Winter Fishtrap News; Janie Tippett's book; and David Lewis

Dear Fishtrap Friends,
It's October, which means we've just welcomed our first group of writers to the Imnaha Writer's Retreat. We kick the month off with a poet, a cowboy western novelist, two writers working on memoirs, and one jack-of-several-genres who's known for weaving in humor no matter what flows from his pen. I'd love to be a fly on the wall during their evening sessions around the fireplace, wouldn't you? (Get on the list for April now.)

On September 24, I spent the day at the Driver's beautiful place with Janie Tippett and Pam Royes. We did some cleaning and supply inventory for the upcoming retreats and had a sunny picnic on the porch overlooking the river. On the drive down, Janie pointed out landmarks from her new book, Four Lines a Day (more on the book below), and we stopped at the Royes' place on the Imnaha to take in Pam's amazing garden. When Janie saw the tree in the photo, she couldn't resist... and with a little coaxing, neither could Pam.

There's lots happening here, always, and Wallowa County friends should take special note of the lecture Wednesday evening, Oct. 6, at 7:30 at Stage One with David Lewis, PhD (details below).

If you're active on Facebook, be sure to "Like" the Fishtrap page -- click the Wall tab to read and comment on recently posted poems. (Thanks to all who submitted... keep them coming.)

Now for our breaking news about Winter Fishtrap. We're beyond excited and hope you will be, too.

Winter Fishtrap 2011: "Getting Small"
We're delighted to announce that Winona LaDuke, Charles Goodrich, and Tammy Strobel have accepted our invitations to be presenters at Winter Fishtrap 2011. With their help, 80 or so of us will consider what it means to live smaller and more sustainably in a world mostly hell bent on bigger, faster, better. Dates: February 25-27 at the historic Wallowa Lake Lodge. All the details will be arriving in your mail and posted on the website soon. Registration opens November 15.

Winona LaDuke (Anishinaabe) is an internationally renowned activist working on issues of sustainable development, renewable energy and food systems. She lives and works on the White Earth reservation in northern Minnesota, and is a two time vice presidential candidate with Ralph Nader for the Green Party. Winona is the author of All Our Relations: Native Struggles for Land and Life, Recovering the Sacred: The Power of Naming and Claiming, and Food is Medicine: Recovering Traditional Foods to Heal the People.

Charles Goodrich, a beloved past Fishtrap faculty member, former Fishtrap Fellow, and the 2009 Werner Writer-in-Residence at Billy Meadows, is Director of the Spring Creek Project for Ideas, Nature and the Written Word at OSU in Corvallis, Oregon. The author of The Practice of Home, Insects of South Corvallis, a Fishtrap-published chapbook In the Chesnim Country, and his latest collection of poems, Going to Seed, Charles frequently writes about small but significant things.

Tammy Strobel blogs regularly at www.rowdykittens.com about "social change through simple living" from her small home in Portland. She was profiled in the NY Times article "But Will It Make You Happy?" in August of this year. Tammy is also the author of two e-books: Smalltopia: A Practical Guide to Working for Yourself and Simply Car-free: How to Pedal Toward Financial Freedom and a Healthier Life.

As a special added treat, musicians Kate Power and Steve Einhorn will join us again with their big spirits, bright songs -- and, if we're really lucky, ukuleles (talk about getting small!). Kate and Steve have recently downsized and simplified in their own lives. The ukes are just one part of that story...

Again, registration for Winter Fishtrap opens November 15 and we expect to fill quickly, so mark your calendars. We will once again charter a bus from Portland if there is enough interest (let's lower our collective carbon footprint). A limited number of scholarships are available. Scholarship information is on the website. NOTE: Scholarship application deadline is November 10.

Four Lines a Day by Janie Tippett
Okay, we held off as long as we could to let Janie recover from all the local autographs she's signed and the orders she's received from the readers of her column in the Agri-Times Northwest ... but we're not waiting any longer! Here's the scoop on the book.

Forever Fishtrapper, Janie Tippett, chronicles the life of her longtime friend, Imnaha rancher Mary Marks, in this delightful memoir/biography, Four Lines a Day, published by Wallowa County's own Rich Wandschneider-led Pika Press. If you've ever spent a week at the Imnaha Writer's Retreat (or even if you haven't!), this is a must-read. Mary's life -- and Janie's, too -- will inspire you to do the most with your own, wherever and however you live.

Order your copy online from Pika Press or by sending shipping information and a check for $18 ($15 for the book plus $3 to cover shipping) to Pika Press at PO Box 38, Enterprise, Oregon, 97828.

Janie signs all her emails to me "Fishtrap love." That pretty much says it all. Back at you, Janie!

Tuesday Evening All-Genre Writing Group Starts November 2
Beginning November 2, on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm, an all-genres writing group (poets, playwrights, prose writers at any stage of their writing) will meet informally at the Fishtrap house. They typically work with some writing prompts if the group wishes, then those participants who want to can read from something they are working on and receive thoughtful advice. It's a cheerful group that usually shares some wine and laughter along with good writing and inspiration! Call Mary Emerick at 541-263-1156 for more information.

Other Upcoming Events Here at Fishtrap

This Wednesday, October 6: David Lewis, PhD, Cultural Resources Director of the Confederated Tribes of the Grande Ronde Community, speaks on "Treaties and Sovereignty in Indian Country" in connection with the Oregon Is Indian Country exhibit. 7:30 pm at Stage One, 117-1/2 Main Street in Enterprise. This is the closing day for the exhibit, which will be open starting at 6:30 pm. If you haven't yet visited the exhibit, please come early to enjoy it before the talk.

October 14 at noon: Tom "Hutch" Hutchison will lead the first Josephy Library Brown Bag Reading Group. Copies of "Naming the Nez Perce" are at the Joseph and Enterprise city libraries, at the Bookloft, and here at Fishtrap. It's only about 18 pages long. And it was the first piece Alvin Josephy published on the Nez Perce, back in 1955.

October 20: Eric Quaempts, the Natural Resources Director of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, and Joe McCormack of the Nez Perce Tribe's Fisheries will speak on “First Foods in Indian Country” and other topics related to indigenous relationships to land and natural resources. 7:30 pm at the Fishtrap Coffin House, 400 E. Grant Street, Enterprise.

Be well, and keep writing,

Barbara Dills, Interim Executive Director