Design Portfolio Fulmer

8/14/2019 Design Portfolio Fulmer

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WRITING EDITING DESIGN

www.eastmillstreet.com


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CONTENTS

Page layout for magazine . . . page 4Mountain Home

Used InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator

Product pages . . . page 23

Electrical Contractor

Used QuarkEXpress and Photoshop

Newspaper layout . . . page 25

The Lynchburg Va., News & Advance

Used QuarkEXpress and Photoshop

E-book . . . page 27

Buffalo Niagara: Where Industry Creates Energy

Used InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator

Page MOUNTAIN HOME MArcH 200 MArcH 200 MOUNTAIN HOME Page

Twenty minutes after arriving in

Wellsboro for the rst time, David

Davies phoned his wife back home inConnecticut.

Do you remember Bedford Falls inIts A Wonderful Life?, he asked. Well, Im standing in

the middle of it.An avid admirer of all things Americana, Davies

could attribute his discovery of Wellsboros enchantingsmall-town charm to divine diner destiny.

A few days before his initial trek to Wellsboro,Davies had watched a PBS special on diners that

featured The Wellsboro Diner. He was intrigued.Coincidentally, a day later, his copy of Roadside(a

journal dedicated to the appreciation and preservationof a truly unique American institutionthe diner)

arrived in the mail. The issue featured A WalkThrough Wellsboro on its cover. Davies was

enthralled.I took off for Wellsboro that next weekend, he

recalls. I came here and fell in love with the place.In addition to The Wellsboro Diner, the towns gas-

lit boulevard, the Penn Wells Hotel, Arcadia Theatre,Victorian homes, and townsfolk captivated Davies.

All the people I met were friendly and open. Peoplewould actually stop and say Hello!, Davies relates.

I went into a barber shop and sat and talked for twohours.

He soon returned with wife Barbara, who becameequally enchanted with Wellsboro, and the couple

began a twelve-year love affair with the community,culminating in a move to town one year ago, after

retiring from their jobs in Connecticut.During their many trips to town, the couple toured

several homes for sale and eventually purchased aninconspicuous, all-white home on Waln Street. But,

EstatE

UNREaLDavid

Davies

Built His

Dream

House in

Miniature

Originally frOm cOnnecticut, DaviDDavies anD his wife, BarBara,BecameenamOreD with wellsBOrO thirteen

years agO. that lOve affair leD themtOBuy a hOme here, after retiring a

year agO. they planneD tO remODel

their hOmeOn waln street anDDiDsO after DaviDBuilt amODel Of theprOject (see OppOsite page). the

finisheD prOject is at left.

. . . Then Made This Dream Come True

Story and Photographs ByCindy davis Meixel

pge 16 MOUNTaiN HOME april 2008

hesatatthecaftable,acollageofcolor:bright-purplehoodie,boldlypat-

ternedbluescarf,and thepinkcheeksthatthe TwinTierschillyspringair

requireseveryoneto wearin lateMarch.The warmexpressionin herkindbrowneyes beliedthecold andwelcomedme toher table.Singer/songwriterJanaLoseyprovedtobe asengagingface-to-faceas sheisinher soulfulmusic,asshe shedlighton herupcomingprojects,includinga newalbum,her ownreality/variety

show,and anew performanceseriesheld byherrecordcompany,PoseyTunes.

Havinggrownup inLawrenceville,Pennsylvania,Loseyunderstandswhatit isto bea small-townpersonwithbigdreams. Shestartedexploringhermusicaltalentswhenshewas eightyearsold andcontinuedto

studyseriouslyatIthaca College.LeavingcollegeearlytojoinSquokOpera,an avant-gardetroupe,Loseyspent

veyearstouringand ultimatelywenttoBroadway.Burnedoutand needingtimeforherself,she tooka

sabbaticalfrommusicand movedtoCaliforniato work

inwardrobeat theLa JollaPlayhouseandlater becamealicensedmasseusewith herownpractice.Duringthistime,Loseyrecoveredsomeof herdriveto createandmusicstartedcreepback in. Shejoineda coverbandandstarted writingagainwith bandmate,MelaniePe-ters.Nowher businessand lifepartner,Petersplayedan

integralrolein helpingLoseyrediscoverher voice.Thatreallyrestartedmy joyin music,says Losey.

SlowlyMelanieandI startedsavingsomeof thesongswewrotefor ourselveswith theidea thatwe mightsellthemto otherartists.Fatehad otherplans,however,

andsoonher rstalbum, Bittersweet,was givenlife.Peters

usedsomefortyhoursof studiotimedowedto hertorecordtheirsongs.Soonwe werewritinga songa weekandthengoingintorecordit,saysLoseywitha hintofawein hervoice.Westill thinkofBittersweetasab i to f amiracle;a kindof reallywonderfulmistake.

Fromthere,Loseydecidedto becomeafull-timemusician,touringthecountryand gettingairtimeforsomeof her songs,includingLondonHoliday,whichwasa localfavoriteonradio stationsacrosstheTwinTiersin2006. Theymovedto Loseyschildhoodhome,

aLawrencevillefarm,and startedtouring,rst witha

bandandthenasa duo.Rightnow,itsbasicallymeandMelanietouringina littlehybridcarand doingacousticsets,explainedLosey.

Thisisone of themany thingsLoseyspeaksonwhen

shevisitsarea highschoolinhopesof raisingawarenessof herupcomingalbum, Blocks,her reality/varietyshow,

TheSongYouHeard,andherdesiretogetkidsinvolved

andcondentabout theirtalents.Beingfroma smallarea,Ithinksomeof thekidsherehaveagenerallack

of condencethat theycando whatevertheywantinlife,saidLosey.Citykids mighthavemoreexposuretotheaterandmusic butitsso importantforkidshere to

knowthattheresno reasonwhytheycantdo itjustbecausetheyrefromhere.I wantto doeverythingI cantohelpthem understandthat.

Onewayshehopestogetthatthroughtokidsis

throughTheSongYouHeard,whichrstairedinMarchonBig FoxstationsfromWellsborotoRochester.EachmonthlyepisodefeaturesLoseystravelsand theartistsshemeetsalongthewayincitiesbigorsmall.Theepi-sodeswillthen runweeklyuntila newoneairs.

Itscoolfor peopletoseefamiliar placesandpeopleonTV,saidLosey.It mightmakeperformingseemmoreaccessibletokids if theyseetheir hometownorsomeonefromiton arealTVshow.Shealsoseesthisopportunityas away tobring moreattentiontosome ofthelesser-knownartistsshe encountersalongthe way.

Eachshowwillshow thehighsand lowsof touring,but willalsoshowcaseinterviewsof andperformancesbydifferentartists,aswell aslivemusic byLosey.

Partof oneof theupcomingepisodeswillbeshotatLoseysApril4 concerts/album-releasepartiesatElmirasClemensCenter.At theschoolsshehas visited,

Loseymadesure toofferall studentshalf-priceticketstothe shows,acknowledgingtheimportanceof get-tingteensinvolvedwithmusic,as wellasher show.Itshouldbea nicetie-in,saidLosey.Thisepisodeof

showwillincludepart of theconcert,backstageshots,andsomeof themusicfrom ournewCD, Blocks.

Morestructuredand thought-outthan Bittersweet,

Blockswasa veryfulllingalbumto make,withLosey

andPeterstakingthe opportunityto setout tomake awholealbum,whilepayingattentionto themoodsofeachsongas theypertainedto thewhole.Tome, thewholealbumis muchmoreimportantthan makingafewhitsingles,explainedLosey.Ifeel likepeopleare

gettingtiredof thewholehitscultureand areready,asasociety,togobacktomoreof agrassrootsapproachandreallylisten toeachsong.

Inthat samevein,Loseyhopesto invigoratetheregionsinterestin newtalentsthrougha concertseriesshewillhost atCorningsRadissonHotel.FromMay

throughOctober,2008,LoseyandPetersrecordcom-pany,PoseyTunes,will bringa newact tothe Radissoneachmonth,featuringartistsfrom alloverthe country,

includingthosefromNewYork,Buffaloand California.Wewantto bringinartistswhoareonthecusp

of greatsuccess,and introducethemtothe region,

inhopesof gainingthemattentionand bringingnewsoundstothe region,said Losey.She isalso hopingtobringa fewteenageartists fromotherareas tobothper-formand visittheschoolswithher tofurtherreinforceherpointthatyoudonthavetobefromabigcitytobea greatartist.

ByDara Riegel

Have You HeardJANAsSmall-town PA GirlGets Big TV Break

DaraRiegel is afrequent contributorto MountainHome magazine.

JANA LOSEY

BigFOXTV:Checklocallistingsfor TheSongYouHeard

ClemensCenterperformances: 7and9 p.m. April4;tickets$20 (half pricewithstudent

ID;must callahead)Information:www.janalosey.comor(570 )504-5589.SearchMTVsWeb sitetovote forLoseysmusicvideo

songs?S


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John Fulmer

WORK HISTORY

East Mill Street Studio, Belcamp, MarylandFreelance writing, editing and design. Specializing in trade magazines, business writing and production-oriented graphic

design with expertise in InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, FrameMaker and QuarkXPress. September 2005 to present.

Mountain Home, Wellsboro, PennsylvaniaManaging editor for regional magazine. As freelance contract employee, managed freelance staff, planned editorial content,

wrote everything from 5,000-word cover stories to 300-word blurbs, took photographs, and copyedited and laid out 48-page

book with InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop. March 2007 to April 2008.

