Editor’s note: Since starting this column, “Sensational Seniors” back in 2016, Mike McClain has featured many of Jacksonville’s most respected and admired citizens. This month, in honor of Mike’s writing success, his dear friend, Mira Wingfield, thought it was time to […]
Okay, we’ll admit it. We haven’t reviewed much cinema this year. Frankly, we weren’t inspired by Hollywood’s offerings in 2017. Yes, we liked Wonder Woman (a lot) but many of the other films left us—hmm—we believe the correct word in the current parlance would be “meh.” Look it up.
Until recently, […]
We’d like to share our excitement about critical improvements being made on the Britt hill. With the close of another fantastic season, Britt is transitioning into what is sure to be a busy “off” season. Beginning this month, our old grey Britt bench seats will become just a memory. […]
The first 30 minutes of my interview with Mac and Peggy Peffley was spent touring their expansive Singler Lane home to see their extensive eclectic art and southwestern pottery collection, which reflects their world travels and experiences. Then it was time to get busy with the life stories of two more […]
John Muir’s quote speaks to the interconnectedness of all things. Humans to nature, nature to earth, earth to the universe, and the cosmos back to humans. Take for example the zeal surrounding the solar eclipse uniting us all under one sky to witness the moon’s passage over the sun. Something exceptional transpires when we grasp […]
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported last year that more than a third of Americans don’t get enough sleep. Many health issues like depression, autoimmune disorders and memory issues have been linked to insufficient sleep. Harvard medical researchers have also linked sleep deprivation with obesity, high blood pressure […]
Last month I wrote about the decks of my life being cleared: how my practice rather abruptly emptied out and how that seemed purposeful and meaningful. The way I wrote about it made the experience sound like a cruise through the Greek Isles, reclining on my metaphorical deck chair aboard the ship of my life’s […]
Anyone who comes in to our shop will instantly see that we love antique and vintage glass. While we rarely get “big name” glass makers’ items in-stock, such as “Tiffany” or “Stuben,” you will see the classic “Fenton” glass.
Fenton glass has been around since Frank and John Fenton (brothers) set […]
“Be you in the park about midnight at Herne’s Oak, and you shall see wonders.”
– In William Shakespeare’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” 1597
I’ve mentioned before that every year Jerry and I enjoy watching a performance at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, and this month I’m looking forward to […]
Summer is winding down, but I think we would all agree there’s something special about the back-to-school season that’s filled with the promise of new beginnings. This time of year offers fall colors in bloom, and the bounty of harvesting fruits and vegetables from backyard gardens.
According to Wikipedia, “It ain’t over till the fat lady sings,” is an expression that means you shouldn’t presume to know the outcome of an event which is still in progress. Although the phrase is generally understood to be referencing the stereotypically overweight sopranos of the opera, it […]
Hanley Farm’s music festival was GREAT! Hundreds of people attended, making the Southern Oregon Historical Society’s 71st anniversary an event to remember. The forecast for the day was 103 degrees, but the weather gods prevailed and it was a cooler 97 degrees, with a slight breeze. Despite the hazy […]
An old man walked across a city intersection on a blistering hot summer day. His shock white, trimmed full head of hair and long beard betrayed advanced age as he walked with a damaged gait; probably an old injury never healed. A Santa Claus belly screamed […]
Home prices soared over the last 5 years with the median price of a single family home in Jackson County increasing from $176,000 at the end of 2012 to $282,500 as of August 2017, yielding an increase of over 60%. The increase in the median price is only part […]
We all have one of “those days,” a day when unforeseen circumstances alter our plans. Sometimes they offer pleasant surprises. Oftentimes they are anything but pleasant. I had one of these in late July, and thought it worth sharing.
When we left Colonel John England Ross in our August 2017 Pioneer Profile, he had barely avoided eating crow…literally. After finding gold near Sawyer’s Bar on the Klamath River in California in 1850, he had been wounded in a skirmish with Indians and had his horses stolen. By the time prospectors […]
You don’t know what you missed. And that makes us very sad.
