No One Asked Me But… (October 26, 2011)

By DR. LARRY MOSES

No one asked me but… on November 4-5, the Moapa Valley Art Guild will be hosting its fourteenth annual arts and crafts show at the Clark County Fairgrounds. The grounds will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The show provides fine arts and craft booths, free entertainment, and the opportunity to purchase various pomegranate products, from milk shakes to jellies. Artists and various crafters will be giving demonstrations. Food booths, raffles, and art contests for youngsters will be featured.

Since its beginning, the Pomegranate Art Festival has hosted local artists as well as those from around the Southwest. The old fashion country fair atmosphere has drawn locals and visitors alike.

The Festival was conceived to celebrate the harvest season of pomegranates grown in the Moapa Valley. Much of the artwork displayed features either Southwest or pomegranate themes.

Over the years, the Pomegranate Festival has grown into a first class arts event. It is estimated that last year’s festival drew a crowd of 8,000 to 10,000 people. I just came from Ft. Bridger, Wyoming and the Mountain Man Rendezvous. This event brought over 30,000 people into that community. Invite your friends from the surrounding area of Nevada and Utah.

Around the turn of the 20th century, Mormon farmers began irrigating and farming the Moapa Valley. They were not the first farmers in the valley as ancient Pueblo Indians who mined salt for trade, built multistoried villages, constructed irrigation channels to farm the region. These American Natives occupied the valley until about 800 years ago.

When the Mormons arrived, Paiute tribal groups still nurtured small fields of traditional crops such as beans, corn, and squash. The Mormons introduced livestock to the valley, developing it into a horse, cattle, and dairying center. They also introduced vegetables and fruits that helped provide variety in the diets of early Clark County residents. As late as the 1960’s, the valley exported produce to California.

Moapa Valley still boasts pomegranate orchards, and the festival celebrates the harvest season that runs from September to early December. Pomegranates are a rich source of antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and niacin.

The Moapa Valley Art Guild organized the Pomegranate Art Festival as a fundraiser for local art-related activities. The revenue from the large fresh fruit, jars of pomegranate jelly, as well as rental of spaces for artists and other vendors helps supports the Guild’s activities. If you intend to buy the jelly, arrive early, as the supply of the locally manufactured jelly is limited.

Artists and crafters from Moapa Valley as well as those from the surrounding Southwest will exhibit and sell their creations. With Christmas coming, this is an excellent place to find that unique and special gift for those who have everything.

My friends from Utah and I will have our booth, old Number 51 again. I will be selling my two novels, The Call and Promises. I also have a limited number of Tonia Payne’s novels, Stairway to the Past and Return to Dunrum Castle. My Utah friend Suzanne will be selling her quilts, blankets, handcrafts, and baby things again. We will also have some of her son’s great photographs available. He runs one of the best photo art programs in the state of Utah and is a master of the medium. Come by and see us even if you don’t buy.

No one asked me but… I mowed my lawn this last week. For most of you, that is no mean feat. However, I have not been mowing my lawn for a number of years.

I have practiced the theory of “trickle down” economy as I have hired neighbor kids to mow the lawn. The first one was a young girl who is now married and a mother living in Colorado.

She was home visiting and commented to her mother, “When did he start mowing his own yard?”

I have gone through a large number of neighborhood kids since her. This has spread the wealth and has spared me the itchy eyes and plugged up nose that comes with the cutting of the rough bermuda that makes up the greatest portion of my lawn.

While my neighbors have cultivated a more sophisticated grass and deplore this invasive species from Africa, I have encouraged its growth. It is beautiful in the summer and goes dormant over the winter allowing me to save on my water bill.

Since my latest mower had not shown up for two weeks, I decided to take up the task myself. How hard could that be? However, as my back began to ache, my eyes began to burn, and my nose run, an old George Burns song came to mind, “I wish I was 18 again.”

At a bar down in Dallas an old

man chimed in,

And I thought he was out of his

head.

Just being a young man I just

laughed it off

When I heard what that old man

had said.

He said I’ll never again turn the

young ladies heads,

Or go running off into the wind.

I’m three quarters home from the

start to the end.

And I wish I was 18 again.

Now time turns the pages

And oh, life goes so fast.

The years turn the black hair all

grey.

I talked to some young folks,

Hey, they don’t understand

The words this old man’s got to

say.

I wish I was 18 again.

And going where I’ve never

been.

But old folks and old oaks

Standing tall just pretend.

I wish I was 18 again.

Lord, I wish I was 18 again!

Having never turned the ladies heads, even when I was 18, this didn’t mean much to me. I am much further than three quarters home from the start to the end. So maybe I don’t really wish I were 18 again. I am not sure that I would want to do it over again. I guess I really don’t mind being 71. I am just thankful wrinkles don’t hurt.

Thought of the week…I’ve finally reached the age where my Wild Oats have turned into All-Bran!

– Tom Wilson