08/08/08.
That’s the date we arrived in Jacksonville. Not being numerologists, we had no idea of how auspicious a day it would prove to be. Our new house, located near the top of a (steep) hill, offered a great view. Our dogs approved of the yard. The neighbors, even after learning […]
This is always an exciting month at Britt, as the anticipation for the summer concert season gives way to great music on the Hill. It’s also a time of several other celebrations and special events.
First off, as you can see on the cover of the June Jacksonville Review, we […]
A question for you: what performance space has the finest musical instrument piano in the world? One might suppose the answer ought to be Carnegie Hall, or Vienna’s Musikverein or Konzerthaus, perhaps Los Angeles’s Walt Disney Concert Hall, Boston’s Symphony Hall or Sydney’s Opera House. Well, you may be surprised to learn that a claim […]
When I was a new mother, utterly and blissfully over the moon for my baby, I thought I would never feel anything less than that all-consuming, perfect love. It simply wasn’t possible.
Fast-forward twelve years to the Japanese Gardens in Portland, where a little family foray, meticulously planned by moi, precipitated a […]
Our house had just burned down. A few weeks later my wife was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, not the best of times. I mention this only because it was during this season Mikie walked into my life. It’s always when we’re the most distracted by our own issues that […]
With the coming of Spring, so comes the fun of hosting a Tea Party.
The English in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I made a fine art of tea time. Fine tea from China and India was a staple of English life, as The East India Company had trade routes through […]
Outdoor kitchens are a great way to expand your overall living space. Outdoor cooking and entertaining can provide you with a summer “vacation” feel in your own backyard, and as a bonus, well-planned outdoor kitchens enable you to cook outside year-round!
Creating your outdoor […]
At the risk of sounding like a disgruntled stage actor upset with his Wednesday afternoon matinee audience, I feel the need to share my thoughts about citizen attendance at our City Council meetings. Where, oh where are most of you? My one desire is to see more […]
May kicks-off the event season at Hanley Farm with two annual favorites, the Heritage Plant & Garden Fair and the Children’s Heritage Fair.
Mark your calendar for Mother’s Day weekend, Saturday and Sunday, May 9-10, from 10:00am-3:00pm, for the Hanley Heritage Plant & Garden Fair. There will be a wide […]
Thank You Volunteers—A big thank you and much appreciation goes out to the 30-plus volunteers who turned-out on Saturday, March 14, for our first of three yearly Community Clean-up Days of the Cemetery grounds. It was a beautiful spring day and so much was accomplished thanks to the hard work of all our volunteers. Members […]
Jacksonville’s lovely 1892 Queen Anne-style home on North Oregon Street is best known as the “Nunan House,” named after its original occupants, Jeremiah and Delia Nunan (profiled in the March 2015 issue of the Jacksonville Review). But to Herbert Howland Sargent and Alice Applegate Sargent, its second owners, the house was […]
Imported ceramics are one of the most common artifact types found in Chinese sites in the American West, and Jacksonville’s Chinese Quarter site is no exception. A large collection of ceramic tableware and storage vessels were found at the burned Chinese house excavated by the Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology […]
Americans for the Arts (www.americansforthearts.org) Ten Reasons to Support the Arts Reason #1: “Arts promote true prosperity. The arts are fundamental to our humanity. They ennoble and inspire us—fostering creativity, goodness, and beauty. The arts help us express our values, build bridges between cultures, and bring us together regardless of ethnicity, […]
You probably heard a while back that Weird Al Yankovic will be coming to J’Ville’s Britt hill. Yup, on September 2 that freaky accordion player who turned “Beat It” into “Eat It” will perform live right here in town. That early announcement was a rare “sneak peak” into the Britt […]
In thinking about this month’s article, I tried to define for myself what makes Britt so special. Over the past 5 years, I have observed that each concert has its own vibe and culture that brings people of different backgrounds, experiences, and appearances together in a safe and happy environment. Gratefully, music really is blind. […]
“If the English language made any sense, ‘lackadaisical’ would have something to do with a shortage of flowers.” ~Doug Larson, columnist
My English Composition students are often overwhelmed by the word choices they face when they write an essay. It’s the same with me, as a gardener. When I pour over […]
