Tahoe Talk for the week of Nov. 28 to Dec. 4, 2008

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Tell us what's going on around town so we can talk about it.

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Got a tidbit, talking point or photo? We take info from your business or organization about deals, happenings and more. Tell us the who, what, where, when and why. Send your talking items to tahoetalk@tahoedailytribune.com. Digital photo submissions only please.

Haiku you

Lake Tahoe has its share of graceful poets, we’ve learned this week.

The Tahoe Daily Tribune had a number of submissions when it asked readers to share a holiday or seasonal thought in haiku form, including a handful from the city’s poet laureate Councilman Bill Crawford.

Our winner, though, is Linda Hughes. Here’s what she wrote:

lone as pen leaf falls

wind blows gathering clouds

drop

white crystals form snow

First runner-up (Bill Crawford):

Clinging to this rock

in this riddle I’m mindful

to find the middle

Second runner-up is a woman, we assume, who signed her name “Roxy.” The first line has four syllables, and therefore we had to disqualify her submission, but we liked what she wrote anyway so we’re including it.

skies of azure

mountains glowing snow white

with

heavenly views of Tahoe

A haiku is a form of Japanese verse, written in 17 syllables divided into 3 lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables, and employing highly evocative allusions and comparisons, often on the subject of nature or one of the seasons, according to www.dictionary.com

Hughes wins two movie tickets for a show at Horizon Casino Resort.

Make like welcome guest and enter

For our next contest, we ask readers to fill in the blanks – as in “Make like a (blank) and (blank).”

Our illustrious graphic artist Ryan McIntyre came up with one on the white board at the Tahoe Daily Tribune recently that evoked many novel responses.

Among the memorable: Make like a candle and get lit.

Send your responses to tahoetalk@tahoedailytribune.com or bring it to our office at 3079 Harrison Ave., South Lake Tahoe. The tasteful ones will get published. And maybe a few borderline ones too.

Our contest committee will select one entry to win two movie tickets at the Horizon. Good luck.

Fall fishing trip

On Nov. 23 the Youth Task Force led a fishing trip to Sawmill Pond, reports Nicole Zaborsky, a volunteer.

Fifteen elementary and middle school youth and five chaperones fished, many for the first time.

To make this fishing trip possible, the Moose Lodge donated the use of its fishing poles and tackle.

The young anglers fished for two hours with nightcrawlers and Powerbait. One 12-inch fish was caught and brought home for supper.

“Many memories were made, and the fishermen look forward to the Spring 2009 season,” Zaborsky said.

Writers recognized

The second annual South Tahoe Middle School PTA writing contest announced winners Monday. Students had to write to the theme “Wow.”

Goody Walowit won the sixth-grade category. First place for seventh-grade went to Joemae Santos; second place to Harley Norton; and third place to Rose Campion. Roger Williams won the eighth-grade category. Honorable mentions for seventh grade went to Grace Bronken, Kayla Lyons, Samantha Prescott and Austin Williams.

Super Service

South Tahoe Chamber of Commerce recognizes a super service employee each month. Employees are nominated for their "over the top" customer service skills.

The October winner is Lori Thorne, Lake Tahoe Community College administrative assistant. She received a $25 certificate at Passaretti’s.

She is described as a person who answers all questions and will find solutions to any problem brought in front of her.

Following the trail of a locals’ local

A note from Tahoe Daily Tribune Community Editor Dan Thrift:

After interviewing Gary Bell for this week’s Our Town feature it reminded me of my first encounter with him.

I first met Gary Bell in the winter of 1992 through Rick Gunn, who was a photographer at the Tahoe Daily Tribune at the time, and we were headed out for a day of snowboarding. I had just bought an old Burton Asym from the Heavenly Ski Swap for $100 and was fairly confident in my abilities, but was in no way prepared for the day ahead.

Gunn and Bell had been friends for a while and both were accomplished riders. We headed for Heavenly for a few runs before we all had to go to work. We immediately headed to Knobb off the Roundabout Trail. Gunn and Bell head over a large snowbank and disappear and I followed, not bothering to see what was on the other side before dropping.

They had ridden this many times and were gone. I dropped in only to find crunchy snow and many, many trees. Halfway down, side slipping most of the way, I come across the duo. They were smiling ear to ear as they watched me flounder my way down. I remember Gunn saying “it’s just like swimming, jump in and learn.”

Easy for you to say, I thought.

Everytime I come around that corner on Roundabout I remember that day and what I thought at the end. “ I want to be like Gary , he’s a locals’ local, a Tahoe mountain man.”

Sixteen years later I may be getting close.