The
Kimball Farms
Volume 26, Number 3
Observer
It’s April, no fooling!
April 2017
Bringing the Birds Back to Kimball
We live on land that was once truly a farm, hence our
address is Kimball Farms and we have a real heritage
of land usage. Where once cows and horses and
other animals were sustained, we now have an
opportunity to continue the
legacy by setting aside a
portion of land for a bird
habitat.
Six bluebird boxes will be installed bounded by a 20foot-wide swath of meadow grass where wildflowers
will be sown; seeds are already started in the potting
room. Hopefully, as time goes on, berry bushes and
small flowering trees will be
established along the hedgerow.
Pat Esterson has a team of
eager “house” builders now
working in the woodworking
shop. Greg Ward, master
gardener, gave a lecture on
March 23, followed by a walk
for those interested in exploring
the location; as conditions
improve, more opportunities for
exploration will be arranged.
In recent years across the
nation and the world, reports
by the Audubon Society have
indicated that since 1967, 80
percent of widespread bird
species have disappeared and
19 other species have lost half
their populations. The Cornell
Lab of Ornithology declared
It is hoped that the habitat will
that “we are losing the battle
be Kimball Farms’ contribution
acre by acre.” Here at Kimball
to ecological betterment, using
we too have noticed fewer and
our land wisely for the birds we
fewer birds. We have the right
love so well, for our pleasure
land for a contribution that
and for a legacy for future
Jim McCarthy and Pat Esterson
will make a real difference look over birdhouses in the Wood Shop. years. All of this will be
without major changes to our
accomplished with minimal
surrounding area; rather, it will be a healthy and
expense, with most of the materials donated. The site
eventually a valuable and beautiful contribution to
will remain in natural state in order to provide the
our area.
best setting for the birds to thrive.
For several months a committee has been hard at
work to determine the best location and layout of a
habitat. With much consulting with local experts –
Dale Adams of the Audubon Society, Berkshire
Botanical Garden, Richard Ferren of Berkshire
Community College, ornithologist/committee
member/Kimball resident Jim McCarthy, and others
– the committee chose the far edge of the meadow
on the east side of the perimeter road near the main
entrance to develop the habitat.
Members of the committee are Gwen Sears, chair;
Elske Smith, Pat Esterson, Ned Dana, Jim McCarthy
and Sandy and Jeannie Fenn. The boxes will be
ready for installation in time for the nesting season.
Our habitat is a work in progress, with the hope that
our efforts will make a difference in preserving the
bird life that we all love so much, for future residents
and the larger community.
Gwen Sears
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The Kimball Farms Observer
President’s Report:
Thanks to Our Heroes
We can’t say thank you often enough to our
wonderful employees who braved the storm on
Tuesday, March 14, to keep us warm, fed and secure.
You are an amazing bunch and we are very, very
grateful to each one of you!
In recent issues of the Observer, you’ve read about
the many ways Kimball Farms residents interact with
the community, from mentoring children to donating
funds to support the many charitable organizations in
the Berkshires and enjoying activities with the
students from the National Honor Society.
But residents aren’t the only ones donating time and
skills: members of the administration participate in
Partners in Education, a collaborative project
connecting Lenox schools and local businesses to
benefit students and the community. Executive
Director Sandy Shepard and Director of Residential
Services Michelle Rosier represent Kimball Farms,
joining Canyon Ranch, Adams and Lee Banks and
other business representatives. Partners from the
Lenox schools include Superintendent Tim Lee,
Morris School art teacher Debbie Kane, whose
mother, Trudy Pomerantz, is a KF resident, and Tara
Romeo, the high school guidance counselor. The
group plans activities such as Dr. Seuss Day, when
they go to Morris School to read to younger students,
and art shows of student projects at Kimball Farms
and other locations.
High school students have also learned about the
world of work by shadowing employees in our
kitchens and at the nursing care center.
The highlight of the year is the retreat in March for
Lenox High School seniors held at Shakespeare &
Company and now in its 24th year. The retreat
activities focus on issues the students will face when
they leave home for the wider world. A keynote
speaker is followed by activities relating to finances,
managing stress and even dorm cooking. Sandy
Shepard has introduced students to the DISC
personality assessment, which helps them understand
their own personalities and learn to accommodate
and work with people with different personality
profiles.
April 2017
Naturally, food is important to the success of the day,
and our dining and nutrition services staff provides
lunch as well as an ice cream bar for do-it-yourself
sundaes.
Susan Dana, Residents Association President
P.S. Chairman John Kittredge reports that we are
closing in on our goal for the Residents Association
Fund Drive. Thanks to those of you who have given,
and a small nudge to those of you who may be
procrastinating.
