Ah, April…typically the most beautiful month of the year. With the sun having warmed- up the air, windows fly open and stay open all day and into the night. We emerge from our cabin fever and feel renewed and refreshed with the spring air. We open the windows and doors […]
Once I spoke the language of the flowers,
Once I understood each word the caterpillar said,
Once I smiled in secret at the gossip of the starlings,
And shared a conversation with the housefly
in my bed.
Once I heard and answered all the questions
of the crickets,
And joined the crying of each falling, dying
flake of […]
The approval of Ballot Measure 91 in 2015 to allow the sale and use of recreational marijuana is making some dramatic changes to the landscape of Southern Oregon. You hear about it almost daily in the newspapers or on the news, you see new businesses sprouting up, and you see the price of real estate […]
When we sat down to prepare our trust and will arrangements, the estate planner asked how we wanted to structure the end of life details. This means death and burial instructions. The attorney said no detail is too small. They clearly didn’t know who they were talking to.
Mary said […]
My background in investments in the past has mainly been my 401(k) and my personal stock portfolio. Thirty five years of my life was spent in the high-tech industry, so that became the majority of my stock portfolio. I have seen my high-tech stocks double, triple and then crash! […]
An odd thing happened a few days ago… I saw a penny on the sidewalk and kept on walking, never bothering to pick it up. That would be unthinkable at an earlier time… a time when a penny meant something.
When I was ten-years-old, five pennies could buy […]
Jacksonville Pioneer George Francis Schumpf was the most successful and longest established barber, operating his barber shop at 157 West California Street from the time he purchased the original building in 1873 until his death in 1897. The site itself appears to have housed a Jacksonville barber from the early 1850s […]
Beginning April 7, 2016 – Hanley Farm will be open every Thursday evening from 4:00-7:00pm, April through October. Bring your family, invite your friends, and enjoy a relaxing evening on the historic grounds first settled by the Hanley Family in 1857.
Thursday, 4:00-7:00pm, April-October, Free Admission!
We admit to being suckers for Hollywood biographies. Many of these “based on fact” movies extol the accomplishments of famous personalities: Lawrence of Arabia; Lincoln; J. Edgar. Others examine lesser-known individuals who deserve our attention: Schindler’s List; Twelve Years a Slave; A Dangerous Mind. Filmed portrayals of Stephen Hawking, Butch […]
For over 50 years, Britt has provided our orchestra members with host families that open their homes and hearts to music, and give our musicians who travel from all over the U.S. the true “Britt Experience.” Hosting musicians is a great way to build an intimate relationship with the […]
The Judge Frank TouVelle House, located at 435 North Oregon Street in Jacksonville, is considered one of the best examples of Craftsman-style homes in the Rogue Valley. A special January 1, 1929 edition of the Medford Mail Tribune featured it in a section titled, “Rogue River Valley has Many Beautiful Ranch […]
Nature teaches us about the most important part of Life itself: Awakening! Spring is a time of rebirth and transformation as we step out of the darkness of winter into the light and colors of spring. Within our hearts lies the desire to live a meaningful, fulfilling life. Our inner spirit […]
They say things change the more they stay the same. Sometimes this is reassuring, but more often than not is just depressing as hell.
