News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sorted by date Results 133 - 157 of 191
The Killdeer [Charadrius vociferus], is the largest of the ringed plovers, and the only plover with a double breast band. In flight, the Killdeer's long, pointed, slender wings have conspicuous white wing stripes. Killdeer frequent a variety of open habitats such as fields, meadows, gravel bars, and mudflats throughout the United States and most of Canada. Their diet includes snails, grasshoppers, worms, beetles, and other invertebrates. They can often be seen in fall in... Full story
Have you heard the phrase “Seeing the world through rose-colored glasses?” It’s a phrase we might not use to describe many people these days. But what it represents is a perspective, a worldview. This worldview shapes the way we view reality and ultimately our behavior, even the experience of our behavior as we interact with our world. I wonder, how often do we critically think about what has shaped our perspective? Historically, people often developed their worldview based... Full story
You may have read articles recently implying that hunters own the entire forest this time of year because they paid for a hunting permit. You may have gotten the impression that the responsibility for keeping people (and non-targeted animals) safe during hunting season lies entirely on non-hunters. People who like to take walks and meander along streams. People who camp and dance and listen to songbirds and write poetry in the woods, which is to say, people like me. I think hu... Full story
If you look into the southeastern sky on a clear November evening, you can see the Greek sea monster Cetus. This is a big constellation, fourth largest, in fact, by area. Its neighboring constellations are Aquarius, Aries, Eridanus, Fornax, Pisces, Sculptor, and Taurus. The creature's head is located about 25 degrees west and 10 degrees south of the bright star Aldebaran in Taurus. During the late fall and winter season, Cetus can be seen by observers from the South Pole to a... Full story
I love college football season. I'm a University of Oregon grad, and I love my Ducks. I root for the Beavers when they're not playing the Ducks. I never, ever root for the Huskies. I love the packed, noisy stadiums, the tailgating, seeing old friends - and the thrills of the game. But my favorite thing about college football season is the lack of anglers on our Sisters Country rivers and lakes. So many people are home watching the games or traveling to games! I mostly love... Full story
When my cell phone rang one morning a while ago, the caller ID said, “unknown caller.” Usually I simply ignore calls like that, and delete them. I hadn’t heard from my younger son in another town for a while and he had been on my mind, so I answered the call, figuring maybe he had lost his phone again. Over the years, I have received many distressing phone calls regarding my youngest, who is often living on the edge. The voice on the other end confirmed my worst fears. Thoug... Full story
For the second time in the last few months I found myself, unwillingly, digging a grave in the woods behind our house. I picked a spot in a clearing between the trees and began to dig, which is never an easy task in the mostly volcanic rock and compressed ash that passes for soil in Central Oregon. A single raven landed on a limb nearby and squawked, which made an almost medieval echo in the wintery gray light of the forest. I looked up at him. Of course, I thought, of course... Full story
I’ve lived all my life with cats and dogs. If you read this column regularly, you know I love dogs. I like cats. Some I’ve lived with were truly wonderful. Smoki, who became the Magical Cat in my six-book children’s series, “Harry and Lola Adventures,” was sweet, intelligent, and just plain wonderful. Which is why he became a magical hero in the book series. Smoki was an exception to what I’m about to say. It has been observed that attitude is the major difference between cat... Full story
When did the choices get so hard with so much more at stake? Life gets mighty precious when there’s less of it to waste. Scared to run out of time. — “Nick of Time,” Bonnie Raitt My wife was waiting in the Pine Marten lift line at Mt. Bachelor, watching a beautiful skiier glide effortlessly down the mountain. He rode up the chairlift with her, giving my wife the opportunity to ask him whether the 90+ patch on the shoulder of his ski jacket signaled a new clothing company? No, he replied proudly, he was 93-years old, with da... Full story
It feels good to have a scapegoat sometimes. The perception that we ourselves are free from blame, and that our challenges are the fault of circumstance or others, is an alluring reprieve from our own culpability. In our attempts to bypass blame, we also put our scapegoats on a pedestal, holding the power to hijack our sense of agency and joy. We live in a shame- and blame-based culture, too frequently practicing outdated beliefs that shaming and punishment are prerequisites... Full story
Each fall I throw together my saddle, bedroll, and bridles, and make a pilgrimage down to Lake County for the fall works - gathering, sorting, and shipping cattle - in the herculean effort to feed America. I do it to help my friends, but the rewards are mostly selfish. I get to cover the country horseback, in a way most folks don't anymore, and work with people whose shared sensibilities and sense of purpose are a balm against the industrial levels of friction found almost... Full story
The Cooper's Hawk [Accipiter cooperii], was named after naturalist William Cooper of the New York Museum, and inhabits woodland areas, where their diet consists of birds (95 percent) and small mammals (25 percent). This of course varies depending on the season and area hunted. These mid-sized hawks at maturity are 14-17 inches tall and weigh 16-24 ounces. The females are 1/3 larger than the males. They are referred to as "chicken hawks" "blue darter," or "swift hawk"," and... Full story
