Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com 
Mountain View News Saturday, August 29, 2026 
99 
CAG offers a wide variety of classes indrawing, painting, ceramics, and jewelrymaking. Visit our website for moreinformation on classes, seasonal workshops,
events, and volunteer opportunities.
Currently on display in our gallery: 
The Pasadena Society of Artists, Artist’sChoice Exhibition, through July 30. 
ART CLASSES 
GALLERY & EXHIBTIONS 
HANDMADE ART & GIFTS 
ARTFUL EVENTS 
CREATIVEARTSGROUP.ORG
Serving Sierra Madre since 1960!
CHRISTOPHER NYERGES 
[Nyerges is the author of “Urban Survival Guide,” “ExtremeSimplicity,” and other books. Information about his books and 
classes is available at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com] 
AM I AN HERBALIST? 
BEST FRIENDS & MORE 
SUPERDUPER SWEETEST PAIR! 
It doesn't get any better than 
this pair! Gonzo and Enzo are 
the sweetest kittens we have 
ever fostered! 
Born on the streets, they were 
found under a car after the 
rest of their litter mates had 
died. 
Getting to know these two has 
been an absolute delight. From day one they've been the cuddliest duo! They are both lap cats 
and absolutely love people! So much so they are always looking to spend time with you or be 
near you or follow you around! 
They are also very playful and will run around together chasing after their fuzzy toys. Then 
they will settle in for some light grooming together and 
fall asleep preferably as close to you as possible. 
Gonzo is a little bigger than Enzo and is just a floppy cat! 
As soon as you carry him he melts into your arms and 
wants to be held like a baby. Enzo is more compact and 
such a curious little guy. He is very loving and so funny 
with a heart-shaped mark on his side, and a tail that curls 
over his back almost like a pug. 
These boys are as close to Purr-fection as can be! Theybring so much joy and will be the perfect addition to 
their people. See their adorable pictures and apply to 
meet them at https://www.lifelineforpets.org/enzo--gonzo. 
html. 
Pet of the Week 
My mother, who was a 
registered nurse, would 
tell us tales about growing up on a farm in 
rural Ohio. They learned how to deal with 
normal everyday farm injuries themselves 
in a calm and positive manner, things like 
burns, cuts, accidents with farm machinery. 
I learned from mother that even something 
as simple as hot water and Epsom salts 
could treat what might otherwise become 
a serious infection. 
Under her guidance, I began to grow 
and learn about herbs for culinary and 
medicinal purposes. Of course, my mother 
would always take me to the doctor, and 
I gradually learned that many of the 
medicines had originally derived from 
plant sources, such as the common pain 
killer aspirin deriving from the bark of 
the willow tree. I questioned the doctor 
as to why I was getting cortisone pills and 
sprays for my poison oak rash. “Doesn’t 
that weaken my immune system?” I asked. 
“You’re young” and “It’s only once a year” 
was the doctor’s reply, but eventually he 
admitted that yes, cortisone weakens myimmune system, but cures the poison oak 
rash. So I learned soon thereafter that 
native peoples had a dozen ways to not get 
the rash, and to cure the rash, and I have 
never had it since. Still, I never regarded 
myself as an herbalist, just an explorer who 
thought that the natural path would be 
better. 
After studying botany in high school, 
and actively joining the Los Angeles 
Mycological Association, I studied Mexican 
herbalism more formally with Dr. Gene 
Matlock’s Institute of Herbal Philosophy. 
I earned two certificates in herbalism and 
felt that the herbal path was only slightlybetter than taking pills. After all, both were 
focused on relieving symptoms, not so 
much fixing the cause of the illness. 
At that time, I met the famous “father of 
wild foods,” Euell Gibbons, whose herbal 
book,“Stalking the Wild Herbs,” I studied 
as if it was a Bible. Gibbons was a great 
plant guy, but not really a health food nut 
who eats carefully. I liked Gibbons a lot, 
though he ate white sugar, white flour, and 
deep fried anything that swam, crawled,
flew, or jumped. He died later that year at 
age 64, from a hereditary disease. Despite 
his shortcomings, he inspired me to pursue 
the wild food and herbal path. 
That year, I began to work for Dr. Richard 
Barmakian, who was quite the zealot for 
herbs and health foods, due to his battle 
with hypoglycemia. I learned a lot about 
herbs as medicine while working with 
him at Alta-Health Foods on North Allen 
Avenue in Pasadena, a short bicycle ride 
from my parents’ home. He wrote a book 
on hypoglycemia, and sadly died a few 
years later. He really wasn’t that old! 
