On March 12th, Oregon’s mask mandate ends. In a world at war—in Ukraine, in our own democracy, in a planet of rising seas and burning forests—dropping our pandemic masks raises a sigh of relief, though our hearts are broken still. For years I have turned to poetry, as some of you may too, for perspective on darkness and resilience. Sometimes, …

Local reservoir levels, 2.13.22 (Rogue Basin, Jackson County Watermaster) The view of the Rogue Valley from Grizzly Peak, a spot named for the last known grizzly bear in Oregon, is nothing short of amazing. The Siskiyou Mountains flank one side, the Cascades the other, Mount Shasta looms in the distance, and rolling grasslands descend to the valley floor. As the …

A week before Christmas, Mt. Ashland Ski Resort, 20 miles south of downtown Ashland, kicked off its 2021-22 ski season.  Opening Day on this small mountain is an outsized affair. Enthusiasts grab every parking space long before the lifts begin to vibrate. By tradition, folks dressed in “onesies” (one-piece snowsuits) ski for $25. Skiers who have not seen each other for …

Tony and I began our cross-country trip this past August in the far northeast corner of Oregon, home of the Wallowa Mountains. Known as the “Alps of Oregon,” they offer grand views and long trails. We’d also come, though, to learn more about the Wallowa logging community of Maxville, where African-American and White loggers worked side by side in the 1920’s …

Here in the Pacific Northwest, acknowledgments that recognize Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of the land have become de riguer. They are spoken at the beginning of public and private gatherings, from live performances to sporting events to town halls. Before actors take the stage at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, for example, a spokesperson announces: “We would like to acknowledge …

Late this August, as a red sun descended in the smokey sky above Grants Pass, an hour’s drive to my north, more than 50 citizens in lawn chairs gathered outside the county courthouse. Under the headline  “COVID Outbreaks in Southern Oregon Among the National’s Worst” local reporter Savannah Eadens recounted: To start the county commissioners’ public meeting, the group — mostly …

Like so many Americans, Tony and I longed this year to break out of our pandemic-narrowed life. We set our sights on a 4,000-mile August road trip ending in Brooklyn, where we would bequeath our Subaru Forester to our older son and his growing family.  Our travels began in a remote corner of northeastern Oregon nestled high in the 9,000-foot …