Christopheren Nomura, at age 51, is perhaps the preeminent baritone singer of his generation. The Japanese-American prodigy was raised in the San Francisco Bay area and began his singing career early as a boy soprano. He made his professional operatic debut in the boys’ choir of the San Francisco Opera at age 6 and performed […]
One of the 11 plays the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) is presenting in repertory this season is the classical American musical, Guys and Dolls. I saw it at OSF’s Angus Bowmer Theater in Ashland on Sunday, April 19, 2015. I’ve been asked by numerous inquirers, both before, and after, seeing the OSF production, “is it […]
At times, we all feel the need to fix some aspect of our life to be truly happy, often spending a lot of time and money on products and regimes that promise the quick results we yearn for. The most common pursuits for happiness revolve around love, money and health. Have […]
I sat down in a good mood on a sunny Sunday morning to look at my email and there it was, lying in wait. The email was from a colleague who is, in every respect, my doppelgänger: same age, same work, same writing style, graduate school, hair color, sense of humor—same […]
Channel surfing the other night, I landed on National Geographic’s Big Cats of the Serengeti. This is where my wife usually exits the room but not before shooting me a subtle yet unmistakable look of disapproval. Okay, I’m drawn to the drama of the plains but not because of […]
In 1907, the Fenton Glass Company in West Virginia produced a style of glass referred to as “iridescent ware.” Fenton called it Iridill and labeled it “Venetian Art.” The idea was to mass-produce a beautiful product that could compete with the expensive, iridescent art glass made by Tiffany and Steuben.
The […]
In recent years, the synthetic grass turf industry has experienced rapid growth despite the slow economy in the commercial and residential building markets. The turf industry coasted through the recession relatively unscathed, propelled by growing demand primarily due to advancements in quality and cost reduction efforts by sporting venues, municipalities, […]
It looks like 2015 will be a great year for sellers to sell their homes and buyers to buy a home! It’s unusual that it’s a great market for both… but here is why.
For home sellers: the number of homes that have resold has increased by 18% and the […]
A Few Minutes with the Mayor – April 2015
As you know, this column seldom devotes attention to affairs outside of Jacksonville; numerous other news and opinion outlets exist for such information. However, reports on the national level about Hillary Clinton’s emails prompted me to join in the conversation, so please bear […]
Cemetery Marker Cleaning and Workshops Resume on April 18, 2015—Join us for a fun and worthwhile volunteer project helping clean grave markers in our Pioneer Cemetery. This will be our third year offering these workshops with our trained volunteers helping to clean and preserve the markers. In 2013 and 2014, volunteers cleaned 244 markers, which […]
In 2013, the Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology (SOULA) excavated a burned house in what was formerly Jacksonville’s Chinese Quarter. Thousands of bones, or faunal remains, from a variety of animals were recovered in the dig. All artifacts can tell us something unique about their time and place in history […]
With spring and summer vacations looming, some of you will be driving over the Siskiyous to visit family and friends in California; others may be looking forward to guests making the trip in reverse. Possible weather and traffic issues aside, drivers and passengers will be experiencing the luxury of riding on […]
“Plant an Almond Tree and in the spring when it blooms, you will know that I have come to visit you.”
Those where my father’s last words to me! A Twenty-One word Greek Cultural salute to help me bury my fear that, I would lose him while being far away in Oregon without the chance to […]
This month we had the pleasure of interviewing Elizabeth Worcester of Daisy Creek Farm. Now in their 4th season of leading the agricultural activities at Hanley Farm, we learned more about no-till agriculture and what we can expect to see at the Farm this season.
What is no-till agriculture?—No-Till […]
Americans for the Arts (www.americansforthearts.org) Ten Reasons to Support the Arts Reason #2: “Arts improve academic performance. Students with an education rich in the arts have higher GPAs and standardized test scores, and lower dropout rates—benefits reaped by students regardless of socioeconomic status. Students with 4 years of arts or music […]
Two men with irrevocably intertwined lives passed away at the end of February: a world-famous actor, beloved by millions; and a highly successful producer, well known in Hollywood, less familiar to people outside of entertainment circles.
