Sometimes it’s easier to begin with a clean slate when you’re embarking on a landscape construction project, but often there are important existing landscape features that benefit the final results by incorporating them into your new outdoor space.
Existing decks, fences, pools, and large trees are […]
What happens during the escrow period after a buyer and seller enter a purchase agreement? As the seller, you may think you won’t have to do much during this time except sit back and wait; however, there is considerable work that needs to be done before […]
Now that the leaves are falling, you know snow and freezing temperatures are soon to follow. Here are 9 good ideas to implement before winter to prevent costly home repairs.
When, where, and how much are the common questions asked by administrators, city or county council, and citizens when it comes to determining the resources for Fire Departments. Determining the proper level of resources to deploy for a fire department involves asking the same questions as well as balancing the safety concerns of citizens and […]
In the mid-1800s, the promise of gold and free land lured fortune seekers, settlers, and merchants to the newly formed Oregon Territory. Carolyn Kingsnorth has stepped aside from our pioneer tales this month so that you can hear from an actual pioneer. A big thank you to historian Ben Truwe for […]
September Community Clean-up Day—Thank you to all who were able to join us on Saturday, September 30 for our annual fall clean-up day of the cemetery grounds. While the turn-out was a bit smaller than in the past, the group was amazing and managed to fill 60 very large bags with leaves. These annual clean-up […]
We all know that the history of the city of Jacksonville is intimately tied to the discovery of gold. So it’s not surprising that the city is home to many of the same myths and legends surrounding the gold rush that are found across the west. Most commonly, it’s the myth […]
Wreaths—a fascinating history and beautiful holiday tradition! The word “wreath” is from an English word meaning “twist, such as in a circle.” And, wreath, translated literally, means “a thing bound around,” from the Greek word “diadema.” In Christianity, the wreath was used to symbolize Christ, the “circular shape, with […]
One of the first things Joan Long showed me in her Pioneer Village living room was a small book by Deidra Riggs, Every Little Thing. Joan said the book’s theme, that one can make a positive difference wherever they are, has been her lifelong goal.
To understand how this has played out […]
May we get personal here? We have a tale to tell.
Many of you know writer William Goldman for his Academy Award-winning screenplays to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and All The President’s Men. None of his work, however, is remembered as fondly as his story of Buttercup and Westley. […]
I think we can all agree that Britt is a part of Jacksonville and Jacksonville is a part of Britt. Moreover, because of Britt Music and Arts Festival, our Jacksonville community is bigger than we think! Meaning that support for this community reaches far beyond our city limits. Did […]
Art Presence is Renovating!—After a lot of hard work and preparation, founder Anne Brooke and Board member Arlis Duncan submitted applications for two grants, the Transient Lodging Tax Grant from the City of Jacksonville and the Haines and Friends Fund from the Haines Foundation, to support much-needed renovations to our building. Together we waited for […]
The past few months have been challenging for us all with tragedies, smoke, hurricanes, illness, etc…. In times of crisis stress levels run high; fear, frustration, and anger take over, and peace seems impossible, even inappropriate. “How can you think of peace at a time like this?” By learning how to […]
If you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step, you know it’s not your path. Your own path you make with every step you take. That’s why it’s your path.” “The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.” ~ Joseph Campbell
If you are one of those lucky […]
If you live in or are visiting this region, chances are that you will visit our award-winning, top quality wineries that this beautiful valley offers. At home, you will want to serve your guests our local wines in quality stemware.
