News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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Just what is a game? Before I fully launch into my article series covering local games, maybe we should get that straight. For the past six years or so, Wade and I have played Rock, Paper, Scissors at Sisters Athletic Club to see who buys coffee, and it’s often a spectator sport, with the staff and regulars looking on as we stage our showdown. For the benefit of whoever misses it, the winner loudly praises the superior taste of that day’s coffee. And might even sip it loudly. With savor. In the loser’s face. You’re probabl... Full story
Ancient skywatchers learned to recognize the night sky by associating certain arrangements of stars with objects familiar to them. These became the constellations. Cygnus the Swan, Orion the Hunter, and Taurus the Bull are three well-known examples. But there is a small subset of constellations that depict more fanciful beings, such as a sea goat, centaur (half human-half horse creature), and flying horse. Our featured constellation for February is a member of this group.... Full story
After concluding three months as managing editor of the The Leader newspaper in Port Townsend, Washington, I’m confronted with an uncomfortable realization: I did the best I could, but could have done better. Getting old offers many chances for denial. Or embarrassment, when denial doesn’t suffice. And frustration, when opportunities recede. Disappointment lurks at every staircase, doctor’s visit, encounter, and challenge. Getting old also teaches there is value in exper... Full story
The raindrops form tidy concentric circles in the puddles they are forming on the ice-crusted snow covering my back deck this morning. The branches above are coated with a thin layer of ice. Icicles long and short hang from gutters and deck rails. The sky is leaden gray. The outside world is painted in black and white and gray, with the only relief provided by the green of the sentinel ponderosas down on the creekbank. The view out my bedroom window hasn’t changed a great d... Full story
Remarkably, hummingbirds overwinter in Central Oregon. These toughies are Anna's hummingbirds and are amazingly stout for their 4- to 4.5-gram size. They have expanded their range into hotter and colder climates over the last 20 years. But they face real trouble in deep freeze, blizzard conditions, and icy rain. Local residents can help them survive. Due to their petite size, hummingbirds must feed every 10 to 15 minutes or starve. These quaint birds use a handy... 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 murder... Full story
Visiting the Cascade forests in late fall and winter, the fluted notes of the Varied Thrush [zoreus naevius] can often be heard echoing through the forests and canyons. The elegant orange of the Varied Thrush can be seen throughout winter and are definitely a western bird. Their breeding range extends as far north as Alaska and western Canada to the forests of Oregon and Washington. They winter down the coast of California coast to Baja. The varied Thrush was first identified... Full story
Sisters is a town that means different things to different people: the (slightly larger) small town they grew up in, an opportunity to live where one plays, maybe a place to spend California retirement bucks, for many it’s where they do business, and for others it is a vacation destination. Smashing all these different visions, wants, hopes, and dreams into one community is bound to create spots of friction. Short-Term Rentals (STRs) are one of these spots. Many Sisters residents are happily tripping through life not k... Full story
In 2015, when my nephew Eli was about 9 years old, I explained “Dungeons & Dragons” to him while my daughter Alyx was present. I left the room after delivering a long-winded monologue where I told him that I’d started playing D&D when I was his age and that it had inspired me to write stories and helped me make new friends. He seemed to be chewing thoughtfully on my revelations. Later, Alyx informed me: “Dad, after you left, he said to me, ‘You know, your dad is kind of an old dork… no offense.’” In late 1993, when we l... Full story
As the population grows in Sisters Country that question comes up more frequently I find. And with our older population – median age in Sisters is just under 50, whereas Oregon as a whole it is just under 40 – it seems to be a pertinent question. We have a cemetery, in fact. Two to be precise. One most everybody knows about - the Camp Polk Cemetery - is also known as Pioneer Cemetery and has been around since 1880. Turns out, nobody owns the place. At least no person or ent... Full story
Taurus, the brightest zodiac constellation of the winter season, rides high in the evening sky during January. The celestial Bull is one of only 12 elite constellations that lie along a strip of sky centered about the ecliptic. The sun, moon, and all the major planets are always found somewhere within this belt of the sky. The arrangement of stars in Taurus does, indeed, resemble the head of a bull. The V-shaped star cluster known as the Hyades depicts the beast's face. From... Full story
For the past 20 years or so, I've tried to go fishing on New Year's Day - even when the Ducks were playing in a bowl game on that day. Stringing up a fly rod and walking along a river just seems like the best possible way to start another year. The goal is always to catch a fish or two, but it's not a gotta-do-this deal. Some might say that starting the New Year and not catching a fish is a bad beginning. Those are the same people who think that fly-fishing is all about... Full story
Truly, Scotties and all dogs are the best friends we have. Yes, we have loyal families and spouses. But as some find out, even family members and spouses have been known to desert us. But a well-loved dog is devoted to its keeper for life. It may sound silly to some, but it seems that the many thousands of years that humans and dogs have spent together has made the once mighty wolf into a reflection of the very best that humans can be. Unless trained otherwise, a dog is... Full story