We’re serious. Every August, the residents of Southern Oregon are offered a tremendous opportunity. Yet many residents let that opportunity slip away with little thought of its value. And, now that September has arrived, it’s gone. Again.
Yes, we’re talking […]
I had not planned on writing about a power outage for the September column. Mother Nature had different plans. When you think about it, we were due. Britt concerts have lucked out for 55 years. With that statistic, we had already beaten the law of averages. We should be […]
On August 5, 2017, Hanley Farm presents, “Hanley Farm Music Festival,” a fundraiser for Hanley Farm! In addition to great toe-tapping music from five popular local entertainers, there will be food, a Farmer’s Market, children’s games, a Faerie Garden, soda, mead and more beverages, including freshly-brewed lager from Standing […]
I’m not a writer by profession but brewing up a cup of conversation has come reasonably natural. My concern about staring at a blank page with nothing to offer hasn’t been an issue although the empty page does steep a little longer these days. It must be the “growing […]
One of my favorite quotes, torn and taped to my desk, is this one, attributed to Joseph Campbell: “We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” Letting go of what we want or love or […]
It’s summer. Guests are coming. Trips are being planned. August brings a haste to get it all done before it’s too late. The first thing we compromise is our self-care routines because we are too busy. We often come to the end of summer with high levels of stress, which can […]
Lately, I have been spending many hours sanding old furniture. My purpose is not to refinish antique furniture to its former glory, but to add a couple of coats of chalk paint, and sand some more. And then add a soft finish wax and rub and buff until my elbow […]
Monarch butterflies have been on earth for roughly 175 million years, but it’s only since the 1990’s that their numbers have declined by 80%. In 25 short years, 560 of the 700 million Monarch butterflies in North America have disappeared.
Being in the presence of a Monarch has brought me great […]
“The first week of August hangs at the very top of the summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning.” ~Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting, 1975
I love this image of August, the month when summer’s heat […]
When it comes to your landscaping, long-term planning offers many rewards. Resale value, maintenance considerations and future landscape plans are a few reasons to plan ahead…now!
When planning the initial infrastructure for your landscape, start with the end in mind. […]
The world we live in today is a digital one and searching for a home is no exception. Buyers now have apps that let them search by location and neighborhood. Online listings have virtual tours so viewers can look at potential homes while narrowing down their search in […]
July 4th has come and gone… now for the “lazy hazy days of summer.” If you missed it, we had one “swellegant” party here in town on the Courthouse lawn with 350 to 400 people this year. That’s not counting the many volunteers as well as the […]
Ross Lane, which meanders through the Valley floor just north of Jacksonville, demarcates some of the former land holdings of Colonel John England Ross.
Ross, who gained his title and his reputation as an Indian fighter during Oregon’s various Indian wars, is an enigmatic character. His first marriage was to a half-breed […]
Robert Atkinson, known in Jacksonville as “Bo,” first moved here in 2000 with his effervescent wife, Iris, and the two immediately became a popular and well-known couple around town. Bo’s quiet and unassuming manner belies the fact that he had a distinguished career in the army as a helicopter pilot and […]
By the time you read this, the migration will have begun.
Dozens of classically trained, world-class musicians will be returning to the stage on Britt Hill, where Conductor Teddy Abrams will greet them, ready to chase the summer doldrums from all of our brains.
To some, the summer seems a sleepy time. […]
By the time you read this News from the Hill, the Britt Orchestra will have arrived here in beautiful southern Oregon. Thanks to over 90 host families, our orchestra members are already settled into their temporary homes for the Season. Teddy Abrams, Britt’s Music Director, and Mark Knippel, Director […]
News From Britt Hill – July 2017
If you haven’t heard yet, thanks to Southern Oregon Subaru, we are expanding our free children’s concert series and introducing our new mascot, Scout. Scout says ALL KIDS of ALL AGES are invited and no tickets are needed! All performances start at 10:00am in the Britt Performance Garden—just show […]
Mosquitoes really do prefer some people to others, says Dr. Jonathan Day, a medical entomologist and mosquito expert at the University of Florida. Some of it is genetic, like your blood type. Their preferred blood type is O. Other genetic factors play a part, like your metabolic rate, which dictates the […]
When I entered Mary Ann Byrne’s stately historic Jacksonville home on California Street to begin my “Sensational Seniors” interview, I was greeted with, “I have always lived in and loved older homes and, while they take a good deal of tender care and are expensive to maintain, they help define who […]
Glass insulators have been around since 1840 when the first telegraph lines were strung across America. They were non-threaded, and had wings or “ram’s horns” that some collectors today call “Mickey Mouse ears.” Another type from that era was the “glass block” design. They were square-ish. Soon […]
She rested gently in his soft, young hand
In awe, he stared, at a smallness so grand.