Through Barmakian, I met his friend, the 
famous herbalist Dr. Paavo Airola, author 
of “Are You Confused.” This was 1975, and 
Airola visited often. Once, while talking to 
Barmakian, he turned to me – a young kid 
in his eyes – and proudly showed me his 
new book, “How to Get Well”, asking for 
my opinion. I thumbed through the herb 
section and said simply “no pictures.” He 
took the book away and turned his back to 
me, saying, “You buy your herbs in the herb 
store!” Not me, I thought. I wanted to pick 
them in the wild or grow them. 
Airola was on top of the world then, in1975, and I went to one of his talks at the 
Pasadena Convention Center, packed 
with hundreds of adoring readers. I recall 
how he began his talk, that we should give 
far more attention to lifestyle and our 
thinking as major elements of health. Yes,
indeed I thought, and I applauded with the 
enthusiastic audience. But then it was just 
two hours of herbs and symptoms. He died 
less than 10 years later at age 64, leaving 
many to conclude that herbalism per se 
doesn’t guarantee long life. 
Within the year, I had too good fortune 
to learn about Dr. Leonid Enari, teaching“Edible, Poisonous, and Medicinal” plants 
at the L.A.County Arboretum. I have 
since referred to Dr. Enari as the greatest 
botanist that no one knows! He grew upin Estonia, and experienced light Nazi 
occupation, and got his equivalent of phD 
in botany and chemistry before moving to 
the U.S. We became friends and he became 
an incredible mentor, helping me with my 
very first book. Dr. Enari believed in a no-
nonsense life of eating well, living simply, 
and treating people the way you want to 
be treated. My perspective of “healing” 
was indeed expanding, since it didn’t’ feel 
right to me that “healing” was simply about 
eliminating a symptom of some deeper 
cause. Dr. Enari lived to be 88. 
Along the way, I also got to be friends 
with Gypsy Boots, the well-known 
50s-era beatnik who widely promoted 
vegetarianism and healthful living. 
Gypsy told me that it was difficult to fill 
his Hollywood health food store with all 
quality foods, and even harder to make a 
living doing that. (Richard Barmakian mayhave discovered the same thing at his Alta-
Health foods). 
We used to see Gypsy playing catch football 
at the lawn of the Villa Parke during their 
Tuesday Farmers Markets, and “younger 
men” in their 50s and 60s would huff and 
puff as they tried to keep up with him. 
Gypsy had many “secrets” to longevity, 
and he often told me that garlic was one of 
them. He was 89 when he died. 
My timetable is not perfect chronology,
but back in high school, I met Richard 
White, who was a yoga teacher and 
organic gardening teacher at the time. 
He founded Rainbow School and the 
non profit WTI to teach, as he called it, 
“that health is wholistic.” White taught 
nutrition, and breathing, and exercise, and 
yes, some herbalism as well. He constantlyhammered home the idea that everything 
we do, and think, determines not just our 
“health” but our very destiny. That was the 
basis of everything he taught. White lived 
to be 88. 
Naturally, that led me to studying the 
writings of Hippocrates, something that 
White encouraged me to do. Through both 
White and Hippocrates, I realized that 
vibrant health is not about taking the right 
herb (though you definitely don’t want 
to take the wrong herb). Vibrant health 
was the totality of everything we did, and 
didn’t do. It is that totality that we hoped 
to embody in the Integral Health Pyramid. 
Yes, there are many other teachers and 
herbalists who have influenced me. But I 
don’t call myself an herbalist, a respectable 
term, but one I find too limiting in 
perspective for my view of “health.” 
Mariposa is ready to flutter her way into yourheart! This lovely 5-year-old German Shepherdis equal parts athlete, scholar and professionalpool lounger. She knows sit, down, paw and animpressively focused “watch me,” but she’s alsohappy to put her skills aside for a good game of 
fetch, a calm wade into the pool or some well-
earned pets. 
Sweet, affectionate and full of personality,
Mariposa has a knack for making friends wherevershe goes. Whether she’s gently dropping a toy atyour feet for another round of fetch or resting herhead in your lap to ask for more affection, thisbeautiful girl is ready to spread her wings and 
find a home of her own.And there’s no better time 
to adopt — on Saturday, August 29 from 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m., adoption fees for all available animalsat Pasadena Humane will be waived as a part of 
Clear the Shelters.The adoption fee for dogs is $150. 
