Protect your cats from this deadly disease

Lone Star ticks, which are notorious carriers of many diseases including cytauxzoonosis, or “bobcat fever,” have been spreading across the nation in recent years. As a result, cats across much of the country are now exposed to the deadly disease. University of Missouri veterinarian Leah Cohn, a small animal disease expert, and Adam Birkenheuer from North Carolina State University, have found an effective treatment for the dangerous disease.
“Previous treatment methods have only been able to save less than 25 percent of infected cats, but our method, which is now being used by veterinarians across the country, has been shown to save about 60 percent of infected cats,” Cohn said. “While that number isn’t as high as we’d like due to the deadly nature of the disease, our method is the first truly effective way to combat the disease.”
Routinely carried by bobcats and mountain lions, Cohn and Birkenheuer also found that bobcat fever can even infect tigers. All types of cats, but only cats, can catch bobcat fever. Cohn calls the disease the “Ebola virus for cats,” saying that it is a very quick and painful death for cats that succumb from the infection. Bobcat fever is easily spread between cats through tick bites, but Cohn and Birkenheuer found that the disease is not readily passed down through birth like malaria and many other protozoan diseases.
“Bobcat fever affects healthy outdoor cats the most, because they are the most likely to get bitten by ticks,” Cohn said. “The disease acts very quickly and can kill a cat less than a week after it begins to show signs of being sick, so it is important to get treatment from a veterinarian as soon as the cat appears ill.”
Cohn says the best way for cat owners to prevent their cats from catching bobcat fever is to keep them indoors as much as possible. Early symptoms of the disease include sluggishness and refusal to eat. Pet owners who also have dogs should use tick collars, because while dogs are not susceptible to the disease, they can bring infected ticks into contact with house cats. Cohn says tick preventatives for cats also can help, but owners should be sure to check with their veterinarians to make sure they use cat-specific products, as tick collars for dogs can be harmful to cats.
Cohn says her future research involves creating a vaccine to protect cats against bobcat fever. Her work has been published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, the Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, and the Journal of Veterinary Parasitology.

Sunnyside Grange Volunteer of the Year: Carolyn Kennington

By Yvonne Knuth
Carolyn Kennington was honored at Sunnysidee Grange this past week as their Volunteer of the Year. Carolyn has done so much for our community. We had her come and talk to our group so that maybe we could help the community also. She is and has been chair for the city clean up day for the past several years.
Besides getting groups assigned to different areas of the city, helps organize food and water for them, and is busy cleaning areas herself. Carolyn has helped with the two dedications the city has had in the trail and the new streets programs. With the trail, her husband’s dental office provide items to the public and she gave them to the public.
She has helped on the Christmas tree lighting and singing  program. Besides doing things for our community, Carolyn Kennington is involved with church activities and different organizations in Longview.

