Sweet Lorane Community News – August 4, 2016

August 4, 2016Newspaper Columnsanthology, Groundwaters, Lorane Community Potluck, Lorane Family Store, Lorane Fire Department, Lorane Grange, Lorane Growers' Market, Lorane Ice Cream Social, Motorhome, Rescue Horsepaedwards Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
August 4, 2016
By Pat Edwards

The Lorane Grower’s Market, located at the Lorane Family Store, is off and running. It appears that quite a few apples are coming in as well as zucchini, other summer squash, asparagus and plums, according to Jim, but there could be a lot of other items being brought in that I haven’t spotted yet, too. Jim says that “the good stuff” doesn’t last long and is usually gone within a short time after its left.

Last year, several people were collecting windfall apples, regardless of condition, to be used in making horse treats for rescue horse groups. If you have any, contact Robin Rene at 541-521-1023, who is doing it for sure this year.

This must be a good year for apples. My little tree, which has 3 different varieties grafted on it, is so loaded that one of the branches broke. I’ll need to pick some off soon to take down to the Growers Market as the Gravensteins are about ready to eat. The Fujis and Honey Crisp are not far behind.

These past few weeks have been a time of transition for Jim and me. We took the plunge and purchased a nice used motorhome – much bigger than I had envisioned or planned for – but Jim fell in love with it. He’s the one that will be doing most of the driving and since he’s never been a ‘camper’ or ‘RVer’ before, I didn’t want to discourage him now that he seems to have ‘the bug.’

During my childhood, my family took many road trips to destinations including, Southern California, where we had lots of family, the Redwoods, Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon, among others, and we frequently had a travel trailer which we towed. My grandparents always accompanied us with their own car and trailer and the sweet memories that we made have stayed with me my whole life. I’d like Jim to experience a little of what we had then. We plan to do some traveling with my sister and brother-in-law whenever we can, and on our own to visit our daughter Kelly and to see other areas of the U.S. that we haven’t seen yet. We’re not planning to be gone for long periods of time or become “snowbirds”… home is too important to us both… but, we do need and want to spend some leisure time, seeing and experiencing new things while we can.

I’m going to cut this a bit short this week, but I do want to remind everyone about next weekend’s Lorane Community Potluck, held at the Grange, and the Lorane Ice Cream Social, to be held in front of the fire station and church. The lunch begins at 12:30 (bring something to share) and the Social begins at 1:00 p.m. Both are popular events and we hope to see our friends and neighbors there. It’s a fun time for the whole community!

One other quick reminder for any of you who like to write – stories, poetry, memoirs, essays, etc. The deadline for the Groundwaters 2016 anthology is August 15. Please get your materials to us or at least reserve space in it by that date. We already have many wonderful entries and we expect it to be even better than last year’s.

Sweet Lorane Community News – July 14, 2016

July 14, 2016Newspaper ColumnsAlyssa Shepherd, anthology, Film Camp, Groundwaters, Kevin Stevens, Lorane Christian Church, Lorane Community Assoc., Lorane Craft Group, Lorane Family Store, Lorane Growers' Market, Lorane Movie Night, Marissa McNutt Cooper, Rural Art Center, Takako Bartolduspaedwards Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
July 14, 2016
By Pat Edwards

Life has begun to return to whatever “normal” is for Jim and I since our recently aborted attempt at a vacation. My brother-in-law, John, is back under his own doctor’s care and is at home for now. Jim’s been busily working at the store and at home, and Jennifer Chambers and I’ve begun our work on this year’s edition of the Groundwaters 2016 anthology.

Jim has been in seventh heaven since our grandson, Kevin, moved back to Lorane to help him at the store and with our rentals across the street. Kev’s been a godsend and we are so grateful that he is here to help out. It has allowed Jim to take on some projects at home he has been wanting to do for a long time, and Kev’s experience at managing Safeway stores is really making itself evident at the store, too. Thank you, Kev!!

The Lorane Grower’s Market is about to be set up at the Lorane Family Store. Whenever any of you have extra produce from your gardens or fruit trees that you would like to donate to the Lorane Community Association, please bring them to the store and put them on the display rack in front under the canopy. (Flowers and plants are welcome, too, if you bring them in containers with water.) If you know that you will be donating something perishable that needs refrigeration, let Marissa McNutt Cooper or Jim know so that a cooler chest can be made available to store them in.