Electrical Contractor, Security + Life Safety Systems, Bethesda, MarylandEditor of trade magazines from July 2004 to September 2005. Supervised four-person staff, developed editorial calendar and

writers budget, and gave 20-plus freelancers assignments and story direction. Contributing writer from February 2003 to July

2004. Associate editor and Products editor from June 2002 to February 2003. Did layout with QuarkXPress and Photoshop.

The News & Advance, Lynchburg, VirginiaNewspaper copy editor from January 2000 to August 2001. Edited copy and designed pages with Quark and Photoshop.

The Sun Herald, Biloxi, MississippiEntertainment coordinator for daily newspaper from December 1997 to May 1999. General assignment reporter from March

1988 to July 1989. Freelance writer from 1995 to 1997.

University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MississippiGraduate assistant and adjunct faculty member. Taught composition, technical writing, creative writing and literature. January

1994 to October 1998.

Georgetown ReviewEditor of nationally distributed literary magazine. Coordinated promotions, subscriptions and business operations, and did

layout with PageMaker. August 1996 to December 1997.

The Mississippi Press, Pascagoula, Mississippi

General assignment reporter for daily newspaper. May 1987 to March 1988.

EDUCATION

University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Masters degree in English. Creative writing emphasis. Transatlantic Prize winner for ction.

Loyola University, New Orleans, Louisiana

Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications. English minor.

1220 Independence Square

Belcamp, Md. 21017

410.272.2352/814.512.1482 cell

814.975.1144 fax

[email protected]


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Page 8 MOUNTAIN HOME NOVEMBER 2007

BIGmystery

cat

doesthe

cougar

stilllive

here?

ByJohn

Fulmer

Morris,Pennsylvania, a

blip on the map

in southern

Tioga County,

is well knownregionally for

its rattlesnake

roundup. What

most people

dont know is

that Morris has

its own CSI unit.

As in, Cougar

Sighting

Investigation.

photos

courtesy

of

eastern

cougar

foundation


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The Foundation

Morris resident Kerry Geykis, a forester and

former Tioga County planner, is part of the

Eastern Cougar Foundation, a nonprot based

in Harman, West Virginia. Geykis donates a

great deal of his time sleuthing into the hun-

dreds of reported cougar sightings east of the

Mississippi River.

He is especially interested in Pennsylvania

sightings, and though his true believers insist the

cougar lives in the commonwealths mountains

and forests, Geykis and the ECF have yet to

verify the big cats existence here. His interest

was piqued after spending years working in the

woods and as a hunter and trapper. Hed never

seen a mountain lion but kept hearing reports all

of the time.

People were adamant and they werent lying

to me, Geykis said. I mean, most of them

werent lyingweve caught a couple liarsbut,

in the East, most of them really thought they

had seen a cougar. And I thought, Well, they

cant all be wrong. In fact, I gured quite a few

of them had to be right.

So, for a period of time in my life, I was re-ally looking for cougars, Geykis said. I would

sit in a tree somewhere and try to lure them in.

And I got deer, weasels, dogs, coyotes. Never a

cougar. But all those years, I kept looking until I

nally said, Hey, I need some help here. Theres

something wrong here. Im in the woods more

than all of these other people put together and I

havent seen a cougar.

Eastward Ho?

Like most o those who claim to have seen a

cougar, Geykis ervently wants to believe this in-dicator species and apex predator has returnedto the win iers. Te ew cougars ound recentlyin the Eastern woods have either been released orhave escaped rom private zoos, which are legalin some states i the animals have proper permits.

John C. Gallant shot a wild cougar in 1967 whilesquirrel hunting in Craword County, Pennsylva-nia, but its characteristics matched those o CostaRican cougars. South American cats have cometo be an important source o pets or olks withprivate menageries.

Tere is some evidence, however, that wildcougars may be reproducing in the East. On the

ECF Web site under the heading KY Kitten, itsays in June 1997 a pickup truck hit an eight-pound emale cougar kitten on Highway 850in western Floyd County, Kentucky, which isin Appalachia near the borders o Virginia and

West Virginia. Te driver also noticed a largerand a smaller shape, probably the mother and a

sibling, because the kitten was too young to bealone. Te driver took the body to the KentuckyDepartment o Fish and Wildlie Resources,

where it was rozen and later analyzed.Te kitten lacked most captive-cat signifers.

She had not been declawed nor had she beentattooed, which is oten the case or pet cougars.She was not wearing a tag or collar. However, thesite says, DNA analysis indicated that the kittensmaternal ancestry included genes rom South

America, pointing to the pet trade . . . but pater-nal ancestry was shown to be North American.

Tis kitten is important or several reasons: shewas a highway atality, and biologists claim that icougars were present in any numbers some wouldget hit by cars; she indicates that reproduction isgoing on in the wild; and she exemplifes the mix-ing o cougars rom various origins that is prob-ably occurring in the Eastern woods.

Cougar History

An indicator species helps defne an environ-ments characteristics; its presence means a morenatural ecosystem is in place. An apex predator,

as the name indicates, is a hunter at the head othe ood chain, and the eastern cougars extirpa-tion (a ancy word or wiped out) was the re-sult o several actors related to its high ranking.

It is the largest cat in North America (ourth-largest in the world) and had the greatestdistribution o any mammal in the continent

until man usurped its top spot. But when theColonists arrived in the New World, the cougarwas a mystery. According to the ECF Web site,the Colonists were amiliar with wolves but hadno knowledge o cougars, because cougars live

Kerry Geykis, above, poses with his dog, Turq. Geykis, of

Morris, Pennsylvania, volunteers with the Eastern Cougar

Foundation, a network of mountain-lion researchers. Right:

KY Kitten was killed by a truck in Kentucky near the

border of Virginia and West Virginia, and it provides some

of the best evidence that cougars may be reproducing in the

wild in the eastern United States.

Please See Cougaron page 10

NOVEMBER 2007 MOUNTAIN HOME Page 9

photo

by

john

fulmer


6/32


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Humans are oten curious animals. Tey moveto the woods or camp in the wild to be closerto nature but many are then disconcerted whennaturein the orm o oraging bears, deer thatchew up gardens and owers, or timber rattlersthat cross their pathintrude on their islands ocivilization. Tey oten say they want naturebut it oten means a Disneyed world where

animals are anthropomorphic, where wolves aremean and Bambi is cute.

Speaking o wolves, in June 2006, Te Chris-tian Science Monitorreported on the ramica-tions o their successul reintroduction intoIdaho. Successul in the sense that the wolves,brought in rom Canada, blossomed in their

new habitat. Conservationists were pleased butopposition groups, such as the Idaho Anti-WolCoalition, pushed or a voter initiative that

would mandate the removal o more than 500

wolves in the states backcountry by whatevermeans necessary.A joint state and ederal plan was drawn up as

a compromise. In it, the state proposed killingas many as 51 wolves in north-central Idaho inorder to increase the elk herds avored by hunt-ers, the newspaper reported.

Coalition head Ron Gillett o Stanley, Idaho,was not impressed. He told theMonitorreporter:Teres only one way to manage Canadian

wolves in Idaho. Get rid o them.

The Cat Map

Geykis gures hes spent more than twentyyears looking into cougar sightings and hisPowerPoint show is a smorgasbord o ludicrouslypoor documentation, outright raud, photos thattook a good while to disprove, and a lot o stuin the middle. But beore he gets to the sight-ings, he lays the groundwork.

Te cougar is also native to much o Centraland South America, and though eradicated inmost o the eastern United States, a small pocketo Florida panthers live in and around theEverglades, all o which once again points to thelions adaptability.

Tat population in Florida, they say, is be-tween eighty and 100, Geykis said. I suspectits probably more. It was down to in the thirtiesmaybe teen or twenty years ago; it was go-ing in the tubes. Tey were becoming inbred,

smaller, kinky animals.Ten emales rom Western states, which have

thriving populations, were brought in under theguidance o David Maehr, a biologist on ECFsboard o directors. Tey now have a regeneratingpopulation in Florida. But its always difcult tomaintain, Geykis said, because o roadkill andhabitat loss. Also, adult male cougars will killimmature cougars without compunction, seeingthem as a threat to their dominance and accessto emales.

Nobody can be in their territory except theemale, he said. And i theres a ght overood, they may kill the emale.

Which brings Geykiss presentation to a mapo current cougar habitat rom another organi-zation, Cougar Network, which describes itselas nonpartisan: Tey dont advocate reco lo-nization in the East but also dont oppose it.Geykis also described Cougar Network asmore conservative. For them, conrmedcats in the East need pure North Americancougar DNA.

Cougar Networks map shows a bright greenarea that begins at the ar edge o the highplains rom exas north to Montana and goesall the way to the Pacic Ocean. wo smallergreen patches cover South Dakotas Badlands

and Floridas Everglades. A concentration oblue and pink dots covers much o the GreatPlains. Teres a smattering o dots in the East.Te blues represent what Cougar Networkdenes as Class 1 Conrmations: a dead orcaptured cougar; photographs and video; andDNA evidence such as hair or scat. Te pinksare Class 2 Conrmations: tracks or other tan-gible, physical evidence, such as prey carcasses,microscopic hair recognition and thin-layerchromatography o scat, veried by a qualiedproessional.

