A Cup of Conversation – July 2020
George Orwell knew. Everyone else was highly entertained or at least amused but not George. He tried to tell us. Some were listening. Most were not. Now they are. George was a lone voice in the wilderness. His words now haunt us…at least half of us, hopefully more. The […]
Summer is upon us. We can only hope for occasional rain to dampen our extreme fire season and keep the smoke from our skies. Dry, dusty conditions under a blazing sun do little to entice our walkabout mojo into action. But to be out and about during a rare summer shower, […]
You cannot ask the darkness to leave; you must turn on the light.” ~Sogyal-Rinpoche
I’ve been thinking a lot about what to say this month. My mind and heart are troubled by what I see and hear: Division, anger, violence, finger-pointing, hypocrisy, grandstanding, virtue-signaling, and a whole lot of agitated herd behavior. […]
Almost 40 million Americans have filed for unemployment since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Stay-at-home orders ground much of the economy to a halt, prompting trillions in stimulus spending by the federal government in an effort to keep industries afloat.
But anyone hoping a silver lining to the […]
As we slowly return to normal, and we can find toilet paper in the stores and restaurants with open doors, we do have to wonder if we’ll ever be the same.
I look back on my life and how all the economic events shaped it and changed its course. I […]
One of the most familiar quotations in literature came to mind as I saw our nation’s cities explode in violence once again. It was by Charles Dickens who wrote the following words to introduce “A Tale of Two Cities,” a story of nobles and not-so-nobles during the […]
Art Presence Art Center reopens in July! With the Four “C’s”—Close Contact, Confined Spaces, Crowds and Choices—in mind, we will use CDC guidelines to welcome patrons for an art experience extraordinaire. We’re eager to return to the gallery and share the creative delights our members offer!
The Artists Workshop began over 35 years ago by a […]
During the 1850s, 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. Those who set out from […]
So Much to be Grateful For!
Cemetery Clean-Up—While the coronavirus certainly changed how we go about our daily lives, it hasn’t changed our spirit and attitude toward volunteering and helping our community. On Friday, May 22 we held our first-ever “Social Distancing Community Clean-up Day” of the cemetery grounds. We had a group of 24 hard-working […]
Living in a dynamic world, we’ve often been surprised by just how quickly our comfortable metaphoric rugs can be swept from underfoot. We are creatures of habit, and when our circumstances are changed, it’s a frustrating chore to adjust normal practices. Our current status with COVID-19 is in daily flux, and […]
One of the more obvious and trying aspects of this pandemic we’re floundering in are all the things we can’t do. This horrid little virus has spurred limitations the likes of which most of us have never seen. Constrained on multiple levels— movement, activities, work, income, socializing— we are experiencing a […]
The business of real estate is still being conducted in Oregon, with some adjustments for everyone’s safety. Most work is being conducted from home offices as much as possible—within the provisions of the Governor’s orders and at the discretion of the Realtor and client.
Marketing & Showing Homes—Marketing properties […]
Meet the Pioneers 2020—The Board of Directors has chosen to cancel this year’s Meet the Pioneers program that was scheduled for October 2 and 3, 2020. Given the current virus situation, we believe this is the proper and responsible action to take. This was a difficult decision to reach, but going forward and taking unnecessary […]
Art Presence Art Center’s Board and Director have made the decision to remain closed through the month of June. Watching and reading about the devastation in countries and states that are either noncompliant or simply unable to distance themselves from one another shows how well we in Oregon and Jackson County have done.
What we need […]
The economy is shrinking, businesses are closing and jobs are disappearing due to the coronavirus pandemic. But in the housing market, prices keep climbing higher.
