News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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You might be wondering why things seem to be so very, very weird out there in the wide world, and one explanation could be right under our feet. Scientists, it turns out, have recently determined that the earth’s core is now rotating backwards. That may be a hard sell to most of us, having never seen the thing with our own eyes, but taking the occasional scientific claim on good faith isn’t always a bad choice — the late covid conundrum notwithstanding. The earth’s core is a s... Full story
The summertime constellation of Ophiuchus was among the first star patterns to be cataloged by Greek astronomer Claudius Ptolemy in the Second Century. The name means "Serpent Bearer" in Greek, though it is sometimes referred to by its Latin name, Serpentarius. Ophiuchus is usually depicted in star charts as a man holding a snake, namely Serpens. Ophiuchus is the eleventh largest constellation by area on the celestial sphere but contains no stars brighter than second... Full story
Each Sunday morning at 11 a.m., the Sisters Scrabble Club convenes at Paulina Springs Books. I’ve attended a few times, and while I’m not especially good at Scrabble, the games offer good company who play with infectious enthusiasm. Though few men have attended so far, I always feel welcome. Katie Lombardo founded the club early in her relationship with Lane Jacobson, owner of Paulina Springs, when they had to address a serious incompatibility: he doesn’t like Scrabble. Lane’s effort to indulge her and play the game not only... Full story
It often comes as a surprise to readers when they first learn that all writers for The Nugget, with the exception of our editor, are freelancers, not staff. We are paid in the customary industry way - by the story. As you might imagine, working for a weekly community newspaper isn't going to change anybody's lifestyle. I don't know all of my colleagues personally but I'd bet they have a similar attitude as mine: We'd do this work for free. It's that satisfying. And interesting... Full story
It’s been a few years since I had Scotties who wanted to help me clean the house. The old pack helped with the vacuuming. This bunch, being five-months young, are loaded with energy, and they want to help with the floor mopping after vacuuming. Now, it’s a lot harder mopping with their help than vacuuming with their aid. All they do with the vacuum is bite at the vacuum head and bark. The mop is a whole new opportunity. I have to push hard on the mop handle to keep them from s... Full story
Our first U.S. flag, also called the Betsy Ross flag, had six white stripes, seven red stripes, and 13 stars in a circle in the (Union) blue upper left corner of the flag - all to represent the original 13 Colonies. Requested by then Commander of the Continental Army, Gen. George Washington, it was completed in June 1776. Red Stripes stood for Valor, Courage, and Bravery. White Stripes stood for Purity and Innocence. Blue stood for Vigilance. The last edition of our U.S. Flag... Full story
Happy spring! We hope folks enjoyed the recent Sisters Rodeo, an event the Forest Service is proud to partner with by way of a special use permit and employee participation in the wonderful Rodeo Parade. As daytime temperatures continue to increase, we will likely pause our prescribed fire program until the fall. This was a very successful spring for under-burning on the Sisters Ranger District, burning over two square miles (1,430 acres), including many long standing... Full story
This level of ugliness has to be the result of some sort of system failure. How is it that Americans have to choose between Joe Biden and Donald Trump as the next president of the United States? The whole situation is overwhelmingly putrid, a pot of stew that started with bad meat and then sat on the stove for far too long. It’s not just rot-at-the-top. The vegetables in Congress are utterly dysfunctional. Stonewalling has become a game where “we won’t work to benefit Ameri... Full story
One of my first patients was a pastor. He was esteemed and well-respected — a pillar in the community. I was a newbie in the small town where his roots ran deep. He was a man of conviction and compassion. He spoke with authority. And he was also sometimes hopeless — and desperate. At 26 years old, I sat at my desk sporting my newly printed diploma. I was trying my best to hide my imposter syndrome. Still shaky in my confidence, I kept questioning how could a man who has gui... Full story
A good day on the Metolius River is one trout hooked, landed, and released. A great day is two trout hooked, landed, and released. Anything more than that is a spectacular day. Why am I happy with such modest results from the most beautiful trout stream in the Northwest? Well, the Metolius is a very tough river to fly fish. First, the water in this big spring creek is very clear, so the trout can see everything, including the little details of every fly. Second, there are a lo... Full story
The Tree Swallow [Tachycineta bicolor] is about five inches long and has a forked tail, sparkling metallic green to blue head, and white feathers on its underside. Females are duller in color than males. In North America, Tree Swallows breed from Alaska east to Newfoundland, Canada and south to California, Colorado, Nebraska, and Maryland. It winters north to southern California, the Gulf Coast, and the Carolinas. They nest in aged trees occasionally using old woodpecker... Full story
Over the years, I have often said if I were to lose one of my abilities as I age, I hope it isn’t my mind. I have always really enjoyed using my mental capacity to create, write, imagine, problem solve, make connections, learn, teach, observe, and remember. My long-time school friends can’t believe I remember the first and last names of everyone in our first grade class as well as all eight of my grade school teachers. In 2019, when I slammed my head into the asphalt dur... Full story