… And 96% Made It In
While we were warm, safe and snug in our quarters,
96 percent of the Kimball Farms staff made it in to
keep us that way during the March blizzard, the
administration reports.
There were no emergencies or major mishaps,
though two cars that went off the road had to be
pulled out of the snow. Workers came in from as far
away as North Adams, Savoy and Chatham, N.Y., to
do their job. The dining room went on early hours to
let staff go home early.
Each manager reviewed their staffing on Monday as
the wind and snow blew, said Director of Residential
Services Michelle Rosier. Staff members who live in
Lenox were asked to work if not already scheduled.
No staff had to be picked up. All of them made it in
on their own.
For the cleanup, the regular road crew of four
worked from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Tuesday and
returned from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday. Within
three hours on Wednesday, with the assistance of
three from the Maintenance staff, all resident cars
were cleaned off and the parking spaces cleared of
snow. The road crew was back at work as usual the
next morning to continue with the cleanup.
In the kitchen and dining room, the last to finish up
and go home were the cooks and dishwashers, who
were done by 6:45 p.m.
Two resident assistants stayed over for the night.
One stayed on to cover for one resident assistant who
couldn’t make it in, and one of the pair who stayed
did so in case help was needed.
Andy Pincus
April 2017
The Kimball Farms Observer
3
World Traveler, Teacher, Centenarian
(We regret that as this issue was at the printer we
were notified that Catherine had just died, a month
before her centenary anniversary).
Many centenarians have recommendations for a long
life: smoking cigars, not smoking cigars, a quiet life,
keeping busy. For Katherine Stevens, who will
celebrate her 100th birthday on April 29, the secret
seems to be living in interesting places and being
interested in the world around her.
Katherine was born in Kangkei, in the far north of
Korea, near the Manchurian border, where her
Presbyterian minister father was serving as a
missionary. The queen of Korea had been
assassinated
and the
Japanese in
vaded the
country. The
Japanese
didn’t bother
the
Americans in
Korea, but
there was
fear of the
communists invading from China. Katherine was
taught at home by her mother until she went to
boarding school in Pyong Yang to finish high school.
The school had about 150 students, mostly
American, but there were also a couple of Russians,
Katherine remembers.
Every seven years, the family had a furlough to the
United States. The first was when Katherine was
about three years old. It was a very long trip by ship.
Back in the United States, the family would stay in
missionary housing, and her father would lecture
about their life and work in Korea. In 1927, when
Katherine was 10, and the family was on furlough,
she was pointed out as “the little girl from Korea.”
The year Katherine was 17, there was another
furlough, and this time Katherine enrolled in Wilson
College in Pennsylvania. Most of the students were
training to be teachers, but Katherine was more
interested in nutrition. After she graduated from
Wilson, she went to Drexel University in
Philadelphia for a master’s degree in foods and
nutrition.
Armed with her new degree, Katherine was sent to
India to teach at a new agricultural college near the
border with Burma. Her job was to teach young
women from about 17 to 20 years of age to be
agricultural agents in rural areas, a program similar
to the Peace Corps. There was no running water, so
Katherine had to set up pipes to demonstrate how to
make a shower.
After three or four years, Katherine was ready to
return to the U.S., but couldn’t leave India until after
the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, because,
she remembers, all the airplanes were being used to
bomb the Japanese. She was the only American
woman in the area, and was very popular as a result,
with invitations to lots of parties. One pilot asked her
for a date, but said he might not make it. Late that
afternoon, a bomber flew low over the area,
signaling to Katherine that the date was not on. They
had their date the next night.
In 1945, close to the end of the war, Katherine was
evacuated from India to Australia on a ship with
6,000 western troops and about 100 women and
children. The journey took 35 days, and followed a
zigzag route through many islands to avoid Japanese
submarines The enterprising captain had his own car
on the ship, and at several stops would go ashore
with his car and an attractive lady. After the
Australians were disembarked, the ship went on to
San Diego, California. Katherine went to Delaware,
where her father was the minister of a church and her
mother was gravely ill, arriving a week before her
mother died.
But her adventures weren’t over yet! In the late
1940s Katherine was asked by the Presbyterian
Church to go to Beirut, Lebanon, to teach home
economics. She visited the monumental structures at
Petra before they became famous, sleeping in a cave
overlooking the Palestinian hills with guards and
four horses among the entourage! She later climbed,
in hot sun, to a historic place of sacrifice in the Land
of Moab, a parched desert.