Open Season

By Melvin Larsen
Was March wet and muddy enough for everyone?  I sure am happy to see April finally get here. April is when fishing really gets going around here. The next 8 weeks will bring us the bulk of this years’ Spring Chinook run. The local lakes also begin to warm up and produce a few more fish. Hopefully we will begin to experience more comfortable weather to be enjoying the great outdoors in.
April is also a good month to locate black bears, which will be found mainly on hillsides with southern exposure and in wetlands that have skunk cabbage. Bears of all kinds really seem to enjoy munching on skunk cabbage in the spring. They also enjoy the fresh growth of grasses and other low growing plants. If you locate an elk that did not survive the winter weather it is a good bet that a bear will soon locate it also. Bears will almost always approach a food source such as an elk carcass from the down-wind side.
I recently had the opportunity to review a book written by an author from the Northwest. Stephen B. Smart from Spokane is the author of  Whispers of The Greybull. Without giving the plot away I can tell you that this is an excellent book that will appeal to anyone who enjoys a book with a western theme. If you like Louis Lamour stories or any of the Lonesome Dove series, you will enjoy this book. It is set in Wyoming in the 1800’s and once started, you will not want to put it down. The book can be purchased on Amazon.com and would make an excellent gift for anyone who enjoys the out of doors or the western lifestyle. I highly recommend it.
Before you get your boat on the water this spring make sure that you go over the list of required items to have on board. The required items vary in accordance to boat size. When re-licensing my boat last month the lady at the licensing office was kind enough to remind my to check my exhaust fume warning sticker which is required to be on your boat in a visible location. She said that they (law enforcement) are no longer writing warnings to boaters that may have overlooked this detail and are now writing tickets. The stickers are available free of charge at C&L Licensing on 14th in Longview.
Please be safe and courteous when on the water, at the launch or wherever you choose to fish, camp, or picnic. Especially where youngsters are going to be around water. There have already been some tragic accidental drownings in Washington this spring. Nobody wants to be have any part in one of these tragic events. Be safe and be courteous, even when others are not. Always have a container to put your trash in so it does not add to the problem of litter in our outdoor recreation areas. Especially bad is discarded fishing line. It is important to pick up all discarded fishing line that you see. When cleaning your catch at the waters edge it is good to toss the entrails (guts & gills) back into the water where they will decompose and distribute necessary nutrients back into our lakes and streams. When fish matter is left on the bank it not only rots and stinks but it is harmful to dogs that may (will) find it.
Good Luck on all of your outdoor adventures this month and if you send a picture of your good luck to The Valley Bugler there is a very good chance that you will see it in an upcoming issue!
Mel Larsen, otherwise known as Mountain Mel, has hunted and fished as long as he can remember, and enjoys sharing his tips and tricks with others!

Captivating Counter-Cultural Love Story

“In the beginning, God created…”  These famous, yet controversial words are from Genesis 1:1, the first few words of the far and away best-selling book of all times – The Bible.
The Bible was the first textbook used in the early days of American education, and now is the only book you’ll probably never see in a public school classroom. Why do we collectively fear the truth? Do we not want to be told what’s right and wrong even by God? Do we doubt His existence because we cannot see Him even though proofs of His character and creativity abound? I suspect many of us have trust issues when it comes to God being a Father-figure, since most of us (OK, probably ALL of us), had imperfect dads who occasionally missed the mark when it came to loving us with perfect fatherly love…
It is difficult, at best, and nearly impossible for some to imagine an all-loving, all-wise, all-powerful God who never stops loving us, while looking at Him through the filter of our imperfect human dads. But that is how most of us first perceived God, if we even ever do.
Yet, the Bible gives us a more accurate lens which we can view our Heavenly Father – Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the promised Savior. Jesus said many things while He walked this earth: “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” “The Father and I are One.” “I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no man comes to the Father but by Me.”
Words like these, although truthful and trust-worthy because of the Source, did not resonate with every heart in Jesus’ day. Some people tried to stone Him.
Eventually they scourged him and hung Him on a cross to die like a common criminal. Jesus, the Beloved Son of God, Who had only come to love us and show us the way back to our Heavenly Father. To Himself BE the way!
The Bible goes on to tell the story of God’s determined and persistent love for those made in His image. Our true Father’s love: As our first parents, Adam and Eve, representing all of us, disobey God in the Garden of Eden, God metes out a consequence – separation from God (death), but also promises a Savior who will bring restoration to God. (life). “Emmanuel – God with us.”
In the fullness of time, Jesus is born in Bethlehem, announced by a star, praised by angels, welcomed by shepherds and worshiped by kings. Miracle of miracles! The great God of the universe humbly enters time and space as a vulnerable, sleeping baby,  to teach us about love. The Bible records many of His miracles: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John tell their four slightly different stories, like four pedestrians describing a scene from four different street corners. But all of these contemporaries and companions of Jesus agree that He is the long-awaited and promised Messiah.
They witnessed His love and powerful miracles with their own eyes.
For three years, Jesus captivates the common people of His day by healing and delivering all who come to Him for help and simultaneously ticks off many of the religious and political leaders who eventually incite the crowds to insist on His crucifixion and death.
He had never sinned. Ever. He’d always told the truth. He’d always done His Father’s will. He operated in faith, not fear. He knew Who He was and did what He’d been sent to do. “It is finished.” He spoke from the cross: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Even as he hung on the cross between two thieves, one put faith in Him and was told: “This day, you shall be with me in Paradise.” As Jesus breathed His last and the midday sky turned black as ink and the earth quaked and the veil in the Temple split from top to bottom, one of the soldiers at the foot of the cross exclaimed: “Truly this was the Son of God!” Another soul captivated!
The story of this same Jesus still captivates hearts today. But His story didn’t end at the cross! To the great surprise of even His closest friends to whom He’d predicted His death and resurrection, He arose on that first Easter and lives evermore to plead our case before God! Trust Him today!

