Artist Karen Mantele's work will be on display at the Lightning Rod Gallery in Upper Lake, Calif., during the months of August and September, 2010. Courtesy photo.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Lightning Rod Gallery is hosting artist Karen Mantele during the months of August and September, with an artist’s reception weekend planned for Friday, Sept. 3 through Sunday, Sept. 5, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

Mantele’s current series on display titled “Chakra Dancers” bursts from the gallery walls with uplifting joy and vibrant colors.

Mantele was born in the small town of Greeley, Iowa, to a family that was at the forefront of organic farming dating back to 1959.

One of 11 children, she knew that one day she would venture out of Iowa to travel and move west.

She came to Lake County in 1976 and earned a degree in environmental studies and urban planning. She has been working in that field for more than 14 years, but has always enjoyed creating works of art.

One of the pieces in Karen Mantele's

LAKEPORT – Celebrate the lazy days of summer with the exciting work of seven new artists at the Lake County Arts Council during the First Friday Fling reception for the artists at the Main Street Gallery, 325 N. Main St. in Lakeport, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sept. 3.

New artists in the September show include Paula Strother with her strong work in acrylics and Nancy Webb's expressive work in oils.

Dennis Robison exhibits a variety of scenes and styles with his work in pastels. Judy Labelle takes a different tack with pastels showing bold and exciting paintings and Richard Seisser again demonstrates his ever growing talent with beautiful pastel landscapes.

Susan Laymon's photographs on canvas are a delight to the eye. Showing for the first time in the Gallery is Nancy Webb with bold tropical work in oils.

Shelby Posada brings a variety of work in mixed mediums and styles including two painting using coffee with acrylic on free hanging canvas.

Continuing at the Gallery is Dr. John Winslow with beautifully detailed pastels of wild life. In the display cases are Desiree Henningsen of Sling Dust Studios with her beautifully crafted and unique gourds, Chuck Colson with a collection of finely wrought jewelry and Jackie Wilson's fine work in watercolor.

Dan Alexander displays his talent for capturing wildlife on film. Mary McGregor will delight you with her skillfully crafted baskets and work in oils and Anna Sabalone shows her versatility as she presents work in pastels, watercolors and oils.

There is added excitement in the Linda Carpenter Gallery with the presentation of a theme show, “Life Around the Lake,” the brainchild of Ray Farrow who is also donating one of his fine framed prints for a raffle.

Special thanks to Tom Zephers and his careful critique in judging the show, and congratulations to Patty Oates for receiving the “Judges' Award.” You, too, can be a judge as you vote for the “People's Choice” award.

High Valley Vineyards will be pouring their fine wines during the evening, and George Husaruk will delight you performing on an array of flutes. For more information, please call the Gallery at 707-263-6658.

Famed rocker and Lake County resident Mike Wilhelm will be a featured performer at the 2010 Lake County Fair, taking place Thursday, September 2, through Sunday, September 5. Courtesy photo.

LAKEPORT – Internationally renowned rock, blues and folk guitarist Mike Wilhelm will appear at the Lake County Fair on Friday with his band Hired Guns.

They will perform at 4:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. on the Gazebo Stage.

He will appear as a solo performer on Sunday at 5 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. on the same stage.

Wilhelm has been playing professionally since 1963 and signed his first recording contract with Kama Sutra Records in 1966.

Since then he has recorded for United Artists/Zig Zag, Sire, Fan Club, New Rose and Last Call as well as his own label, 612 Records.

He will soon be making new recordings at Earmite in Kelseyville for a projected December release date.

In the 1960s heyday of the San Francisco bands he played the Avalon, Fillmore, Winterland and Fillmore West.

Wilhelm holds the unusual distinction of playing both of Stanley Sadowsky's Bottom Line showcase clubs having appeared at the Bottom Line, New York City with Flamin' Groovies and as a solo artist at the Bottom Line, Nagoya, Japan.

He also has appeared with his 1960s band, the Charlatans on the stage of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.

Other major performance venues range from the Sportpalast, Berlin; the Pavilion, Paris; Paradiso, Amsterdam; Roundhouse, London; Maxwell's, Hoboken; Jirokichi, Yukotopia and On Air West, Tokyo; Honky Tonk and Bar Isn't It?, Kyoto to name but a few.

The Lake County Fair Web site is www.lakecountyfair.com and Wilhelm's Web site is www.mike-wilhelm.com.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Officials at the Lake County Fair has announced that all five members of the Lost Boys, Lake County's rising rock stars, will judge the annual talent competition at the event.

The Lake County Fair amateur talent competition is an annual event that usually attracts a dozen or so local acts.

