Commentary: Donations, state, photo, symphony, fundraiser, movie, ocean

Big Day of Giving comes up Thursday, May 4. It's an easy way to donate to nonprofit organizations you love. Investigate at bigdayofgiving.org – and recognize that the focus is on the Sacramento REGION, which includes Placer and therefore Auburn, not only Sacramento. I've donated yearly since this thing started in 2013. Please join me. Especially join me in supporting the State Theatre. You've heard the roof has unnerving problems, and the theatre must solve those problems before we can enjoy movies or events or plays again. You can help the State several ways. One, of course: Donate via the Big Day of Giving. Another way: Plan to attend the annual summer fundraiser, Cocktails and Cinema, at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 3. Delight with others at this raucous, delicious outdoor event with food, music, drinks, dancing and fun, as the organization says on its website. And from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, May 7: The State presents the second Auburn Vintage Historic Home Tour, a fundraiser for the theatre. The first home tour made people happy in 2018, "which everybody loved," organizer Linda Nash told me. Each home is uniquely decorated, and all the homes are in or near Downtown Auburn. Tickets ($25 per person) may be purchased online (auburnstatetheatre.org). Pick up your map at the theatre. Tickets are also available at the box office, Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition, the box office will be open Sunday, May 7, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets may also be purchased at Green Acres Nursery, 380 Nevada St. and Wildflower, 809 Lincoln Way. The map and brochure will be given to you at time of purchase. I hope to see you there. Thanks to Gayle Morris of Lyon Real Estate. Also, please be aware that several upcoming events originally scheduled to take place at the State will be presented elsewhere. Investigate the website. ... Recently I went to Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital for a once-every-several-years inspection. I wouldn't remember this scrutiny 'cause they put me to sleep. Even though I wouldn't hurt, I wasn't happy. I knew I'd get a needle, which is always unnerving. I wanted it over with, wanted to lie down and wake up and be done with it. They put me in a waiting room. The first thing I saw: a photograph that instantly stunned me. The photographer found himself in a deep canyon in northern Arizona or southern Utah – but not so deep that I didn't see the sky. And because I saw the sky, I saw shadows on the walls and on the floor. Water and wind and time created this ancient, meandering chasm. And in the center of the photo, the sun washed over a tree – youngish, compared to the canyon. Perhaps 50 years old, lush and green. Clearly, the photographer had fallen in love with this vision. Oh, I was overcome. I fell in love, too. It was perfect. It was a distraction ... and a thing to adore. Good work, Sutter Auburn Faith. ... The Auburn Symphony's Annual Gala packed Loomis' Blue Goose Event Center last March 26. Don and I were surrounded by others who adore the symphony. We shared our table with Dale and Alan Shuttleworth, Charlene Messner, Rick Klepper, Gerda Francesca and Dave Imgrund. The table was way up front, so we were privileged to hear everyone speak perfectly, including Stephanie Snyder, who had wonderful things to say about us music lovers as well as the orchestra. But the best thing she said was this: "Our secret sauce is our community." I love that. A community lifts a community. That's Auburn. Hurray. ... The upcoming FAM Fest, 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, June 10, is held at the Auburn Library Garden Amphitheatre, 350 Nevada St. It's a three-way fundraiser: for Auburn's Senior Center, the restoration of the historic DeWitt Theatre multi-use community center, and the Auburn Winds Concert and jazz big band. FAM stands for Family, Art and Music. While others are singing, dancing, playing music and eating, I'll be promoting Auburn Silver Screen. The cost to attend is $10. For information, contact Creative Music Services at cms@wizwire.com or 530-613-9440. ... Join me at the Auburn Library next Saturday, May 6, for Silver Screen's pretty regularly annual Western movie. I show this 1946 John Ford yarn that ends up with the gunfight at the OK Corral at noon, 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. in the Beecher Room at the Auburn Library. The horse-and-gun movie stars Henry Fonda, Victor Mature, Ward Bond, Walter Brennan and Linda Darnell. The movie is free. For information: auburnsilverscreen.com. ... I found a car with a license plate frame that made clear the owner's geographic preference: "I'd rather be at the edge" on the top; and "watching the tide go away" on the bottom. Then I looked at the license plate itself: "H20SEDJ." Water's edge. Charming. Your turn. Seen a funny or appealing bumper sticker or license plate? Send it to me at the email below. That's my town. Got any items for me? Email me at goldcountrydenizens@gmail.com.