The Lighter Side

Reducing debt
My neighbors argued over a patio they wanted. She had grand ideas, but he wanted costs kept to a minimum. She won, and the construction bill climbed higher and higher.
I was surprised to find my neighbor smiling as the workmen finished the surface. He said:
“You see where they’re smoothing over that cement? I just threw my wife’s credit cards in there.”

Wishful talent
A teenager was trying to decide what to do for a talent show. She asked, “What do you think I should do for the show, Mom, sing or put on a comedy act?”
Glancing up from her paper, the mother said, “What’s the difference?”

Belated wisdom
An angel appeared at a meeting of church people. He told their leader that in return for his exemplary work, God would reward him with his choice of infinite wealth, infinite wisdom, or beauty. Without hesitating, the leader selected infinite wisdom.
“Done!” the angel said and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
Everyone gazed at the leader, who sat surrounded by a faint halo of light. One of them whispered, “Say something.”
The leader thought a moment, then sighed, “I should have taken the money.”

From the Editor’s Desk

As I sit here publishing, I occasionally glance out at the snow covered land that is my backyard.
What? SNOW? It’s late March, and yet we are haunted still by winter trying to encroach into spring’s territory.
That being said, I’ve worked hard to create a paper that is exactly the opposite of the dreary world that I am looking at outside! This is our GREEN issue, full of information and ideas focused around sustainable living, “green” practices of some wonderful businesses, Easter goodies and the life giving story of the cross.
Those who know me are well aware of the fact that I am passionate about sustainability and “living green”! I admit that many of my friends and associates are probably shaking their heads emphatically in agreement right now, having been roped into an animated discussion about our responsibility that God placed in our hands on this beautiful earth. ☺
The “Living Green” issue featured on pages 11-15, is such a wonderful opportunity for us to open our eyes to the life that is all around us, and how we have been created to work in harmony and understanding with the world as provided.
Many people shy away from the word ‘responsibility’ when it comes to “environmental” issues, but bear with me for just a short minute while I explain.
I admit, many extremists have left most of us feeling rather uncomfortable with the word “responsibility” when discussing environmental issues. Images of people chained to trees and whatnot come into mind.
But what really does ‘responsibility’ leave us with? A blessing!
When we take on the responsibility that God left us with in regards to “managing the earth, and all the living beasts within” (My Paraphrase of Genesis 1:26-30), we are actually blessed in return.
When we cultivate the ground around us with healthy practices, it rewards and blesses us in return. Fruits and vegetables arrive full of rich minerals and essential life giving nutrients, animal stock graze on grass and land that provide their bodies with the nutrition needed to allow us a healthy meat source if so desired.
When we fill our living spaces with healthy, air purifying plants and trees, we are blessed in return with clean air and a beautiful environment.
When we fill our bodies with organically grown (nutrient rich) foods, stay away from pre-packaged and fat-laden items, drink our necessary water and give ourselves the athletic work it deserves, we are rewarded with a body that blesses us with health, energy and strength.
When we purchase vehicles that can run up to 40+ miles per gallon, we are rewarded and blessed with knowing we are conserving a natural resource, and also with more money in our pockets due to rising gas prices!!
Look around you. What do you see that you are feeling called to a higher of level of “responsibility” for in your life?
Maybe you feel compelled to compost what you used to consider “garbage” into black ‘gold’ instead of filling a landfill? (Check out page 10 for tips!). Perhaps it is just starting to incorporate a variety of veggies like fresh peas into your diet? (Visit page 11).
Start recycling more often? Start some trees? Cut down on your soda or sugar intake? Plant a garden? Learn about mulch? Get off the couch for more time each day?
Whatever your ideas may be, I encourage you to begin. Just begin! Make new habits that will bless you in return for your new found “responsibilities”!
I hope you start to enjoy “living green”, and if you want to share your new adventures in life with us, please drop us a line. We love to hear from you. ☺
I, on the other hand, will envision a day when snow is no longer on our doorstep, and I can begin to cultivate my very own ‘lasagne garden’ – the no dig, no till kind of garden that will reward us with a bountiful harvest.
Happy Easter – may it be FULL of life for you all!

