Annual Scarecrow Festival—On October 5 & 6 at the Annual Scarecrow Festival from 11:00am-4:00pm, you can make a scarecrow and enter it in the Scarecrow Contest or take it home to protect your gardens and fields. Be sure to take a hayride, paint a pumpkin, bob for apples, and […]
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” ~ Ian MacLaren
It is truly remarkable to me the number of people I know who are in pain. I’m not just talking about my counseling practice, where I expect to hear about difficulties and struggles; I’m talking about friends and […]
Yellowware is one of those items that branches off from the original and creates other categories to collect.
Yellowware did not limit its purposes to the functioning of a kitchen with bowls, pitchers, cups and tankards, cannisters, saltshakers and salt boxes, storage jars, molds, teapots and coffee pots, tableware and bakeware. […]
Jacksonville is one of the best locations in the Rogue Valley to enjoy the beauty of autumn.
If you have witnessed this stunning time of year in Jacksonville and taken in all the vivid colors of the season, you may have located a favorite tree or two. Maybe a tree in […]
Reverend Thomas Fletcher Royal, known as “Fletcher” to his family and “T.F.” to his friends, arrived with his family by wagon train in the Rogue Valley on October 27, 1853. Gold had been discovered on the banks of Rich Gulch the previous year, and hundreds of fortune seekers and riff raff […]
A prominent citizen visited my office recently to complain about a statement I made in one of my columns. The statement read, “It is the Constitution that holds our political parties in check. It stopped the Republicans from destroying President Truman. Today it is stopping the Democrats […]
We’re back.
And so are they.
“We” being your Unfettered Critics. “They” being. . . well, we’ll get to them in a moment.
Some of you may have noticed (and we thank those of you who’ve stopped us on the street to say you had) that our column mysteriously went missing from recent […]
I am dedicating this entire column to one man.
Dear Bow, this letter is one way of letting you know how much the Board, staff and most importantly, Britt Society Volunteers appreciate you.
Your tireless commitment as Britt’s House Manager over the past twelve years has been nothing short of extraordinary. […]
This “Sensational Seniors” article features much-loved dentist, Bill Brodie, who retired in 2011 after 37 years of operating a dental clinic in Jacksonville. A native Oregonian, Bill was born on May 15, 1945 in the Belle Knife Hospital in Coquille, Oregon—a small hospital that his grandmother, a nurse, had started. While […]
How could I possibly imagine that when I sat down to my computer in 1991 to express my fears and dreams about adopting a child, that one day those words would be acted out at the Alice Griffin Jewel Theater on 42nd Street in New York City?
On July 31, I sat with the birthmother of […]
In the last few months, we have seen an explosion of hemp fields being planted along every road you drive as hemp quickly becomes the largest agricultural crop, surpassing pears and vineyards, in Southern Oregon. Based upon statistics from the Oregon Department of Agriculture, Jackson County has 8,578 acres […]
While those of you who have followed our “Digging Jacksonville” column have had a behind-the-scenes glimpse at some of the significant findings from our work on Britt hill (see the Digging Jacksonville archives to catch-up), there is a lot we have not had the chance to tell you. Until now!
We first […]
Mary and I spent a week in San Diego to participate in a “paddle out” celebrating her late brother Billy’s life. These things are always bittersweet. Bitter because loss is final, sweet because love left behind never expires.
Another brother-in-law, whom I treasure, […]
Ah…September. Summer begins to loosen its grip on our surrounding hills and we anticipate cooler nights, crisper mornings, and the trails stretching out before us. Fall will soon be here with its colorful palette. We yearn for the return of the gurgle of water […]
I am an incredible parent. I know this because there are moments in my parenting life where I stop and think, “Man, these kids are darned lucky.”