Geykis, pointing to the map, drew atten-tion to one big scraggly line going out o LakeSuperior and all o the way down to Louisiana.

Tats the Mississippi River, he explained, thebiggest obstacle to the Western cougars moveeastward.

I you look at that really closely, he said, itshows one blue on Michigans upper peninsula

Above: Eastern Cougar Foundation researcher Kerry

Geykis uses a map from another organization, the Cougar

Network, to show how mountain lions from western statesmay be moving east. The green areas indicate the cougars

current habitat, including a small section of Florida that is

home to the Florida panther. The blue dots represent what

Cougar Network defnes as Class 1 Confrmations: a dead

or captured cougar; photographs and video; and DNA

evidence such as hair or scat. The pink dots are Class 2

Confrmations: tracks or other tangible, physical evidence.

Right: The Eastern Cougar: Historic Accounts; ScientifcInvestigations; New Evidence is just part of the extensive

literature about the eastern cat.

NOVEMBER 2007 MOUNTAIN HOME Page11

Please See Cougaron page 12


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COUGARS . . .

Were native throughout most of North andSouth America when Europeans arrived. Except

for tundra, which offers no cover from which to

ambush prey, cougars lived in every type of habitat

from coastal swamps to high mountains.

Have a range that depends on abundance of prey

and type of ambush cover. Can be thirty square

miles in parts of Nevada or 400 in Florida where

swamps dont support many deer. Males larger

range may overlap the smaller ranges of several

females.

As adults weigh 140 pounds on average and are

seven feet from nose to tip of a tail thats almost as

long as the body. Brown to gray in color above and

whitish below. Black cougars have been reported in

South America. Cubs spots fade during rst year.

Have binocular vision for excellent depth per-

ception and judging distances. Vision enables night

hunting. Can detect ultrasonic frequencies and cup-

shaped, rounded ears move together or indepen-

dently in direction of sound.

Communicate through scent in urine and feces

deposited in scratched-up areas called scrapes

that help maintain a social network based on mutual

avoidance.

Cant roar but make a variety of sounds: chirps,

peeps, purrs, growls, moans, whistles, and bloodcur-

dling screams.

Prefer deer and other ungulates but will eat birds,

reptiles and amphibians, and occasionally insects.

Drag prey out of sight and cover it with leaves, grass,

or twigs. Dont like carrion, which saved them from

Western poisoned-bait campaigns that killed other

predators such as bears and eagles.

Have thirty teeth. They include large canines that

deliver a lethal bite, preferably at the back of the neck.

Other specialized teeth slice and shear esh.

Are solitary hunters that ambush rather than pur-

sue. Keep low to the ground and use available cover.

When close enough to prey, they explode in a sprint

of up to thirty-ve miles an hour.

Mate at two years and remain together only fora few days to a week. Three-month gestation after

which mother raises litter of two to four cubs alone.

Young stay with their mother until they are seventeen

to twenty-three months old. Females often stay close

to their mothers home range, but males usually travel

farther away, sometimes hundreds of miles. Young

males are at serious risk of fatal attack from all adult

males, including their father.

Live up to twelve years and up to twenty in captivity.

Can jump fteen feet high and forty feet wide,

climb trees and swim rivers. Four toes on the hind

foot. Fifth toe on larger front foot is a dewclaw or

thumb that doesnt touch ground but can graspprey. Three lobes on heel pad. Claws are kept re-

tracted, which helps keep the points sharp, enables

quiet stalking, and prevents them from registering

on tracks.

From the Eastern Cougar FoundationPhoto courtesy Washington Department of Fishand Wildlife

that was hit years ago, but all we have is hairthere. Cougar Net only takes evidence that theycan substantiate through game commissions.

And most o them dont want it; they dont wantto deal with it.

I you look at Illinois, there are two on theeast side o the Mississippi. Tose are the onlytwo were aware o that have been killed on theeast side o the Mississippi. Tere are probably

more but not a hell o a lot.As the cougar population grows in the West,

young cougars will naturally look or land inwhich to hunt. Tats pushing the big cats east-ward and into Canada.

A South Dakota cougar population hasgown so large, Geykis said, that hunting catsis now legal there.

Teyre too numerous. And a lot o the onescoming east through the North Country are

coming rom South Dakota. One o theirs, witha GPS collar on it made it to Oklahoma, about700 miles away and was killed there. One othem went into Manitoba, Canada, and theylost the circuit.

Te Mississippi River has slowed down east-ward migration, Geykis said, but thats not thesole actor. Most o the animals killed are young,sexually immature males that emales wontcome near.

Teyre hungry; theyre stupid with testos-

terone, Geykis said, adding that looking atthe reports o their roadkill is like looking at apolice report o a DUI.

It hasnt happened in the East, but theyrealready in the Midwest. You cant really say thereis a population, but they are defnitely there.Teyre in the cornfelds in Iowa and thosepeople havent had them or 100 years. So theyare really there. Teyve got roadkill, and that isprobably your best indicator.

Tracks, Scat, and

Photographs

Te presentation shits to hard evidence andhow to document a sighting. Geykis can tellpretty quickly whether a track belongs to a cou-gar and scat can be processed or DNA, especially i the sample is preserved careully. But mucho the cougar-sighting evidence comes to Geykis

and ECF volunteers as photographs. And the eycan play tricks. Not to mention a trickster armed

with Photoshop or another type o photo-ma-nipulation sotware.

Distance is one o the problems cougaridentifcation and bobcats play a big part in thatproblem. Pennsylvanias bobcat population ishuge, said Geykis, but most people have neverseen one. Tey are much smallera typicalmale bobcat is three eet long and weighs about

Female cougars have litters of two to four cubs.

Cougarcontinued from page 11


9/32

twenty-ve pounds while male cou-gars are twice that length and weighabout 140 pounds on averagebutthey look similar to cougars anddistance increases the margin oerror or the inexperienced cougarspotter.

Geykis fipped the switch andshowed a large cat prowling in thewoods at twilight or dawn. Tatjust came in several days ago, hesaid. Came in as a picture o a cou-gar. Its pretty obviously a bobcat.Teres no question in my mind.But,again, people say, Ive seen bobcatsall my lie. Chances are they havent.Tey havent seen a lot o them.Tats pretty darn obvious.

He hit the switch again and thescreen showed another large catwith its back to the camera sittingin the woods on a bright, sunnyday. Te on-screen captions read:Tere are many hundreds, even

thousands o sightings in PA, theEast and Sightings. What isReal?

Tat came rom Wellsboro,Pennsylvania. Now were gettinglocal. I heard about it and I wentto see it. Quite a cougar. Geykissmiled. But thats a good shot o abobcat. Its denitely not a cougar.Tat ones a airly tough one. Youcant see the tail. You cant really seebody. You have to look really closelyto see the points on the ears.

Its interesting but its a PA

bobcat. And a lot o people tell methats a cougar even though I cansee spots rom here. I can tell bythe conguration o musculature;its not just about the tail. Peoplesend in photos o house cats andits hard or me to believe that theymistake it or a cougar. But theydo.

Twin Tiers

PotentialGeykis begins winding down the

presentation by showing a map opossible cougar habitat in the East.Pennsylvania is represented by twolarge swaths, one o which roughlyollows the Appalachian rail; theother is more or less Te Penn-sylvania Wilds area designated bythe commonwealth. Part o that

bumps up into New York near Alle-gany State Park north o Bradord,Pennsylvania. Another spot in NewYork is in the Adirondacks with theLake Placid-Saranac Lake area as itscenter.

Geykis said hes hopeul thatrecolonization will take place herebut hes aware o the obstacles andopposition that will crop up icougars appear in the area. Cougarattacks are inrequent and deathsrom attacks rarer still. But statisticspoint to an increase o attacks andatalities as suburbs and exurbs en-croach on the cougars habitat. Andbecause o conservation measuresits illegal, or instance, to huntcougars now in Caliorniatheirpopulation has grown. Coexistencewill be a delicate dance. Wikipe-dia tells us there have been 108conrmed attacks on humans withtwenty atalities in North America

since 1890, ty o the incidentshaving occurred since 1991. Cali-ornia has seen a dozen attacks since1986 (ater just three rom 1890 to1985), including three atalities.

Geykis can tell horror stories.Such as a young man killed by acougar in Colorado as he ran inthe woods behind a school. Whenthey ound him, the cougar was stillguarding the kill.

Humans, used to cuddly, domes-ticated house cats, might shudderat that horror, but the cougars be-

havior is dictated by nature, whichis not cruel but concerned strictlywith survival. It normally sees us assomething to avoid. It would ratheravoid us than attack us because weare pretty big as mammals go andnot its natural prey. As Geykis said,a cougar is not really built to killhumans, though obviously it can.It does not see us as beneactorsand cant show appreciation, whichis something humans desire asbeneactors.

But this is the story, Geykissaid. Te people in Colorado reallywanted the cougars to come in.And they still do. But theyve wisedup a little bit about inviting themin your yard. Its like a bear. Whenyou eed it, youve created a situa-tion where youre going to kill thebear when you eed it. And theyloved to see the cougars coming in.But then the cougars started hunt-ing them.

John Gallant has the last ofcial recorded mountain lion killing in Pennsylvania. That

mountain-lion killing, which occurred in Crawford County in 1967, doesnt prove whether th

cat was native to the East since it could have escaped from a private zoo.

People were adamant and they werent

lying to me. I mean, most of them

werent lyingweve caught a couple

liarsbut, in the East, most of them

really thought they had seen a cougar.