Cultural Immersion comes to the Columbia Theatre: INDIA

The Columbia Theatre, crown jewel of Southwest Washington, is celebrating the rich and ancient culture of India during week long festivities April 14-21, 2012. Many of these family events are free to the public.
The highlight will be the appearance of RAGAMALA DANCE with their performance based on a 3,000 year old tradition combining poetry, music, art, and the Bharatanatyam dance on Saturday, April 21st at 7:30 p.m.
RAGAMALA will also conduct a dance workshop, and lecture/demonstration on Thursday, April 19th.
RAGAMALA DANCE: Acclaimed as one of the Indian Diaspora’s leading dance ensembles, RAGAMALA  seamlessly carries the South Indian classical dance form of Bharatanatyam into the 21st century.
RAGAMALA has toured extensively, both nationally and internationally.
IMMERSE YOURSELF!
Celebrate the arts and culture of India with free family activities all day April 14th!
April 14 through April 21. (All activities take place at the Columbia Theatre unless otherwise noted.)
Saturday April 14th
Basic Yoga with Desiree Ouellete 9:00 a.m.
Make-up with Evelyna Castro  9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Session will include demonstrations. If you want to practice, please bring $5.00 to pay for supplies.
Great Vow Monastery lecture and workshop 10:00 a.m.
Learn about the fascinating cultural connection from Great Vow Monastery.
Music of India 11:00 a.m.
Be soothed by the beautiful music of the Sarangi (a bowed 38 stringed instrument), Tambura (4 stringed drone), Tabla (hand drums) and a violin creating a traditional and inviting Indian ambiance.
Traditional Indian food @ Noon
Enjoy traditional Indian Hors D’oeuvres with Bhatia Damyanti
India Fighting Kites @ Noon
In India, the kites are small and non-ornate but they serve a very special purpose. They are fighting kites! Look skyward for a demonstration of this unique competition of Indian fighting kites.
Bollywood Movez 1:00 p.m.
In the afternoon the music gets turned up and Portland’s Bollywood Movez takes the stage to give a 30 minute dance demonstration followed by an hour workshop to learn a 3 minute choreography by Bollywood Movez!
Henna Demonstration
Henna tattoos will be given for $3.00
Bollywood Films
Cap off your tour of India with two Bollywood films.
Kid’s Corner
Each child will be given a free bindi and taught to create traditional Rangoli design and India style art.
There is something for everyone and we look forward to sharing this diverse culture with you and your family.
Other activities:
There are other activities and workshops presented, for information about all of the Columbia’s events call the Box Office (M-F, 11:30 – 5:30) at 360-575-8499 or 888-575-8499 for ticket information or visit the website at
www.columbiatheatre.com

FRESH shrimp salsa

March has been a crazy month for us in the ol’ RV. My husband has gone back to work, I’ve had to take a break from cooking around the world until the middle of this month. My membership for my private Facebook group has jumped sky-high and I’ve had to establish a small group of administrators to monitor that for me because, otherwise, I wouldn’t have time to cook!
This month, in honor of spring, I’ve decided to feature a simple salsa dish I created years ago and it is really easy to change it up to whatever ingredients suit your taste.

