Bold Spirit

by local author Linda Lawrence Hunt

In 1896, a Norwegian immigrant and mother of eight children named Helga Estby was behind on taxes and the mortgage when she learned that a mysterious sponsor would pay $10,000 to a woman who walked across America.

Hoping to win the wager and save her family’s farm, Helga and her teenaged daughter Clara, armed with little more than a compass, red-pepper spray, a revolver, and Clara’s curling iron, set out on foot from Eastern Washington. Their route would pass through 14 states, but they were not allowed to carry more than five dollars each. As they visited Indian reservations, Western boomtowns, remote ranches and local civic leaders, they confronted snowstorms, hunger, thieves and mountain lions with equal aplomb.

Their treacherous and inspirational journey to New York challenged contemporary notions of femininity and captured the public imagination. But their trip had such devastating consequences that the Estby women’s achievement was blanketed in silence until, nearly a century later, Linda Lawrence Hunt encountered their extraordinary story.

You can find the book in the Local Interest section at Auntie’s Bookstore.  Make sure you let them know it’s for the book club so you can get a discount.

Our book group meetings usually take place on the third Sunday of every month.  However, this meeting will be on the fourth Sunday, April 25th, at the Linda Lawrence Hunt’s retreat house on the north side of Spokane!

Join us on:

Sunday April 25th

1-3 pm

Linda Lawrence Hunt’s Meeting Place (Address TBA)

Click Here to RSVP on Facebook

If you cannot make this meeting and would like to join us for our May meeting, we will be reading:

Prisoner of Tehran

by Marina Nemat

May 16th

Location: TBA

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or would like to recommend future books for us to read:

Becky – beckyhuss [at] gmail [dot] com

Hilary – hilwhitt [at] hotmail [dot] com

Monique – moneeeq [at] gmail [dot] com

If you would like to start a discussion or have any comments about this book, please post a comment on this post.

VIOLETS IN CINDER:
COLOR: Cinder
BRAND: American apparel
MATERIAL: Organic Cotton Jersey
STYLE: Womens Fitted Tee
SIZES: S, M, L, XL

VIOLETS IN EGGPLANT:
COLOR: Eggplant
BRAND: Continental
MATERIAL: Bamboo / Organic Cotton Jersey
STYLE: Womens Raglan (scoop neck*)
SIZES: S, M, L, XL
*women’s only available in scoop neck, not regular fitted tee.

True to our values, these designer threads are organic, local, and printed using water-based inks and soy-based cleaners. Mega-thanks to the killer staff at Blue Button Apparel.

(Click image to visit their website.)

T-shirt pre-order is now closed. We’ve sold half already! The remaining shirts (in both colors) will be available for purchase at the event. All proceeds benefit the Shrinking Violet Society. Let’s color this town VIOLET—

When: Sunday Feb. 14th, 5:30 & 7:30pm

Where: One World Spokane 1804 E Sprague

Cost: $60 per couple

For reservations call: 509.270.1608

2010 is a special year for Washington women…who won the right to vote on November 8^th a century ago. To commemorate this momentous anniversary, a statewide traveling exhibition, Women’s Votes, Women’s Voices, will open at the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture on October 30 and serve our regional audiences through June 26, 2011.

In advance of the exhibit’s opening at the MAC, we need community advisors with ideas, connections, and strategies for:

• Exhibition opening events, October 30 – November 8
• Programs and events throughout the exhibit’s run in Spokane
• Networking, marketing, and underwriting strategies
• Ongoing projects that document and collect the histories of Eastern Washington women

and women’s organizations, past and present.

Please join us at an informational meeting on Thursday, February 11, 3:30—5 pm in the Gilkey Room at the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 2316 West First Avenue. Your organization is important to this effort; if you are unable to attend, we hope that you’ll send another representative.

Please RSVP. We look forward to your valuable input during this project.

Sincerely,

Marsha Rooney, Senior Curator of History
Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture
2316 W. First Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201
509-363-5309  marsha.rooney@northwestmuseum.org
FAX 509-363-5303
www.northwestmuseum.org

You may remember our friend Beth Mort, the Vice President for Pedals2People, a community bike shop organization that is taking up residence in the space next door to One World Cafe.