All dog adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines.Walk-in 
adoptions are available every day from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. View photos of adoptable pets atpasadenahumane.org.New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam 
from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to carefor your pet.Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters byphone calls or email. 
JOIN THE FUN! THE SIERRA MADRE 
SCARECROW FESTIVAL IS COMING 
SOON! 
The Scarecrow Festival is a family-friendly fall tradition that celebrates the creativity, 
imagination, and community spirit that make Sierra Madre so special. Each year, our town 
comes alive with unique, handcrafted scarecrows displayed throughout the community for 
residents and visitors to enjoy. Hosted by Creative Arts Group, the festival offers fun for all ages. 
Our dedicated volunteers prepare candy scarecrows and scarecrow kits for the community, 
and small black scarecrows are hidden throughout town for a festive scavenger hunt. Luckyfinders can turn in their scarecrows to receive a candy scarecrow—a favorite tradition for 
children and families! 
Scarecrow kits are available for a small donation at the Creative Arts Group office, located 
at 108 N. Baldwin Avenue, Sierra Madre. Whether you’re a first-time participant or a 
seasoned scarecrow builder, the kits are a great way to get started. We invite local businesses, 
organizations, clubs, schools, and families to join the celebration by creating and displaying 
their own unique scarecrow. Participants can register their scarecrows on our website and 
upload a photo to be included in the online gallery and interactive festival map. The map 
encourages residents and visitors to explore Sierra Madre, discover each creative display, and 
support our local businesses while enjoying this beloved community event. 
Please join us on Wednesday, September 16, at Creative Arts Group from 2:00-4:30 to kick-off 
the festival with a scarecrow craft for kids, scarecrow kits for pick up and fall fun! 
Visit https://www.creativeartsgroup.org/scarecrow for complete details, including festival 
dates, registration information, deadlines, and participation opportunities. We hope you will 
join us in making this year’s Scarecrow Festival another memorable celebration of creativity 
and community. Thank you for helping make Sierra Madre such a wonderful place to live, 
work, and visit. We look forward to celebrating with you this fall! 
SINCERELY, THE SIERRA MADRE SCARECROW FESTIVAL 
COMMITTEE CREATIVE ARTS GROUP 
Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com 
Mountain View News Saturday, August 29, 2026 
99 
ART CLASSES 
GALLERY & EXHIBTIONS 
HANDMADE ART & GIFTS 
ARTFUL EVENTS 
CREATIVEARTSGROUP.ORG
Serving Sierra Madre since 1960!
CHRISTOPHER NYERGES 
[Nyerges is the author of “Urban Survival Guide,” “ExtremeSimplicity,” and other books. Information about his books and 
classes is available at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com] 
AM I AN HERBALIST? 
BEST FRIENDS & MORE 
SUPERDUPER SWEETEST PAIR! 
It doesn't get any better than 
this pair! Gonzo and Enzo are 
the sweetest kittens we have 
ever fostered! 
Born on the streets, they were 
found under a car after the 
rest of their litter mates had 
died. 
Getting to know these two has 
been an absolute delight. From day one they've been the cuddliest duo! They are both lap cats 
and absolutely love people! So much so they are always looking to spend time with you or be 
near you or follow you around! 
They are also very playful and will run around together chasing after their fuzzy toys. Then 
they will settle in for some light grooming together and 
fall asleep preferably as close to you as possible. 
Gonzo is a little bigger than Enzo and is just a floppy cat! 
As soon as you carry him he melts into your arms and 
wants to be held like a baby. Enzo is more compact and 
such a curious little guy. He is very loving and so funny 
with a heart-shaped mark on his side, and a tail that curls 
over his back almost like a pug. 
These boys are as close to Purr-fection as can be! Theybring so much joy and will be the perfect addition to 
their people. See their adorable pictures and apply to 
meet them at https://www.lifelineforpets.org/enzo--gonzo. 
html. 
Pet of the Week 
My mother, who was a 
registered nurse, would 
tell us tales about growing up on a farm in 
rural Ohio. They learned how to deal with 
normal everyday farm injuries themselves 
in a calm and positive manner, things like 
burns, cuts, accidents with farm machinery. 
I learned from mother that even something 
as simple as hot water and Epsom salts 
could treat what might otherwise become 
a serious infection. 