Shrimp Salsa
1/2 pound small salad shrimp (you can use larger cooked shrimp, just roughly chop them into small pieces)
2 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped (or if you can get some heirloom tomatoes, that would make this dish over-the-top awesome!)
1/2 medium-sized red onion, diced (No red onion? No problem…just use whatever you have on hand…Walla Walla sweets are super good, too!)
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro (if you don’t like cilantro, use parsley)
1/2 English cucumber, peeled and diced (if you use a regular cuke, just scoop out the seeds)
1-2 jalapenos, seeded and minced (if you remove all the seeds and veins, these just add flavor and no heat)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder)
*I also made this with diced avocado added in and it was fantastic! You could also add in some lump crab meat. Use your imagination and use this recipe as a guideline because nothing is ever written in stone!

Combine everything in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to overnight.
This is awesome with “scoop” tortilla chips.
I have made this several times for parties and I’ve never had to bring home leftovers. It disappeared in no time flat and I have to say that it is my most requested recipe.
I cooked from Colombia and Pakistan in the last month. Like I said previously, I’ve had to take a short break. I had help with Pakistan because I have a friend who lives there, and I was extremely grateful for Nabila’s help. Thank you so much, Nabila, I find your country’s culture fascinating!
I plan on cooking from my 77th country, Montserrat in mid-April. You can keep track of my world “travels” food-wise at
www.lifeinanarv.blogspot.com
I am starting to plan for my recycled container garden and I already have gotten my snow peas into the dirt. I am not going to grow as big of a garden this year because we are planning on an upcoming move.
No, we won’t be moving the RV to a different spot, we will be moving ourselves back into a house if all goes to plan. I’m grateful for that. I miss my furniture!
There is something that I am curious about. Do you cook by following a recipe or just “winging” it? It’s just some food for thought!
Until next month…Peace!

April is: Cancer Awareness Month

Cancer is that dreaded word that many of us cringe at when we hear, or develop feelings of sorrow for those who have left us due to this disease. Personally, I have two grandmothers and a grandpa who died of various types of cancer, as well as multiple friends and family who have either battled it, or are battling it right now.
Most recently, is a young second cousin of mine, a sweet little three year old whose parents were surprised by the doctors announcement of a fast-growing tumor in the brain. We’re still not sure if it is malignant or benign, but it was removed this past week, and we remain prayerful and hopeful for her complete recovery!
April is Cancer Awarness Month, and is also the month that we celebrated Grammy Fran’s birthday when she was alive. She shares April with her great-granddaughter, Halle and my Sister-in-law, Auntie Pam Reich.
April is a bittersweet month as we remember Grammy Fran, gone to be with the Lord for over a year now. We celebrate the life of those here, and remember Grammy’s special day as well.
Grammy was a brave fighter of cancer in life, right up to the day of her death, and we hope that this article will encourage you to take a pro-active stance at keeping yourself healthy, and identifying risk factors in your life.
To those who have gone through cancer, or have loved ones who have battled the disease, whether successfully or not, you will appreciate this call to action, and help share with your loved ones the importance of awareness and education.
Help cancer society save lives by reducing your own risk.
The American Cancer Society is a nationwide, community-based health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. They want to prevent cancer, save lives and diminish suffering from cancer.
Their goals, by 2015, are to reduce cancer mortality by 50 percent, to reduce the incidence of cancer by 25 percent, and to improve the quality of life for cancer patients.

How can you help the organization reach its goals and save lives, including your own? Think about this:

• You could help reduce cases of skin cancer. It’s not that difficult for you as an individual, but if many people stay out of the midday sun, cover exposed areas of the skin when outdoors and wear plenty of sunscreen, skin cancer can be avoided. Protecting children, who are outdoors more than adults, is especially important. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer.
• Believe the facts about smoking and lung cancer. It’s the leading cause of death from cancer in both men and women. In order to quit, you have to do more than read statistics. You need to make a personal commitment. Over-the-counter nicotine replacement products and prescription medications can help you start, but it takes great dedication to quit for a lifetime. You can do it.
• Your anti-cancer lifestyle is much the same as that recommended for a healthy heart and avoidance of other diseases. You’ll get a big bang for your buck if you decide to eat a healthy diet, avoid weight gain (or lose weight if you should) and get some exercise on most days of the week. Adopting a healthy lifestyle can’t be done instantly, but if you steadily work toward it, you can save your own life. Think about it every day and make a plan.
• Take early detection seriously. Many cancers are curable if found early, including cancer of the colon, prostate, cervix and breast. Ask your doctor for a screening schedule.