(continued on next page)
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The Kimball Farms Observer
(World Traveler, continued from page 3)
Returning to Delaware, she married a man she had
met at church there. He had never been outside of
Delaware! They had three children, two girls and one
boy. Katherine went back to teaching home
economics in 1963. Her husband died when they had
been married for about 12 years.
Katherine’s Kimball Farms connection began with a
recorder playing group in Summit, N.J. Her second
husband, Bernard Stevens, worked at Bell Labs
there. A coworker of his was Walter MacWilliams.
After Bernard died, Katherine was exploring living
options but she had not actually visited any of them.
Walter MacWilliams was also exploring living
options in Massachusetts. Kimball Farms was on
their list, and both Katherine and Walter were
impressed with what they saw. Katherine moved into
independent living in 2000 and to PineHill in 2016.
MacWilliams lived at Kimball Farms until 2012.
Congratulations, Katherine! Your enthusiasm for life
has taken you a long way. We look forward to
celebrating with you on April 29!
Susan Dana
The Kimball Farms Observer is printed and
published by and for the residents of Kimball Farms
EDITOR
PRODUCTION
Andy Pincus
Ned Dana
Michelle Rosier
EDITORIAL STAFF:
Stephanie Beling, Susan Dana,
Ned Dana, Virginia Fletcher, Bernie Handler,
Dorothea Nelson, Gwen Sears, Elske Smith,
Margot Yondorf
PHOTOGRAPHS:
Claire Cox, Ned Dana
CONTRIBUTORS THIS MONTH:
Mary Aylor, Claire Cox, Diana Redfern,
Uncle Weed
April 2017
Beware the Scammers
As the robo calls remind us just about every day, the
scammers are out there, looking for our money.
On April 21 at 10:30, Ann Lynch, an assistant
Massachusetts attorney general, and Kate Alexander,
a mediator from the Berkshire Consumer Services
Program, will give a presentation in the auditorium
on scam, fraud and identity theft.
Among topics they will describe are common
schemes and how to avoid falling victim, as well as
how to recover from being duped. They’ll address
what precautions and protective measures, like antivirus software, firewalls, etc., are really necessary
and which ones are themselves scams. Other topics
include choosing and managing passwords, and what
protection and recourse their agencies have to offer
consumers. They allow for and expect questions
throughout the presentation, said Community
Outreach Coordinator Sharon Lazerson, who has
arranged for the presentation. She hopes many
residents will take advantage of it.
Both speakers are experienced in dealing with
consumer issues. Lynch, for example, recently
headed a state investigation that led to a South Shore
used car business ceasing operations and its owner
paying restitution after they were sued for selling
unsafe and unreliable used cars, along with other
violations.
Birthdays
Eighteen residents celebrate birthdays in April.
There is a 24 year spread between the youngest and
oldest celebrant. April birthdays belong to:
Burton Levering, Judith Bach, Jane Braus,
Andrew “Andy” Campoli, Janet Bush,
Dorothy Anderson, Ralph Peterson, Jean Barbas,
Katherine “Kate” Pincus, Natalie Stein,
Burton “Burt” Miller, Juliet Emery,
Joan Faulkner, Arlene Deragon,
Minna “Mickey” Zaret, Annette Gordon,
Katherine Stevens and Kristin Gibbons.
Happy Birthday to each of you!!
April 2017
The Kimball Farms Observer
5
Beware: The Golem Is Coming to Kimball
“The best thing for being sad,” replied Merlin,
beginning to puff and blow, is to learn something.
That's the only thing that never fails. You may grow
old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie
awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins,
you may miss your only love, you may see the world
about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your
honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There
is only one thing for it then — to learn. Learn why
the world wags and what wags it. That is the only
thing which the mind can never exhaust, never
alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust,
and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only
thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to
learn.”
T.H. White
The Once and Future King
It is, indeed, the thing for you, and
OLLI, Berkshire Community College’s
lifelong learning program, will
demonstrate that truth in its spring
course offerings at Kimball. Returning
here to present an entirely new topic
will be Rabbi Joshua (Josh) Breindel of
Temple Anshe Amunim in Pittsfield.
He will introduce us to Elemental
Power: Tales of the Golem, whose
shadow stretches from ancient Rabbinic
texts to Modern Hollywood. Made
from clay and animated by mystical
powers, the Golem obeys its creator —
but often at a terrible price. From
Frankenstein to The Terminator, from
Fantasia to The X-Files, the Golem’s
footsteps can clearly be seen.
Josh’s love affair with mysteries of the Golem goes
way back to his academic days, when he took a
course that set him on a pursuit which continues
today, as he seeks to unravel the creature’s mystique
and power. Josh explained to me as we sipped tea in
my apartment, “The Golem is a prototype of the
superhero — a creature with superhuman power,
whose origins arose in Eastern Europe.”
