Category: Ashland life
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Ashland snow is a welcome sight
The rain was pounding down last night. At least that's what Reg told me this morning, amazed that I had slept through the deluge. We lived nearly twenty-five years in the mountains of the Sierra, so when we woke up this morning we recognized the unmistakable quiet that seemed to…
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‘Tis the season of giving for Ashland Food Project
Green bags hold gifts of food and household goods for Ashland folks in need. Every other month, about 170 neighborhood leaders collect bags from homes all over town and take them to the Ashland Emergency Food Bank. We are hoping for 25,000 pounds today. More than 1,300 people get food from the food bank…
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Wagner Butte Challenges and Rewards
Our guidebook promised the views were well worth the 5.2 mile hike up to the top of Wagner Butte. Located west of Ashland, the trailhead was just a short drive from our home, so we packed our lunch and jumped in the trusty Subaru. The fall day was sunny and warm, but not too…
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Grizzly Peak is Perfect Day Hike
Grizzly Peak is an iconic Ashland landmark, rising to an elevation of 5,920 feet. It also happens to be smack-dab in the center of our living room view. That view is, in fact, one of the things that sold us on the purchase of our townhome just over a year ago. By now, we've watched…
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In smokey Oregon, the coast is clear
Fires raging to the north of us have created a smokey haze across the skies of Southern Oregon for over a month. It was time to get away, and with a wedding anniversary coming up, we needed very little prodding to pack up and head to the Oregon coast! We have somehow missed Shore Acres…
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It’s back to college with a dash of deja vu
It was the first day of classes as I pedaled by buildings on Ashland’s Southern Oregon University campus. Arriving with plenty of time to spare, I nervously entered the classroom and sat far enough back to be anonymous. I heard “How was your summer?” as students greeted old friends. My summer had been hectic,…
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Pull up a chair and let a lake blow your mind
Mount Mazama could be planning a comeback. Its eruption 7,700 years ago emptied the magma chamber below and the mountain collapsed, creating a caldera six miles across. Centuries later, it had filled, becoming Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the now-United States at 1,943 feet. Mazama is still active and an eruption could fill Crater…
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Reflecting on Crater Lake
No lolly gagging around for us this Sunday morning…we headed out bright and early, anxious to explore exciting new territory. Back in January Reg had made reservations for us to spend one night at the Crater Lake Lodge and tonight was the night. As you can see, our day was perfect and it was made…
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These boots are made for …
For 24 years we lived the rural life near Yosemite National Park. We loved the neighborhood and seemingly limitless space for our kids to play. We also thought our budget benefitted from the low “temptation index,” or a lack of nearby restaurants and stores. After the kids were gone and we stopped working,…
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