She wanted us to be aware that P2P will be offering a ladies only bike mechanic series.  Plans for a Violets Bike Night may also be in the works, so let us know if you are interested.

See below for details, and please let your lady friends know about this exciting bike empowerment opportunity!

Jan 13–Intro to Your Bike
Feb 10–Bearing Systems
March 10–Brake Systems
April 14–Shifting Systems and Bars

All classes will take place at the new P2P shop at 1802 E Sprague, starting at 7pm.  $20/class or $70 for the whole series. Each workshop is open to only 6 students – so sign up today!

You can also register online at www.pedals2people.org.

After reading and re-reading the book, I received the bad news that I will not be able to attend book club this week. I have still prepared some discussion questions for everyone to use during the meeting. These are some of the things I would have loved to explore with you ladies (and perhaps gents), and hope that you enjoy doing so.

• Cormac McCarthy is known for his sparse use of language and he continues this stylistic trend in The Road. Do you think the simplicity of dialogue and specific description of setting in this book enhanced the overall story or distracted from it?

•  The Boy, despite being a young child, is expected to fulfill the role of a fellow survivor and a man, with little exception. Discuss the shift in the relationship of the Man and the Boy throughout the book and the Boy’s refusal to be treated as a child by the end of the book.

• Compassion is widely absent in The Road, except for in the innocent character of the Boy. Discuss the role of childhood innocence in the book and how it benefits and endangers the characters.

• One of the most involved conversations that we witness in the book is between the Man and the Old Man that is invited to join the survivors for a meal. He speaks about being “the last man on the Earth” and whether one would recognize such a situation if it were true. Are the Man and the Boy the last “good” or “real” people on Earth? What would it mean for them if they were?  

• The Man’s motivation for continuing to persevere is never directly revealed, but he tells the boy that they are the “good guys” and that they are “carrying the light”. Explain the role of good and evil and any religious themes in motivating the characters to continue in a likely hopeless situation.

•  Women are conspicuously absent throughout the book, except for those presumably being bred like livestock as members of cannibal clans and communes. The only woman we see in depth is the late wife of the Man, who cannot handle the stresses of survival and considers death the only solution. Why do you think women are treated this way by the author? 

• The Road presents an interesting take on the end of the world, showing humanity in complete regression, reverting to its primitive instincts to survive. McCarthy presents us with a bleak outlook for the survivors; kill or be killed or starve to death eventually. Compare this to other end of the world tales and discuss why you think the author presented such a thoroughly hopeless vision for the end of mankind.

This last lunch was a testament to the organic momentum that this group has gained. Looking around I only recognized half of the attendees and it was a biggest attendance to date – nearly 40 gals (and guys)!

Keep up the good work ladies!

Watch for next month’s flier to be done by the talented Jessica LaPrade. She is a local artist with some amazing work. Check it out!

See you next month Ladies!

Dawn

So mark your calendars for February 27th and tell your entrepreneurial friends about this unique marketing opportunity. Do you know a masseuse? A socially responsible local insurance company? How about a jewelry maker or a seamstress? Let them know about our event and we will see you there!

Interested in helping out with the party? Email: shrinkingvioletsociety[at]gmail[dot]com with how you would like to be involved. This is going to be a happening like downtown Spokane has never seen.

The holidays can be a stressful time with all the hustle and bustle going on. There are so many parties and other celebrations to attend, all the shopping and worrying about money, and in our region we often have to contend with the weather as well. It’s important to take a little time for yourself during these busy weeks and just relax. This is such an exciting season, but if you’re too stressed out, you won’t be able to truly enjoy this festive time with family and friends. That’s where the 12 Days of Happiness come in. For the twelve days leading up to Christmas, set aside a little time each day to do an activity that is either relaxing or just makes you feel good. Avoid activities that require too much involvement. Remember, this should be stress free.  You can make yourself a calendar in the spirit of an advent calendar, make a paper chain with activities written on each link, or simply schedule some time for activities in your planner or personal calendar. Here are some activity ideas to get you started:

Cookie exchange – You’re probably already planning on doing some baking this month, so whip up an extra batch of your favorite cookies and plan an exchange with your friends or co-workers. You’ll get some new recipes, a little bit of girl time and a nice sugar rush.