One of these moments happened this week. During a meeting at my children’s school my son was reminded […]
In the blue glass, front-locked cabinet are some very tiny objects. Made of glass, wrought iron, pewter, and clay, these items are for play and show. The glass figurines are handmade, perhaps in Murano, Italy, perhaps not. I see no maker’s marks on them, but they are […]
Water is a critical part of our way of life. Our economy, environment and our day-to-day lifestyle need water in order to flourish. But it’s a limited resource, and especially this time of year we need to rethink the way we […]
Southern Oregon has had a great summer with beautiful weather, lots of sunshine, and only two days of thunder storms that produced lots of rain but no significant forest fires. This beautiful weather usually brings lots of “out-of-state” home buyers, but this summer, home sales are […]
Long, long ago there was a fellow named Charles Atlas. That wasn’t his real name, but it sounded good for a body-building guru which he certainly was. Everyone knew about him because his ads were everywhere… especially in comic books where they were […]
Break out your love beads, head bands and bell bottom jeans for our September 8 celebration of Woodstock’s 50th anniversary at Hanley Farm. From 2:00-5:00pm, this will be the “far out” event of the summer! In addition to breaking out your bell bottoms and beads, don’t […]
I would like to start by sincerely thanking our wonderful docents for the great talks and tours they gave this summer for our History Saturday in the Cemetery, and our Tuesday Evening Cemetery Stroll programs. The time they put into research, preparing and presenting their programs was very much appreciated by all who attended. My gratitude to […]
The past two Pioneer Profiles have partially explored the public persona of Peter Britt, the pioneer Swiss photographer famed for documenting Southern Oregon’s people, activities, and landscapes, and father of the region’s commercial orchard, wine, and ornamental horticulture industries. Britt also served two terms on the Town Council, was […]
“Art does not reproduce what we see, art makes us see.” ~ Paul Klee
Our new member show, “Colors of Autumn,“ opens Friday, September 6 and remains on display until Sunday, September 29. We are delighted to feature the talented Lane Hall, our guest artist for September, in a show of […]
My two young grandchildren joined me in July for the Britt Festival Orchestra’s presentations of “Peter and the Wolf” (retold with a delightful Southern Oregon twist) and the story of the “The Mountain that Loved a Bird” by composer Caroline Shaw. They were enthralled, including the […]
One of the (few) perks of getting older is having a longer view of life. Being a newly-minted mother of two teens, I’m remembering just how inwardly awkward and stressful adolescence is. Figuring out who you are and how to navigate life is rough on rats. And parents.
This month, I’m breaking away from speaking about a specific antique item to point out an obvious fact about one of our most common commodities—soap!
Soap is a household item that we often take for granted. There will always be soap of one […]
Some readers may remember a column years ago about my falling and then riding in an ambulance to the ER. It struck me as humorous how repeatedly I was asked my birthdate… 11-14-29. However, I annoyed a couple of readers who mistook my humor […]
In July, Pioneer Profiles highlighted Peter Britt’s renown as photographer, artist, and documenter of pioneer life in Southern Oregon. However, Britt was also an avid gardener and is considered to be the father of Southern Oregon’s commercial orchard, wine, and ornamental horticulture industries. Britt Park, now the Britt Festival […]
Summer Sundays at Hanley Farm—Have you been looking for ways to spend a Sunday afternoon? Look no further! Every Sunday, the farm is open from noon to 4:00pm for family fun, afternoon picnicking and children’s heritage games, docent-led house tours, and self-guided farm and garden tours enhanced […]
Thank you!—It’s been a very busy summer and much has been accomplished and projects taken off of our “to do” list. The metal bollards on either side of the Cemetery entrance gates have been painted black to match the gates and archway, and have had decorative tops added to them. The support posts […]
Jacksonville is proud to present its ArtWalk on the Second Saturday of each month through October. Art changes everything, improving creativity, critical thinking, communication and academic performance.
Participating venues will treat you to unique pieces that will amaze and delight you, and there will be wine and music. This is such a great way to […]
The subject of the August “Sensational Seniors” article, Carolyn Kingsnorth, has the most extensive and varied career resume of anyone I have ever met. I will only be able to touch on some aspects of her vita; hopefully, it will give the flavor of this statement. Carolyn was […]
Back in early July, I spent a Saturday afternoon enjoying a wonderful reception and book signing at Art Presence Art Center. As I stood in line to purchase three of Debbie Earley’s creative little glass mushrooms, I flipped through Ken Gregg’s beautiful new book, A […]
“It is what it is.”