It will take place on Saturday, Sept. 4, at 6:30 p.m. on the Enhance H2O Main Stage, and is free with fair admission for spectators.

"Most people don't know this, but the Lost Boys once were just two boys, Beau Bastian and Jordan Mills, and at the ripe old age of 10 the two of them won this talent competition," said Fair Chief Executive Officer Richard Persons. "I think they played a song they had written, and they were hands down the best act in the competition that year. They've gotten some great experience since then and their music careers have blossomed, and we're really happy to have them judge at this year's competition."

Since then, the Lost Boys, have won numerous competitions, including the Ukiah Idol Competition, Ukiah Band Slam, Northern California’s Rising Stars Competition, and the California Colgate Showdown, where they have defended their title two years running.

The band has been nominated for the Los Angeles Music Awards album of the year for 2010. Past performers, presenters and nominees have included Toto, Paula Abdul, Tower of Power, Jackson Browne, Korn, Sugar Ray, Black Eyed Peas, System of A Down, Slash, 311, Hoobastank and No Doubt.

The five members of the Lost Boys, including Bastian, Mills, Matt Weiss, Thomas Cano and Jacob Gill, will be joined at the judge's table by the band's manager and the general manager of Konocti Harbor Resort, Greg Bennett.

"Greg obviously has a great eye for talent," said Persons. "We've tried to get him to judge the talent competition in past years, but his schedule at Konocti Harbor Resort wouldn't permit it. We think having Greg and the Lost Boys judge will raise the level of competition a bit."

Entries for the Lake County Fair talent competition closed Aug. 18.

There are 13 acts signed up to perform. Most of the entrants are vocalists, several with instrumental accompaniment. One entry involves a gymnastics routine, and one entry is a dancer. Entrants may not have performed professionally within the past year.

Each performance is limited to a minimum performance of three minutes and a maximum of four minutes. Each entrant must be able to set the stage in under three minutes, and then, after the performance, must also strike the stage in under three minutes.

Mickey the Clown, a longtime fixture at the Lake County Fair, will emcee the competition.

Other acts on the Enhance H2O Main Stage on Saturday of the Lake County Fair will include the local band Side of Blues, performing three sets on Saturday afternoon. Immediately following the amateur talent competition, a special guest act will close out the evening.

Other Fair performers on Saturday, September 4th include Sax-O-Rama, a six piece brass band performing in the afternoon on the Mediacom Gazebo Stage, followed in the evening by the rock band Kustom Cuts. Ken Garr, the street corner magician, with return with his box of magic. The main grandstands will host an evening of side-by-side mud drag racing, sponsored by Robinson Rancheria Resort and Casino.

The annual Junior Livestock Auction also takes place on Saturday, Sept. 4, at 1 p.m. in the Baldwin Pavilion.

Businesses and individuals are invited to bid on the prize-winning livestock raised and exhibited by local youth. Various livestock species are displayed throughout the fair, including swine, beef, sheep, goat and horse exhibits from local 4-H and FFA exhibitors. Small animals are represented as well, with chickens, turkeys, rabbits and cavies all residing in the barn areas. The auction is sponsored by Umpqua Bank.

Regular admission prices for the 2010 Lake County Fair are $9 for a regular ticket, $6 for a senior over age 60, and $5 for children ages 6 through 11. Children under 6 years old are admitted free everyday. Children through age 11 are admitted for $2 on Thursday, Sept. 2, only, for "Kid's Day."

Ted Kooser, US Poet Laureate from 2004 to 2006. Photo by UNL Publications and Photography.

I’ve read dozens of poems written about the events of September 11, 2001, but this one by Tony Gloeggler of New York City is the only one I’ve seen that addresses the good fortune of a survivor.

Five Years Later

My brother was on his way

to a dental appointment

when the second plane hit

four stories below the office

where he worked. He’s never

said anything about the guy

who took football bets, how

he liked to watch his secretary

walk, the friends he ate lunch with,

all the funerals. Maybe, shamed

by his luck, he keeps quiet,

afraid someone might guess

how good he feels, breathing.

Ted Kooser was US Poet Laureate from 2004 to 2006. He is a professor in the English Department of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He lives on an acreage near the village of Garland, Nebraska, with his wife Kathleen Rutledge, the editor of the Lincoln Journal Star.

American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation (www.poetryfoundation.org), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Poem copyright ©2009 by Donal Heffernan, whose most recent book of poetry is “Duets of Motion,” Lone Oak Press, 2001. Poem reprinted by permission of Donal Heffernan. Introduction copyright ©2010 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction’s author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006. We do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.

American Life in Poetry ©2006 The Poetry Foundation

Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

This column does not accept unsolicited poetry.