Home prices plunged during the last recession after the 2007 housing crash caused millions of families to lose their homes, but that hasn’t been the […]
There are many facets in this time of uncertainty. Some moments have been spent in solitude and in uneasy experiences. Other moments have welcomed the opportunity to being OK whilst stuck in a small space looking for entertainment in odd and giggly ways. While some moments have wrapped-up lives that […]
“Sensational Seniors” subject, Donna Schatz, let me know at the beginning of my interview that she finds little value in biographical dates but, other than that, was full of interesting biographical information. Donna was born in Burns, Oregon and progressed through the Burns school system before going to the University of […]
There has been much to reflect on over the last couple of months. In addition to the sobering questions about the health of our community and the rest of the world, everything we’ve built over the last generation is at risk. We’re not alone. Few if any are not […]
One could say, I’ve been working on this message for nearly thirteen years. So, thank you Donna Briggs for allowing me to take over your column this month. Makes me happy!
Many of you don’t know me, but certainly many of you do. I’m Britt’s Director of House Operations, Bow Seltzer, and I’m retiring in a […]
One positive aspect to the current situation is seeing the passion and creativity of our entire community as we rise to meet unimaginable challenges, and watching all of us come together even as we maintain our social distance. Over the past months, you have reinforced something that this community […]
On Real Estate & More – Submitted for the May 2020 issue
It was supposed to be the typical spring boom for real estate. But thanks to the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent economic downturn, what was expected to be a thriving sales season has hit a wall. On the real estate listing site Zillow, there’s already […]
Have you ever felt as though you’re in a Twilight Zone episode?
Of course you have. Everybody feels that way these days—waking up to discover that our entire planet has fallen prey to a deadly viral pandemic, the likes of which has never ever been experienced on […]
The current state of global affairs has left me pondering opposing forces. Here we spend our days in our bubbles, isolating our physical selves for the sake of everyone’s well-being, while yearning for normal intercourse with others. The human need to be social is counteracted by a need for ‘alone time’, […]
Our Past Meets the Present – Perhaps a Future Story to be Shared?—Little did our Research Committee even begin to think that when we were selecting stories for our Meet the Pioneers programs back in 2011, and 2017, would the subject […]
I know you are probably sick of hearing and reading about this horrid virus; I know I am. It’s like hearing about the hurricane that’s brewing off-shore: we hear report after report, we prepare, we hoard, we hunker down … and we wait … and […]
Caring for the Caregiver – Submitted for the May 2020 issue
Caregiving, in general, can be very isolating, and online support groups can be a wonderful tool for those of you who are homebound and just need to communicate your thoughts and feelings with another caregiver. They are completely free, allow you to get help anytime […]
Coronavirus. I am sick of the word, and not in the coughing and contraction of pneumonia way. It has claimed, through its villainous reign of terror, a spring break vacation, a scholarship competition, my last few months of high school (ever), my senior prom, my graduation, and all of the […]
“One lives in the hope of becoming a memory.” ― Antonio Porchia
There has been a great deal of death as of late. Every day and night we’re reminded how many people have drawn a last breath. It’s now impossible to ignore the reality of mortality when once so used to […]
Hopefully, by the time this article is printed, the COVID-19 pandemic is in its waning moments. Also, by the time this article is read, most of us will probably be a little tired about reading about it. It is likely that some of the information and […]
The other day someone asked me to compare the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on citizen‘s lives with the aftermath of Pearl Harbor during World War 2. I can start by saying that nothing else in my ninety years on this planet has […]
It has been reported that Abe Lincoln once summed up his thoughts on trade by declaring, “I don’t know much about the tariff but I do know that if my wife buys her cloak in America, we get the money and the cloak, and that American labor is paid […]
It’s Spring, so let’s talk about viruses and anxiety, shall we?
I’m not a fan of viruses. I’ve had one plaguing my body for over six years now. Mine is called Epstein-Barr. So, I know about the anxiety related to illness. I know what it’s like to lie in bed at night, […]
I want to call your attention to one of the most overlooked items in the shop…record albums.
Hidden away in large photo album-like binders you’ll discover some amazing music. These records are 78 RPMs and come in large photo binders that hold 10-12 records and weigh 12 lbs. The records can […]
In Southern Oregon, you hear a lot about a “summer selling season” for real estate, or you hear it’s best to list your home in the winter when there is less competition. Both statements have a ring of truth, but there’s a lot more behind the numbers.