The way it works is that donated produce is left at the stand and anyone who wants to buy or trade for it can do so. It’s set up on the honor system, and a secure cash box is located beside the produce bench. Place whatever amount you want to donate towards the produce you are taking (or towards the community fund). If you bring produce, you are welcome to trade it for some that others have left. The cashbox is emptied daily and all proceeds go towards community projects that benefit us all.

I am trying to get information on a new group that seems to be forming in Lorane. Apparently, community women are being invited to participate in a crafting get-together to be held at the Lorane Christian Church. An initial meeting has been set for Tuesday, July 19 at 7:00 p.m. I understand that if there appears to be enough interest, depending on how many show up on Tuesday night, they may begin holding them on a regular basis. I’ll try to get more details for next week’s column.

Here’s some more information about the free Rural Art Center’s Film Camp…“For the 5th year in a row, Rural Art Center will transform the Art Room at Applegate Elementary into Film Production Central. Thanks to generous grants from Oregon Country Fair Foundation and Plum Creek Foundation we have great equipment to work with. People of all ages are encouraged to come and join in the flurry of creativity and in the making of a film.

“We have used a variety of mediums to tell wonderful stories to our community. The Rural Art Center Movie Night will premiere our production in October. This year’s camp will meet Monday, August 8 to Thursday, August 11 and Monday, August 15 to Thursday, August 18. All days will be from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

“Takako Bartoldus will join us to share a well-known Japanese story called “Tears of the Red Oni.” This story explores sacrifice, friendship and, especially, Japanese culture. Takako taught high school in Japan for 10 years before relocating to Eugene 5 years ago. She is now an Assistant Teacher at Bridgeway House School.

“The Film Camp is free. Contact Alyssa Shepherd at malyssa2@yahoo.com or call 541-556-8151 for questions or to enroll.”

Sweet Lorane Community News – June 9, 2016

June 9, 2016Newspaper ColumnsBoy Scouts, Chris Starfire, Lorane Bread Basket, Lorane Christian Church, Lorane Community Assoc., Lorane Directory, Lorane Fire Department, Lorane Grange, Lorane Growers' Market, Lorane Rebekahs, Lorane Senior Lunch, Marissa McNutt Cooper, Patrick Dearth, Theta Rhopaedwards Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
June 9, 2016
By Pat Edwards

Welcome to a classic beginning to an Oregon summer! Last week, a few brave hay farmers were able to get their fields cut, raked, baled and picked up before the change in weather. Some, however, held their breaths, hoping that the cooler temps and “chances of showers” were not going to ruin the hay that was cut but not yet dry enough to bale.

I am so glad that Jim has finally dismounted from his tractor, given up the fields he has tended for so long and is looking closer to home for his projects. For the first time in 52 years of marriage, I’m able to hand over the lawn mowing duties and share the yardwork with him. Wow! What a gift!

The new Lorane Directory, which has been set up on Facebook, is getting some use, it appears. Thank you to Chris Starfire for setting it up and to Marissa McNutt Cooper and Patrick Dearth for helping to administrate it. It gives members a chance to list for sale items in the area so that our regular Lorane, Oregon Facebook page can be kept for community discussions, concerns and announcements. The Lorane Directory is also meant to provide community members information on resources within the community. In looking through the actual directory list, however, I notice that several of our service organizations and activity and interest groups have not added their listings yet. If this is going to be a truly helpful resource, they need to be added, but the information must come from the organizations themselves… i.e services provided, meeting times and places, need for new memberships, contact information, etc.

I had a request the other day from an AmeriCorps volunteer who is working on a food systems assessment for Southern Lane County. She needed to find out how to get in touch with those who are running the Lorane Bread Basket food pantry. I was able to track down the information for her and she got in touch with one of the organizers, but this is one of the reasons why we need to have info on our service organizations posted (Bread Basket, Senior Lunches, Grange, Rebekahs, Theta Rho, Boy Scouts, Fire Department, Church, Community Association, Growers Market, etc.). The most important reason, however, is for those new to the community to learn what services are available to them and how they can participate as volunteers or make use of the services they provide. I was told that some of the food has to be thrown out because there are not enough requests for it during the year. I’m sure that families in the area who are struggling could use it if they knew it was available.

Let’s all encourage the community members who offer a skill or product and organizations that offer services to make sure that they are listed on the Lorane Directory so that it can truly be a useful tool for all of us. The directory file can be found at https://www.facebook.com/notes/999281663489459/Lorane%20Directory/999298380154454 or just type in “Lorane Directory” in the Facebook search box. Go to “Files” and select the Lorane Directory file.