Author: paedwards

Sweet Lorane Community News, June 16, 2022

June 16, 2022Newspaper Columns, , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge-Tribune News
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
June 16, 2022
By Pat Edwards

Congratulations to each one of the 2022 graduates—not only those from Crow High School, but from all of the local schools. Graduation has always been a major accomplishment—something to celebrate. The effort and focus that each of us have to put in for those 12+ long years is a cause for celebration and honor, but for this graduating class and the past two, extra kudos have been earned for the disruption of so much in their lives by the pandemic. Covid has affected each of us, but especially our school-age children and teens who have had to completely change their educational routines, and who have missed out on some of the most important events of their school years—things like proms and school dances, field trips, plays, athletic events and close interaction between themselves and their teachers and classmates. Some have taken the disruption and at-home learning in stride, but others have had a hard time adjusting to the break in the routine of learning. I just want to take time to use this means to honor them with my respect and acknowledgment of all that they’ve experienced. Good job! and Congratulations to each one of you!

For the students who will be returning next year, there is some very good news… The Crow-Applegate-Lorane School Board has decided to waive all sports fees for K-12 students enrolled in the C-A-L School District for the 2022/23 school year. This involves all middle/high school sports and TSP/Youth Wrestling. The front office has sports sign up for our fall sports at the moment. Right now, they don’t have many MS football sign-ups and more sign-ups for cross-country would be welcomed. Be sure to encourage your kids to sign up for sports, it’s free, and a very valuable experience!

The news of the devastating floods ravaging Yellowstone National Park have hit a personal note for me. My good friend from college days, Connie Ruhlman, who now lives in Montana, once lived and worked with her husband, Dick, on the Sunlight Ranch, located on the borders of Yellowstone, outside of Cody, Wyoming. It is still owned by the family of Earl and Carol Holding (who also owned Little America, Sun Valley and Sinclair Oil). Dick was their foreman overseeing the family homesite on the ranch and Connie was the housekeeper at the Holding’s beautiful home and some of the guest houses at Sunlight. Jim and I had the privilege of spending a week with them at Sunlight in the mid-1980s; we helped with the chores and took walks and car rides through the amazing scenery surrounding them. It was one of the nicest vacations we have ever taken.

Connie and Dick were living there in 1988 when Yellowstone and the surrounding area suffered a major wildfire which destroyed over 500,000 acres including part of the Sunlight Ranch. Connie and Dick were horrified by the devastation it caused and the wildlife they loved that were killed in the fire. Before the fire, there were huge elk herds that claimed a large pasture in front of their cabin for their calving grounds in the winter/early spring, and they were frequently visited by moose, occasional bears, badgers, and they felt an affinity for, and kept track of, a wolf pack that had become established nearby.

Now, with the news of the horrible flooding and the additional devastation being done to that whole area, Connie envisions how her favorite spots and wildlife on the ranch are being affected and she is mourning once again, along with the passing of her beloved Dick who passed away a year ago. I, too, am mourning with her

Sweet Lorane Community News, June 9, 2022

June 9, 2022Newspaper Columns, , , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge-Tribune News
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
June 9, 2022
By Pat Edwards

The Lorane Growers Market is doing well this year, already… and it’s just starting. It’s located on tables in front of the former Lorane Deli and is sponsored by the Lorane Community Association. Members of the community bring excess plants, produce and garden and farm items that they can’t use to share with others in Lorane. Those who are needing the items can pick up what they want—on the honor system—and donate whatever they can afford in the donation box. Proceeds go towards community projects that are overseen by the association.

Thanks to Louise and Martin McClure for filling the tables this past week with many vegetable starts for those who are ready to begin planting their gardens. Their donation of the plants was very well-received by the community and all had found homes the first day they were put out. Thank you, Louise and Martin, for demonstrating and exhibiting the spirit of “community” to each of us. Others, too, have generously contributed this spring and we are only beginning to get into it. Later in the season, the Growers’ Market table is usually stocked with produce from Lorane gardens and orchards that is available to others. Thank you to the Lorane Community Association for maintaining it for us.

