Honoring the Spirit of Memorial Day

Memorial Day, or Decoration Day, was declared a nationwide observance in 1868 in General Order 11 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. In this document it was directed that "The 30th day of May 1868 is designate for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades, who died in defense, of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every City, Village, and hamlet, church yard in the land." (Logan Family Papers in the Library of Congress.)

The first Memorial/Decoration Day was celebrated on May 30th, 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. As with many things, it was not an original idea. In issuing this order General Logan knowingly or unknowingly emulated a custom established long before. Over 2,500 years ago the Greeks were honoring fallen community heroes by placing garlands of flowers on their graves.

Congress, with The National Holiday Act of 1971, made Memorial Day into a 3-day holiday, although many felt it distracted people from the original spirit and meaning of the day. It became a time for camping and BBQ's, beginning the summer, instead of a day for honoring fallen heroes.

On May 2, 2000, President William Clinton declared a National Moment of Remembrance, which was to occur at 3 p.m. (local time) on each Memorial Day. Legislation had been introduced in 1999 to move the observance back to the actual May 30th date, but was referred to committee and didn't actually reach a vote. President Clinton's declaration may have been an attempt to refocus our attention, but it's hard to compete with a 3-day weekend.

So as we enjoy our camping and barbecues and family parties this weekend, I hope we keep in mind the reason we have the freedom to celebrate this way. I hope we remember the original intent and honor our fallen heroes, at least in our thoughts.

Henry Knighton Days - Living History in Olde Towne St. Helens

PUTTING ST. HELENS ON THE MAP -
By Susan Conn -

Henry Knighton was the acknowledged founder of St. Helens, and we honor him for his foresight. Without his vision our history could have been very different. The reality of St. Helens as a town came into focus, however, when surveyor Joseph William Trutch, an Englishman who emigrated to San Francisco in 1850, was contracted to put Knighton’s dream of a city onto paper.

Trutch quite literally put St. Helens on the Map – the plat map, that is. His work was completed in July of 1851 and submitted to a San Francisco lithographer, Grafton Tyler Brown. A reproduction of the detailed lithograph Brown produced will be on display during Henry Knighton Days, Living History, June 4th through 6th in Olde Towne St. Helens.

This document, titled “Plan of the Town of St. Helens on the Columbia with a Chart of the River and a Map of the Locality”, includes three maps presented as one. The larger portion shows the original physical plan, laying out city streets in a grid. A second is titled “Map of the Locality”, and shows the relative position of St. Helens to the Columbia River and local mountains. The third, the “Chart of the River”, demonstrates the accessibility of the harbor in St. Helens, with depths listed in fathoms. Together the three maps comprise a complete picture of St. Helens, as it was originally planned, together with its surrounding features.

Visitors to Henry Knighton Days will have many opportunities to step into the past, among them this visionary view of the river town we have come to know as home, St. Helens. Stop by and see historic St. Helens, as planned in 1851. And stop by to see me, as well, at Word for Word Books & Espresso on 1st Street. Enjoy all of the charming shops and restaurants in St. Helens as we celebrate the founding of our town.

Special permission has been given by the Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, for R.J. Brown and the Historical Society of Columbia County to display this map at our Henry Knighton Days celebration. Thanks are due to a local resident for arranging this use.

"Blogging for Dummies"

A copy of Blogging for Dummies, by Brad Hill,  just came in the door, so thought I'd take a look. One mustn't turn one's nose up at fate, after all. Maybe there's a reason it appeared. Maybe this is part of an overall cosmic plan. Published in 2006, Blogging for Dummies is actually a very good guide to doing this (blogging) and I think it might have been helpful had I read it first, instead of diving into the world of BLOG with minimal instructions, as I did. Yeah, well, where's the challenge if you have all the instructions? In addition to the basic setup information, the author has helpful suggestions on utilizing blog search engines and promoting a blog. I think I've found enough information while scanning this reference to justify sitting down and spending some time reading. Hmmm. Maybe I need to keep this one in my private collection for future reference. Fellow bloggers are welcome to come in and talk me out of it. You have to promise to let me borrow it, though.

So Many Restaurants - So Little Time

Pretty quiet in Olde Towne today. The weather can't seem to make up its mind - rain, hail, sun - so I think everybody is staying in, waiting for a final decision. Me, I'm focusing on food today. Couldn't decide whether to have the lunch special from the Klondike (spicy tuna open-face sandwich with a side of slaw, potato salad or house-cut fries) or the Dockside (Panini with brie, fresh spinach and prosciutto and a raspberry aioli, along with cream of broccoli & leek soup). Tough decision, so naturally I decided to compromise and try BOTH. Yes, really. (OK, I shared with my son, already. I didn't really eat 2 full lunches. Back me up here, Jake). Sort of a lunch "tasting" after all. We are really fortunate in having so many wonderful eating establishments in the Olde Towne area, alhough I am going to have to learn to exercise a little restraint. So now you all know where my coffee tips from Word for Word go - they never leave the neighborhood. I do my best to support local business (smile).