Kerry GeykisEastern Cougar Foundation


10/32

Pg 2 MOuNTaIN HOMe February 200

ByJohn Fulmer

Sound

Home

A

Ed ClutE plays a tunE on his mason-hamlin grand piano at his

watkins glEns homE. ClutE will hEadlinE thE mountain homE wintEr

Jazz fEst on marCh 1 at thE pEnn wEllshotEl.

STANDINGbee E mce, ce- cbe be , E Ce

c e e e ec e be.

te ec, e e ce, ve, e 1920, e E d dc

Phonographs were all the rage, a must-have for apper-era audiophiles, equivalent

e --e p , bee e, e-ee e.


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February 2008 MOuNTaIN HOMe Pg

Pls S Home on pg 10

Ed ClutE slips an Edison diamond disC on his Edison maChinE.

a prECursor to thE modErn phonograph, it is onE of his prizE

possEssions. thE first Edisons wEnt on salE in 1912.

he ten-inch wide records used on the machines

are one-quarter-inch thick. The eighty-rpm discs,

a transitional technology from the earlier cylinder-

recording method and the thirty-three-rpm vinyl lp,

are heavy as serving platters and made of an ungodly

chemical mixture of phenol, formaldehyde, wood-

our and solvent. As the needle slips into the records

groove, a slightly scratchy ragtime stomp bleats out

from the horn, or speaker, hidden behind a grille.

Except for record collectors and amateur archivistslike Clute, the song, which regales the listener to the

joys and wonders of Wisconsin, has been long forgot-

ten. Clute himself cant think of its title or the name

of the band off the top of his head.

But thats understandable. Clute, who, along with his

Dixie Five Plus One, will headline the rstMountain

HomeWinter Jazz Fest on March 1, is a professional mu-

sician, a classically trained pianist, and a lover of ragtime

and early jazz. His studio, in which the Edison machine

sits, is a minor museum, stuffed with sound stuff. There

are three pianos in the center of the room: two Mason-

Hamlin grands, one of which is also a player piano, and

a Foster upright foot-pump player.

It would take an assistant or two to catalog the

records, tapes, CDs, and piano rolls stacked in the

shelves that cover the studios walls. And since Clute isblind, they all had to be coded with a braille writer and

elaborately organized.

But instead of worrying too much about whether

he can identify a band or its nearly 100-year-old ditty,

Clute sways in front of his prize machine with a

childlike look of delight on his face, blissed out by a

song to which Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald might have

danced The Charleston. Obedience to minutia, the

curse of too many collectors, doesnt seem to be his

problem.

Clute also keeps an archive in his head. Ask him

to play a ragtime-era song or one of the standards

from the Great American Songbook, and he doesnt

hesitate. Nor does he say much, except perhaps, Oh,

thats agreatsong. He just plays it. And awlessly. But

this talent took years of practice.

lute, who is sixty-four, was born and, for the

rst six years of his life, lived in the house next

to the studio. High on a hill in Watkins Glen, New

York, it offers a stunning view of Seneca Lake. Clute

said his mother encouraged his interest in music.

My mother says I was playing the piano at the age

of three Clute said. I went to the Batavia School

for the Blind when I was seven and studied all the

subjectsmath, English, historybut with a big

emphasis on music.

After graduating from Batavia in 1964, he headed to

the New England Conservatory in Boston, where he

spent four wonderful years. During the summer, he

attended the Amherst Summer Music Center in Maine,which is no longer in existence, but Clute described it

as a very good music school.

After graduating from the conservatory, he met

up with Jean Casadesus, a French classic pianist and

the son of Robert and Gaby Casadesus. Jean Casa-

C

T


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Page MOUNTAIN HOME MArcH 200

UNREaLDavid

Davies

Built His

Dream

House inMiniature

Originally frOm cOnnecticut, DaviD

Davies anD his wife, BarBara, Became

enamOreD with wellsBOrO thirteen

years agO. that lOve affair leD them

tO Buy a hOme here, after retiring a

year agO. they planneD tO remODel

their hOme On waln street anD DiDsO after DaviD Built a mODel Of the

prOject (see OppOsite page). the

finisheD prOject is at left.


13/32

MArcH 200 MOUNTAIN HOME Page

T

wenty minutes after arriving in

Wellsboro for the rst time, David

Davies phoned his wife back home in

Connecticut.Do you remember Bedford Falls in

Its A Wonderful Life?, he asked. Well, Im standing in

the middle of it.

An avid admirer of all things Americana, Davies

could attribute his discovery of Wellsboros enchanting

small-town charm to divine diner destiny.

A few days before his initial trek to Wellsboro,

Davies had watched a PBS special on diners that

featured The Wellsboro Diner. He was intrigued.

Coincidentally, a day later, his copy of Roadside(a

journal dedicated to the appreciation and preservation

of a truly unique American institutionthe diner)arrived in the mail. The issue featured A Walk

Through Wellsboro on its cover. Davies was

enthralled.

I took off for Wellsboro that next weekend, he

recalls. I came here and fell in love with the place.

In addition to The Wellsboro Diner, the towns gas-

lit boulevard, the Penn Wells Hotel, Arcadia Theatre,

Victorian homes, and townsfolk captivated Davies.

All the people I met were friendly and open. People

would actually stop and say Hello!, Davies relates.

I went into a barber shop and sat and talked for two

hours.He soon returned with wife Barbara, who became

equally enchanted with Wellsboro, and the couple

began a twelve-year love affair with the community,

culminating in a move to town one year ago, after

retiring from their jobs in Connecticut.

During their many trips to town, the couple toured

several homes for sale and eventually purchased an

inconspicuous, all-white home on Waln Street. But,

EstatE

. . . Then Made This Dream Come True

Story and Photographs ByCindy davis Meixel


14/32

Page 10 MOUNTAIN HOME MArcH 2008

before even buying the house, David,

who is a model hobbyist in addition

to being an architecture acionado,created a miniature model of the home

so he could conceive a redesign of the

buildings rooine. He devised a varietyof options to add some air to thehouse, nally settling on the additionof a cupola the idea that sold him on

attaining the property.

David also used the model home to

play around with various exterior colors,

only to nd out later, during renovationof the actual house, that all of the

colors he chose were once used on the

homes exterior.With the exterior renovation

complete, he has turned his talents on

the interior.Every room is a work in progress,

he declares delightedly.Two rooms that are complete are his

studioa workshop brimming with

his miniature creations, dollhouses,

and dioramasand his ofcea

library lled with architecture books,vintage radios, black-and-whitephotographs of his favorite actors

from classic media (radio, television,

and lm), and national awards forold-time radio programs preservation.The issue of Roadsidemagazine

that led him to Wellsboro is placed

prominently on a table.In addition to being a passionate

preservationist, Davies is also a dreamer

and a doer. One of his favorite pastimesis driving around the countryside,

photographing old homes and unique

structures.I love to go off for a day on

photographic expeditions, he says.Photographs of his nds overow

albums and boxes in his studio. Many

of these serve as inspirations for newmodel designs. Some of his creationsare pure fantasy pieces, combining

elements from various structures, while

others are replications of actual existing

buildings. Victorian-era architectureholds a particular appeal.

Its hard to nd the perfect Victorianwith all of the exact parts that you want,

so this way I can build them to my

liking, in miniatures, since I cant afford

The Allure of the Diner & U.S. 6

the red rose diner was built in new rochelle , new york, by patrick. j. tierney sons in 1927 and moved to towanda, pennsylvania in 2003. its complex

legacy is explained in detail on the red rose web site at: www.redrosediner.com.

Dream ontinued fom page 9

Please See Dineron page 15

Way back when, Bobby Troup wrote an ode to thehighway thats the best, and told everybody theycould get their kicks on Route 66.

But folks in the Southern Tier, such as model-home builderDavid Davies, can be excused for thinking their own Route 6

is Number One and that a trip on this venerable U.S. Highwaycan be a major gas. You can get your kicks there, too, especiallyif they include a love of old dinersof which Davies has in

spades. Now retired in Wellsboro, he was drawn here by itsdiner, which sits at the corner of Main Street (U.S. 6) and EastAvenue, a 1938 Sterling Number 388 model thats as warm andcomfy as a annel bathrobe on a cold morning. The WellsboroDiner, and others like her, is a peculiar slice of Americana pie,

the pre-Micky Ds/Wendys/Taco Bell pit stop for a people whohave always been in motion, on the move, in a just-gotta-get-

there mode, and want a good meal lickety-split.In its heyday, U.S. 6 had more than its fair share of diners,hundreds of them, since it is a cross-country highway that

begins on Cape Cods ngertip and ends in California. Itcrosses the Hudson River at Bear Mountain, and, in On theRoad, Kerouacs alter ego, Sal Paradise, thumb out, is caught ina rainstorm there and cant catch a ride. His hopes dashed, he

ByJohn Fulmer

left: the Davies hOme

On waln street as

it appeareDBefOre

renOvatiOn which the

Owners have DescriBeD

as a wOrK in prOgress.

BeLow: dAvIeS workSHop

is filleD with mODel

hOmes,DiOramas, anD

DOllhOuses. the yellOw

hOuse BelOw is his stuDy

Of hillfOrest in aurOra,

inDiana. wOrKing On

mODels such as this

helpeD him Devise the

cupOla fOr the renOvateD

hOuse in wellsBOrO.

