Opinion / Columns
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 116
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On Monday, Wade throws rock
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... — Updated 2/6/2024 Full story
Stars over Sisters
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... — Updated 2/6/2024 Full story
What next?
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 c... — Updated 2/6/2024 Full story
Illness provides time for introspection
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.... — Updated 1/23/2024 Full story
For the Birds: Hummingbirds in winter
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... — Updated 1/23/2024 Full story
Paige by Paige - favorite 2023 books
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 a... — Updated 1/16/2024 Full story
Sisters Country birds
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... — Updated 1/16/2024 Full story
Dear Property Guy
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 b... — Updated 1/16/2024 Full story
Introducing an 'old dork'
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... — Updated 1/16/2024 Full story
Does Sisters need a cemetery?
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 i... — Updated 1/9/2024 Full story
Stars over Sisters
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... — Updated 1/2/2024 Full story
When in doubt, go fishing
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... — Updated 1/2/2024 Full story
A new year, a new spirit?
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... — Updated 1/2/2024 Full story
Selling rental home creates challenges and opportunities
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 h... — Updated 12/19/2023 Full story
Chet & Bernie Series
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 Detecti... — Updated 12/19/2023 Full story
Sisters cares
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... — Updated 12/12/2023 Full story
A gift for the imagination
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... — Updated 12/12/2023 Full story
A Scottie's Christmas 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,... — Updated 12/5/2023 Full story
'Eileen'
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 nea... — Updated 12/5/2023 Full story
Sisters Country birds
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.... — Updated 12/5/2023 Full story
Reading the good stuff
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... — Updated 12/5/2023 Full story
2024 Central Oregon real estate - trends to watch
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 sev... — Updated 11/28/2023 Full story
Stars over Sisters
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... — Updated 11/28/2023 Full story
The river on the eve of winter
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... — Updated 11/28/2023 Full story
Sisters Country birds
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... — Updated 11/21/2023 Full story
