New Leaf
from Kathy Kiefer
On some rare occasions during my childhood, when my single-parent mother found it necessary to ground me to my room, or, worse yet, wash my mouth out with soap (believe it or not, these things did happen forty years ago) she would set things anew between us by suggesting that all was forgiven and I was free to “turn over a new leaf”. I loved the sound of those words, but most of all I adored the idea that a person could sprout leaves and grow in spirit after a conflict or disagreement.
In 1980 I rode my bicycle to Soap Lake from Kirkland, Washington. This was four months after Mt. Saint Helens blew and there was still ash along the shoulders of the highway. Less than a year later I started a newspaper called The New Leaf, to express my adventures and growing regard for life in this small resort town in rural America, and also to honor my mother who taught me forgiveness.
This section of the site will contain .pdf files of the many stories, articles, and memories of Soap Lake that ran in The New Leaf from June of 1981 until June 1982. It will also herald the announcement each year, beginning in the fall of 2009, of an individual(s) in the community whose efforts have made a difference in promoting awareness about Soap Lake and its remarkable natural resources.