Photo

by

Mountain

hoMe

Staff

Photo

by

DaviD

DavieS


15/32

MArcH 2008 MOUNTAIN HOME Page 11

to buy all of them in real life, he offers.Among the true-to-life treasures in his workshop are

models of houses, hotels, diners, and train and gas stations

from a variety of states including Connecticut, New

Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, and South Carolina.Other plans are to recreate Spokane, Washingtonslegendary Davenport Hotel, the historic Rosson House, inPhoenix, and the gardens at the Vanderbilt Mansion, nearHyde Park, New York.

For the latter, Davies already has pieces of foam board

stacked in his studio. Like a sculptor who envisions thenished work inside a hunk of stone, Davies jokes, This

isnt foam boardits the gardens at Vanderbilt! He adds,I never look at anything as it is; I look at what it can be.

One work-in-progress that offers a study of his detail-oriented sensibilities is his replication of the historic

Hillforest, an Italian Renaissance museum house inAurora, Indiana. In addition to making an exact replicaof the building, Davies is recreating the facilitys site,

including landscaping and stone stairs, precisely to the

number of steps.A dominant structure in the studio is a circa-1930s

fantasy city. One of its whimsical features pays homage toDavies love of classic detectives and one of his favorite

actors, Humphrey Bogart. In a San Francisco-style ofcebuilding, he recreated an ofce for Spade and Archertheprivate eyes from The Maltese Falconand even placed a tiny

copy of the Dashiell Hammett book on the ofce desk.Davies humor can also be seen in another odd andwhimsical piecea tribute to Alfred Hitchcocks lmPsycho. Featuring the Bates Motel and a tattered mansion,Davies created the small set in black, white and gray and

nished it off with clear, high gloss spray paint to give aneerie, wet appearance.

Another imaginative piece on his workshop shelves is

Davids Corner Diner, a model kit named after him,

courtesy of friends who own a model-kit company. Davieshad given his friends the design for the diner free of charge.

A reality-based project closer to home that has caught

Davies eye is a Victorian home in Wyalusing, which he hasphotographed twice. I never saw a house with that muchdetail, he says. It has the most beautiful gingerbreadfeatures that were just rotting away.

On his last trip to visit the house, he was greeted witha wonderful surprise. I wanted to go back again to getmore photos before it started falling apart too much and I

discovered the house is being restored. What a joy!His travels have also taken him to Seneca Falls, New

York, the town considered to be the inspiration for theholiday classic, Its A Wonderful Life. Still, he and Barbarabelieve Wellsboro is the embodiment of a wonderful

life setting.Since settling in town, they have immersed themselves

in all things Wellsboro, including the communitys culture,

history, and architecture. David is also serving on the townsHistoric Architectural Review Board. Barbara has enjoyedtracing the history of their house.

Their homes foyer features an empty ornate oval picture

frame awaiting a photograph of the propertys original

owner, Major George Washington Merrick, who bought thesite in 1869 for $200.

For David and his beloved Barbara, life is a satisfying

balance of honoring the past, participating passionately

in the present, and planning future projects with purpose

the dynamic design for their own wonderful life.

I

magine putting into place 1,550 miniature walnut and

pine hardwood pieces to create inlaid ooring, laying

over 2,000 tiny asphalt roof shingles, and constructingreplaces with more than 4,500 miniature bricks. ForLeonard and Joan Kulish, who spent nine months buildinga dollhouse, the project was certainly a labor of love.

The Kulishes, of Hills Creek Lake on Wellsborosoutskirts, created the six-foot-long house thirty years ago

with another couple when they lived in Bucks County.(Years of family camping trips to the lake led the Kulishesto retire there twelve years ago.)

They poured more than $4,000 in materials into thehouse, which earned appraisals of upwards of $20,000.This well-researched, fteen-room Southern-style Colonialhas double-hung windows, clapboard siding, and sliding

pocket doors. The foyers grand staircase has more than120 spindles. A ve-transformer power supply, in the attic,

supports the electrical system.The Kulishes are considering selling the dollhouse dueto health issues and a desire to downsize. The house istaking up space needed for other pursuits. Joan, a formerlicensed baker, is busy baking for loved ones. Leonardhas traded in his woodworking tools for knitting needles,

eagerly knitting chemo caps for fellow cancer patients.

What a Doll (House)!

to: B b lod d Jo

K o,

fteen-m llhuse featues

ve iceing elaces an

ve elegant chanelies, an

examle f hich ae shn

in the libay. Abve: Tue t

its Suthen-style Clnial

ts, the mel has mais

stes Left: t doo

tue caft shs f manyyeas an as exhibite at a

Ytn Heights, Ne Y,

museum. It as usely

neve funishe s viees

cul see the meticulus

o d b.

Cindy Davis Meixel is a frequent contributor to Mountain Home magazine.

by Cindy Davis Meixel

PhotoS

by

cinDy

DaviS

Meixel


16/32

Page MOUNTAIN HOME jANUAry 200

The beat was slow,slow, quick, quick. Orprobably better describedas slush, slush, slop, slop.The time was four beats

to the measure. The songwas The Lady is a Tramp,a fox-trot standard.

D

ance

LIFEof

It was also the rst morning of antlered deer season in a very low-

grade, basically dark environment: a swamp, in a misty rain. I wassneaking to a spot on a hillside with a view and it was a long hike.My oldest son Keto was in front and completely unaware of myantics. That was probably a good thing. Times like this are kind ofdangerous for me as I tend to think about a lot of things and I alsoknow Ive got to remain focused on one thing. So I try to do both,a Gyekis tradition. Whether hunting or working as a forester onsomeones land, Ive always hummed songsand written storiesasI go. Now, after this past year of ballroom dancing, I had foundmyself guring the beat and sneak/walking to that darn beat. In fact,I couldnt forget it. Aarg! Okay. That part was ne, but I had to nda way not to click my heels at the end of the quick, quick part. Notgood in deer country.

I switched to the song Caminito, a tango. The change wasimmediate. First a left step and then a right, each taking two beats, then

the left again and a hold on that and point the left foot a bit as I steppedto the right with my right, another two beats. Finally I slid the left footover to the right on seven and held on eight. I repeated it again andagain and then the crossover with the right foot and a promenade to theleft at a log and nally a corte to prevent a limb from severing my headfrom my body. I was now more alert. Interesting.

Quite frankly, the whole ballroom thing has been a new world forme. It is something I never thought I would be doing even thoughI grew up near Pittsburgh and had a father who played drums

Terry and Maureen Babb cut a rug during a local ballroom dancing session. The Babbs are part of The

Endless Mountain Dance Club, which meets to dance and improve its members health, both physical

and mental. At top: an illustration of dance steps from How to Improve Your Social Dancing, which was

published in 1956. Other illustrations from the book are in the article.

ByKerry GyeKis and Terry V. BaBB

Fox-trot

Photobytinatolins


17/32

jANUAry 200 MOUNTAIN HOME Page

Dancing can be magical and

transforming. It can breathe new life

into a tired soul; make a spirit soar;

unleash locked-away creativity; unite

generations and cultures; inspire

new romances or rekindle old ones;

trigger long-forgotten memories; and

turn sadness into joy, if only during

the dance.

On a more physical level, dancing

can give you a great mind-body work

out. Researchers are learning that

regular physical activity in general can

help keep your body, including your

brain, healthy as you age. Exercise

increases the level of brain chemicals

that encourage nerve cells to grow.

And dancing that requires you to

remember dance steps and sequences

boosts brain power by improving

memory skills.

There has been some promising

research in this area.

According to Rita Beckford, M.D.,

a family doctor and spokesperson for

the American Council on Exercise. For

instance, a 2003 study published in

The New England Journal of Medicine

found that ballroom dancing at least

twice a week made people less likely

to develop dementia.

Research also has shown that some

people with Alzheimers disease are

able to recall forgotten memories when

they dance to music they used to know.Like other moderate, low-impact,

weight bearing activities, such as

brisk walking, cycling or aerobics,

dancing can help:

strengthen bones and muscles

without hurting your joints

tone your entire body

improve your posture and balance,

which can prevent falls

increase your stamina and

exibility

reduce stress and tension

build condence

provide opportunities to meet people ward off illnesses like diabetes,

high blood pressure, heart disease,

osteoporosis, and depression

So if youre tired of the treadmill

and looking for a fun way to stay t

and healthy, it might be time to kick up

your heels!

Why You Should Be DancingFrom the AARP article Lets Dance to Health

professionally in a big band. I carriedhis drums into hotels as a kid but neverdanced. It was just about the farthestthing from my mind.

Look, Im a guy who has spent mostof his juvenile and adult life in forests,rst as a kid trapping and hunting,then as a Peace Corps forester in theAsian jungles, and nally as a private,consultant forester. I even live in one.If that is not enough, add about thirty

years of karate and working withdelinquent kids. Ballroom dance? Hah!Not me. At least, that is what I thought.

Blloom Bgnn

On the other hand, my wife Janetand I ended up at a Hamilton-Gibsondinner dance in Wellsboro several yearsago and enjoyed the dancing very much.Many times that evening we watched acouple that owed across the oor. Itmade an impression. We both agreedthat we would love to do that. What?Was I crazy? What was I getting myselfinto? Well, guess what? Things had

changed. I was losing my inhibitions,it seems. That was a biggie. My otherhalf loves to dance. Even after a hardday, she comes alive on the dance oor.That is good. So I would do it for thatreason alone. Also, there would be nomore ghting in karate. All those yearsof violent punching and kicking hadtaken their toll. What was I going to doto maintain mental and physical focus?Karate had supplied that for manyyears. Lose focus and get a broken nosevery quickly . . . a good reason to stayfocused. What now?

