Author: paedwards

Sweet Lorane Community News, May 3, 2018

May 3, 2018Newspaper Columns, , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
May 3, 2018
By Pat Edwards

Last week, the Easy Acres Neighborhood Group invited all Lorane residents to attend a Firewise (Wildfire Prevention) program conducted by Alex Rahmlow, a coordinator from the Western Lane Fire division of the Oregon Department of Forestry. We had a really good turnout of approximately 30 people—about half from Easy Acres and half from the greater Lorane area. A lot of interest was shown and questions were asked about what should be considered when we are ready to make our properties less inviting for wildfires. Much of the information is common sense, but it sharpened our focus on how very important it is to try and minimize the dry, brushy undergrowth near our homes, leaving at least a 30′ green parameter around our houses and outbuildings and a much wider band where brush has been cleared around trees and dead limbs and lower branches have been removed.

Caution on following the rules of designated guidelines posted by the fire districts during fire season is vital for each of us. During hot dry summers we need to be careful not to use mowers, chain saws, trimmers or other equipment that can emit sparks usually after 1:00 p.m. each day during the extreme fire danger periods.

The program did not focus so much on the common sense considerations such as campfires in undesignated areas, throwing cigarette butts out the car window, dumping still hot charcoal briquettes into areas that could catch fire, or burning of any kind, but these are things that are still being done occasionally.

During the recent summer when the fire danger was extremely high, I frequently walked our dogs up Easy Acres and was shocked by the number of cigarette butts I found along the road… many that were obviously recent discards. Even though this is normally something that people know not to do during fire season (or any time), I shuddered to think what could happen to Jim and me and our neighbors if one of those had fallen on a dry patch of dead leaves and caught fire.

All of us need to be extra cautious—for our own sakes as well as our neighbors’. John Eckles is putting together an 8-member board for our community group on Easy Acres Drive to monitor and assess the conditions along our road. Other areas in and around Lorane that are particularly wooded or brushy should consider doing the same.

For more information on how to form these groups, contact Alex Rahmlow, the Western Lane planning coordinator at 541-935-2283.

I understand that congratulations are in order for Mrs. Heather Hohnstein, teacher of English, Drama, Health at Crow Middle/High School. She is to receive an award from the U. S. Air Force “in recognition of outstanding support and dedication to the ideals and principles of the USA in her careers class, and in helping students get ready for their futures.” Congratulations!

The Crow Grange will be sponsoring its annual Mother’s Day Breakfast to be held on Sunday, May 13 from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. The menu includes pancakes or biscuits and gravy, sausage, eggs, fruit juice and coffee. They suggest a $5 dollar donation per person.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the mothers out there!

Sweet Lorane Community News, April 26, 2018

April 26, 2018Newspaper Columns, , , , , , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
April 26, 2018
By Pat Edwards

After a glorious week of sunshine and 70 to 80 degree weather and busy, busy days, I am taking a quiet day today as the spring rain falls outside. I need to get my column written and to work on a fascinating new book project I’m writing. I’ll at least get this written and sent off, but the weekend promises to be even busier than usual with a craft/bake sale, a baby-shower, a dessert and bingo evening, a fire prevention program, and a birthday dinner for our granddaughter on my schedule. By the time you read this, the weekend will have passed, hopefully our nice weather will be back, and I’ll have survived.

Sadly, Lorane has lost another one of our favorite residents. After suffering several major strokes, Lloyd Porter, passed away this past week. Lloyd is remembered by many for his ever-present cowboy hat, jeans, boots and western shirts, and frequently, when he was still riding, his horse would be tied up at the Lorane Family Store while he went in to get a snack. He always had a bright and sunny disposition and enjoyed making friends, of which he had many. His wife, Jeri, asked me to let everyone know that there will be a Celebration of Life in Lloyd’s honor on Saturday, May 19 at 1:00 p.m. at the Lorane Christian Church. A potluck will follow. Everyone is invited. Our condolences go out to Jeri and his family.

I’d like to tell you a bit about the new book I’m working on.

Cover first draft - promo

Captain John O’Brien homesteaded 160 of land west of Lorane in the Letz Creek Road area in 1873, following his 4 years of service in the American Civil War. I have been very fortunate to connect with a descendant of his who is allowing me to include excerpts from the almost 50 letters that Captain O’Brien wrote to a favorite cousin during the war years. An Irish immigrant, he enlisted as a private in 1861 in the first volunteer regiment formed in the Union army from Connecticut and by the end of the war, he was honorably discharged as a captain by brevet. His letters are so very interesting and full of stories about the battles he was involved in with the 1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery regiment, as well as the conditions he lived under and his reflections on his love for his adopted country and the honor he felt to serve.

