News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 151 - 175 of 571
Every year a different National Forest is selected to provide a tree to appear on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol for the Christmas season. The 2018 United States Capitol Christmas Tree was harvested from the Willamette National Forest in Sweet Home last Friday, November 2. That perfect tree from Oregon was chosen in August from a handful of finalists by the architect for the Capitol. It's the first time in the 47-year history of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Program that a noble fir has been selected and the second time... Full story
What comfort foods do you turn to when you're curled up on the couch on a cold evening? Ranker recently conducted a survey to determine which comfort foods are the most loved by Americans, and the foods that top the list come as no surprise: Ice cream, chocolate, grilled cheese, pizza... Comfort food is usually food prepared traditionally with a nostalgic or sentimental value. Many comfort foods have soft consistencies and are full of salts, butters and fats. It's simple, really: Whatever food comforts you the most is... Full story
Driving up to Alpaca Country Estates Ranch and Bed & Breakfast in Terrebonne, you can see pastures speckled with grazing alpacas. From a distance the animals might be mistaken for llamas or strangely colored deer, but up close, you can't help but marvel at their elegant necks, charming underbites, well-coiffed wavy hairdos, and bushy backsides. But they're not just intriguing creatures; they're how Art Izer and his wife, Nancy Chapel-Izer, make a living. They are a... Full story
For 39 years folks from all over Oregon and the Pacific Northwest meet up in Sisters to celebrate the changing season with the Sisters Harvest Faire, hosted by Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce. The annual Sisters celebration last weekend included good old-fashioned shopping fun featuring 175 quality vendors with handcrafted items, great food, and free music. The faire is the last hurrah of the summer season, and has continued to evolve from its modest beginnings. Jeri... Full story
All the town's a stage in Sisters for one weekend every September, and for over two decades the Sisters Folk Festival (SFF) has celebrated the annual three-day event with Americana/folk music traditions and all the sensational variations - including bluegrass, blues, country, jazz, Celtic, and various styles of Latin American music. The tradition continued last Friday evening under clear skies as fans welcomed an eclectic mix of festival newcomers and a few returning artists... Full story
Seattle-based artists Ben Hunter and Joe Seamons' performances were highlighted by storytelling that brought a unique experience to the audience. The music they play is inspired by early 20th century American folk and novelty songs. "I have met a lot of folks that share my love for stories - mainly stories that revolve around songs and music traditions," Seamons said. "Songs are made for singing, dancing, and playing. But I've found they can also create a lens through which... Full story
The local community celebrated the arts on a spectacular weekend in a magnificent setting in the annual Art at the Ranch event at Black Butte Ranch. On Friday evening, August 31, the annual artist reception and silent auction held at Black Butte Ranch (BBR) Lodge kicked off Art at the Ranch. The BBR Art Guild has been supporting art in Sisters schools with scholarships from the proceeds of the annual show for over three decades. Dail Hartnack, co-chair of the BBR Art Guild,... Full story
East of the Cascade Quilters (EOCQ) in Sisters was invited by the U.S. Forest Service to send 15 Christmas and/or Western-themed tree skirts to go inside Federal building lobbies in Washington, D.C. Each of the quilted tree skirts will be labeled with the maker's name, city, and state. "The quilters were busy but took time to quilt such a wonderful variety of tree skirt styles to represent our community," said Jean Wells, owner of Stitchin' Post and founder of Sisters Outdoor... Full story
Cats often surprise us with their unpredictability and, at times, they may even seem downright eccentric. Weird cat behaviors may look unusual to humans, but for the most part it's completely normal for them. As you've probably noticed, if you've had kitties, cats spend much of their day snoozing, despite having the athletic ability of an Olympic sprinter. Plus, they're known to be most active at night, when their instinctive prey attitude is out, and they are ready to... Full story
The Old West came to Sisters last weekend in the sixth annual Wild West Show on Cascade Avenue (between Oak and Pine streets). With 140 feet of Western town façade, folks did a double take Saturday and Sunday around high noon as they watched the Deschutes Desperados re-enactors come to life back in a time when the "Old West" was alive. People of all ages sat for a spell to watch the wild age of gunslingers, saloons, lawmen and cowboys, like a scene out of an old classic... Full story
Stone carving is an age-old art form that has captured the imagination and heart of hundreds of artists of the Pacific Northwest and around the globe. Last Saturday The NorthWest Stone Sculptor Association (NWSSA) hosted the 4th annual Outdoor Stone Sculpture Show at Suttle Lake Camp. The exhibit was the last day of a weeklong symposium that was open to all levels from beginners who have never carved stone before to the experienced sculptor. Over 50 beginner and intermediate... Full story
Folks rolled in early for the annual Country Fair and Art Show hosted by the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration on Saturday under perfectly cool sunny skies. The fair is run entirely by the members of the congregation, and Reverend Joseph Farber from Oklahoma, who joined the congregation as its new Rector just over a year ago, was enthusiastic about being part of the event. "This is priest heaven for me," Father Farber said. "This congregation works together to do all of... Full story