American glass companies from the early 20th century, such as Cambridge […]
Our friends, the trails. We can see them romantically—fantastically leading us away on adventures. Or consider them purely utilitarian—a way to get from point A to point B. Sometimes, we find them a challenge to be conquered. And yet there they are: paths leading away, to be followed if we are […]
Watching a monarch metamorphosis is mind-blowing. Work deadlines, family time, and personal care all take a temporary backseat to what I view as a mesmerizing marvel. The fact that a single egg, only slightly larger than the period at the end of this sentence, in four days, turns into the […]
All classes begin at 10:00am and are located at the nursery unless indicated otherwise. Space is limited so please be sure to register on our website: www.roguevalleynursery.com/class. A minimum of 8 attendees is needed for a class, otherwise the class may be canceled. Classes happen rain or shine. During classes there will also be a […]
Fall is the best time to plant trees, shrubs & perennials. Take a look around your yard—if a plant is healthy and thriving, there’s little doubt that the roots are strong and growing. For newly-planted trees, shrubs or perennials, the fall season can be the best time […]
The approval of Ballot Measure 91 in 2015 to allow the sale and use of recreational marijuana has made some dramatic changes to the landscape of Southern Oregon. The County’s limited farmland, especially properties with irrigation rights, has increased considerably in value and there is a limited inventory […]
Life was not a valuable gift, but death was. Life was a fever-dream made up of joys embittered by sorrows, pleasure poisoned by pain; a dream that was a nightmare-confusion of spasmodic and fleeting delights, ecstasies, exultations, happinesses, interspersed with long-drawn miseries, griefs, perils, horrors, disappointments, defeats, humiliations, and […]
Rental prices have been increasing since the real estate crash in 2007, but home prices didn’t begin to rebound until 2013. Rental prices are now running at an average of $1 a square foot for a suburban home in Medford and higher in Ashland and Jacksonville and for rural […]
The previous two installments of Pioneer Profiles recounted Col. John England Ross’ exploits as Indian fighter, treasure seeker, and entrepreneur. We left him in the Klamath basin escorting wagon trains across the Cascades, providing protection from ambush and murder by the Modoc Indians. But by October of 1852, he and his […]
Thank You!—It has been a real challenge this summer hosting our events and activities with the record heat and all the smoke in our valley. While the turn-out was understandably down a bit from previous years, those attending enjoyed some very interesting and informative History Saturday in the Cemetery programs and Tuesday Evening Cemetery Strolls. […]
October marks four years since we excavated the burned dwelling along Main Street in Jacksonville’s Chinese Quarter. October also marks my favorite holiday, and in honor of both, I am going to tell you a ghost story.
Our story is set in the late nineteenth century and features a young man named […]
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 October Imaginarium: Hats & Masks—Every year, Art Presence Art Center sends out a call to artists, challenging them to create their most imaginative work in a theme that changes annually. This year is our fifth annual Challenge, and the theme of Hats & Masks yielded many wonderfully creative pieces of art in a wide […]
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 […]
As the heat of another record-hot summer begins to abate in this season of the equinox, our feet yearn to revisit our trails within this forested landscape we call home. From early September until winter’s harsh grip sends us scampering to the coffee shops for warmer libations, the outdoors beckons our […]
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 […]
All classes begin at 10:00am and are located at the nursery unless indicated otherwise. Space is limited so please be sure to register on our website: www.roguevalleynursery.com/class. A minimum of 8 attendees is needed for a class, otherwise the class may be canceled. Classes happen rain or shine. During classes there […]
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 […]
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 […]
Thanks for an Interesting Tuesday Evening Cemetery Stroll—My appreciation to Docents Pat Stancel and Ellen Martin for putting on a very interesting and informative Tuesday Evening Cemetery Stroll in July, “Cemetery Art—Symbolism and Inscriptions” that was enjoyed by all in attendance.
History Saturday in the Cemetery, Saturday, September 9, 10:00-11:30am—Join us for our final History Saturday […]
“Be they ever so humble looking,” each of the three Native tools shown here were of crucial importance to their owner’s survival. All three were found at Hanley Farm, as part of the recent archaeological dig for the Farm’s new septic drain field.
For most of us now living here, it is […]
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 […]
Harvest-—Harvest, a one-month Art Presence member show, opens on Friday, September 1. Don’t miss our special display of abstract watercolor, acrylic and collage paintings by Dolores Ribal on the gallery’s back wall. The reception is Saturday, September 2, from 1:00-3:00pm, featuring author readings by Jacksonville wordsmiths Ginna and David Gordon. Ginna’s new novel, “Deke Interrupted,” […]
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 […]
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 […]
Another 100 degree day in the Bear Creek Valley, another early morning trail run kept short by daunting afternoon temperatures, and my mind’s fantasy went to snowy trails in August. Who could blame me?
Oregon, unlike our neighbor to the south, does not have a lot of trails that boast elevations in […]
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 […]