In the late summer of 2006 we saw

an article in theWellsboro Gazette

abouta ballroom class beginning in a fewweeks. We showed up. So did aboutsixty others. Most were couples but

several singles were there also.A middle-aged, handsome gent from

Williamsport, self-named Good olTony swaggered out onto the oor

and introduced himself as the leadinstructor. He then asked for a show ofhands from the men concerning howmany had been threatened with death ifthey did not come that evening. At rstthere was dead silence. Then the handsbegan to go up as the laughter began. Itdid not stop until the end of the classfteen weeks later. Im still chuckling.

During that rst evening ofinstruction I did a lot of lookingaround. At rst I was struck by the agediversity of the group. There were kidsin their late teens and early twentieswhom I knew from a forestry 4-Hclass I had taught for years. I learnedthat some of these young people weregetting married in the near future andwanted to dance well at their own

weddings. A few even took privateclasses during that time period andcame back later to demonstrate to all ofus what they had learned. I saw more

than a few tears shed among otherdancers during those demos.

There were single men and women,young married couples, and then therewas the large group of forty-to-sixty-something couples. That I expected.

Probably the most amazing group

were those couples in their 70s andeven 80s. As I came to know someof these people, I found they hadjust come out of hospitals with organ

transplants, bypass operations, ongoingchemo, and just about everything elseimaginable. One was a World War IIVet! There they were dancing and Ithought we would need respirators. We

Please See Dance on page 10

Members of The Endless Mountain Dance Club practice in Wellsboro.

Photo

bytinatolins

PhotobyWilliam

Gottlieb/RedfeRns


18/32

Page 10 MOUNTAIN HOME jANUAry 2008

For those skeptics who dont believe in the power of the

mind in health and medicine, Ive listed the physical proof

rst. Millions of people every year are enjoying the many

benets that these forms of dance provide. From physical,

mental and social standpoints, our favorite recreation is

one of the best overall forms of low impact/high aerobic

workouts available. Its fun, it can be free, and best of all

its always done with someone else. Here are just a few of

the many benets Ballroom offers:

ThePhysical

BenefiTs

Cardiovascular: Ballroom and Latin dancing (henceforth

called B&L) can raise the heart rate anywhere from eighty

to 120 beats per minute, the equivalent of any strength

training or aerobic program I have heard of. Sustained in

two-minute bursts over a forty-ve-minute period will build

not only your hearts strength, but its endurance, too.

Muscle Tone: B&L dancing, when danced at an

intermediate to advanced level of technique, uses the

perfect blend of isometric and isotonic resistance (the two

key ingredients to muscle building and toning). The blend

and use of the muscles is perfect for building beautiful tone

in the muscles without building a lot of muscle mass.

Joints: According to the American Journal of Medicine,

the best way to avoid arthritis, early arthritis and to remedy

current joint discomfort is to continue to use the joints in

a controlled manner. The beautiful rise and fall of waltz

demonstrates this beautifully.

The Spinal Column: Before B&L, I had a chronic back

problem and looked like I had curvature of the spine.

When I stand as I used to, compared to what my natural

posture now looks like thanks to ballroom, I look at least 3

inches taller. The frame or posture maintained places the

spine in a natural and correct position, even more correct

than when standing or sitting naturally! Plus that puts all

your organs in alignment, which is now thought by many

doctors and chiropractors to ght sickness, disease,

fatigue and more.

Respiratory: Many track greats know that a strong set of

lungs gets plenty of oxygen, which makes the heart workeasier, which in turns allows us to dance and have fun

longer! Thats why sprinters run a lot of wind bursts. Brief

bursts to up the heart-rate quickly, then bringing it down

and doing this repeatedly. This is similar to dancing at a

party, club or ballroom.

MenTal and eMoTional BenefiTs

Hug Theory: The dance position used in Ballroom and

Latin Dancing is very similar to a hug. It is believed that

this is part of the attraction of B&L dancing; you get the

security of a hug without the need for intimacy. Hugs are

truly therapeutic and the ballroom circle does a lot of

hugging as well as their dance positions, thats a whole

lotta hugging going on.Self-Esteem: The rst time I took my wife in an underarm

turn, she almost broke my hand she squeezed so tight, and

Someone might notice me was her explanation.

She went on to a national championship, and then

became a teacher then a performer. My wife and I,

and almost everyone I know who does B&L, have

found a deeper self-worth and hold a greater value in

themselves.

Confdence:Many ballroom dancers have experienced

the thrill (rush) of dancing in front of people. This is one of

Americans Top Ten fears. Overcoming this fear increases

condence in dance, in ones self and in life. Since I started

more than eleven years ago, I approach every challenge in

my life with a solid (but realistic) condence. Most of the

ballroom dancers I know are the same.

Social Ease: There is documentation supporting the

theory that comfort and ease in social situations is

one of the four primary needs in all individuals (almost

every philosophy, psychology and self-help book has

the list). From weekly exposure (and a bit of trial and

error), people become much more at ease in a social

situation.

They learn to engage in conversation, proper social

etiquette (one of the biggest social phobias.) to ask

someone to dance (a big rst step for many people). It even

helps people deal with crowds. All in all the ultimate source

for social edication and eventually comfort.

Posture, Appearance and Balance: B&L gives better

posture, which in turn gives one a much more attractiveappearance. If your ego from looking so good doesnt

throw you off, the improved posture improves balance as

well. This in turn will help one to move more gracefully,

which is explained in the next benet.

Grace and Poise: Through improved balance and self

esteem, one tends to stand and move in a much more

polished and pleasant manner. Clumsiness is overcome,

which also increases confidence and social ease.

Psychological Escape: No matter what you do in life,

youve got to take a break sometime! Ballroom provides

a temporary escape from the cares of the world and

its pressures and for a few hours a week gives people

freedom and enjoyment, invigorating them for the normal

responsibilities.

Emotional Lifeline: For many people, there is emptiness,

loneliness, something missing in their life. Ballroom offers

something wonderful to ll that void.

The Power of Dance

did not. What was driving this?Something else struck me.

There were people in the group Iknew who were lawyers, janitors,doctors, secretaries, teachers, artists,

construction workers, and retiredwhatevers. This group crossed justabout every social and economicboundary in our local society. So thisballroom phenomenon was not a classthing. Hmmm.

Dancing for Health

I also came to realize as time went onthat it was not about Dancing with the

Stars. It was about social dancing with

an emphasis on community healthboth mental and physicalfocus, andfun! And it was happening all over our

region of north central Pennsylvaniaand New Yorks Finger Lake country.

People from all walks of life aredoing this for a bunch of reasons.To give you an idea of the breadthof those reasons, Ill introduce youto some folks in the Twin Tiers. Therst is a couple that has been involved

Theresno doubtabout it, ballroom

and Latin dancing

is changing the

way people feelabout exercise,

and themselves!

While not a proven scientic fact, ballroom

dancing has been shown to induce a

phenomenon known as spontaneous smiling.

Dance continued fom page 9


Waltz

From the Ballroom Dance Passion Web site:http://ballroom-dance-resource.com/betterhealth.htm

Photo

by

tina

tolins


19/32

jANUAry 2008 MOUNTAIN HOME Page 11

Icant jog without turning an alarming shade ofred while gasping for air. My inability to follow

direction when it comes to my body, and general lack ofcoordination, inhibits me from feeling anything but hatredfor choreographed aerobics classes. But, man, can I dance.

On the dance oor, I shed my inhibitions like high

heels at the prom and go at it like nobodys business.Breathless jitterbugs, disco moves, unabashedshimmying . . . I love it all. So why do I torture myselfwith empty promises of getting in shape at the gym?

I found myself asking that question a few weeksago as I pondered over the fact that despite mydedication to getting my ve-foot-nine frame down to

a healthy weight, I hadnt been to the gym in quite awhile. So I decided to take charge. Stop pussyfootingaround and waiting for something fun to grab myattention and dispel my extra 100 pounds.

I want to dance it away. Not the type of dance thatrequires me to follow the instructions of a pert andperky ve-and-a-half-pound human dance machine, but

the all-out ailing around, singing out loud, making-a-

ruckus-type that I love. Enter 171 Cedar Arts Center.

As a well-respected center for the arts in Corning,New York, 171 is a community-based not-for-prot

multi-arts center that upholds its mission to provide

the community with a warm, friendly home in whichto explore the arts by offering a variety of art and

dance classes. One minute spent within the walls of thecampus lets you know that they have succeeded. Withopen gallery spaces for artists to display their works,well-kept art and dance studios for classes and rentals,

and an impressive list of offerings, the center presents awelcoming face to anyone interested in the arts.

The lovely programmers there listened thoughtfully asI excitedly explained my plan to host weekly open dancesfor the public, and offered to let me rent their ballroomfor an extremely reasonable rate for the experience.

So, every Wednesday evening starting January 9, Iwill be dancing my heart out in their beautiful ballroomand I invite you to join me. Whether youre looking fora fun way to lose weight like me, or you just want toget out of the house and move for a little while, youremore than welcome to drop by and see whats what. Noobligations, no instructors, and no structurejust usand a boom box full of danceable mix tapes.