It’s not hard to appreciate why the Golem emerged in
that setting, home to some of the most vile
persecutions inflicted by anti-Semites. Jews relied on
their powerful Golem to right the evils ascribed to
them by anti-Semites, a figure of heroic proportions
who would fight such horrific lies as the “blood
libel,” which accused Jews of draining the blood of
Christians to use in making matzah bread. Every
religious faith creates its gods and demons to sustain
it from perceived and real assault. The Golem was
one such being for Jews.
Interestingly for so important a figure, the Golem
appears only once in the Hebrew Bible: in the Book
of Psalms. The one-time entry belies the pervasive
and continuing influence of the Golem, which did
not become well known until the Middle Ages. An
underlying theme in Jewish folklore, it is manifested
in contemporary ways in science fiction. Batman
and Superman are only two examples of dynamic
heroes whose powers enable them to leave the world,
accomplish fantastic feats, and return
in normal human guise. So fascinated
is Josh with the stories of the Golem
myth that he is compiling an anthology
of science-fiction stories to
demonstrate that theme. He will write
commentaries for each of the 18 stories
his anthology will include, and is well
into the process for a hoped-for
publication date in 2018. (Kimball
Library book selectors: please take
note!)
Watching bigotry and hatred rise has
compelled Josh to view these stories
with new relevance.
They are, he
remarked, “fundamentally universal
themes about how we deal with
powerlessness and how we seek hope.”
At a time when not only anti-Semitism appears to
once more be on the rise, but when manifestations of
hate impact immigrants, religious groups, nations —
anything and everything that is the “other,” myth can
help us to understand the culture in which we live.
Josh was a young man when he first became familiar
with these stories, and he felt their power. But it
wasn’t until he was in his mid-20s that those stories,
and his own teaching, led him to become a rabbi. In
1999, when he was teaching a youth group, they
(continued on next page)
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The Kimball Farms Observer
(Golem, continued from page 5)
April 2017
Great, Greater,
expressed the strong conviction that Joshua L.
Breindel was destined to be a rabbi. He embraced
their direction and pursued vigorous study, including
Rabbinical Ordination, Master of Jewish Studies and
Master of Jewish Education, at Hebrew College,
Newton, Mass. He went on to become Rabbi of
Temple Anshe Amunim, Pittsfield, and President,
Pittsfield Area Council of Congregations (PACC).
He’s offered presentations on Jewish and religious
themes throughout New England, and he is a
returning OLLI lecturer on Biblical and mythic
themes.
Importantly for us, he’s become a familiar figure at
Kimball. He has taught courses here on Biblical
heroines, King David and Elijah, the Prophet (the
subject of his Master’s thesis). For his class on the
Golem, he will provide a resource pack of stories
that will be discussed. There will be multi-media
presentations and pictures of the Golem in Jewish
and secular art. Class participation will be
encouraged.
This is your cue to enroll in a course that will
explore several themes: religion, literature, art and
cultural behavior. It will take place on five
Thursdays, beginning April 13, from 9:30 to 11:15
a.m. in the Kimball Auditorium. The course is free
for OLLI members; you can find more information
by calling (413) 236-2190 or by logging on to the
Berkshire Community College website.
Dorothea Nelson
Uncle Weed’s Advice
Prof. Google informs that the custom among French
school children on April First is to paste a picture of
a fish to someone’s back, let him or her wear it for a
while, and then yell POISSON d’AVRIL! (April
Fish)..
So beware of the Francophiles among us and check
the mirror. Some may have tasted the brownies.
Uncle Weed
Greatest
Are there ways to make a great place greater?
Can three-star ratings be improved?
I submit for your consideration
just what each of us can do.
Among us
there are those quite tall,
And many
who are rather small.
Let’s agree
that those with height
Avoid aisle seats
in auditorium rows
one through three
for those more slight.
There: that could yield star
number four
But wait, let’s look for more!
If newspaper reading
is to your taste,
Vow to leave sections
all in place.
The library is where they
belong,
Not in your arms
as you join the throng.
Do this and behold:
another star can join
the fold!
Are we done, can there be more?
Scooter riders can decide
to drive always to one
side,
Leaving ample room
for those who stride.
And, for those who stroll
two abreast and s-l-o-w,
Be thoughtful, and let
those behind you G---O!
No more admonitions,
simply follow these
commissions.
Kimball’s stars will ne’er surcease;
barbed comments will decrease;
Our community will live in peace.