My husband introduced me to this phrase. He uses it all the time and to be honest, it used to annoy the bejesus out of me. I’d get all snarky and retort, “What does that mean? It means […]
In the last month, several people have come into the shop requesting an appraisal of their valuables. None of us here at Pickety Place are appraisers per se, but we do know how to find, for the most part, a current market value for items.
Hanley Farm is pleased to welcome the Rogue Eagles RC model airplane club, “one of the largest and oldest clubs in the State of Oregon.” On Sunday, July 7, from noon to 3:00pm, club members will demonstrate radio controlled airplanes and drones. A perfect day for […]
As I write this article, it is Memorial Day and we are remembering and honoring all those who served our country, many of whom made the ultimate sacrifice. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers who set aside time to help clean-up the grounds, place the 400+ American flags that mark the […]
It’s Britt season, so what better subject for summer’s Pioneer Profiles than Peter Britt, whose pioneer homestead is now the site of Britt Festivals, the Britt Gardens, and portions of Jacksonville’s Woodlands Trail System. Perhaps best known as the pioneer photographer who documented Southern Oregon’s people, activities, and landscapes […]
Celestial Journeys, our show of art in a cosmic theme by Art Presence member artists, opens in the main gallery on Friday, July 5. Our guest exhibit for July is Jacksonville City Council member Ken Gregg, who shows images from his newly published small coffee table book, “A Year in Jacksonville, A Story in Photographs.”
My interview with the July “Sensational Seniors,” Steve and Susan Casaleggio, took place at their Jacksonville home off Third Street. It was emblematic of their high energy, for one would make a statement and then jump up to ponder the next thought while the other took over and […]
What you might be missing…
Oh my, it’s July! The epicenter of summer and picnic weather. We kick-off July 1st and 2nd with blockbusters, Kris Kristofferson and Michael Franti. And who doesn’t know the masterful work of Dwight Yoakam, the iconic band […]
We kept this big guy. Look at that face. How could we not? Mary calls him Happy. That’s fine for a house pet but not for a hunter. I’ll call him Happ when he’s in the field. It works.
I used to ride a wonderful horse named Sam. Sammy was an Arabian, which means that Sammy liked to bolt. If a bird startled him, or the wind blew, or a fly went by, he would react. He could go from standing stock still to galloping hell […]
Every day we get compliments that our colored glass display window is one of the best windows in town. We have arranged the color scheme so the colors flow into each other. Viewing from the outside or the inside, the rainbow effect is indeed quite striking. Each […]
If you just finalized your 2018 tax return and you’re now focused on how to “legally” lower your tax rate for 2019, you should read on. There are lots of tax benefits of being a landlord, most expenses are tax deductible, from finding tenants to […]
Ah! Summer! That long-awaited season of warm sun, balmy winds, and blue skies. Just as Mr. Gershwin wrote:
Summertime, and the livin’ is easy
Fish are jumpin’ and the cotton is high
Let […]
ArtWalk is BACK-—The NEW Second Saturday Jacksonville ArtWalk starts on June 8, from 5:00-7:00pm! Our survey of downtown business owners came back with an overwhelmingly positive response to the return of the artwalk. Therefore we are moving forward with a second Saturday artwalk each month, with music, wine tasting, and art demonstrations throughout the downtown area. Just look […]
Part of being human is to identify things by naming them so that we can relate to them, personalize them, own them if you will. My parents named me Carolyn. To distinguish me from my mother, family members called me Lynn. To long-time friends, I’m Fox or […]
Historic Hanley Farm, established in 1857, is a picturesque working farm just outside of downtown Jacksonville. Owned and operated by the Southern Oregon Historical Society, the farm’s mission is to preserve the history of the people who settled the land and their contributions to the agricultural […]
The Board of Directors of the Friends of Jacksonville’s Historic Cemetery, is truly honored and pleased to announce the receipt of a very special memorial gift. This amazing gift was made to the FOJHC by Catherine Steigerwald, in memory of her husband, Hermann E. Steigerwald, who passed away in 2015.
Catherine, who has been a […]