Under her guidance, I began to grow 
and learn about herbs for culinary and 
medicinal purposes. Of course, my mother 
would always take me to the doctor, and 
I gradually learned that many of the 
medicines had originally derived from 
plant sources, such as the common pain 
killer aspirin deriving from the bark of 
the willow tree. I questioned the doctor 
as to why I was getting cortisone pills and 
sprays for my poison oak rash. “Doesn’t 
that weaken my immune system?” I asked. 
“You’re young” and “It’s only once a year” 
was the doctor’s reply, but eventually he 
admitted that yes, cortisone weakens myimmune system, but cures the poison oak 
rash. So I learned soon thereafter that 
native peoples had a dozen ways to not get 
the rash, and to cure the rash, and I have 
never had it since. Still, I never regarded 
myself as an herbalist, just an explorer who 
thought that the natural path would be 
better. 
After studying botany in high school, 
and actively joining the Los Angeles 
Mycological Association, I studied Mexican 
herbalism more formally with Dr. Gene 
Matlock’s Institute of Herbal Philosophy. 
I earned two certificates in herbalism and 
felt that the herbal path was only slightlybetter than taking pills. After all, both were 
focused on relieving symptoms, not so 
much fixing the cause of the illness. 
At that time, I met the famous “father of 
wild foods,” Euell Gibbons, whose herbal 
book,“Stalking the Wild Herbs,” I studied 
as if it was a Bible. Gibbons was a great 
plant guy, but not really a health food nut 
who eats carefully. I liked Gibbons a lot, 
though he ate white sugar, white flour, and 
deep fried anything that swam, crawled,
flew, or jumped. He died later that year at 
age 64, from a hereditary disease. Despite 
his shortcomings, he inspired me to pursue 
the wild food and herbal path. 
That year, I began to work for Dr. Richard 
Barmakian, who was quite the zealot for 
herbs and health foods, due to his battle 
with hypoglycemia. I learned a lot about 
herbs as medicine while working with 
him at Alta-Health Foods on North Allen 
Avenue in Pasadena, a short bicycle ride 
from my parents’ home. He wrote a book 
on hypoglycemia, and sadly died a few 
years later. He really wasn’t that old! 
Through Barmakian, I met his friend, the 
famous herbalist Dr. Paavo Airola, author 
of “Are You Confused.” This was 1975, and 
Airola visited often. Once, while talking to 
Barmakian, he turned to me – a young kid 
in his eyes – and proudly showed me his 
new book, “How to Get Well”, asking for 
my opinion. I thumbed through the herb 
section and said simply “no pictures.” He 
took the book away and turned his back to 
me, saying, “You buy your herbs in the herb 
store!” Not me, I thought. I wanted to pick 
them in the wild or grow them. 
Airola was on top of the world then, in1975, and I went to one of his talks at the 
Pasadena Convention Center, packed 
with hundreds of adoring readers. I recall 
how he began his talk, that we should give 
far more attention to lifestyle and our 
thinking as major elements of health. Yes,
indeed I thought, and I applauded with the 
enthusiastic audience. But then it was just 
two hours of herbs and symptoms. He died 
less than 10 years later at age 64, leaving 
many to conclude that herbalism per se 
doesn’t guarantee long life. 
Within the year, I had too good fortune 
to learn about Dr. Leonid Enari, teaching“Edible, Poisonous, and Medicinal” plants 
at the L.A.County Arboretum. I have 
since referred to Dr. Enari as the greatest 
botanist that no one knows! He grew upin Estonia, and experienced light Nazi 
occupation, and got his equivalent of phD 
in botany and chemistry before moving to 
the U.S. We became friends and he became 
an incredible mentor, helping me with my 
very first book. Dr. Enari believed in a no-
nonsense life of eating well, living simply, 
and treating people the way you want to 
be treated. My perspective of “healing” 
was indeed expanding, since it didn’t’ feel 
right to me that “healing” was simply about 
eliminating a symptom of some deeper 
cause. Dr. Enari lived to be 88. 
Along the way, I also got to be friends 
with Gypsy Boots, the well-known 
50s-era beatnik who widely promoted 
vegetarianism and healthful living. 
Gypsy told me that it was difficult to fill 
his Hollywood health food store with all 
quality foods, and even harder to make a 
living doing that. (Richard Barmakian mayhave discovered the same thing at his Alta-
Health foods). 