Dorothea Nelson, illustrated by Nancy Nirenberg
April 2017
The Kimball Farms Observer
7
A Change of Scene
Vans to Jacob’s Pillow
We hope you enjoyed the winter exhibit in the
Conference Room. The Berkshire winter water
colors of Marguerite Bride depicting local landmarks
and landscapes received favorable comments from
all who saw them. We liked Marguerite’s work so
This summer there will be a van for two Sunday
matinees at Jacob's Pillow: the Miami City Ballet on
Sunday, June 25, and Paul Taylor Dance Company
on Sunday, July 16. Just as last year, you must
obtain your own tickets. Prices range from $45 to
$78 (5 percent discount for seniors), and tickets go
quickly.
From April 3 onward, the box office will be open
Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 243-0745, or
order online, jacobspillow.org. There is a $9 service
charge per ORDER so get together with other dance
lovers to order, or go directly to the box office to
avoid the service charge. Watch for poster and signup sheet later in the month.
Ginny Fletcher
Music & Entertainment
well that we have purchased the one illustrated here
— the Mission House in Stockbridge — for the Art
in the Halls collection. It’s temporarily on display on
the Bridge near the potting Room.
Now on view through mid-May in the Conference
Room are the extraordinary photographs taken by
our own Kimball Farms resident Lorraine Roman
during
h e r
years of
travel to
faraway
places.
It’s quite
a change
of pace.
Seeing
t h e
wildlife,
Lorraine with her photo of an ostrich scenery
and/or
people of Africa, India, Alaska, Italy and the
National Parks with Lorraine’s keen eye is an
experience not to be missed.
Stephanie Beling and Mary Aylor
Saturday April 1
Eight Strings & A Whistle
7:30pm
Monday April 3
Paul Bisaccia, pianist
7:30pm
Monday April 10
7:30pm
Education Committee Lecture
Monday April 17
7:30pm
Professor Vincent Ferraro Lecture
Monday April 24
7:30pm
Education Committee Lecture
Tuesday April 25
7:30pm
Richard Mickey, cello W/Paul Green, clarinet
& Doris Stevenson, pianist
Movies – Wed. & Sat. at 7:30pm
April 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26 & 29
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The Kimball Farms Observer
The Name Is Intimidating;
The Woman Is Welcoming
Gale Crane … her given name is of English origin
and its meaning is daunting: a woman of amazing
grace, beauty and intelligence, someone you must
listen to because of her importance in all aspects of
life. I’m grateful that I didn’t learn that before the
chance arose to spend some time with this new
resident on a sunny February afternoon or I would
have been too intimidated to carry on a conversation!
What
the
definition does
not include is
how open and
friendly Gale is,
and how her
m a n y
connections
with this area
have helped her
embrace her
new home,
Apartment 110
at Kimball Farms.
Her apartment is home to
treasures from the Cranes’ many years in Dalton.
These include a stunning small Shaker rocker; teak
dining room table and accompanying sideboard her
parents-in-law had made in Sweden; an elegant
hand-carved hippo one of her grandchildren found in
Africa; an old set of mysteries Gale purchased many
years ago while she was studying in Philadelphia —
a set she’s not yet read but which is on her “bucket
list.”
Born in Northeastern Pennsylvania, Gale came to the
Berkshires when she was a young girl and has spent
most of her life here. A departure came when she
enrolled at Syracuse University, where she met her
husband, Christopher Crane, in a chemistry class.
Their “chemistry” clicked, resulting in a long
marriage that produced three children: Allison,
David and Douglas, and eventually seven
grandchildren — three boys and four girls. Not
surprisingly, Gale’s face lights up when she mentions
her family and it doesn’t take much prodding to see a
picture of this attractive group. For shoppers among
you, check out Willowbrook, Allison’s boutique on
Church Street in Lenox.
April 2017
The Crane family has a long and rich history in the
Berkshires.
Founded in 1801, the Crane Paper
Company has ever since been esteemed for the
quality of its products. For the history buffs among
you, here are some interesting facts about Crane’s
cotton paper: Paul Revere engraved bank notes for
the Colony of Massachusetts on Crane paper to
finance the American Revolution; the UK’s Queen
Mum announced the celebration of her 100th
birthday on their paper; and a news bit straight from
Gale, who reports that the last reigning Sovereign
and Hawaii’s only Queen, Liliuokalani Paki, also
used Crane paper.
Gardening is one of the activities Gale enjoys. She’s
currently a member of the Lenox Garden Club. Her
mother-in-law created for her Dalton home a
Japanese garden, one feature of which is a red maple
tree. It grew larger than intended but wasn’t cut
down; a picture Gale shared with me illustrated why.