Movie night – Pour yourself a glass of wine, grab a blanket and sit down with a good movie. Maybe your favorite holiday flick?

Walk – Bundle up and go for a walk. Physical activity is great for reducing stress, and after a 20 minute walk, you won’t feel so bad about eating that extra cookie.

Hot Chocolate – Make some hot chocolate on a stick. Keep some for yourself and give some away as gifts. These would be great to keep around for any last-minute gift giving.

Dinner by candlelight – Even if your dinner came out of a box, eating by candlelight just makes you feel better. The soft flicker of a candle is so relaxing after a long day in the office under florescent lights.

Share the love – Take some time to call your friends and family just to tell them how much you love and appreciate them. Skip the email and pick up the phone. A phone call is much more personal and will mean more. You’ll feel better just knowing you have so many people who love you.

Volunteer – Devote an hour or two to a local charity. Help cook lunch at One World, or look here for other volunteer opportunities. This is a great way to give a gift with out spending any money and you’ll feel energized knowing you helped your community.

Clean your closets – Gather up your gently used coats, sweaters and blankets and donate them to a local women’s shelter. You’ll have more space in your closet and you’ll feel good knowing someone in need is a little bit warmer this winter.

Reach out to a neighbor – Have some extra holiday goodies laying around? Put a plate together and offer it as a gift to a neighbor you don’t know very well. You’ll have someone you can call on for a cup of sugar and you’ll make their day a little bit brighter.

Night at the movies – Treat yourself to a movie at the Magic Lantern (all shows are just $5) or the Garland Theater (all shows $3.50). You’ll be supporting a local business and taking a much needed break. Invite some friends and make it a girl’s night out.

Happy hour – Meet a friend or two for a drink after work. We all need to decompress every now and then and good martini or pint is just the thing to help with that. Check out HappySpokane.com for happy hour specials around town.

Take a nap – Getting enough sleep is vital for keeping stress levels down. With cold and flu season in full swing, minimizing stress and maximizing rest is the key to staying healthy. Plus it’s fun – taking a nap in the afternoon always feels like you’ve gotten away with something sneaky.

Left: Elizabeth, Amy & Leah baking for the SpoVegan Bake Sale. Right: Crystal's son, Ben & Becky at the KYRS Bake Sale.

Shrinking Violets members, Crystal Clark and Leah Preston organize a local group called the Spokane Vegans. You may have seen the Spokane Vegans around town this past summer selling baked goods to benefit various causes.  Besides, Leah and Crystal, there are always a few other Violets in attendance at their events. The great thing about this group, just like the Violets, is that it is not exclusive. Anyone and everyone is welcome at their events, regardless of food philosophies.

Although the Spokane Vegans are well-known for their baked goods, they’re taking things in a more savory direction this fall. On November 16th they are bringing best-selling cookbook author, Sarah Kramer to Spokane. The Spokane Vegans have organized a seasonal four course vegan meal to benefit the Violets’ favorite organic cafe, One World Spokane and Sarah Kramer will be there to sign books and talk a little about veganism. The night is set to be filled with good food and lots of fun. Flip through any one of Kramer’s books or take a peak at her website, govegan.net and you’ll see what we mean. This Canadian vegan is all about fun and good food (and maybe shoes). In fact, we’re sure that if Sarah Kramer lived in Spokane, she’d already be a Violet.

Poster design by Hairline Media

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An Evening with Sarah Kramer: A Benefit for One World Spokane

Presented by the Spokane Vegans

Monday Nov 16th 5:30pm

Tickets: $20 ($30 at the door) and $15 (children 10 and under)

order online at www.spokanevegans.wordpress.com/benefit

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