I was looking forward to seeing “Golda,” a film about the Yom Kippur War that played a large part in my own life. Now I wonder if my memories are skewed or if writers and directors took liberties with history I did not anticipate. Golda Meir was prime minister of Israel when the Yom Kippur War broke out on October 6, 1973. As the title suggests, the movie is all about Golda, her agonies and anguish during the war. I was on a freighter between Brindisi, Italy and Patras, Gre... Full story
Jack Lake to Round Lake or Santiam Pass: It's all about options on this stunning Three Finger Jack-area hike. This is a one-way jaunt, mostly downhill, necessitating a car shuttle to one of two possible ends. Why go? This great hike has it all: spectacular views on a moderate route, with flowers, swimming lakes, and frequently wildlife. It's great from the end of spring (however with more downed trees and colder lakes ) right on into early fall (with more likely wildlife... Full story
The anticipation of a new school year colored my August for years. First, as an eager student, the beginning of school meant a few new clothes and a new pair of shoes, after my shorts, T-shirts, and bare feet of summer. In high school, it meant the return to seeing friends every day and the excitement of new experiences and more freedom. As a mother of two boys (and four stepchildren for a decade), August meant shopping the back-to-school sales for clothes, shoes, and school... Full story
This is a new, regular feature The Nugget will run periodically. If you have a favorite hike or trail, send it along in about 500 words to [email protected] using the following format, including a photo. Hawk's Flight-Eagle Rock Loop is a fun and easy loop trail within five miles of town that offers superb views with diverse scenery. It's part of the wondrous Peterson Ridge section of the impressive Sisters Trails Alliance system. Why go? For one thing it's only a... Full story
The Red Crossbill [Loxia curvirosta] is an erratic and nomadic bird that will flock to the tops of either deciduous or coniferous trees for a wealth of seeds. A highly variably colored species, the female is a yellowish golden, with the male exhibiting various shades of red. Crossbills have a unique bill where the tips of the bill overlap to enable them to open conifer cones and seeds. With this skill, in seasons of plentiful cone production they may breed year round. Red... Full story
A few months ago the Sisters Library had a book signing with William "Bill" Sullivan. Since the library is undergoing a massive remodel, the signing was held at the Sisters Firehouse Community Hall on Elm Street. When I saw a few of the books that Bill has published, I decided I would get out of my comfy chair and go. I'm glad I did go. Bill was very down to earth, knew his subjects and made the entire event interesting. One of the books I saw in his list was "100 Hikes /... Full story
In your lifetime there are two odds of seeing a wolf in the wild: slim and none. Just ask Emily Weidner of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), a biologist based in Bend. She's made a career of tracking and monitoring wolf activity, and just saw her first live wolf three weeks ago. I had the pleasure of meeting Weidner and her Oregon state counterpart, Aaron Bott, last week. We sat down at Angeline's before Bott and I struck out to check trail cameras near Sisters (see... Full story
This is a new feature The Nugget will run periodically. If you have a favorite hike or trail, send it along in about 500 words to [email protected] using the following format, including a photo. The Matthieu Lakes Trail combines nicely with the PCT up to Scott Pass, providing a lovely gateway into Three Sisters Wilderness. The trail is (almost) always a great bet in the summer, with multiple highlights, including: spectacular views, fascinating geology, flowers,... Full story
During our four decades of marriage, my husband and I have loved and entertained nine Scotties and other pets. I look forward to seeing all of the Scotties and the many other horses and pets I have loved and enjoyed throughout my entire life. I am confident that we will meet again. Why do I have such confidence? There are a number of reasons, but I’ll only explore two of them in this column. The first reason is a huge one. Do you remember your eighth-grade general science c... Full story
Over time, a river flows into your mind. What you see, hear, feel, smell, and touch swirl into memories. Sometimes what you see, such as swarms of mating mayflies rising, falling, and rising again 20 feet over the river's surface, becomes knowledge that helps you lure trout to your fly. Other times, you discover simple beauty that will vanish in a matter of minutes, hours, or days. I always want to catch trout, but sometimes I catch other things as well. I fish the Metolius... Full story
I have been interested in the White House cocaine imbroglio, mostly because it marks the closing of an interesting historical loop. To be sure, this probably isn’t the first time a bag of yayo has ended up in the West Wing, and it’s doubtful it will be the last, but in the age of suspicious white powders it is certainly the most public. In 1971 Richard Nixon declared a War on Drugs. As a veteran of that war, with the scars to prove it, I can say with utter certainty that we... Full story
This is a new, regular feature The Nugget will run periodically. If you have a favorite hike or trail, send it along in about 500 words to [email protected] using the following format, including a photo. Trail Oregon's beautiful outdoors awaits, and one gem among the state's natural wonders is the trail from Scott Lake to Tenas Lake via the Benson Lake Trail. Here's everything you need to know to enjoy this marvelous hike. Why go? With a perfect balance of challenge and... Full story
This is a new, regular feature The Nugget will run periodically. If you have a favorite hike or trail, send it along in about 500 words to [email protected] using the following format, including a photo. Patjens Lake Loop Trail is in all its floral splendor, at least for the next week or two. The bear grass (Indian basket grass) is especially abundant standing as high as six feet. Likewise lupine, scarlet gilia, and Washington lily is in full glory. Why go? It's an easy,... Full story