Once again, I smell smoke. The shadows landing on the sidewalk carry an amber tint. My friend points out feathery smoke high above us, floating in from what she describes as a 30,000 acre prescribed burn up on the Metolius. We're walking in ClearPine. A plume of smoke arises; it smells like smoldering pine needles. Then it turns dark black, letting off a nasty stink. That was this week. When we left off in the story, here in the column, it was 2017. Click here to see previous... Full story
A sign tacked to the rafters in Cary Schwarz’s saddle shop in Salmon, Idaho reads: “No Dancing,” but when four of the world’s finest saddlemakers squeezed into Cary’s small shop to build a saddle for the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association’s 25th Anniversary—accompanied by curious students, occasional visitors, and the shop dog — nimble footwork was at a premium. From tree to finished saddle the project was nothing if not an elaborate physical and philosophical f... Full story
Normally these articles are written to highlight interesting facts associated with a constellation of the season that can be viewed from our latitude. This month's edition, however, should generate a heightened level of excitement among the readership because it describes the possibility of seeing a nova. (Nova is Latin for "new star.") Many astronomers expect a nova will appear in the constellation of Corona Borealis sometime in the next few months. Designated T Coronae... Full story
There was enough good news emanating from the May 15 Community Builders meeting that two articles were required, one last week (May 22) and another this week. • As president of Sisters Rotary, Bill Kelly announced the plans for the Fourth of July celebration, Sisters 4th Fest, scheduled for Village Green Park, 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is being sponsored by Sisters Rotary Club, Citizens4Community, St. Charles Health System, and Next Phase Realty, with support from Run Sist... Full story
When I was a kid, there was this fundraiser called the Walkathon. You'd take your piece of physical paper-thick stock, printed with lines to fill in and boxes to tick-and proceed to pester neighbors, relatives, and grownups at church and school. What you wanted from them: a pledge. They'd pledge, say 25¢ for each mile you would walk, filling their name and address on the line provided. You'd plan to walk the whooooole Walkathon. Twenty miles! The money benefited March of Dimes... Full story
In a previous column, I adopted a view of literature as a time machine that enables us to view people and places from the past. That distant culture might look a little different from ours but, at a heart level, those people aren't all that different from us. This time we are going to crank the controls on the time machine back about 3,500 years ago. Through the pages of the Bible, we will take a look at a woman named Miriam. Miriam's people, the Hebrews, have been living in... Full story
Since the article came out where I introduced game theory in terms of rock-paper-scissors at Sisters Athletic Club, Wade has become more smug when he throws rock to my scissors. Between games, mutual acquaintances question him about my article, and he talks smack about me. And during a match, we goad each other with the specter of public humiliation. The article changed our metagame, and the metagame is really 99 percent of what rock-paper-scissors has going for it. At Wizards of the Coast in the early 1990s, Richard Garfield... Full story
It was a fine week for music and Shakespeare. Or maybe I should say music and wildly silly theater that riffs on Shakespeare? Music first. My teenaged son joined me for a spirited show at The Belfry, headlined by Anna Moss, also known for her duo Handmade Moments (find my interview with her on the fabulous Interwebs at nuggetnews.com). I asked for his opinion. "I liked the opener, Ian George, with his sentimental folk-rock songwriting style," he said. "I thought that he had a... Full story
I am sitting at my office peering at the Three Sisters peeking through the trees surrounded by soft blankets of blushed pink and wisps of orange cream sunsetting on their peaks. I have a lot of charting to do, but tonight feels ripe for a little procrastination. I would rather stare at the mountains. I find myself pondering at how our natural world, with its beauty, renewal, and resilience continually provides an endurable response to the ugliness and suffering our world... Full story
Dear Property Guy: We recently moved out of an apartment and the management company charged us over $500 for holes in the walls. Which not only seems unfair, but totally unreasonable for the work that was done. We had a few pictures and a TV up on the wall. All of which I consider normal. How should this all work. — Nailed in Sisters Dear Nailed: Here’s a dirty little secret about some, but not all, property management companies. Repairs are a profit center. There, I said it. Separate conversation. You are asking the million-... Full story
• The first time I fell into the cyberworld abyss was when I was planning a horse camping trip with a couple of horsewomen, long years ago. While we were going over our to-do lists, Carol offered to check “Craig’s list,” to which I asked indignantly, “WHO IS CRAIG?” • Talking falling, while packing hay out to Riddle the other morning, I went arse over teakettle and landed in a huge puddle of water the color of three-day-old coffee. It was really quite comical and luckily I’ve gone off enough horses in my lifetime to automat... Full story
An aging American workforce, along with a declining U.S. birthrate, makes the U.S. economy increasingly dependent on foreign-born workers to bridge the employment-labor gap and to finance programs such as Social Security. In 2006, foreign-born workers made up 15.3 percent of the labor market, but by 2023, the share of foreign-born workers in the labor market had increased to 18.6 percent. One of the attractions of employing foreign-born workers is that they are willing to occupy jobs often not desired by native-born... 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
