News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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As we're finally starting to see temperatures rise and clearing skies become more frequent, there are a few celestial sights you should look for during your nightly stargazing this spring. Let's begin by locating Corvus, our featured constellation for May. Corvus, Latin for "crow," or "raven," is a small constellation that is best seen during the first half of May. From our latitude, it will stand 25 degrees above the southern horizon at about 9 p.m. local time. Look for a... Full story
Smoke curls around the knees of the ponderosa trees. It's just a prescribed burn, nothing to worry about, but it sets my nervous system a-twangling. I'm reminded of the Milli Fire in 2017, and the bouts of smoke or fire we've experienced since. Seven years ago, my family was "full-timing"-living in a small travel trailer, traveling and camping. Here is what I wrote then: I saw the sun, a shiny reddish-orange thing, sulking behind a veil of forest fire smoke. I saw two gray... Full story
The first time I heard a mountain lion scream I was standing in the horse barn at Soldier Meadows Ranch, Nevada. The barn was made of stone stacked by members of the U.S. Cavalry who had lost the deployment lottery and been assigned to this bewildering outpost in the wilderness known as Camp McGarry. It could only have been tough duty — they were out there to protect immigrants along the notoriously unpleasant Emigrant Trail, where many died of thirst, exhaustion, or l... Full story
As the smallest bird in North America, and the smallest long distance migrating bird in the world, the Calliope Hummingbird's [Selasphorus calliope] migration of 5,000 miles from southern Mexico to western mountainous regions is prodigious and inspiring. When heading north the Calliope flies along the Pacific coast and returns south along the Rocky Mountains for a round trip total of 10,000 miles. This tiny hummer weighs in at 0.1 ounce which is similar to a ping-pong ball.... Full story
Not long ago, I sat on a beach. I was warm - too warm, actually, quite hot - so I took a dip in the wide, thunderous ocean. With my family, I navigated the cobbled streets of a beautiful Spanish colonial city center. The trip was a wedding gift to me and my husband, offered long ago. Finally here we were, in a place we love: Oaxaca, México. Incredible architecture divided rooms and corridors with brightly painted walls and black wrought iron. Shaded, cool hallways created... Full story
A couple weeks ago, I called up Rick Kroytz, counselor and mentorship facilitator at Sisters High School, and asked if he knew of any students I could interview about the local hobby-gaming scene. He met me at the school during the lunch period, and introduced me to senior Dylan Rundle and sophomore Brennan Frutos of the Table Top Games Club. During our chat, we were joined by the club's faculty advisor, T. R. McCrystal. At any given time, Table Top Games has about a dozen... Full story
I woke up Sunday morning on fire to fish the March Brown mayfly hatch on the lower McKenzie River - just a few miles from Springfield. Yes, this spot is about 100 miles from Sisters. Yes, it was a holiday of sorts - St. Patrick's Day. Yes, I am nutso. Yet, being a nutso fly angler is often a good thing, I don't eat or drink stuff that is dyed green and I have a fly fishing truck that is set up for local, medium, and long fishing trips. A day trip to the McKenzie is a long day... Full story
The most colorful of all our ducks, the Wood Duck [Aix sponsa], lives and breeds in swampy forested areas. Acorns are a favorite food along with other seeds, salamanders, aquatic insects, snails, and tadpoles. Courtship begins in fall and may be interrupted by harsh weather, and then be resumed in spring. They nest primarily in tree cavities and man-made nesting boxes. Females line the nest with breast feathers and will lay between nine and 14 eggs. After approximately 35... Full story
We brought them home in a snowstorm. They were half wild. At 15 weeks, they were the last dogs for a Scottie breeding kennel to sell, of his 30 puppies bred in 2023. It was obvious that these two brindle boys were not popular with the breeder’s clients. You almost never see brindle Scotties. Yet it is a valid color for the breed. I won’t ask what happens to most of the ones that don’t sell. Fortunately for us, these two came to our home. It may have continued snowing outside, but the sun has been shining in our home ever... Full story
Living in a place like Sisters, we can all appreciate how visitors are drawn to its natural beauty, recreational activities, and small town charm. And there’s no arguing that tourists provide a healthy livelihood for many local businesses. But some are using that very rationale to defend an increase of STRs (short-term-residences, aka vacation rentals) in Sisters. But do we fully comprehend the price our town could pay if that happens? I visited Jackson Hole a couple decades ago. Another beautiful “small” town that got disco... Full story
Though currently on the wane, winter will hang around for another three weeks after March bursts on the scene before yielding to a brand-new season before month's end. To highlight this event, we chose to feature the late winter-early spring constellation of Lynx. Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius introduced this new constellation in the late seventeenth century to fill a large gap in the night sky that lies between Auriga and Ursa Major. He named it Lynx because even its... Full story
Buying a piece of custom furniture seems like one of those adult rites of passage. In the latter half of my 30s, I have decided to pursue my first custom piece — a couch. Throughout my nomadic adult years, I have been accustomed to second-hand finds complimenting my frugality and boxed IKEA-ish pieces sure to draw out a few expletives as one navigates assembly and too often, reassembly. I feel ready for the custom, “no-assembly needed,” white glove experience. After a prolo... Full story
Are you looking for a nonfiction book to read in 2024? "Mott Street: A Chinese American Family's Story of Exclusion and Homecoming" by Ava Chin might suit you. What does one single building in New York's Chinatown reveal about the author's ancestors? Growing up, Chin's family's origins were a mystery and nothing seemed to match between what she was told and what she researched. Chin, who grew up estranged from her father, begins a detailed quest as she researches and explores... Full story