The actor was Leonard Nimoy. He entered the business in l951, performing onstage and onscreen, […]
Have you ever had one of those eerie, exhilarating experiences of feeling “unstuck” in time and space, like the characters in a Kurt Vonnegut novel (e.g., Slaughterhouse-Five, The Sirens of Titan, Cat’s Cradle, etc.)? That’s what it was like attending my first concert at the Artistic Piano Gallery showroom on Biddle Rd. in Medford, a […]
It is my pleasure to devote this column to introducing and welcoming Kay Hilton, Britt’s new Director of Education and Engagement. With 18 years of experience at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival as the Music Coordinator, she comes to Britt with an extensive background in performing arts and education. Kay is knowledgeable and passionate about music, […]
The musical, Sunset Boulevard has a checkered history. Various productions of the musical have received very mixed reviews. When it’s been good, it’s very, very good, and when it’s not, it’s landed like a thud. The musical owes its roots to the 1950 film by Billy Wilder that tells the story of the relationship between […]
Americans for the Arts (www.americansforthearts.org) Ten Reasons to Support the Arts Reason #3: “Arts strengthen the economy. In 2014, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that the arts and culture sector represents 3.25% of the nation’s GDP—a larger share of the […]
Learning how to get around in the Jacksonville Woodlands and the Forest Park trail systems can be challenging to first-time visitors. Even returning hikers and mountain bikers enjoying these diversified natural areas can get confused in the myriad of trails. After all, there are 15 miles of trails on […]
Trust is one of the most important ingredients in any relationship. It takes courage, time and effort to build trust. When we trust someone we can let go of fear and doubt. We get a comforting feeling in our bones that this person is true, honest and real. This allows us […]
I remember the day Mary’s obstetrician told us the baby was transverse lie breach (hugging mamma high and tight sideways) though we still had time. The due day was a few weeks out and there was no sign of an early delivery, not to worry! Leaving the office, however, […]
As a young girl I loved the Little House book series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, which chronicled her life growing up in the 1860s. I read the books many times and when the television series came out, I was glued to it. I recently got to revisit those halcyon days on […]
My friend Charlotte, in New York keeps me abreast of the latest decorating news. We are both lovers of mixing old and new. A new dress with a vintage pin—a vintage dress with a new scarf…an Ikea dining table with flow blue—a mahogany table with stark white. My daughter paired […]
If you unexpectedly find yourself with a home to rent, you’re what we call an accidental landlord. You never really planned on owning rental property, but maybe you’re facing a job transfer or recently inherited a piece of property. The local real estate market has rebounded nicely and homes […]
Cemetery Clean-Up Day is Saturday, March 14, 9:00am-Noon—Be sure to mark your calendars and join us, the Jacksonville Boosters and other community organizations for a few hours of work cleaning-up the cemetery grounds. Bring gloves to wear, leaf rakes, gas-operated blowers, pruning shears, brooms, eye and ear protection, and help us clean-up winter debris. We […]
Our days are finally feeling longer as spring begins to show herself at the Farm. The field of daffodils greets us under the front walnut trees and green buds abound. The Volunteer Garden is actively taking shape as we tenderly care for over 200 heritage plants that were recently […]
Since March 17th celebrates St. Patrick and all things Irish, it seems appropriate for this month’s Pioneer Profiles to feature Jeremiah Nunan, one of Jacksonville’s Irish pioneers. Most people associate Nunan’s name with his elaborate Queen Anne style home on North Oregon Street, one of the town’s most photographed historic landmarks. […]
At the February 5th Classical Festival Announcement, Music Director Teddy Abrams promised an “epic season,” and after hearing about it, we believe him! Not only is Teddy’s enthusiasm infectious, his programming is diverse, bold and inspiring. The 2015 Britt Classical Festival lineup is already generating an energetic buzz around […]
British singer/songwriter Sam Smith is either a very lucky guy…or not quite so.
Smith reached the top of the charts last year with his soulful composition, “Stay With Me.” Then, just a few weeks ago at the 2015 Grammy Awards, the tune was named both “Song of the Year” and “Record […]
As practically everyone is aware, Sunday, February 22, 2015 was the night of the Academy Award ceremony and broadcast from Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre where this year’s Oscar winners were announced. Locally, the event was celebrated in a big way by the Ashland Independent Film Festival (AIFF) which filled the Historic Ashland Armory with a black […]
Our Volunteer Efforts are Noticed and Appreciated—Thanks to all of our wonderful and dedicated volunteers, 2014 was another very busy and productive year for the Friends of Jacksonville’s Historic Cemetery. We received a number of very generous year-end donations that will help support some major projects that are being considered for the New Year. With […]
During these normally quiet months of winter, a special new garden is developing at Hanley Farm. In response to the alarming population crash of the iconic monarch butterfly throughout North America over the last ten years, a small group of concerned local citizens began establishing Monarch Waystations throughout the […]