Included in this special garden were a fountain and a
turtle; the latter will be moved to Kimball where it
can find a new home, minus its pond, on Gale’s
balcony.
An avid reader, Gale plans to devote many hours to
exploring books she didn’t have time for when
responsibilities of managing a large home filled her
days. Her reading will include genealogical research
into her forebears, the Stanton family; that will
happen when her computer is up and running. For
now, she’s content to become better acquainted with
her new lifestyle, where she can be “settled and
peaceful.”
Dorothea Nelson
In Memoriam
Roma Lichtenthal
March 3, 1930 to Feb. 25, 2017
Arthur Henle
March 13, 1927 to Mar. 13, 2017
Sylvia Pellish
Dec. 10, 1919 to March 13, 2017
Ada Hastings
Oct. 22, 1932 to March 16, 2017
Roderick Sweet
Feb. 16, 1928 to March 21, 2017
April 2017
The Kimball Farms Observer
9
Bearding the Bearded Men in Their Lairs
Falling down stairs, fudging on his age and
surrendering to the demands of a deadline have put
at least three denizens of Kimball Farms into the
ranks of an increasing number of men around the
world who are growing beards.
These three are Gil Asher,
a
globetrotting
photographer; Andy
Pincus, the editor of The
Observer, and Jeff
Sexton, a member of the
Kimball Farms activities
s t a ff . T h e n t h e r e i s
Marvin Seline, another
facial horticulturist. He
started wearing a beard in
Marvin 1979 when, as a young
man starting an
accounting business, he thought it would help him
appear older and be able to raise his fees.
“I’ve had a beard ever since then,” Marvin said, “and
I intend to be cremated in it.”
Gil Asher grew his beard because he wanted to look
older than his years, and therefore feel more
comfortable in an aged community. He has not yet
reached the age of 80, and his greying beard is
helping to shave off the difference from others in
age.
Andy was ahead of
fashion when he stopped
shaving about 45 years
ago. He was an editor at
The Berkshire Eagle,
which then had an
afternoon edition with an
early morning deadline.
“I was working a day shift
on the desk and had to be
at work at 6:30 in the
morning,” he said. “It
became too much trouble
to get up or go to bed
Gil
even earlier to shave, so I
said to hell with it, and
just let the beard grow, a habit that has continued to
this day.”
Jeff Sexton’s beard started after he fell down stairs
late at night ten years ago. A stair tread broke and
shattered his right arm.
“It was put together with
two plates and 12
screws,” he recalled.
“That meant I had to stop
shaving for a while.” To
this day he still does not
apply a razor blade to his
cheeks.
Recent research has led
Google to report that
currently about 33
percent of American Andy
males, and 55 percent of
all the men in the world, have facial hair of some
kind.
T h e N e w Wo r l d w a s
discovered and settled
almost entirely by men with
whiskers – among them
Balboa, Magellan and
Cabot. Captain John Smith,
Walter Raleigh and the first
Lord Baltimore all were
bearded men. However, by
the 18th century, Puritans
replaced beards with wigs.
Not one of the signers of the
Constitution wore a beard or
Jeff
even a mustache. Abraham
Lincoln was the first
President with a full beard. In the late 19th century,
the American beard went into retreat, only to be
revived by hippie culture in the late 1960s and
1970s. By then, businessmen were growing beards.
Beard products have come a long way from their
humble beginnings in ancient times, when men hid
behind false beards. You can still purchase chin wigs,
the way you can cover your bald spot with a toupee.
In ancient England false beards were made of gold.
When Holy Roman Emperor Otto the Great wore a
beard he swore on it on his mother’s grave. During
the Middle Ages, if one man touched another man’s
beard it would be grounds for a duel to the death.
(continued on next page)
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The Kimball Farms Observer
(Bearded Men, continued from page 9)
Now we have men seeking hair implants for wigs,
for beards and for even chest hair. There are some
doctors warning people against adding new hair or
letting what they have grow for fear they will
develop skin diseases and other problems.
Women also are seeking help in the use of electrical
removal of hair on their faces and lips to avoid
growing beards of their own. If this continues, some
men may fear that women will also cultivate more
facial hair. But even with the decline of the
American circus, there has been no indication that
we will ever have bearded ladies.
article and photos by Claire Cox
The Way It Was Then
Excerpts from a 1950s high school home-economics
textbook discovered by Arlene Potler.
Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night
before, to have a delicious meal – on time. This is a
way of letting him know that you have been thinking
about him and are concerned about his needs. Most
men are hungry when they come home and the
prospect of a good meal is part of the warm welcome
needed.
Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so that
you’ll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your
makeup, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh
looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary
people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting.
His boring day may need a lift.
Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the
main part of the house, just before your husband
arrives, gathering up school books, toys, paper, etc.
Then run a dust cloth over the tables. Your husband
will feel like he has reached a haven of rest and
order, and it will give you a lift too.
Listen to him. You may have a dozen things to tell
him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time.
Let him talk first.
Make the evening his. Never complain if he does not
take you out to dinner or to other places of
entertainment. Instead, try to understand his world of
strain and pressure, his need to be home and relax.
April 2017
Don’t Be Flabbergasted
if You’re My Coffee
Once again, The Washington Post has published the
winning submissions to its yearly neologism contest,
in which readers are asked to supply alternative
meanings for common words.
The winners are:
1. Coffee (N.), the person upon whom one coughs.
2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much
weight you have gained.
3. Abdicate (V.), to give up all hope of ever having a
flat stomach.
4. Esplanade (V.), to attempt an explanation while
drunk.
5. Willy-nilly (Adj.), impotent.
6. Negligent (Adj.), describes a condition in which
you absentmindedly answer the door in your
nightgown.
7. Lymph (V.), to walk with a lisp.
8. Gargoyle (N.), olive-flavored mouthwash.
9. Flatulence (N.) emergency vehicle that picks you
up after you are run over by a steamroller.
10. Balderdash (N.), a rapidly receding hairline.
11. Testicle (N.), a humorous question on an exam.
12. Rectitude (N.), the formal, dignified bearing
adopted by proctologists.
13. Pokemon (N), a Rastafarian proctologist.
14. Oyster (N.), a person who sprinkles his
conversation with Yiddishisms.
15. Frisbeetarianism (N.), (back by popular demand):
The belief that, when you die, your Soul flies up
onto the roof and gets stuck there.
16. Circumvent (N.), an opening in the front of boxer
shorts worn by Jewish men.
Submitted by Diana Redfern
April 2017
The Kimball Farms Observer
11
Emotions and Health: Learning from the Seers
(Editor’s note: This is the second part of a column
begun last month.)
Emotions such as love, compassion, hate, anger and
fear have powerful chemical consequences in the
body and as such can either protect us from illness or
else be the direct cause of disease and even death.
The good news is that we can exercise a great deal of
control over how these emotions arise and how they
are expressed. Last month we saw the powerful
health benefits of compassion, empathy and altruism.
Negative emotions such as anger and hate have the
opposite effect – something known to wise men
without benefit of scientific research:
• Buddha – “Holding on to anger is like grasping a
hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone
else. You are the one who gets burned. You will not
be punished for your anger, you will be punished
by your anger.”
• Marcus Aurelius – “How much more grievous are
the consequences of anger than are the causes of
it?”
• Plato – “There are two things a person should
never be angry at, what they can help and what
they cannot.”
• Stephen Hawking – “People won’t have time for
you if you are always angry or complaining.”
• Albert Einstein – “Anger dwells only in the bosom
of fools”
Perhaps for me, the most powerful words I ever
heard about the negative effects of anger were
spoken by the Dalai Lama at a conference many
years ago. After talking about love and compassion,
he was asked about his feelings towards the Chinese
after their takeover of Tibet: “Don’t you hate them,
aren’t you angry?” This is what he replied:
“Through my own experience, I am convinced that
less anger is more healthy. As a result, there are more
smiles, more laughter and I have more friends.
Truthfully, those persons come close to me not
because I am the Dalai Lama, but because I am
sincere to everyone – even to the Chinese. At no
point do I feel negative feelings, ill feelings to the
Chinese. If here, the Dalai Lama develops some kind
of ill feeling, anger or hatred, who loses? I myself
lose my happiness, my sleep, my appetite. You see,
the ill feelings won’t hurt the Chinese. Now, if I have
too much agitation, loss of sleep and appetite and if
the physical condition becomes weak, then some
people [enemies] may become very happy. If you
really want to work hard for freedom without anger,
without ill feeling, be calm and have sincere
motivation. I think it worked. Negative emotions are
not at all helpful.”
Confirmed by research
Anger is a powerful emotion and may have
destructive effects on you and others close to you. It
triggers a powerful surge of the stress hormones,
adrenaline and cortisol. The brain shunts blood away
from the gut and towards the muscles. Heart rate,
blood pressure and breathing increase. These
changes, especially if frequent can lead to distress in
many part of the body. Some of the short- and longterm health problems that have been linked to
unmanaged anger are headache, abdominal pain,
insomnia anxiety, depression, high blood pressure,
heart attack and stroke.
