Twisp
By Sally Gracie
The store is open for summer reading shoppers at the Twisp Library. Registration for “Fizz, Boom, Read” began last week, and librarian Terry Dixon is ready to give out prizes from the “store” as children’s reading hours add up.
Children receive one ticket for every hour they read or are read to. They may redeem their tickets immediately for store prizes or choose to put them into one of the raffle jars for the big prizes.
Store prizes include T-shirts, books, toys, ice cream cones and smoothies. Raffle prizes include two picture books and stuffed animal sets; a Space Mission rocket ship (with sounds and more); Wonder Woman and Invisible Jet (a toy by Fisher-Price); two Kindle readers; and a movie party with tickets, soft drinks and popcorn for six (generously donated by Omak and Mirage Cinemas). All other prizes were purchased by Twisp Library Friends with proceeds from its book sales.
Eleven Tuesday programs (and one on Monday) at 1:30 p.m. (except at 2 p.m. on Aug. 5) will feature puppeteers, Reptile Man, a “Books on Stage” performance, the PUD science guy, and special crafts with Terry. These began on Tuesday, and will end with a party and drawings for the raffle prizes on Aug. 26. Register your children now. Young adults through grade 12 are also encouraged to participate and vie for the cool prizes.
After 7 p.m. last Saturday, the Twisp River Pub was SRO. The crowd had come to enjoy the music and give a little money in support of Terry Hunt’s latest project, a feature film called Haiku. Instead, the film took second place to a musical performance that lasted past 11 p.m. Only after that did we get to see the film’s trailer.
The crowd, and Terry himself, didn’t want to stop the music. For two satisfying sets, John Weeks and Laura Love joined five of The Family Dog regulars — Terry, Wayne Mendro, Phil Woras, Todd Eberlein and Dan Connolly.
As people were eating dinner, they were treated to jazz standards like “Georgia on My Mind,” with Laura doing the vocals. The crowd took to the dance floor as the second set heated up. Laura and Dan shared some vocals, with the band playing both Laura’s folk-funk roots and classics like “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” Everyone — those on and off the dance floor — joined to lustily sing the chorus.
Jeff Herzog, who plays with the west-side band The Jet City Fliers, added his cool harmonica to the mix through most of the evening. After being passed around a few times, the cash jar filled up. I understand that Terry insisted that the money go to the performers, not to his film.
Terry Hunt is not the only one with a new project going. Laura is at work on her second book, tentatively titled Occupational Hazard: Nights in Tents and Intense Nights on the Front Line of the Occupy Movement. She says she is about to sign with an agent. Laura’s first book, You Ain’t Got No Easter Clothes, (which I have reviewed in this column) is a touching memoir about her early years in Lincoln, Nebraska. NPR’s 2004 review summarized: “The book reveals Love’s often shocking struggle against adversity — her mother’s mental illness, the family’s deep poverty, her stays in foster homes and other setbacks.” Thankfully, her fans today can see that her difficult childhood didn’t make her bitter or hold her down.
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