What have we done? In earnest he pleaded.
They forgot, she whispered, how much we are needed.
But I don’t understand, he stuttered through tears.
You’re not to blame, she said, it’s been going on for years.
How can […]
As the days have gotten longer and music flows off Britt Hill, I know summer is definitely upon us. Around here, the natural surroundings of our historic town cast our summers with an almost magical quality.
While […]
Everyone wants to get the highest price possible when selling their home, and many people believe their home is worth more than it actually may be. After all, homeowners have emotions attached to their home and, as a result, often think their home is worth more than prospective […]
I enjoy reading Paul Becker’s column. Our mayor is bedrock small town life. Some will respectfully disagree with his views on city business but none can argue the irreducible wisdom gleaned from the better part of a century living the dream called America.
Paul will continue to defend the next […]
Southern Oregon, as well as most of the nation, is experiencing a record-low inventory of homes for sale. Matched with strong demand, prices are being driven up. One would think that all properties on the market are faring well, but it always goes back to supply and demand—and not […]
Independence Day is at hand. Congratulations and Happy Birthday America. It’s been quite a ride for 241 years. When the Continental Congress formalized the Declaration of Independence with the signature of John Hancock, they took a step so bold and daring and went where no others had […]
However one refers to the Civil War—the “War to Preserve the Union,” “War of the Rebellion,” “War to make Men Free,” “Freedom War,” or the “War Between the States”—it preserved the United States as one, indivisible, nation.
In an 1889 study, performed by Union soldiers William Fox and Thomas Livermore, it was reported that approximately 620,000 […]
Well into the 20th Century, the Fourth of July was a bigger U.S. holiday than Christmas. Long before Congress declared July 4th an official holiday in 1870, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail shortly after the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 that the occasion “ought to […]
Comic books once were considered kid stuff. No one over sixteen admitted to reading them, let alone dared to dream of watching his or her favorite superheroes on the big screen. A theatrical serial starring Kirk Alyn as Superman arrived in the 1940s, but it was sequestered in kids’ matinees. […]
Anger can be an instinctual response to protect ourselves, like a dog’s growling and barking response. It can push us to take action to change what doesn’t feel good, help us to set boundaries, and if handled with care, can even be a healthy way of letting-off steam and frustration. But […]
I have a thinking problem. They say that admitting that you have a problem is half the battle, but I’m not so sure. I’m in pretty deep. I’m not talking about normal, what’s-for-dinner sort of thinking, although I have plenty of that. I’m talking about furrowed brow cogitating, bordering on the […]
It’s often said that we are slaves to fashion. Such was the case with the mesh envelope bag and the elegant, beaded handbag. These handbags, so loved by the 1920’s Flappers, were quite fashionable until well into the 1950s. Even now, these vintage handbags are carried as evening accessories by […]
Pollinator protection does not have to be relinquished in exchange for managing mosquitoes. The impact of mosquito spraying on pollinators is long-lasting. Studies show wild bee populations are even more susceptible to pesticide exposure than honey bees due to biological and habitat differences.
Fortunately, here in Oregon, we don’t have to […]
And those whose blossoms curl obliquely back,
Ribbed on the sides with a bright scarlet streak,
Shalt of daylily the fair name receive,
If one whose summer’s day the beauties live…
-Rene Rapin (1621-1687)
It’s true that the beautiful daylily (Hemerocallis) lasts but one summer’s day, prompting Bishop Joseph Hall to once criticize the flower […]