Page 62 - Sonoma County Gazette - August 2017

Bookmobile
Aug 3 ~ Santa Rosa / WIC Farmer's Market, Range Ave 10a - 1p
Aug 3 ~ Sebastopol / Chocolate & Cinema SCPLF Fundraiser, Rialto Cinemas 6:30p Aug 6 ~ Santa Rosa / SR Marketplace, Kawana Springs Rd 9:30 - 11:30a
Aug 6 ~ Kenwood / Kenwood Market 12 - 1p
Aug 6 ~ Glen Ellen / Post O ce 1:30 - 2:30p
Aug 6 ~ Boyes Hot Springs / Fiesta Center 3 - 5p
Aug 19 ~ Larkfield / SR Farmers Market, Luther Burbank Center 10a - 1p
Aug 19 ~ Cotati / Oliver's Market 2 - 3:30p
Aug 19 ~ Roseland / Dollar Tree, Sebastopol Rd 4 - 6p
The Passing of Poet Mike Tuggle
of poetry, farmer’s market
and hanging out with his grandchildren, Mike Tuggle went to bed and didn’t wake up on Father’s Day morning. His passing ends his crusade for the word as expressed by poetry and artful prose. Mike Tuggle was a secular evangelist for the written word whose enthusiasm a ected all who came under his in uence.
The Goat Farmer
Dedicated to Mike Tuggle, Cazadero Poet
By Gregorio Pehrson
In your surrounding vista
you can see directly to
the edge of the woods
with the many layered goat pen letting you enter your younger world the redwoods
wait, droplets forming.
Rotting berry vines
grasped from the slurry of rusty leaves brindle canopies of mushrooms
stems out of ground
with a powdered crack
as the basket fills
a squirrel blasts from the vine
and the toe of your gumboots crush
a pill bug to a slick
on the dirt
(during this the wind carries the carrion smell of the dead deer,
the cougars warning)
Seeing your younger self scramble up the hills path later, would you squirm thinking
that light virility that innocence?
Festival, RP City Center Plaza 11a - 4p Aug 27 ~ Freestone 9 - 10a
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Ongoing
Every Monday - Snoopy’s Writers Meet with serious, good-natured writers weekly, 11-2p, Warm Puppy Cafe, 1667 West Steele Lane, Santa Rosa, snoopyswriters.com/, ggdeb@sonic.net
1st Monday - Petaluma Rivertown Poets - unite seasoned poets, amateurs, and poetry lovers in celebration of the spoken word. Free - 6:15p - 8:30p - First Monday of Each Month, Aqus Cafe, 189 H St., Petaluma, 707-778-6060, Sandra Anfang, facebook.com/
Redwood Writers—First Time at the Fair
Want to learn how to write and publish a book?’
Mike for many years was a goat farmer. This style of agriculture uses the goats organic wastes for fertilizer for your vegetable and herb gardens. It is especially e ective with Cazadero hard pan and rocky hills. He showed me how nothing is actually waste; everything has value. This was re ected too, in his writing. Every word was carefully selected – no verbal garbage or frou-frou words. The poems are made to be read aloud especially in his mellow western voice, rich with Oklahoma roots and California vibes.
By Sandy Baker
The organization of poetry readings at Gold Coast Co ee in Duncans Mills was one of Mike’s highest achievements. For nearly ve years, Sundays on the back deck had scores of ne poets reading their work, introducing tourists and locals to our rich literary tradition. Mike also organized a poetry workshop at the then-open River Reader bookshop in Guerneville, which lately has been held at the Marshall House at the Russian River Senior Center. Here an ad
hoc group of local writers shared their recent writings looking for the opinions and support of their fellow writers. Fantastic poetry, interesting prose and artful discussion resulted.
Now you can at the 2017 Sonoma County Fair by visiting the Redwood Writers booth in the EC Kraft Building. It’s a first for the club in its
42-year history! “Writers helping writers” is the motto of this 350-member club, founded to educate both members and the
These workshops strengthened my poetic resolve and made me realize that
I wasn’t alone in seeing the world in artistic ways and gave me con dence as a public speaker. Mike was very tolerant and patient. We saw dilettantes become credible poets and writers of unicorn/fairy poems became nature poets. Mike was not tolerant of people who wrote the same poem over and over again and he could not stand for any poets being rude tho their fellows.
By Gregorio Pehrson Following a busy day
Aug 22 ~ Geyserville 5 - 6:30p
Aug 26 ~ Rohnert Park / Paci c Islander
Meeting Mike, Susan Kennedy and daughter Lilah
at Midgeley’s Sebastopol Flea Market in 1982 was the start
of a Cazadero literary family whose members grew and whose in uence was de nitely felt here in the west county. This evolving poetry style featured Cazadero’s natural isolated beauty, the local animal life and how its recent arrivals adapted their lives to
be in harmony with our ancient hills.
For many years, Mike and Susan worked with California Poets in the Schools. Elementary school students produced a full book of innovative poetry. This program gave the kids something to be proud of and strengthened their self-con dence as English speakers and writers.
public in the craft of writing and in marketing their works.
Visit Redwood Writers from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Authors of every genre will sell and sign books
and give Tip Talks on all phases of writing. Meet the authors or relax and listen to them
Mike and I taught each other many things. He called me the Wizard of Magic Mountain for my knowledge of mechanics and history. He was the eternal poet laureate of western Sonoma county. His passing leaves a vacancy to her lled by those whom he taught.
read from their children’s books, historical fiction, memoir, detective novels, thrillers,
literary fiction, and how-to books. Other publishing professionals will
Poetry will thrive and grow in Cazadero. His mission is accomplished.
answer questions about editing, marketing, social media, indie publishing, and how to get
Michael Tuggle, our poet and pure inspiration of the written word has passed on. Words were his forte and gift to us all. Looking at the picture on the front cover of his latest book ‘The Motioning In’ with then toddler grandson Jai, Michael had on his signature Stetson hat. After he admired the hand-beaded band on my own hat, I found a wonderful one for him and he proudly wore it for many years.
one’s book into the marketplace. Handouts will be available on membership, monthly speaker meetings,
workshops, salons, annual anthologies, and writing contests. Club merchandise and anthologies will also be offered for sale.
Redwood Writers welcomes all writers from novices to very experienced. Membership is open at a special $15 rate for full-time students age 8 to 22. Being part of a large writing community is inspirational at every level. More information can be found at www.redwoodwriters.org.
A recent Cazadero afternoon inspired the following and I dedicate it to Michael Tuggle.
62 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 8/17
Crystal clear and blue the sky as I sat above the banks of Austin Creek; sipping Champagne and listening to the wind buffet the large redwoods – PEACE. — Natasha Pehrson