I’ve been going through about 60 pounds of cards and letters that I wrote to my parents during college and my post-grad years. Reading through my collegiate musings reminded me of some […]
There’s always been a need to illuminate the darkness, to bring illumination into one’s dwelling. Fast-forward through time, past oil and wick, past whale oil, past Edison’s invention of the incandescent light bulb and the nearly simultaneous invention of the Aladdin Industries mantle lamp that glowed brighter than anything yet […]
For each petal on the shamrock this brings a wish your way. Good health, good luck, and happiness for today and every day. ~Irish blessing
According to my family tree, I’m one-sixteenth Irish. One day, I’d like to visit the “land of my people;” however, until then, I’ll wear green and […]
Our grown daughter sent me this the other day. She said it reminded her of me…Love you, Dad! That’s pretty funny but not really. Her teen years were foggy days for me. I was sick as a dog for that particular time in space
We were blessed with a very beautiful daughter although I could make […]
After a ten hour red-eye flight from Salt Lake City, we arrived in Paris in the middle of the day. Getting through customs and walking through a packed airport during the Christmas holidays can be overwhelming, but a packed airport where few speak English is even more overwhelming. You […]
Downton Abbey has ended. We knew it must. One of the most watched series in television history, it carved out a special niche in the hearts of its audience… one that will be difficult to ever duplicate. Even its cast may never again see a production as […]
Hanley Farm is excited to host the Family Nurturing Center’s “Farm and Food Program” for its fourth consecutive growing season! The Farm and Food Program is an outreach component of the Family Nurturing Center, Jackson County’s Children’s Relief Nursery. Families visit Hanley Farm in order to grow, harvest, prepare […]
We first noticed it in October of 2014. Singer Paul Revere, of Paul Revere and the Raiders, died at age 76. The band was internationally known, but he’d been born in Idaho, and shared the stage with Eugene, Oregon native Mark Lindsay, so to us it was a local story.
Three […]
While all of the concerts and programs that we present are important, the Britt Orchestra holds a special place as the artistic core of our organization. The Britt board and staff are collectively committed to making sure the Britt Orchestra thrives, and we were recently able to celebrate the […]
As I was creating my year’s plan and scheduling classes and events, I was amazed at the amount of planets going retrograde every month until this fall. If you are in a hurry to make certain things happen fast in 2016, you could experience frustration. Although the astrological weather doesn’t create […]
Warning: This column has nothing whatsoever to do with Valentine’s, the Lunar New Year, or other such niceties. You may find it helpful, however, if Life has thrown you a few curve balls or wicked sinkers lately, which it has to me.
Last year did not end well. I was besieged by […]
You can picture yourself sitting on that sandy lakeshore while the elegant white swans swim freely on the deep blue water, the majestic snowy mountains loom in the background. The swans have an insatiable appetite for bread chunks that are tossed into the murky water. […]
I studied economics in college. Almost every macro-economics professor used the Great Depression as a model in explaining modern theory. Today, honest analysis tells us there isn’t much difference in real market and index markers than during the worst financial crisis in this nation’s history. The only reason why […]
Last month, a friend complained to me about reading newspaper headlines declaring what a bad year 2016 will be. Her reaction was to avoid reading these columns all together… and who could blame her? We seem to get enough bad news without some writer trying to tell […]
When William Hoffman arrived in Jacksonville in the fall of 1853, he brought his own gold—six marriageable daughters, a treasure indeed to the many bachelors who had been lured to the Rogue Valley by its promised riches of mining and free land. Unlike these young adventurers, Hoffman was not a fortune […]
Remember the slogan, “Don’t trust anybody over 30?” It was a centerpiece of the “generation gap,” that sprang up in the 1960s.
Well, a variant of that slogan has come back to haunt us: “Don’t trust anyone under 30.” And we’re hearing it, surprisingly, from music fans.
In the ‘50s, listeners, young […]
Is it possible to maintain a home garden in a way that is low-maintenance, conserves water, and meets the nutritional needs of a family living in the Rogue Valley?
The Hanley Farm agricultural program plans to conduct a research project during the 2016 growing season, seeking to answer this question […]
2016 is going to be a year of exploration for Britt. Simply put, we are going to try new things. First, we will kick off the New Year with the much-anticipated Valentine’s Gala featuring China Forbes, of Pink Martini, with Music Director Teddy Abrams on Piano, […]
It’s the season for us to celebrate and evaluate the year that is about to close. How many things from your list of “intentions” for this year did you accomplish? If you feel disappointments or frustrations, those are clues that something needs your time and attention. I often hear people […]
Healing is a glimpse of heaven. Those sick, in pain or severely depressed can appreciate the depth of the metaphor. Spiritual life reveals much about what we don’t understand and the joy of heaven is real to those with faith to believe. In this world, however, there is […]
One of the most difficult things in the world is to know who you really are. I’ve spent half my life now getting to know who my Self is: the good, the bad, and the ugly. For over two decades I’ve followed the Greek maxim inscribed at the Temple of […]
It’s that beautiful time of year as we approach another season here in ever-changing Southern Oregon. We are so fortunate to celebrate and participate in the charming, joyful Victorian Christmas festivities in our wonderful town and hope you all can join us in celebrating.