Dear Property Guy: I recently had a tenant move out and need to know how to handle their security deposit. We had brand new carpet when they moved in, and their dog absolutely trashed it. We tried to clean it, but the stink is impossible to get out. They need to buy us new carpet, right? – Wall to Wall Dear Wall to Wall: This falls under the category of No-But… No, they won’t be buying you all new carpet. But, they will be buying some of it. Let’s agree that this falls outside the category of “normal wear and tear,” an... Full story
In a previous article, I explained that games rely on both human and system factors, an observation I take from “Characteristics of Games,” an introduction to games by world-renowned designers Richard Garfield, Skaff Elias, and Robert Gutschera. However, I left out an important point about the human factor: games are fun. Despite what I jokingly implied about my Rock, Paper, Scissors game with Wade, I do not have him figured out, and I can’t reliably beat him. While it’s true I have the longest winning streak, he might ... Full story
When I was a little girl, I watched my older brother trudge up our driveway in the black of night. My mom was making breakfast; my brother carried a flashlight. Peering up over the kitchen sink, through the orange and green drapes, I watched his glowing light bob through the trees, up the steep hill to the bus stop. I was excited that someday I, too, would get to go to real school. I, too, would get to carry a flashlight and wander off into the darkness! That must be what... Full story
People often ask me if winter is a slow season for the Forest Service. The days are often less urgent, without wildfire response, but there is always much to be done. Winter is when the bulk of our planning work typically gets accomplished: hiring employees, writing reports, preparing contracts and agreements, executing budgets, and developing and authorizing projects to implement in late season. This year has been different because the relatively mild winter has allowed some... Full story
Thank God. I’m not too old to run for president. Even though yesterday I had trouble remembering which seven pills I needed to take. The day before, I couldn’t find my car keys. A week ago, it took a while to find that car in the Costco parking lot. But that could happen to anyone, and the Constitution does not prohibit me from running just because I forget how to spell “doddering.” I’m younger than either of the two men currently running for president, so I might be a viable... Full story
Oh, wow - what's that print? I'm sure you've had that same reaction numerous times when encountering animal tracks. "What is it?" is the most obvious question to ask upon seeing tracks in dirt, mud, or snow, but it's especially interesting to explore "why is that here?" and "what was the animal doing?" Tracking can take a lifetime to learn well, but the obvious first step is to get out there to try to find and identify tracks, follow some trails, and piece together the story... Full story
“How do I get featured in the media?” It’s a question I hear a lot. Business owners, nonprofits, event producers, entrepreneurs, artists: they all ask. The answers reflect my experience as a freelance writer and editor for approximately four zillion years. I’ve been Senior Editor for a branding and interactive agency in New York; I’ve written restaurant reviews for alternative weeklies. Music and performance critic, horoscope columnist, early Internet content creator,... Full story
My last couple of articles covered a bit of game theory and theory of knowledge. While I expect those will be recurrent topics, my main goal with the column is to report on the local scene, and so I’ll limit my technical forays to a fraction of my articles and let you know up front what you can expect. This will be the first of many covering the gaming events at Paulina Springs. If you’ve visited within the last few months, you’ve probably noticed the expanded offering in board games, Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon, and Dungeo... Full story
This is part 2 of an ongoing series on the subject of short-term rentals. Part 1 ran in the January 17 edition of The Nugget. Click here to see Part 1. Last time we learned what a Short-Term Rental (STR) is and the local rules surrounding them. Now we’ll take a closer look at some of the concerns surrounding STRs and how they are or are not being addressed. Nationally, most controversy centers around how STRs do or don’t affect housing affordability or property values. The thought being that STRs reduce supply for res... Full story
November and December of 2023 felt like April, warm, lots of sun, and all the plants were turning green. But January 2024 quickly blew in like a lion charging a mule deer buck. It could have taken us all down but for one important thing. Difficult times usually bring out the best in people, and Sisters Country people are the best ever. My husband and I contracted a very nasty cold around the first of January. It still had us in its grip when this bitter cold and snow came to... Full story
The Red-winged Blackbird [Agelaius phoeniceus], is now arriving around Sisters and feeding until they head to mostly wetland areas to begin building nests. After two to six pale blue-green eggs are laid the young hatch in only 10 to 12 days. The young, being fed on insects and seeds, leave the nest in 11 to 14 days. Two to three clutches may be laid every year. The Red-wing can be very protective of their nesting areas and will attack hawks and crows from above, diving with... Full story
Do you have a favorite 2023 book? This year I curated my favorite books by themes, debut authors and favorite authors. My recommendations include creating a wife app, searching for a father, and books about books. I’ve been sharing piles and piles of favorites at Library Book Pairing events at Suttle Tea, Dudley’s Bookshop Cafe, BrownBag Popcorn, and PCA Art Gallery by matching a scene, event, or place with a specific tea, dessert, popcorn, or art piece. Favorites include “The Mystery Guest” by Nita Prose in which the mur... Full story