Chronic anger can also weaken your immune
system. People who are habitually angry report
feeling sick more often. Harvard researchers found
that for healthy people, just recalling an angry
experience caused a six-hour drop in levels of
antibodies that are the first-line defense against
infection. Studies at the University of California, San
Francisco, found that chronic anger and hostility
hastens the cellular differentiation that leads to
premature aging. This sort of cell death is one of the
strongest predictors of early mortality. Studies have
also shown that happy people live longer. Ancient
sages and modern wise men know this intuitively.
For those who want proof, clinical research has
confirmed these observations.
Anger Management
The time-tested advice to “take a walk and cool
down” if you feel out of control gives you a chance
to identify the reasons you feel angry and consider
different strategies for improving the situation. It
turns out once again that regular exercise is
beneficial. It can improve mood and reduce stress
levels. If necessary, seek professional help. For
those of us lucky enough to live at Kimball Farms,
we have a great resource in our community nurses
and social worker.
Stephanie Beling, M.D.
12
The Kimball Farms Observer
April 2017
Who, Me? Asks Sara. Yes, You, says BHS
When Sara Patella was asked for a time convenient
for her to be interviewed about her winning the
quarterly Berkshire Healthcare Profiles in Caring
prize, she giggled and brushed me off with a hand
gesture as if to say, “What’s the big fuss? It’s no big
deal.”
But it is a “big deal.” Out of 3,000 employees Sara
was chosen by her fellow workers, residents and
families to receive the BHS honor. In addition to a
monetary gift, there will be an honorary dinner at the
Springfield Marriott on April 7. Winners also receive
an engraved plaque. Sara may bring guests to the
ceremony and will probably bring her daughter and a
friend.
You may have noticed nomination forms tacked to
various corkboards around Kimball Farms. Anyone –
staff, residents, families, etc. – may nominate a staff
member who they feel exemplifies the BHS Mission,
Vision and Core Values of Integrity, Compassion,
Excellence, Teamwork and Stewardship. Berkshire
Health’s Mission is “to fulfill the health and
residential needs of the population in the
communities we serve.” Its Vision is that
“exceptional customer experiences and clinical
quality will cause residents, families, employees,
providers and community members to always prefer
BHS.”
Sara’s job title, Administrative Secretary, doesn’t
really tell us all of what her duties are. We see her
when we need cash; sometimes she fills in at the
front desk; she’ll be glad to make copies for you.
But why was she selected as the only Kimball Farms
prizewinner? One part of her job description is floral
arranging, often using flowers from her own garden,
which enhances our daily life and welcomes visitors.
And to those inspired by her artistry, she volunteered
to hold a floral arrangement seminar for residents,
geared to their abilities. She has advised and helped
residents and staff on care for their houseplants.
Another passion of Sara’s is music. Sara, on her
own, polled the residents and found others interested
in our hand bells. With supervisor permission Sara
located a music instructor and a hand bell choir was
formed. Sara devotes much of her “spare” time to
rehearsals.
Sara is a nine-year employee of Kimball Farms. Her
contribution to the welfare and happiness of the
residents is boundless. No request made of her is
ever denied. Her upbeat personality is a treasure.
All here at Kimball Farms at one time or another
have experienced her warmth, her ability to listen
and sympathize without intruding on your privacy.
Sara is originally from
Harriman, Tenn. Her
father was employed
by GE, so that Sara
lived most of her life in
Pittsfield. She has a
daughter living nearby,
another in Alaska and a
boy in Lenox. She has
a sister living in
Pittsfield and her
beloved granddaughter
is now living and
teaching in California,
but together they are
working on Sara’s “bucket list.” Sara still talks
excitedly about their trip to Niagara Falls, where she
rode on the Maid of the Mists near the bottom of the
falls. They have also visited Frank Lloyd Wright’s
Fallingwater house in Pennsylvania and Philip
Johnson’s Glass House in Connecticut. They have
been to many museums/homes of famous writers,
architects and artists but still have a few more to go.
Sara finished her B.A. at the University of
Massachusetts and did all her course work toward
her master’s at Cambridge College, majoring in
Management and Administration although not doing
her dissertation, therefore not receiving her degree.
She taught sixth through ninth grades for five years,
after which she became the Executive Director of the
Pittsfield Girls Club and then the Women’s Club. She
spent 10 years at U Mass, where she directed
conferences. Her last positions before coming to
Kimball Farms were Elder Services Community
Liaison for five years and Director of the Council on
Aging in Lenox.
Her job at Kimball Farms was supposed to be for a
year, but little by little it stretched and she is now
working here in her tenth year. This writer presumes
to speak for the Kimball Farms community when she
hopes that Sara’s time here keeps stretching ...
stretching . . .stretching . . .
Bernie Handler