Well play all sorts of pop music, from 1950s swing,to disco, to rock-and-roll. If you have some great

(appropriate) dance music you want to share, bring it

along. Well dance to all of it. Want to dress up and twirl?Don some ratty jeans and break dance? Jump around inyour sweats? Great, well be doing all of the above.

Dont think you can dance? Well, Ill tell you asecret.no one can. We all look completely ridiculouswhen it comes right down to it. The trick is notcaring, and letting go enough to get swept up in thefun of it. I look like a convulsing jackrabbit half thetime when I dance, but I couldnt care less because Iam loving every minute of it, and that joy translatesinto condence and inspires others to let loose as well.

I recently attended a wedding and got a slew ofcomplements on my dancingnot because of myundiluted grace (hey, I only fell once), or killer moves(thankfully I didnt hit my uncle in the head too hard),but because I got into the spirit of it and draggedothers along with me until they enjoyed themselves aswell. Thats my goal with this open dance endeavorto get people involved, and active, and having fun.And if we happen to fulll our New Years resolutions

to get in shape in the process all the better.

Heres to a happy, healthy, and fun-lled New Year!

Corning InvitationalWhat: Open dance

When:Wednesdays, 7 to 9 p.m., starting January 9Where: 171 Cedar Arts Center, 171 Cedar

Street, Corning, New York

Cost: $3 per person

ContaCt: Dara Riegel at [email protected] or (607) 936.3159

PhotoC

ouRtesy

of

DaRa

RieGel

since Day One. The gal went through adouble organ transplant some years agoand, just recently, was found to havebreast cancer. She is in chemo now. Herrecently retired partner enjoys bringingher to classes, dances, and practices.Their stated reason for dancing? It givesthem a way of constantly exercising.As well, the lessons always provide

something new, and they love themental and physical feeling after a nightof dance. They are still dancing andenjoying it. Right through the chemo!

Another couple, far and away the

best dancers Ive seen in this group, isjust as amazing. The husband is a heart-

attack and cancer survivor, and they arethe smoothest thing going on the dance

oor. They ow. I asked them oncewhy they bother with the lessons. Bothchimed in with something like: We can

always learn something new and it givesus a chance to dance and meet people.

Wow! Talk about humble.

Yes, most of us are not as amazing asthese two couples, but we are there for

a multitude of reasons including stressrelief, physical tness, condence-

building, focus, ego-killing, and attitude

adjustment to name a few. Many statethat it is a great date night and eveningout. We would second that.

Several other couples we know offersimilar comments and claim commonbenets. One states that: My upper

body is getting a work out as a resultof the frame position, and deliberatefootwork, especially in the waltz thattones the lower body as well. I knowthat, in the beginning, my neck andshoulders really hurt from keeping myarms up during the whole practice.

Im not sure that there is anything

aerobic going on he says, and added

slyly, That happens when you get home.Another gal basically says that she

sleeps better, and nally, to top them

all, one guy states that since hes beendancing it makes him more regular.

Now that is honesty.Another lady sums it up well:

Finally, an activity has come to

our area that promotes fellowship,tness, and fun. Ballroom dancing has

enhanced our relationship as a couple,provided us with a fun way to exercise,and empowered us to expand our circleof friends.

Its For All Ages

One nal note on this. As I

mentioned earlier, people who aredoing this are all ages. It really hit homeone evening as Janet and I visited theLaurels in Wellsboro where my momlives. We had just begun lessons ashort time before that. The Laurels isan assisted care place with folks fromtheir late sixties to 100-plus years old.

I forget what the party was about, butthere was a lady who lived there playingthe piano and many of the residentswere just sitting around listening. Janetand I both approached ladies and askedthem to dance. I danced with a 100-

Dance continued fom page 10

Author Dara Riegel (left) shakes a tail feather.

Jitterbug


byDara Riegel


20/32

Page MOUNTAIN HOME OcTObEr 2007

Its fall and the sounds of love will once again ll theair in Elk Alley.By that we mean screaming and bugling. Grunting

and bellowing. Hufng and pufng from aggressively

ared nostrils. The loud clack of antler-on-antler

contact. Yes, its mating season for Pennsylvanias wild

elk herd, when the big fellows with an overabundance

of chest hair look for the girl of their dreams. But its

never easy. Faint heart never won fair cow.

This is the time of year it gears up, said Lisa Bainey,

park manager at Cameron Countys Sinnemahonig State

Park, which has a program of guided elk watches thatlasts until October 20. The bulls are vying for domi-

nance over the herd. It goes on until the second week

of October, but usually by the rst week in October, the

big bulls, the dominant bulls are pretty worn out. Theres

a lot of ghting going on. Its interesting to watch be-

cause if theres a cow in heat, they are just ravenous.

During the rut, as its called, big, older bulls have

to bugle like crazy all the time, hardly have a minute

to eat, and must ght off lesser bulls to control their

harems, which normally contain fteen to twenty cows,

though Bainey said some harems can reach twenty-

ve females. The rut is crucial to the bulls legacy, but

its rigorous demandsit can cause a twenty-percent

body-weight lossmight spell his doom during the

long, cold Pennsylvania winter.

The rut is the best time of year for elk viewing

in the Alley, ofcially designated by the state as Elk

Scenic Drive, a 127-mile loop made up of Interstate 80

between Exit 120 and Exit 111 and ve state highways.

Route 555 from Weedville, in Elk County, to Drift-

wood, in Cameron County and part of State Route 872to Sinnemahonig State Park is where most of the ac-

tion takes place. The elk range covers about 850 square

miles and also includes parts of Cleareld, Clinton,

and Potter counties. However, the town of Benezette,

in Elk County, is Elk Central, and there are several

public viewing areas nearby. Also, a string of hotels,

restaurants, and gift shops along Route 555 cater to the

tourists who ock here in the autumn.

In the fall, a bulls antlers will have reached their im-

pressive peak, which can mean forty pounds of bone

thats four feet high. Theyre a pretty effective weapon,

and part of mating seasons fascination and funor

horror, for the squeamishis watching these massive

creatures lock hornsor antler wrestleas they

battle over cows. This can be extremely violent and

sometimes fatal, though Bainey said rutting deaths are

a rare occurrence. Theres also comic relief, provided

by adolescent bulls still perplexed by the proceedings.

The yearlings are fun to watch, said Bainey, who

studied wildlife management at Penn State. Theyre

totally confused because the hormones are kicking inand yet they want to be by mammas side.

A full-grown bull elk can weigh up to 1,000

poundscows are more petite and usually maintain

a svelte 500- to 600- pound gureand a normal set

of antlers has six tines per side. The twelve points give

him the designation of royal bull while an impe-

rial bull has fourteen points. The ruts time can vary,

ByJohn Fulmer

This bull elk wears a garland of vegetation. During mating season or rut, excited bulls thrash around in the underbrush with their antlers, and theseheaddresses are common. The fall rut is one of the best time to view elk in the several Pennsylvania counties that are home to the herd.

photo

by

PhilBurkhouse

PAs

Elk

Herd

Is Worth

A Look


21/32

OcTObEr 2007 MOUNTAIN HOME Page 2

but late September and early October mark

the height of mating season. One thing that

doesnt change is the bull elks bugling,

which is a signal that the rut is in full swing.

The elks distinctive mating call has been

described as a low bellow that continues as

a squealing or whistle followed by several

grunts.

Several elk-viewing areas, equipped with

blinds and staffed by volunteers from The

Bugle Corps, have been set up along the

drive. An estimated 75,000 people visit Elk

Alley in the fall, and the herd is now 800

strong, the largest one east of the Mississippi.

Hunted to extinction in the Appalachians

around the time of the Civil War, the elks

reintroduction and survival here is a tale bet-

ting a proud creature.

Todays herd is descended from 177 elk

sent in by train from Wyoming and South

Dakota and set loose in ten Pennsylvania

counties from 1913 to 1926; but only those

twenty-four released in Cameron County and

the ten reintroduced in Elk County thrived

and developed a breeding base. Habitat loss

and elk hunting, legal from 1923 to 1931,

helped spell their decline in the other eight

counties. The commonwealth put themunder protection in 1932 and elk hunting

was not made legal again until 2001. It is,

however, a lottery-type hunt and only forty

elk tags will be issued in 2007, with the $10

license fee going to farmers crop damage.

In last twenty-ve years, Bainey has

worked with the herd as part of several

commonwealth commissions, and she said it

was endangered recently until state agencies

and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

stepped in. I can even remember when we

almost didnt have herd, she said. This was

back in the 1970s and early 80s. The numbers

were very low, probably 100 elk.

Several factors were in play. The brain-

worm parasite, which attacks an ungulatesspinal cord and brain, thinned the herd,

and without an effective fencing program

to keep them from feeding on crops, elk

were the target of angry farmers. Poaching was

another concern.

Plus there were not a lot of habitat-enhancement

programs at that time, Bainey said. The foundation

entered and helped with land acquisitions. Elk are

grazing animals, like cows, and the Benezette area has

a lot of reclaimed strip mines. Its grassland and its a

magnet to the elk. Plus it was remote.

Tourism really became a factor in the 90s, Bainey

said. Before that, you could come to elk country and

you had to look hard to nd one.

