Gruß aus Leavenworth

 When the lumber mill outside Leavenworth, WA closed in 1972, the town elders decided to court tourists with theme events and architecture. They Bavarianized the town. Every building is styled as if Opa and Oma had lavished care on the ancestral mountain home. I saw painted Baroque trompe–l’oeil window sashes like in this photo, window boxes planted with geraniums, folk art wall paintings of couples in traditional dress: the Herr in Lederhosen and the Fräulein in Dirndl. It was prosperous Bavaria without the xenophobia, welcoming tourists with beer and cheer. I noted a few houses that looked half-timbered, the traditional way of building, but were actually modern stucco with a half-timbered facade.  Potemkin half-timbering!  The German term for half- timbering, in which the wooden support structure shows in a contrasting dark color, is Fachwerk. That translates to “skilled craft work.”  The motivation behind half-timbered houses was to show off the skill of the builder and the wealth of the owner with beautiful dovetail joints, built for the snow as well as for the ages.  One aspect of German culture I love is this pride in handiwork.

I spotted a bakery under the sign of the pretzel, the traditional sign of the bakers’ guild. Indeed, an Austrian ex-pat sold me delicious apple strudel and almond crescents.  It was the first good bakery I’d come across since Sonoma County.  Following in my father’s footsteps, I investigate bakeries in each new town. Never have I seen so many pallid, overmixed scones as in central Oregon.   Doneness in baking means an even golden-brown, also called “just this side of burnt.” Hear that, Sisters Bakery? Dragonfly bakery?  Mix less, bake longer. That’s my pride in handiwork talking.

One delightful surprise in Leavenworth came from this 8th Grade orchestra from Tacoma Middle School several hours’ bus ride away. Each year both the band and the orchestra offer public performances in several Washington cities on their grand tour.  I was amazed by the funds and consent required for such an endeavor. Most California public middle schools have all but given up field trips: too hard to coordinate, too expensive, too much liability.  In Tacoma, the other teachers, the parents, and the school administration all support the music program in a way unheard of in Santa Clara County.  Instrument lending and music lessons, a bus trip, lodging in hostels, food for the youth, 30 minute concerts in each city on the tour: it adds up. The parents and the school pay.  It happens in Washington, a state with no personal income tax.  And to add a grace note: the kids sounded good!