After his military service, he went back to his home in New Haven, Connecticut, where he tried working in the trade he apprenticed for before the war—a printer—but after his years in battle, he felt the need to explore the west. In doing so, first in Helena, Montana and later Sacramento, California and then San Francisco, he became involved in helping to form typographical trade unions to benefit the working men and, later women. He was soon active in the Federated Trades Assembly… a collection of trade unions that worked together for reform that eventually morphed into the American Federation of Labor (AFL) that was headed by Samuel Gompers. John soon ended up in Portland, Oregon in the early 1880s where he was president—and on the executive committees—of both the Multnomah Typographical Union #58 and the Federated Trades Assembly of Portland. He also founded the Portland Daily Sun newspaper there.

As often as possible, Captain John O’Brien would retreat to his property in Lorane where he was respected as a gentleman who cared about his neighbors and friends. It was there where he retired in 1907 and where he lived until his death in 1931.

I’m completely enamored with his story and I hope that I can do him justice in this new book which I will probably be calling The Life and Letters of Captain John O’Brien. I hope to have it in print by the end of June.

I’m always looking for photos and/or stories of any of our early Lorane residents. I’ve found that each of them had their own special stories that I would like to tell.

Sweet Lorane Community News, April 19, 2018

April 19, 2018Newspaper Columns, , , , , , , 1 Comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
April 19, 2018
By Pat Edwards

Two days, so far, of beautiful sunshine and warm temperatures! I’m in heaven. These 75-year-old bones are getting a bit creaky, so I’ve decided that, this year, I’m going to go at my spring planting and yardwork a little slower than I usually do. I don’t want to pay too dear a price the next day, so my goal is to get at least one major project done each day. Yesterday, I planted my petunia box. It holds 3 dozen plants that I stick through holes drilled through the front and sides of it as well as those that cover the top. Digging the old soil out and freshening it before I layer it on top of the plants protruding from the holes takes a bit of time, so I had a real sense of accomplishment when it was done. I have one more to do at my daughter’s house. I take pride in the fact that I built both boxes with my own hands a couple of years ago and when they are fully in bloom, they are a solid mass of color.

Today, was shrub planting day. Digging three holes and planting shrubs is all the physical work I want to do today since my back has said, “Enough!” but at least I can mark that one off my list now, too. I may even be up to doing some mowing this afternoon after I’ve written this column and worked on my new book a bit. (Fortunately, I use a riding lawnmower.)

The Easy Acres Neighborhood group is inviting the Lorane community to attend a Wildfire Prevention program to be held at the Lorane Grange on Sunday, April 29 at 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

The program will be conducted by Fire Planning Coordinator, Alex Rahmlow, of the Oregon Department of Forestry, District of Western Lane. We can all benefit from Alex’s presentation by preparing for this year’s fire season. We all know how scary wildfires are after experiencing one really close to home the summer of 2015. 11888121_1625459517709138_4611884414108457338_n

We hope there will be a large turnout, since the more people who care enough to take measures to diminish the chance of wildfires on their property, the safer we all will be.
Just a reminder… the Lorane Christian Church’s Bake Sale and Craft Faire will be held at the Lorane Grange on Saturday, April 28 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. They are renting tables to display your product for $5 each plus a 10% commission will be charged on sales. I’m going to have one of the tables there for my books, (They are crafts, aren’t they?) and am trying to decide whether or not to bake some goodies, too. I hope to see some familiar faces there that day although I won’t be able to stay to the end. Tracie DeBoer has agreed to watch over my table until closing. Be sure to sign up for a table!

Later, that evening, the Lorane Grange will be holding its Dessert and Bingo Night beginning at 6:00 p.m. It’s for the whole family and the progressive blackout game, played at the very end, is ripe for winning. They also have a 50-50 drawing and great desserts. It’s always a fun evening. Be sure to come if you get the chance.

Here’s an update on the fundraiser for the Crow High School Band trip to Washington, D.C. to represent Oregon in the “Parade of Heroes” that I included in a recent column. Thanks to so many of you out there, they are nearing their goal to guarantee that the band can go. Be sure to send in your donations to the high school office and/or buy a really great-looking t-shirt at https://www.bonfire.com/crow-high-school-band/. It looks like it’s going to happen!

I hope everyone has been enjoy this beautiful weather!