
opportunity to build community. And this is where you can participate. Using the
idea of a quilt, you are invited to add your own personal thoughts and feelings
to a community quilt that will hold the individual experiences within a
community.
,
To
create this community quilt, you are invited to “sew-ins” on every Thursday in
July from 1:00 – 4:00 led by local quilt maker, Corliss Marsh. Everything will
be provided to create your own quilt block that will be added to the quilt. And
if you want to keep your thoughts private, you can write them on a sheet of
paper that will be used as the batting for the quilt. Upon completion at the
end of July, the community quilt will be permanently displayed at the Art
Center.
I hope
you will find time to hear Carole’s story and participate in this inspiring
community-building exhibition that is a work in process. Visit Facebook (The
Dalles Art Center) and Instagram (@thedallesartcenter) for more information.
The
Center is offering trips during the summer and the Center’s next trip will be on
Thursday, July 18th to the Old Aurora Colony Museum. You will have a chance to
explore the five-building museum complex including: the Ox Barn, Steinbach
Cabin, Kraus House, Will Family Summer Kitchen and Tie Shed. The cost is $45
which covers the transportation and admission. If you want to take the Guided
Tour that will be an additional $5.00. For lunch there will be a stop at the
Filbert’s Farmhouse Kitchen where you can order off the menu. Call the Center
to sign up.
The
name the 1963 hit song whose lyrics were so unintelligible they were thought to
be obscene and consequently banned in several places was “Louie, Louie” by the
Kingsmen. And the other band that recorded “Louie, Louie” in the same studio (411
S.W. 13th Avenue in Portland) and around a week later was Paul Revere and the
Raiders. I received correct answers from Carol Earl, Jess Birge, Cheri Brent,
Mike Carrico, Mark Bartel, and Jim Heitkemper this week’s winner of a quilt
raffle ticket. And I missed Carol Earl from last week.
Baseball
was a big part of many boys lives back in the day: throwing a baseball back and
forth with your dad or listening to the baseball world series during school. So
how about a question about “America’s Pastime”?
The New
York Yankees were dominant in the 50’s playing in nine World Series and winning
seven of them. For this week’s “Remember When” question who was their coach that
said after being fired by the Yankees in 1960 “I'll never make the mistake of
being seventy again”? And for bonus points, when he returned to major league coaching
in 1962 which expansion team did he coach? Email your answer to
mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or return your answer
with a 1963 Topps baseball card of "Marvelous" Marv Throneberry.
Well,
it’s been another week, enjoying the beautiful days in the Gorge. Until we meet again, keep writing your own life
story.
“God invented mankind because he loved silly stories.”
Ralph Steadman, illustrator
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