We used to see Gypsy playing catch football 
at the lawn of the Villa Parke during their 
Tuesday Farmers Markets, and “younger 
men” in their 50s and 60s would huff and 
puff as they tried to keep up with him. 
Gypsy had many “secrets” to longevity, 
and he often told me that garlic was one of 
them. He was 89 when he died. 
My timetable is not perfect chronology,
but back in high school, I met Richard 
White, who was a yoga teacher and 
organic gardening teacher at the time. 
He founded Rainbow School and the 
non profit WTI to teach, as he called it, 
“that health is wholistic.” White taught 
nutrition, and breathing, and exercise, and 
yes, some herbalism as well. He constantlyhammered home the idea that everything 
we do, and think, determines not just our 
“health” but our very destiny. That was the 
basis of everything he taught. White lived 
to be 88. 
Naturally, that led me to studying the 
writings of Hippocrates, something that 
White encouraged me to do. Through both 
White and Hippocrates, I realized that 
vibrant health is not about taking the right 
herb (though you definitely don’t want 
to take the wrong herb). Vibrant health 
was the totality of everything we did, and 
didn’t do. It is that totality that we hoped 
to embody in the Integral Health Pyramid. 
Yes, there are many other teachers and 
herbalists who have influenced me. But I 
don’t call myself an herbalist, a respectable 
term, but one I find too limiting in 
perspective for my view of “health.” 
Mariposa is ready to flutter her way into yourheart! This lovely 5-year-old German Shepherdis equal parts athlete, scholar and professionalpool lounger. She knows sit, down, paw and animpressively focused “watch me,” but she’s alsohappy to put her skills aside for a good game of 
fetch, a calm wade into the pool or some well-
earned pets. 
Sweet, affectionate and full of personality,
Mariposa has a knack for making friends wherevershe goes. Whether she’s gently dropping a toy atyour feet for another round of fetch or resting herhead in your lap to ask for more affection, thisbeautiful girl is ready to spread her wings and 
find a home of her own.And there’s no better time 
to adopt — on Saturday, August 29 from 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m., adoption fees for all available animalsat Pasadena Humane will be waived as a part of 
Clear the Shelters.The adoption fee for dogs is $150. 
All dog adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines.Walk-in 
adoptions are available every day from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. View photos of adoptable pets atpasadenahumane.org.New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam 
from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to carefor your pet.Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters byphone calls or email. 
JOIN THE FUN! THE SIERRA MADRE 
SCARECROW FESTIVAL IS COMING 
SOON! 
The Scarecrow Festival is a family-friendly fall tradition that celebrates the creativity, 
imagination, and community spirit that make Sierra Madre so special. Each year, our town 
comes alive with unique, handcrafted scarecrows displayed throughout the community for 
residents and visitors to enjoy. Hosted by Creative Arts Group, the festival offers fun for all ages. 
Our dedicated volunteers prepare candy scarecrows and scarecrow kits for the community, 
and small black scarecrows are hidden throughout town for a festive scavenger hunt. Luckyfinders can turn in their scarecrows to receive a candy scarecrow—a favorite tradition for 
children and families! 
Scarecrow kits are available for a small donation at the Creative Arts Group office, located 
at 108 N. Baldwin Avenue, Sierra Madre. Whether you’re a first-time participant or a 
seasoned scarecrow builder, the kits are a great way to get started. We invite local businesses, 
organizations, clubs, schools, and families to join the celebration by creating and displaying 
their own unique scarecrow. Participants can register their scarecrows on our website and 
upload a photo to be included in the online gallery and interactive festival map. The map 
encourages residents and visitors to explore Sierra Madre, discover each creative display, and 
support our local businesses while enjoying this beloved community event. 
Please join us on Wednesday, September 16, at Creative Arts Group from 2:00-4:30 to kick-off 
the festival with a scarecrow craft for kids, scarecrow kits for pick up and fall fun! 
Visit https://www.creativeartsgroup.org/scarecrow for complete details, including festival 
dates, registration information, deadlines, and participation opportunities. We hope you will 
join us in making this year’s Scarecrow Festival another memorable celebration of creativity 
and community. Thank you for helping make Sierra Madre such a wonderful place to live, 
work, and visit. We look forward to celebrating with you this fall! 
SINCERELY, THE SIERRA MADRE SCARECROW FESTIVAL 
COMMITTEE CREATIVE ARTS GROUP