The Lorax

I see that the Lorax has been released as a full-length cartoon. It is appearing in many of our multiplex theatres in both two and Three-dimensions. Advertisers are using the Lorax to promote their products, and it would appear that a lot of money will be made from the whole production.
I have not seen the movie, but I have read the book many times. I have read it to my children, and I have read it to other people’s children in libraries and schools.
I really enjoy reading and I particularly like reading the Lorax to children.
The Lorax was written by a man who called himself Dr. Seuss. His real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel, He was born in 1904 and died in 1991.
He wrote and illustrated many children’s books.  It was 1989, in the Timber industry town of Laytonville California when a school banned the Lorax. They were worried that it might give children a wrong impression of the forestry industry.
The story of the Lorax is rather simple. A person called the Once-ler discovers a huge forest of Truffula Trees. He cuts a tree down and a little man called the Lorax appears. The Lorax is concerned about what the Once-ler is doing. The Once-ler tells the Lorax that he will use the trees to make Thneeds.
“A Thneed is a fine something that all people need.
It’s a shirt. It’s a sock. It’s a glove. It’s a hat.
It has other uses. Yes, far beyond that.
You can use it for carpets. For pillows! For Sheets!
Or curtains! Or covers for bicycle seats!”
Everybody needs Thneeds and the Once-ler merrily goes about cutting down the trees and manufacturing things from them. He sells everything and decides that he needs to enlarge his business. The demand is great and his business grows and grows. In his rush to become larger, he manages to pollute the water, foul the air and drive all the creatures out of the forest.
The Lorax tries to explain to Once-ler what he is doing.
Once-ler responds:
“I mean no harm. I most truly did not.
But I had to grow bigger. So bigger I got.
I biggered my factory. I biggered my roads.
I biggered my wagons. I biggered the loads
Of the Thneeds I shipped out. I was shipping them forth
To the South! To the East! To the West! To the North!
I went right on biggering…selling more Thneeds.
And I biggered my money, which everyone needs.”
Finally the last Truffula tree is cut down and nothing remains, only a bunch of stumps, polluted air and dirty water. No animals, no trees, no fish and no more profit for the Once-ler.
When I read the Lorax to children, I will ask “what does this story mean? Is the Once-ler a bad guy?”
After some discussion, we come to the conclusion that he isn’t bad; he’s just short sighted. He can’t see into the future and predict the result of his actions.
I am surprised that some school districts have actually banned the book. It does not disparage the Forest Industry, rather it gives them an incentive to replant and look toward the future. For every tree harvested in Washington and Oregon, 8-10 are now planted to take it’s place. Timber companies are in business, to stay in business. They produce a long term product and they are willing to see things in the long term. They care, because it is in their best interest to care.
To quote the book:
“And all that the Lorax left here in this mess
was a small pile of rocks, with the one word…
“UNLESS.”
Whatever that meant, well, I just couldn’t guess….
“But now,” says the Once-ler,
Now that you’re here,
the word of the Lorax seems perfectly clear.
UNLESS someone like you
Cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better.
It’s not.”
“SO…
Catch!” calls the Once-ler
He lets something fall.
“It’s a Truffula Seed.
It’s the last one of all!
You’re in charge of the last of the Truffula seeds…
Plant a new Truffula. Treat it with care
Give it clean water. And feed it fresh air.
Grow a forest. Protect it from axes that hack.
Then the Lorax
And all of his friends
May come back.”
I tell the kids when I read this story that they will someday be in charge of this world. They will have the power to treat it wisely or use it up. It will all be up to them. Like a seed, our children hold the future and the future of their children, in their hands.

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