Today, Jim and I made the decision that our beloved old John Deere riding mower needed to be retired. It had served us well for many years after much abuse on the rough, bumpy ground and hillsides we challenged it with. After several recent repairs, though, the deck gave out and we decided it was time to invest in a new mower. Our daughter, Gloria, with trailer in tow, picked us up at our house and we headed for town. The long lines of riding mowers we had seen in front of one of the stores only a couple of weeks ago had been reduced to one John Deere and one Husqvarna, both with “Waiting for Pickup” tags on them. There were a few of the less expensive ones, but they weren’t really up to the jobs we had awaiting them. From experience, we learned that they were happiest with level, well-manicured lawns with few challenges… which we certainly don’t have at our home. Inside, we could have invested $5,000 into a different model of the “zero-turn” models, but we didn’t want one THAT bad. The store had two Husqs scheduled to arrive in two weeks’ time, but both were already spoken for—and, even if they hadn’t been, if our grass was allowed to grow for 2 more weeks, we’d have to get out Jim’s old hay baler to process it. So, we headed for a second and then a third home improvement store and they were completely out of the kind of mowers we needed, and weren’t expecting any more until July—late July. When we got home, I checked on-line and everything in the models we were needing was “out of stock there, too.”

So, our options are to continue to borrow our daughter’s mower until we can figure something out or buy a new deck for our old John Deere. I guess I shouldn’t complain… at least I’m not a young mother who is having to deal with trying to feed her baby, who is on a bottle, because there is no baby formula on the shelves these days.

Has anyone heard yet when life is supposed to return to some semblance of normal?

Sweet Lorane Community News, May 26, 2022

May 26, 2022Newspaper Columns, , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge-Tribune News
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
May 26, 2022
By Pat Edwards

I’m amazed to discover that as I age, my ability to focus on more than one thing at a time is diminishing. I used to be able to multi-task rather well a few years ago, but I’m finding that I have to be careful to finish one task before I begin another or the first one gets forgotten… and probably the second one, too, if something else occurs to me that needs doing. If I’m folding a load of laundry as it is taken from the dryer, and suddenly stop with the intention of getting right back to it—for just a few seconds—in order to take mail out to the mailbox, I frequently find the unfolded laundry waiting for me at bedtime. Inevitably, while taking the mail out to the mailbox, I see some weeds in the flower bed that need to be pulled and then notice that I really need to lay down some more of the landscape fabric that I started yesterday before it begins to rain. Then, of course, as I hobble into the house with my back screaming in pain for the abuse I’ve given it by bending over for too long, I head for my recliner to give it some much-needed rest. The mail got mailed, a few weeds got pulled and another strip of landscape fabric got laid, but distractions have become my enemy these days.

It’s the same with my writing. I try to immerse myself in what needs to be done, but first there is the email to answer and, of course, then I need to check the Facebook postings to see what our little great-grands have been doing, and then discover that something inappropriate has been posted to the Lorane page, so, if I’m the first of our administrators to notice it, I usually opt to deal with it. Hey! It’s better than being bored!

Thanks to my good friend, Lil Thompson, who provided me with some important dates she harvested from the Crow-Applegate-Lorane School District office. I’d like to include them here for those of you who are parents and patrons of the school district.

  • The Crow Middle/High School Band Concert will be held on Thursday, June 2, at 7:00 p.m., and “The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza,” the school’s final drama production of the year, takes place the following night on Friday, June 3, at 7:00 p.m. The Drama class is in desperate need of sheets for this Greek Mythology production and will gladly accept donations from the community. Any sheets will work and they can be left the front office.
  • The Applegate Elementary Spring Concert is being held on June 7, at 7:00 p.m. in Applegate gym.
  • Graduation for our Crow High School Seniors will be on Friday, June 10, at 7:00 p.m. in the high school gymnasium.
  • Then, 8th Grade Recognition is scheduled for Tuesday, June 14, at 7:00 p.m. in the Crow Middle/High School gym.
  • Kindergarten graduation also takes place on Tuesday afternoon, June 14, at 3:30 p.m. in the Applegate Elementary School gym
  • Finally, the all-day Applegate Elementary School Field Day is being held on June 15.

Our nation is grieving over the latest tragedy that took place in an elementary school in Texas this week. Each of us shares in the horror of these violent and tragic school shootings, and wonder, “Why?” Why is innocence being made a target by so many broken individuals? I have my own opinions and could write another column on them, but I won’t. It has become a political issue that needs to be resolved NOW. Our focus must be on these young lives that have been lost… and will continue to be lost… if nothing is done.

Crow Middle/High School principal, Kevin Rodemack, issued this statement in “The Buzz” the school’s newsletter, on May 25, 2022:

“I wanted to state how much our thoughts/prayers go out to the families and victims of the horrific school shooting that happened in Texas. We held a moment of silence this morning and spoke to the students about the importance of speaking out if they hear anything, and how important being kind to one another every day (is). We hold drills yearly for students about these situations and use those drills to try to educate.”

God Bless these young children and their teachers in Uvalde, Texas, who are the latest victims. God Bless their parents, their loved ones, their community… God Bless us all.