Sweet Lorane Community News – October 29, 2015

October 29, 2015Newspaper ColumnsAva Linder, Joe Blakely, Linda Hughes, Lorane Grange, Lorane Movie Night, Rebellion Murder and a Pulitzer Prize, Rural Art Center, Spaghetti Dinner and Bingo, The Farm Store, The Rainbow Chasers, The White Man's Brotherpaedwards Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
October 29, 2015
By Pat Edwards

I’m very late in reporting on the passing of another long-time Lorane resident… Linda Hughes. I didn’t hear about her death until a week or two after she passed away on September 28 and feel badly that I haven’t mentioned it until now. Linda lived on Gowdyville Road with her husband Vergil. They had three children, Grant, Rick and Jason. The Hughes family moved to Lorane in 1966 and I got to know Linda when she’d come by the store while I worked there. She was involved in school activities in those days and later became active in making crafts of all kinds. She proved to be quite gifted and sold many of them through the old Lorane Country Café and craft sales around the area. Our thoughts and prayers have been with the Hughes family for their loss of a very caring wife, mother and grandmother.

With Halloween in the past (and even before), the stores have been telling us that we need to be thinking about Thanksgiving… and even Christmas. It seems that with such early reminders each year, the excitement and anticipation begin to wear thin by the time that the actual celebrations get here. I don’t know if it’s just my age or if others feel relief to get through the holiday season and move into a new year.

In truth, I love Thanksgiving Day, especially when our family gathers at our house to give thanks for our blessings. I hand over the potato peelers to Steph and Lins (this year it will be Hayley since Linsey is in Italy), the carving knife is presented to Gloria and the table setting duties to everyone else. Christmas day itself is special for that same reason. I guess that it’s the expectations and yes… commercialism… surrounding both holidays so early in the season that tire me out and turn me off.

Be sure to mark a couple of upcoming events on your calendar. The next Rural Art Center Lorane Movie Night will be held on Saturday, November 14 at the Lorane Grange. It will feature the movie, “Royal Wedding,” with Fred Astaire. You can find all of the information on times and schedules at at http://www.ruralartcenter.org/#!movie-night/ck0q.

The next Spaghetti Dinner and Bingo Night will be on Friday, November 20, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Lorane Grange. It is fun evening with good food, good friends and lots of fun for the whole family.

Beware! There have been recent theft and suspicious activities reported in both the Lorane and Crow areas. Try to be alert to cars and people in the area who seem out of place or acting strangely. A man was seen wandering through the arena building of a local stables this past week and ran away when confronted. A theft was reported at a home between Simonsen and Briggs Hill Roads. We all need to watch out for our neighbors and report any incidents or concerns to the Lane County Sheriff’s tipline at 541-682-4167 or their non-emergency line at 541-682-4141.

The staff of Groundwaters would like to thank the Soverns at The Farm Store in Veneta for agreeing to be the local distributor for our new annual issue, Groundwaters 2015: an Anthology. They have a supply on hand right now, so if you’re missing our quarterly issues that we’ve had in the past, drop by to pick one up at the Farm Store located on Territorial Road, south of Veneta or at the Lorane Family Store in Lorane.

We have also just completed two more books by local authors. A new novel by Elmira author, Ava Linder, called The Rainbow Chasers, is a sequel to her first book, The White Man’s Brother, and both take place in the 1850s. The Rainbow Chasers brings Bob and Rebecca Tanner to the Oregon Territory where they settle in the Canyonville area. Ava was featured in a recent Fern Ridge Review article.

Another new book is Rebellion, Murder and a Pulitzer Prize by Joe Blakely. Joe lives in Eugene, but has had Groundwaters publish his last two books. This one tells about the actual murder trial of the leader of Southern Oregon’s “Jacksonville Rebellion,” Llewellyn Banks. The 1933 change of venue trial was held at the Lane County Courthouse and resulted in a Pulitzer Prize being awarded to Robert Ruhl of the Medford Mail Tribune. Joe’s books are available on his website at https://joeblakelyauthor.wordpress.com/

Check out all of our Groundwaters’-produced books at https://allthingslorane.com/published-books/.

Sweet Lorane Community News – October 22, 2015

October 22, 2015Newspaper ColumnsCreswell High School, Hannah Edwards, Italy, Linsey Kau, Lorane Family Store, Rural Art Center, Soverns, Sportsman Dinner and Auction, The Farm Store, Trunk or Treatpaedwards Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
October 22, 2015
By Pat Edwards

A reminder to those of you who are outdoors enthusiasts. The third annual Sportsman’s Dinner and Auction is scheduled for Saturday evening, October 24, in the Crow Middle/High School gym. The barbecue dinner is $16, but there is no admission fee to the auction. This event is sponsored by the C-A-L Booster Club as one of its two major fundraisers. Proceeds go towards funding projects for all age levels throughout the school district.