Other than making random doodles in the margins of a page while you're killing time, if you're like most adults, you don't express yourself with art like you did as a kid. You may not think you're any "good" at creating art, or you may not think it's worth your time, but art is actually a valuable pastime, even for those who don't consider themselves artistically inclined. There are many reasons that art is a great stress-relief tool, even for those who don't consider themselves to be artists. Some people are deeply talented... Full story
Blue skies and a cool summer evening proved the perfect ambiance for artists and guests that kicked off the Friday-evening art show and silent auction for the annual Country Fair held at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration. This year a transition to the format of the art show was noticeable. Fewer rows of crowded art gave artists more of a spacious atmosphere to mingle among visitors. Volunteer Jan Shaver, co-coordinator/chairman for the art show, was on hand to talk t... Full story
Three Creeks Brewing Company celebrated a partnership with Warfighter Outfitters and their release of the new Warfighter Pale Ale on Saturday at their production facility on Barclay Drive. Sales of the brew will raise money for Warfighter Outfitters, a Sisters-based nonprofit for disabled veterans founded by Brett Miller, a wounded combat veteran of the war in Iraq. "This is a huge win for both organizations, and we're stoked to be supporting our community and the larger... Full story
A new festival blew into Sisters this summer with a combination of high-quality jazz, blues, R&B and soulful rock. Sisters Rhythm and Brews Festival unfolded on Friday and Saturday with an open-air stage in Village Green Park and at Sisters Art Works. The event, organized by Sisters residents Jennifer and Joe Rambo, brought together hundreds of folks celebrating music, local food and crafted libations in the park, overflowing with all the elements that make summertime great... Full story
Some artists cringe at the mere thought of having their work critiqued. The very word "critique" is based on the word "criticism." But a good critique group can be one of the best tools to help artists better understand how their work is communicating to a larger audience. Two years ago, local artist Jim Horsley, known for his art style that represents the American West, and a couple of other talented well-known artists in Sisters agreed that a monthly gathering to review each... Full story
Three Creeks Brewing Co. celebrated its 10th birthday in style. Hundreds of people came out to the brewery's celebration on Saturday at its production facility in the Sisters Industrial Park. The party highlighted the recently released 10th Anniversary Imperial IPA. Pub brewer Pat Shea developed the recipe on the brewery's 10-barrel pub system. "We created a classic Northwest imperial malt profile and paired it with many of the new Northwest variety of hops," Shea said. "It's... Full story
Creativity abounded through exquisite quilts that spilled across downtown Sisters on Saturday for the 43rd annual Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show (SOQS). From tiny doll quilts to giant king-sized ones, the town of Sisters was an explosion of vibrant color. Known today as the largest outdoor quilt show in the world, SOQS, presented by Kaufman Fabric, began in 1975 when Jean Wells Keenan hung her students' quilts outside her shop on a Saturday in July. That thoughtful action turned... Full story
Artist Vincent Van Gogh once said "Color expresses something in itself. One can't do without it; one must make use of it. What looks beautiful, really beautiful, is also right." Last Thursday, 120 amazingly vibrant quilts, all designed to depict Van Gogh' paintings, known as the Cherrywood Quilt challenge, found their way to the Community Hall at the Sisters-Camp Sherman fire station. The Van Gogh quilt exhibit is on display for the 2018 Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show (SOQS) with... Full story
When Mike Denton, featured quilter in the 2018 machine quilter showcase, retired in 2009 he decided to make up a list of activities he wanted to do to keep busy. "There's about, oh, 60 things listed - golf, hiking, boating, painting, reading, camping - they go on forever." And one just happened to be fabric arts. And his wife, Sue, a longtime quilter, had purchased a long-arm quilting machine in 2006. "The machine kind of became a coat rack for a while because it intimidated... Full story
Sisters resident and 2018 Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show featured quilter Liz Weeks has fond memories of the crazy quilted robes pieced together by her grandmother over 50 years ago. All those free-flowing shapes were made from scraps of fabric that were left over after her grandmother sewed ballet costumes for nieces and maybe a tie or two of her husband's - or just any remnant fabric that was available. "She crazy-quilted bathrobes for everyone in the family," Weeks said,... Full story
Imagine yourself back in the days of the Oregon Trail, where every spring pioneers gathered at St. Joseph, Missouri, and Council Bluffs, Iowa, to begin a 2,000-mile journey westward. Those pioneers spent months preparing for their trip. Men saw to the wagons, animals, weapons, farm equipment and tools. The women salted meats and dried fruits and corn, purchased coffee and beans and barrels of sugar and flour. They packed dishes, clothing, utensils, needles and thread. In fact, besides cooking, a great deal of sewing was done... Full story
Since 2008, Janet Kronemeyer, a native Oregonian, has enjoyed owning a retail clothing store that originated in Cottage Grove. But when the travel bug hit her, she and her husband, Tony, moved to Kona, Hawaii, and opened a new shop there. They had no clue at the time that they would pack up the clothing store several times - like gypsies in the wind - before settling down in Sisters. "We live up to the name 'Gypsy Wind Clothing,' since we've had stores in Hawaii, Mexico,... Full story
Mary Ann McCammon, a registered nurse, combined her passion for quilting and women's health by launching Quilts for Empowerment (QFE), teaching quilting to obstetric fistula survivors in Kenya, Africa. Obstetric fistula (OF) are debilitating complications of obstructed labor during childbirth, which results in uncontrollable leakage through the bladder or kidneys, leading to devastating and dehumanizing medical conditions for the affected women. The program's goal is to help w... Full story