Dear Property Guy: I am about to sell a rental home in So. Cal. It is worth about $1.2M and has appreciated about $600,000. It used to be my primary residence but has been a rental for a couple years now. I don’t want to take the huge tax hit by selling it, but I understand that I could sell it for another rental property and not owe taxes. I could use it to take out a couple hundred thousand to reduce the payment on our current house. What should I do? — Taxed out… Dear Taxed: You have a lot going on here. And many optio... Full story
It doesn’t matter if you like dogs. Or private detectives. Or murder mysteries. If you like laughter, sarcastic humor, and listening to a dog’s thoughts, you’ll like Spencer Quinn’s series of Chet & Bernie mysteries. The Little Detective Agency is owned by Bernie Little and run by Chet, Bernie’s dog sidekick. Well, Chet thinks he’s running the place, since he constantly worries about Bernie losing the check a client gave them, or agreeing to work for someone for free or at a discount. The books in the series are narrated by... Full story
Sisters has been my home for 20 years. I love living here, surrounded by the beauty of Mother Nature and all her critters. I never tire of gazing up at Faith, Hope, and Charity, especially when they are cloaked in their white winter coats, set against a crystalline blue sky. Sisters and Camp Sherman are places holding fond memories from my childhood summers. The smell of sage and pine scenting the air after a brief summer rain carries me right back to my youth. For me,... Full story
What if kids could read and focus? Hey, it happens! Magazines for kids, youth, and children of all ages bring them inspiration and knowledge. Reading on paper helps people develop a level of sustained concentration-a skill that comes with fringe benefits for the brain. Undistracted readers develop the ability to think deeply and with focus, enlivening their imaginations. This process gets interrupted by digital news, social media, and video games. More info is available in... Full story
In 2011 my husband and I helped Aberdeen Scottish Terrier Rescue, an Oregon-based rescue group. One day we were sent to Eugene to pick up two Scottie puppies. They had lived in a small cage, never getting out. Scared and underweight, they came home with us. One pup quickly went to Washington. We kept the other, naming him Bernie. Initially he was terrified of stepping outside. But soon he discovered the wonders of the world. Bernie's fears created challenges. Below is his... Full story
Thirty-three films were released in U.S. theaters December 1. The number may surprise you with all the talk of the Hollywood writer's strike that went on for months. But these films, like nearly all, had been in the works for years. It takes that long from concept to financing to production to release for a movie to make it to the screen. One of the 33 is "Eileen," which had its limited release in New York, Boston, and Los Angeles on December 1 and which will open "wide" Frida... Full story
The Western Meadowlark [Sturnella negleckta] with its bright yellow breast is found in many varied habitats, from high desert sage, grasslands, and wetlands, to the shoulders of Mt. Jefferson. Its flute-like songs can be heard throughout the day. Nests are built on the ground and covered with a roof of grass and contain five to six white eggs with rust and lavender spots, which are incubated for 13-16 days. The chicks are in the nest for 10-12 days before fledging. A male... Full story
Back in the day, the average person did not have access to the Internet. Back in the day, if you wanted to read about someone else's experience of life, observe beautiful photography-or groovy fashions, handy recipes, the latest developments in popular mechanics - you had to consult a magazine. For those unfamiliar with the concept, a magazine consists of pieces of paper printed with words, artwork, cartoons, and photography, bound together. Less imposing than a book, a... Full story
After some time off, we’re back with our usual Q&A about rental properties and housing. But first, let’s start with a look at some major market trends. 2024 is shaping up to be a different sort of real estate season in Sisters. After several years of bidding wars, new Covid-fueled residents, cheap money, and massive price increases, things are finally settling down. Let’s take a look at a few trends driving the local real estate market. 1. End of the ZoomTown BoomTown This cute phrase was coined to describe quaint, quiet... Full story
The featured constellation for December is Eridanus, the celestial river. It is the sixth largest, and second longest, constellation in the entire sky. Beginning with the star Cursa, near the left foot of Orion, the river flows westward to the eastern border of Cetus. From here the flow turns eastward before plunging deep into the celestial southern hemisphere, ending at Achemar, the constellation's brightest star. This month Eridanus lies in the southeastern sky at about 9... Full story
Life in Sisters Country brings us closer to the rhythms of our planet. For example, our seasons don't follow the calendar. I was reminded of this last weekend, when I drove the 50-odd miles from Sisters to the Crooked River just below Bowman Dam. Low clouds skidded across the sky as I entered the Crooked River Canyon, and little bursts of rain spattered on the truck windshield. It looked like a good day for a blue-wing olive mayfly hatch. These tiny mayflies hatch out all... Full story
The wild turkey [Meleagris Gallopavo] is not a native species in Oregon. Introduced in 1961 by ODFW, they are now well-established in the pine forests around the Metolius Basin. The subspecies Rio Grande has had the most successful natural expansion, although the Merriam's also has a steady population. Females lay 10-14 beige mottled eggs which hatch in approximately 28 days, and within 24 hours of hatching the poults have left the nest. Insects, berries, seeds, and all... Full story