More tourists may have guaranteed the elks survival,

but the inux of visitors required a delicate balancing

act. With the increased number of tourists, locals need-

ed relief from the pressure the herd and herd watchers

made on their lives. The infrastructure couldnt handle

it, Bainey said, and the Department of Conservation

and Natural Resources, the Game Commission, Bureau

of State Parks, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Founda-

tion formed a partnership to address the concerns of

Elk Alley locals.

There needed to be some way to disperse the num-

ber of tourists, Bainey said. So the partnership helped

design the Elk Scenic Highway. It guides the visitor

along in an organized way, instead of the helter-skelter

viewing that was occurring.

A system of elk etiquette was instituted with the

help of Bugle Corps volunteers trained through the

DCNR. Responsible elk watching, Bainey said, is a com-

bination of respect for the animal and local property

owners, and recognizing that you, the observer, are very

close to a wild, huge, unpredictable beast.

What happens is you see an elk for the rst time, and

theyre so big and magnicent and incredible, people

just immediately drawn like a magnet to the animal and

start taking pictures, Bainey said. The viewing areas,

with their hedgerows and blinds, provide protection and

a good look at an animal in the throes of sexual ecstasy.

Not an easy feat.

Its for their own safety because a 1,000-pound bull

elk in full rut has only one thing racing through his

mind, she said. And hes not thinking about the park

visitor whos trying to get close to take photographs.

Though shes been close to the herd for a quarter

century, like the arrival of fall foliage, the elk-mating

season always seems like a surprise to Bainey.

Im always amazed. Its a cyclical thing, and you

look forward to it just like the leaves changing color

every year, said Bainey.

Watching the elk mate can have an immediate,

elemental effect, she said.

Theres nothing that compares to sitting out in

a blind on a moonlit night and you hear that squeal

of a bull elk and the responding bugle from another

dominant bull, Bainey said. You can smell them. You

can smell the musk. They come clashing together and

you can hear the grunting and groaning and the sound

of the antlers clashing.

I think, if anything, it reconnects you with the

natural world when you listen to those wild sounds. To

me, its right up there with the howl of the wolf and

that of the coyote.

80

80

SNOW SHOE

Exit 147CLEARFIELD

Exit 111

PENFIELD

DRIFTWOOD

BENEZETTE

WEEDVILLE

RENOVO

ST. MARYS

EMPORIUM

C0UDERSPORT

LOCKHAVEN

1

2

4

ELK SCENIC DRIVE

VIEWING AREAS

BELLEFONTE/STATE COLLEGE

1 GILBERT FARM2 DENTS RUN3 HICKS RUN

3

6

5

4 BEAVER RUN DAM5 HOOVER FARM6 SINNEMAHONIG

STATE PARK

322

153

Quehanna Highway

SinnemahonigState Park

Winslow Hill Road

Wykoff Run Road

Parker DamState Park

S B ElliotState Park

Kettle CreekState Park

BucktailState Park

West BranchSusquehannaRiver

153

255

555

255

555

120

120

120

120

872

144

144

Guided elk Watches

where: Sinnemahoning State Park. Route 872, eight

miles north of Route 120 junction, Cameron County

when: Through October 20. Starts at 4:30 p.m.

cost: $30 for families; $15 for individuals. Weeks notice

required

information: [email protected] or

Jackie Flynn or Janet Colwell at (814) 647-8401

description: After a short discussion on elk-watching

tips, youll be driven into the range to observe the rut.

A limited number of spaces is available and registra-

tion is required. Park Manager Lisa Bainey said its a

long program, so set aside some time. One of the

woman lives right in the heart of elk country and has

a good pulse as to where they are, Bainey said.

map by john fulmer


22/32

pge 16 MOUNTaiN HOME april 2008

he sat at the caf table, a collage of

color: bright-purple hoodie, boldly pat-terned blue scarf, and the pink cheeksthat the Twin Tiers chilly spring air

requires everyone to wear in late March. The warmexpression in her kind brown eyes belied the cold andwelcomed me to her table. Singer/songwriter JanaLosey proved to be as engaging face-to-face as she isin her soulful music, as she shed light on her upcomingprojects, including a new album, her own reality/varietyshow, and a new performance series held by her recordcompany, Posey Tunes.

Having grown up in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania,Losey understands what it is to be a small-town personwith big dreams. She started exploring her musicaltalents when she was eight years old and continued tostudy seriously at Ithaca College. Leaving college early to

join Squok Opera, an avant-garde troupe, Losey spentve years touring and ultimately went to Broadway.

Burned out and needing time for herself, she took asabbatical from music and moved to California to workin wardrobe at the La Jolla Playhouse and later becamea licensed masseuse with her own practice. During thistime, Losey recovered some of her drive to create andmusic started creep back in. She joined a cover bandand started writing again with band mate, Melanie Pe-ters. Now her business and life partner, Peters played anintegral role in helping Losey rediscover her voice.

That really restarted my joy in music, says Losey.Slowly Melanie and I started saving some of the songswe wrote for ourselves with the idea that we might sellthem to other artists. Fate had other plans, however,

and soon her rst album, Bittersweet, was given life. Petersused some forty hours of studio timed owed to her torecord their songs. Soon we were writing a song a weekand then going in to record it, says Losey with a hint ofawe in her voice. We still think of Bittersweetas a bit ofa miracle; a kind of really wonderful mistake.

From there, Losey decided to become a full-timemusician, touring the country and getting airtime forsome of her songs, including London Holiday, whichwas a local favorite on radio stations across the TwinTiers in 2006. They moved to Loseys childhood home,a Lawrenceville farm, and started touring, rst with a

band and then as a duo. Right now, its basically me andMelanie touring in a little hybrid car and doing acousticsets, explained Losey.

This is one of the many things Losey speaks on when

she visits area high school in hopes of raising awarenessof her upcoming album, Blocks, her reality/variety show,The Song You Heard, and her desire to get kids involvedand condent about their talents. Being from a small

area, I think some of the kids here have a general lackof condence that they can do whatever they want in

life, said Losey. City kids might have more exposure totheater and music but its so important for kids here to

know that theres no reason why they cant do it just

because theyre from here. I want to do everything I canto help them understand that.One way she hopes to get that through to kids is

through The Song You Heard, which rst aired in Marchon Big Fox stations from Wellsboro to Rochester. Eachmonthly episode features Loseys travels and the artistsshe meets along the way in cities big or small. The epi-sodes will then run weekly until a new one airs.

Its cool for people to see familiar places and peopleon TV, said Losey. It might make performing seemmore accessible to kids if they see their hometown orsomeone from it on a real TV show. She also sees thisopportunity as a way to bring more attention to some ofthe lesser-known artists she encounters along the way.Each show will show the highs and lows of touring, butwill also showcase interviews of and performances by

different artists, as well as live music by Losey.Part of one of the upcoming episodes will be shot

at Loseys April 4 concerts/album-release parties atElmiras Clemens Center. At the schools she has visited,Losey made sure to offer all students half-price ticketsto the shows, acknowledging the importance of get-ting teens involved with music, as well as her show. Itshould be a nice tie-in, said Losey. This episode of

show will include part of the concert, backstage shots,and some of the music from our new CD, Blocks.

More structured and thought-out than Bittersweet,Blockswas a very fullling album to make, with Losey

and Peters taking the opportunity to set out to make a

whole album, while paying attention to the moods ofeach song as they pertained to the whole. To me, thewhole album is much more important than making afew hit singles, explained Losey. I feel like people aregetting tired of the whole hits culture and are ready, asa society, to go back to more of a grass roots approachand really listen to each song.

In that same vein, Losey hopes to invigorate theregions interest in new talents through a concert seriesshe will host at Cornings Radisson Hotel. From Maythrough October, 2008, Losey and Peters record com-pany, Posey Tunes, will bring a new act to the Radissoneach month, featuring artists from all over the country,including those from New York, Buffalo and California.

We want to bring in artists who are on the cuspof great success, and introduce them to the region,

in hopes of gaining them attention and bringing newsounds to the region, said Losey. She is also hoping tobring a few teenage artists from other areas to both per-form and visit the schools with her to further reinforceher point that you dont have to be from a big city tobe a great artist.

ByDara Riegel

Have You HeardJANAsSmall-town PA GirlGets Big TV Break

Dara Riegel is a frequent contributor to Mountain Home magazine.

JANA LOSEY

Big FOX TV: Check local listings for The SongYou Heard

Clemens Center performances: 7 and 9 p.m.April 4; tickets $20 (half price with studentID; must call ahead)Information:www.janalosey.com or (570 )504-5589. Search MTVs Web site to vote forLoseys music video

songs?S


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27/32

Buffalo Niagara

Creates

Energy

WhereIndustry

A comprehensive report

on the green economy

& Western New Yorks

alternative-energy

manufacturing potential


28/32

KWR International, Inc. Buffalo Niagara: Where Industry Creates Energy

II. Green economy Growth SectorS

a. t Valu f cai f G e

Te Duke Univesit Cente on Gloalization, Gove-nance and Competitiveness in a joint stud wit teAFL-CIO3, detemined it was possile to appl a valuecain to altenative eneg oppotunities expanding te moe familia suppl cain appoac wit additional laes of infomation aout ow and wee ig-e-value activities and industial upgading can occuTe detemined manufactuing will pla a vital olein geen econom gowt. Tis can e detemined eaking down eac tecnolog into its main mateialsand components; identifing te main components ofte value cain and tei espective end poducts andcompanies; and assessing te lao tpes equied inte manufactuing pocess.

Fo example, man

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