Fireweed has Supplied More than Color for Centuries of Civilizations

This is a strange time of the year; Believe it or not, spring is long past and it is fully going on late-summer. Most plants have already presented their glitzy blooms and have gone to seed. There are a number of plants that find it more advantageous to wait until late summer when the competition is not quite so fierce.

Photo by GAP Photo, Winlock, Washington

Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium) is a good example of a mid-to late summer bloom that runs from noticeable to extravagant shows of blooming color. Fireweed is adapted to grow in locations that have been disturbed. Locally these changes come by way of harvest or development, although landslides and fires could fit into that category too. Fireweed drops its seed in the late summer where it is viable for many years. Once the competition grows up around it and starts to impede on the direct sunlight it needs, it begins to recede from the local plant community.

Photo by GAP Photo, Winlock, Washington

Fireweed grows all over the world and cultures have used it in variety of different ways. Native Americans used the young shoots as part of a salad. They were also able to cook the roots after scraping the exterior. In Russia, a tea made from the leaves of Fireweed known as “Kapor” was exported to other locations throughout the world. In Alaska, the plant is used in candles, syrups, jelly, ales and even ice cream by native populations and savants. Fireweed also produces a distinctive and highly sought-after honey.

The colorful displays of Fireweed along Western Washington’s roads mean more than just a display of late summer blooms. The showy plants have meant a lot more then color and beauty to centuries of civilations.

Looking Back at the High Points of the Spring Sports Season

I have had some great jobs in my life, but walking around Fort Borst Park the other night watching a smorgasbord of high quality fastpitch games made me realize this one ranks right up there in with the likes of great opportunities. There I was watching the defending 2007 State Champion Castle Rock playing against the 2006 champion Onalaska in a 5-4 slug-fest. In the field immediately to the east, Toutle Lake , a team that beat Castle Rock just last week in a non-league contest went two extra innings in a dramatic loss to Pe Ell. By the way, those two were among the five last teams left at state last year in their division.
While the season is coming to a close, it just seems fitting. I witnessed in what seems like a few weeks what every adult should see in kids, in teams and in sports. I loved watching the improvement of the Winlock boy’s baseball team and the Napavine girl’s fastpitch teams as they went from winless to respected in the waning days of the season. I remember the intensity of Mike Ayon as he was able to deflect a Rochester penalty kick to the left and deliver a victory for Toledo-Winlock United. I recall watching Onlaska’s, now district champion, Spencer Hunt as he won the 3200 meters, 1600 meters and then within 30 minutes came back to be apart of the winning 1600 meter relay in a very competitive race. As I watched that same track meet, I watched the Onalaska girl’s fastpitch team practice. When they finished up, and were packing up all of their gear, Hailey Givens asked Coach Bill Barnes if he could hit her some grounders. One after another, in almost a rhythmic dance, I heard the clink, bump, slap as the bat connected and hit a blistering roller or bouncer in her direction that was handled well and in quick succession returned to the coach. They were still there as I left the track meet.
Of course there was the hitting clinic of Castle Rock’s Zack Gehring on the day he hit three home runs and drove in 12 RBIs in a double header against Ilwaco. There was the incredible over the shoulder, game saving catch by Winlock’s Kayla Rakes that saved a victory for the Cardinals over Onalaska who is now playing in the post season. Finally, it will be years before I forget the agonizing scene that played out in a muddy fastpitch game between Adna and Toutle Lake . Rachel Dahlman had just collected the ball to make a tag on Adna’s Jessica-Jo Sandrini at home plate. A violent collision ensued and when the mud cleared, Dahlman and Sandrini lay on the ground with the yellow ball right between them, prompting a safe signal by the umpire.
The great events outweigh all of the mistakes I made just trying to find games in the early season (like driving to Morton on a rainy Saturday to find out the game had been moved to a drier field in Napavine). The raw fingers as I took notes and photographs in the rain, hail and wind. There was the endless search to try and photograph Ashlee Coffey throwing the shot and discus along with the plethora of Lady Indian track athletes in the other field events. Yes, and who can forget the baseball game between Rainier and Winlock that started on March 20th and ended on April 14th?
Everywhere I went, there was joy and excitement that seemed to give life to even those not on the field of play. Yes, I have had some great jobs before, but this one has satisfaction beyond all personal expectations.

An Editor has Control of a Game and my Reputation

One of the most vivid scenes this baseball/softball season was during a softball game between Adna and Toutle Lake. Jessica-Jo Sandrini was as good as any high school softball player I have seen. Adna has a way of producing such products. On the other side of the coin, was Rachel Dahlman of Toutle Lake. I had read so much about her exploits and I was anxious to see her. I expected to see a big strong, burly gal, but what I found was an almost petite red-head with the mental toughness of a wildcat.

Anyhow, I digress. In a close ball game a couple of weeks ago, the Ducks of Toutle Lake were playing almost even with the Pirates. At 1-0, Adna had a couple of runners on base. They were poised to do more damage, but Dahlman had managed to wiggle off the hook over and over again.

My story on the game read like this “A passed ball allowed them to advance to second and third. Another passed ball brought Hoke into easily score, and a desperate throw in the general direction of Dahlman and was picked up by 3rd baseman Geri Wuollet who accurately returned it to Dahlman in plenty of time to tag out Sandrini at home plate. The tag was straightforwardly made in time, but when the two bodies separated from a violent collision, the ball was on the ground and Sandrini had scored the third and final run of the game“.

When it appeared in the paper this week the final sentence was left off. My editor was calling Sandrini out.

“A passed ball allowed them to advance to second and third. Another passed ball brought Hoke into easily score, and a desperate throw in the general direction of Dahlman and was picked up by 3rd baseman Geri Wuollet who accurately returned it to Dahlman in plenty of time to tag out Sandrini at home plate.

More likely, he didn’t like my use of “straightforwardly”. For the life of me when I was writing the article, I couldn’t come up with the word "routine". I am sure his job is tough. Two days of frantic computer work, deciding what to use, what to cut and how to present it. It is not the first time I have been impacted by his choices, and it probably won’t be the last.

Regardless, I am the one that will face Rachel Dahlman and the rest of her teammates next spring with a little less credibility.