The Lorane Trunk or Treat will be happening again this year on Halloween, October 31. Decorate your car trunks or pickup beds and bring treats for the little ghosts and goblins that show up in the parking lot in front of the Lorane Christian Church from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. There will be hot spiced cider and hot soup for all. Adults are also encouraged to come in costume. There will be a big woodstove for warmth if the night is cold. Come join your neighbors for some fun and conversation.

Crow will be having its own Trunk or Treat party that night at the Nazarene Church from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. They’ll have booths, prizes and hot dogs!

The very active Rural Art Center will sponsor its next half day of art on November 4 in the art room at Applegate Elementary. Portland artist, Jani Hoberg will be sharing some of her watercolor techniques. Be sure and contact Alyssa Shepherd of RAC, 541-556-8151 or malyssa2@yahoo.com, to get more information.

The Lorane Fire Department is looking for some more volunteers. If interested, please contact them directly.

The release of our Groundwaters’ first annual issue is complete with the Eugene distribution held last Wednesday at the Songbrook Community Center on Royal Avenue. Thank you to Vicky Soverns and the Farm Store in Veneta for agreeing to be the West Lane distributor of the book. For those wanting to obtain a copy, stop by the Farm Store on Territorial, south of Veneta. It is also available at the Lorane Family Store in Lorane. Thanks to all of our contributors, supporters, readers and advertisers for making it happen!

I need to make mention of the special pride that Jim and I are feeling towards one our older granddaughters, Linsey Kau. She graduated from Crow High School in 2010, obtained her B.A. at the University of Oregon and will be returning there next spring to earn her Masters’ degree. She left on September 29 for Macerata, Italy where she is living in the dormitory of a relatively small rural school and teaching English to Italian children for three months. It was quite an undertaking for Lins whose comfort zone has always been close to home. Since her arrival, she and other young teachers-to-be who are there on the same type of program, have been taking weekend excursions to visit other areas of Italy… so far, Florence and Venice. She’s saving Rome until she’s joined by her boyfriend, Brent, for the last two weeks before returning home.

For those who know Lins or even those who don’t, the blog that she has been writing is highly recommended reading. It’s not only filled with her wonderful experiences since she’s been there, but also her thoughts, struggles to adapt and how the experience is opening her eyes and her heart to the world. (http://linseytakesitaly.blogspot.it/2015/10/day-one.html) Her Facebook page is also loaded with the beautiful pictures of Italy that she has been taking, too. She’s allowing us to live her experience with her through her writing. Best of all, though, was the early morning phone call that I got this morning… “Hello, Grandma! This is Linsey in Italy!”

Also, kudos to the Creswell JV1 volleyball team for which another granddaughter, Hannah Edwards, plays! Like the varsity, they are undefeated! Good job, girls!

Buzzard Duck

October 19, 2015Personal Experience Non-Fiction, Writingspaedwards Leave a comment

by Pat Edwards

Buzzard Duck was a member of that large mute breed of black and white duck that looks like it has a hamburger patty wrapped around its face… the Muscovy Duck. He came to live on our farm many years ago when someone gave him to us (that’s one of the “perks” of living on a farm… you get all of the animals that your friends and acquaintances no longer want!). Buzzard Duck had the run of the barnyard along with an assortment of chickens and a pair of turkeys. Because he didn’t have a mate, he had to use his imagination. He took a shine to his own image that reflected from a piece of shiny aluminum that patched a large hole on the bottom of the barn door. B.D. stood before his reflection for hours on end, whispering sweet nothings to it in duck-fashion, and caressing its smooth surface with his head and beak. He was so enamored with his own image that we didn’t think that any of us existed in his mind. But, apparently, he did feel he owed my husband, Jim, a debt of gratitude for feeding him each day.

One day, Buzzard Duck was in rapt discussion with his reflection, as usual, while my husband was hammering away on a piece of equipment in the barnyard. Jim was completely oblivious to the fact that our huge Tom Turkey was nearby. Tom, who had long before instilled terror in the hearts of our 4 children, especially our youngest daughter, Kelly, by chasing them across the barnyard whenever they ventured near, began to circle Jim, preparing for a full charge. Then, with wings spread and neck extended, the turkey sped (as fast as a 50 lb. hunk of white meat can speed) straight towards Jim. Jim was at first unaware that he was a target, but when he heard the rustle of feathers, he looked up to see a black and white duck streaking past him. When he turned around to see where Buzzard Duck was going in such a hurry, he saw what looked like a potential game of “Chicken” between a turkey and a duck. It was the turkey that put on his brakes and made a retreat for the far reaches of the barn lot with a very mad Buzzard Duck in fast pursuit. When B.D. figured that Jim was once again out of harm’s way, he calmly returned to courting his aluminum mate.

It was not too long afterwards that we found someone who had a female Muscovy who was looking for a mate. It was to be Buzzard’s reward for saving the dignity of his benefactor. And a few months’ later, it was Thanksgiving. (No, we didn’t eat Tom, but we did find him and his mate a new home.) Kelly and her sisters and brother were able to cross the barnyard… unarmed… once again, and they all lived happily ever after.