The year generally […]
To celebrate the Year of the Rat, the Southern Oregon Laboratory of Anthropology (SOULA) is hosting an exhibit on the history of coins used by Chinese immigrants in Oregon. In Chinese culture, the rat is traditionally a sign of wealth, as are coins. In 2013, SOULA excavated areas within the Jacksonville […]
Aah, springtime in Southern Oregon with cabin fever driving us into the great outdoors! Henry Gibson told us, “Spring is sprung, The grass is ris, I wonder where the birdies is.” Well, look no further because we are surrounded with bird song of every variety. Just head out the door on […]
The daffodils, snowdrops and other spring flowers made an even earlier appearance this year by showing up and starting to bloom in mid-February. This is always a welcome sight as it marks the beginning of another year of programs, marker cleaning workshops, restoration work and cleaning up the grounds from winter.
Our replacement Interpretive Panels have […]
In the mid-1800s, California and the Oregon Territory seemed like the “promised land” to individuals in the eastern 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. This month and next, we’ll describe the experiences […]
You may recall that back in October we announced we were writing another book. At the time, we withheld the subject matter—but now the time has come for the Big Reveal!
Drrrrummmmm roll….
It’s a Star Trek book!
(Was there ever any doubt in your mind?)
Yes, Star Trek. Sometimes we write about other […]
A recent conversation in Forest Park with a couple of mountain bike riders from the Seattle area gave good notice of the value of Jacksonville’s wooded trail system. Here, on a winter’s day, they found ample opportunity to enjoy their time off from a hectic work schedule. Though staying at a […]
March is “Women’s History Month.” (Or perhaps, for these 31 days, we should call March “Women’s Her-Story Month.”) So for our March Pioneer Profile, we’re sharing the story of a special female pioneer.
Alice Eliza Hanley pursued drawing and painting until her father, Michael Hanley, developed dementia. As the eldest surviving unmarried […]
Get ready for Hanley Farm’s signature Spring event—the Heritage Plant Sale on April 25 & 26! Every year, plant enthusiasts and agriculture historians arrive early at the Farm in anticipation of selecting a bit of history to plant in their gardens, gracing their landscape with a bit of a bygone era and past spring fragrances. […]
We are looking forward to spring and warmer weather to commence work on a number of projects that we have lined up. Our replacement Interpretive Panels arrived in January and will be installed throughout the cemetery grounds. The original panels from 2004 were in poor condition and were replaced at a cost of just under […]
“Say Nothing,” by Patrick Radden Keefe, tells the 30-plus year history of the Troubles of Northern Ireland through the interwoven true stories of people whose lives were shaped by the conflict, beginning with Jean McConville, a 38-year-old, widowed, mother of 10 who was disappeared by a gang of masked men and women in Belfast in […]
All classes begin at 10:00am and are located at Shooting Star Nursery unless indicated otherwise. Space is limited, so please be sure to register at www.roguevalleynursery.com/class. A minimum of 5 attendees is needed for a class, otherwise the class may be canceled. See ad this page.
A few days ago, I was watching the news on television. There were two anchors on camera and the longer they talked the more I began to see them as two bottles of vinegar. Their words, their countenance, their every vocal inflection, were lacking any warmth or […]
Getting top dollar for your home is everyone’s goal. Sometimes the solution is simply staging your home and completing some minor repairs. There are some improvements that increase the value of a home and some just increase its salability. Most sellers are prepared to get their home staged to […]
This year, Pickety Place will be going through a series of changes. While doing so we will maintain quality items throughout the entire store.
The first major change is the introduction of Elly and Bryce who have significantly upgraded our social media presence. They are young and bring a fresh appeal […]
“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.” ~Marcus Aurelius
For most of my life, I have been a seeker: a seeker of truth, understanding, and also happiness. Seeking understanding and wisdom is honorable enough, but the happiness bit has been somewhat challenging.
It’s […]
Years ago, I wrote a column addressing our booking process. With so many new people in our community, we continue to hear questions about how we book our season or “Why can’t Britt book this artist or that artist?” It seems appropriate to reprise the earlier column.
Logically, since Britt […]