My husband, Jim, and […]
Every so often when my children were growing up, I would declare a HANDMADE ONLY Christmas.
The gifts to each other had to be made by hand by them.
I made my sewing area off limits by putting up sheets to hide what I was working on. A couple of quilts […]
Year end approaches and so does Christmas. For some, it is a time of giving and perhaps not much more. This act of giving, which most of us engage in, began a long time ago when the Magi brought gifts to celebrate the birth of the […]
In 1605, a “…tree in Strasbourg…was brought indoors and adorned with paper roses, lighted candles, wafers, nuts and sweets.” Throughout the centuries decorating for the holidays continued, and in the 1880’s, F.W. Woolworth began importing German ornaments. On December 27, you have the opportunity to travel back in […]
From 1843 to the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869, some 500,000 emigrants traveled the Oregon Trail to the “promised land” of the Oregon Territory and California in search of land, riches, adventure, and better lives. Independence, Missouri, was the main starting point for the 2,000 mile journey to […]
As 2015 comes to a close, we look back at the year in real estate for Jackson County and Jacksonville and take a stab at predicting home sales in 2016.
Jackson County—Great news for all homeowners as the median price of homes sold in Jackson County is up 6.44% […]
A few weeks ago, on Halloween night, we found ourselves standing in the middle of Jacksonville’s historic cemetery.
It was quiet up there, and very dark. The outlines of nearby tombstones were clear, but we couldn’t read the names on them without a flashlight. Reading, however, wasn’t what we were […]
Does Britt Music and Arts Festival matter to the future generations of Jacksonville and the Rogue Valley? In recent years, many Britt supporters have informed me of their intention to include a designated gift to Britt in their wills. I am pleased to say that over the past […]
It was a busy day at the graveyard. Abnormally busy. Raking leaves from my parents’ gravesite I noticed a number of people walking by. It took me a while to figure out that a burial service was taking place close by, a fact I finally deduced not by the attire of […]
One thing that I find extremely attractive in a home is a well-stocked book shelf. I hope not to be rude when I saunter over and read the spines of your tomes. Whether you have read them or not, beauty is foremost in collecting and design. You can turn simple […]
I remember, as a child, being struck by the Greek mythological fable of Persephone, daughter of the goddess Demetra, who was abducted by Hades and brought into the underworld. Demetra, whose task was to bring fertility to the land, became so depressed she renounced her divine duties, […]
Kick-off the Yuletide Season at Hanley Farm! Begin by creating your Holiday Wreath using bases made from all natural materials cut fresh from the farm. And, a special treat, straight from the North Pole – Santa Claus accepted our invitation, AND he’s bringing his favorite helper-Elf with him! In addition to Santa and wreath-making, browse […]
California and the Oregon Territory seemed like the “promised land” to individuals in the eastern half of the United States dreaming of riches, adventure, or better lives. But first they had to get here. There were basically two routes—by land and by sea. Jacksonville pioneer Cornelius Beekman chose the latter and […]
I want to share a “magic cure” to help you and your body feel younger and healthier right now. As my Thanksgiving gift, I’m giving you an opportunity to experience it from the comfort of your home. Let me help you experience what studies by numerous researchers suggest can help slow […]
Last Christmas Eve was joyously spent at the Jacksonville Inn. A week later, our family celebrated at the Bella Union. Our grown kids look forward to this every homecoming because these places represent home to them. We have no memories of Jacksonville without Jerry Evans and Jerry Hayes and […]
In the the winter of 1849, Amelia Bloomer published her first edition of The Lily, a newspaper devoted to women’s issues in which she advocated for less-restrictive female garments. More than three decades later, members of the Rational Dress Society daringly suggested that no woman should have to wear more […]
Over 36% of all single-family homes in the United States are rental homes and that number is climbing. Home ownership was at an all-time high in 2004 with 69.2% of single family homes occupied by the owners; but, that number has fallen to 63.5% and is expected to continue […]