Good News/GOOD NEWS

Hooray! Our espresso machine is fixed and Word for Word will be serving coffee drinks again beginning tomorrow (Wednesday) morning at 10 AM! Nothing goes together like books and coffee. I don't know about you, but I have missed my daily latte. Thanks to all who have stopped by to check on the coffee status - repairs are finished and we're back in biz. See you soon for your favorite pairing of organic-fair trade coffee roasted in the Pacific Northwest and a wonderful pastry from Houlton Bakery. What a way to start the day!

In Memoriam

Sad day. I just got the news that another friend has passed away - far too many friends lost in the last few years. I know that dying is inevitable, but somehow (whether fair or not) it doesn't seem as poignant when you read the obituary of someone in their nineties who has led a full life. Toward the end of her life my mother was ready to let go - to join the many friends who went before her. She had been prepared for years and often said as much. To lose someone younger, someone who hasn't completed her life and still has so much to give, is harder to accept, if accept we ever do. We'll remember you Mary, and we'll miss you.

Good News/Bad News

The bad news (pause for effect)  is that my espresso machine is on the fritz. (Now there's a phrase you haven't heard for awhile. I picked that one up from my folks). It suddenly stopped heating and steaming yesterday, leaving my coffee customers high and dry with no warning. I spent much of the day doing an internet and phone search for someone who services and repairs Carimali's. Apparently not everyone does.

The good news? I found a repair person in Portland, so it won't be down for long. Norm, from "It's a Grind", and his associate Arthur are working on it even as I post. The initial estimate was for repairs to take around 6 days, but that has been revised downward. Hooray! I'm missing my coffee, as are my regulars, who have been checking in periodically for updates.

Word for Word should be serving espresso drinks, as usual, by the beginning of next week. Meanwhile, you can still stop in for an Italian Soda or Cremosa as you browse for that perfect book. See you soon!

Sunshine & Blue Skies

What a beautiful day! Blue skies, warm weather, it's time to get out of the house. What are you doing still sitting at your computer (or checking your phone)? Get out there and do the things you've been dreaming of all winter! Maybe gardening is at the top of your list today, or perhaps a trip to the coast. Whatever you decide to do,  enjoy this break in the weather - who knows how long it'll last?  It's a perfect day for a walk through Olde Towne with its charming shops, first-rate restaurants and beautiful waterfront park. Sit outdoors, visit with friends and indulge in espresso and pastry at Word for Word . Hope to see you!

"Is It Tuesday? This must be Belgium."

Old age is surely setting in - I can't seem to remember anything without a list lately.  Do you ever walk into a room and forget why you're there, or is it just me? Or have you, maybe, opened the door of the refrigerator and reached in, only to wonder why you opened it in the first place?

I spent much of the morning here yesterday keeping the plumber company and by about 2 PM I was anxious to get home and enjoy what was left of my day off. Maybe a little too anxious. I figured I'd have plenty of time to take care of those little extras this morning. Yeah, well that worked out well. Shoulda made a list. I arrived at the shop early this morning - allowing extra time to get set up and out of the plumber's way. He was scheduled to arrive at 10 AM to finish  installing my new 3-part sink.  I unlocked my door, chatted for a few minutes with the merchant next door, and finally started to set up all the coffee paraphernalia.

My first customer didn't arrive until 10:30, but  at about 10:20 I had just realized I had forgotten to clean and fill the cream whipper thingies, so was still in the middle of that when she ordered a mocha. Fortunately she was also shopping for books, so not in a rush. While making her a large drip coffee and a mocha I suddenly realized why I had so much time yesterday. Yup, yesterday I was supposed to make a trip to Cash & Carry for supplies. I didn't. It was only when the pump on the Ghiradelli chocolate syrup began sucking more air than chocolate that I remembered. Fortunately I had about 1/4 of a bottle left that I save for making chocolate whipped cream. Whew, crisis averted, mocha served, and I'll be making a trip to Cash & Carry this evening.

The plumber is having the same kind of day I am. He arrived later than planned because he had to drive back to his shop for a tool, only to find the keys to the shop were still back at his house. After about 1/2 hour and 6 trips up and down a ladder he just had to leave again - broke his last blade on another tool and has to run to the hardware store to replace it. Are you sure this isn't Monday? Maybe it is and I've just forgotten!