By Erika Kar
Grab yer partner and do-si-do!
On Feb. 10, Louise Stevens, secretary of the Mazama Community Club (MCC), coordinated an MCC square dance. It’s a tradition that dates back in MCC history and something she had mentioned at the club’s annual potluck.
The Mazama String Band played for the event and Dee Christianson found a caller, Carol Piening from Olympia, to instruct those of us who are less square dance savvy (probably most of us). Approximately 40 people showed up and danced. It definitely was a fun time and revived an MCC tradition. It sounds like this just might be an annual event once again.
If you are curious about what do-si-do means, wonder no more! I dropped by Google University and visited with Professor Google for a minute. Do-si-do is based on a French term “dos à dos,” meaning “back to back.” There you have it.
I would like to thank Nancy Kuta, Louise Stevens and Midge Cross for sending me information about the square dance, as well as information about the Mazama Community Club. Without their help, I wouldn’t have much Mazama news to write about, as I have been out of the Methow. But there is always the weather.
The beginning of February looked, felt and smelled an awful lot like April. With temperatures reaching into the high 40s for stretches at a time, we saw a lot of snow melt. The roads were clear and dry, the river along Lost River Road reappeared as a glacier blue fount, and the air was warm enough to go without a coat. Even in upper Lost River.
Road bikes were replacing fat bikes and runners were out in full force.
It was starting to look as though we might even skip the dreaded mud season and jump right into a proper spring. I had fantasies of returning to Mazama with only a few stubborn clumps of snow dotting the shady areas. Then I allowed myself to dream about a nice early opening of the North Cascades Highway. Why not, it has happened before, right? In 2001 the highway opened on March 21. Why not now? Well, the skiers must have done some convincing snow dances, because we all know what happened.
I got texts, emails and photos. Snow, snow and more snow. I got a report that over a foot fell in the Lost River Airport Association!
Upon checking the weather on my phone this morning, I saw my dreams of an early spring completely dashed. Negative 7 degrees. Fahrenheit.
How’s that for some weather?
I think I prefer the news about square dancing.
