Tag: Spring

Sweet Lorane Community News, April 8, 2021

April 8, 2021Newspaper Columns, , , , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
April 8, 2021
By Pat Edwards

So far, one week into the month, April’s showers have been sharing time with some spring sunshine, and it is so welcome. We have been spending time outside, trying to get a handle on the new green grass in our lawn and the prolific weeds that are growing in the flower beds. Both are competing for our attention with the voles and moles that have decided to take up residence and leave their holes and hills where we don’t want them.

A Black-Headed Grosbeak and a Lazuli Bunting at our feeder about 5 years ago.

In addition, I’ve put up my bird feeders to try to tempt the birds to stop by to visit and dine as they come back into the area. Right now, a few house finches, sparrows, juncos and chickadees are sampling the seeds from the feeders and the mourning doves are picking it up off the ground. Soon, the grosbeaks will be arriving as well as the goldfinches, blackbirds, vireos (occasionally), and so many others. For many years, the beautiful, brilliant blue and orange lazuli buntings arrived like clockwork every April to check in at the feeders. They would stay around through the summer until it was time to head south. For some reason, they stopped coming about 4 years ago. Oh, how I miss them.

Another April event is beginning this week. Lane County is set to resume the construction at Stony Point of the Territorial Highway project north of Lorane on April 12. They’re beginning to move in the heavy equipment now. According to Becky Taylor, Senior Transportation Planner with the Lane County Public Works Department:

“The public will be able to travel through the area, but flaggers may delay or hold traffic up to 20 minutes at a time throughout the summer… The public is encouraged to use alternate routes where possible and to travel safely.

“…Due to project costs exceeding available funding, the construction schedule has been adjusted to construct as much of the project as possible with the available funding. As a result, Phase 2 (from Lorane Hwy at Gillespie Corners to Easy Acres) has been pulled from the construction plans until additional funding can be secured.”

Principal Rodemack of the Crow Middle/High School reports that the newly-instituted hybrid schedule at the school is running smoothly. “Our students have been great in following Covid protocols and being safe. This time is so important for us to demonstrate to the state that schools can be safe so that we can return more and more to a normal school setting, especially for next year.”

The volleyball season was quite successful and they are looking towards the beginning of track, softball and baseball. According to Principal Rodemack, however, they have had few students sign up to participate so far. “We need a certain amount of athletes to field a baseball and softball team and we would love to have both of those sports back at Crow. Track also has a strong tradition at Crow, but our team is quite small at the moment. We encourage students to sign up and participate in sports this year. Experience doesn’t matter, and it can truly be amazing to participate and get to be involved with your school. Please come to the front office and let us know if you want to participate.”

The Lorane Grange meets next on Thursday, May 6 at 7:00 p.m. At that time they will set a date for the annual Lorane Grange Cemetery clean-up. The beautiful old cemetery sits at the top of the hill next to King Estate and is maintained by grange members and community members who want to help. Let them know if you are interested.

Happy Spring!

Sweet Lorane Community News, April 25, 2019

April 25, 2019Newspaper Columns, , , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
April 25, 2019
By Pat Edwards

Glorious Spring! It definitely is a season of rejuvenation. With each year that passes, I feel my age as we make our way through the winter doldrums and rain, but as the sun begins to come out and the ground begins to bring forth the daffodils, tulips and other beautiful blooms, I feel my lost energy returning. This past week, I bought a carload of flowers to plant and I’ve actually planted most of them already—I’ve even watered them several times. The dogs and I have taken some short walks up the hill despite the havoc the uphill climb does to my back, and our sweet, wonderful daughter, Gloria, has mowed the lawns in Lorane twice now.

They say that time heals all wounds… Jim’s have a ways to go yet, but he’s gaining strength and losing some of the pain that his recent accident inflicted on him. He was even able to get on the riding lawnmower at home and tame some of that lush green grass that’s threatening to become a hayfield. Life is good these days.
Activity in the community is blooming, too. There are several new things to tell you about this week.

The date has been set for the community meeting regarding the upcoming Territorial Highway Project in the Lorane area. Be sure to add this to your calendar if you have questions or concerns about how the project will affect your property. It will be held at the Lorane Grange on Thursday, June 20, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The grange has offered to provide beverages and finger foods for those attending. Thank you, Lorane Grange, for once again providing such a valuable and welcoming community venue.

Lisa Livelybrooks has just announced that next year, the Crow-Applegate-Lorane School District will begin participating in an exciting new project called “Roots of Empathy.” This program was developed in Canada to encourage young children to be kinder to each other and, thus to reduce bullying. In the program, the 2nd grade classroom(s) will be visited nine times by a baby that will have been born between May and August of 2019, and its parent. The students will have an opportunity to observe and interact with him/her during those visits. The idea is that because a baby can’t explain and externalize how it is feeling, children learn to recognize and identify the baby’s emotions, and become more emotionally astute themselves. It’s been proven to reduce bullying. Google “Roots of Empathy” to learn more about it.

Lisa is heading up an effort to sign on a volunteer who will agree to 3 days of training and 21 short (20 minute) visits to the classroom throughout the next school year. If this program interests you, please contact Lisa at 541-935-9502 or llivelyb@gmail.com, or the Crow-Applegate-Lorane District Office at 541-935-2100.

The Crow Grange will be hosting its annual Mother’s Day Breakfast on Sunday, May 12, from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. Breakfast includes pancakes or biscuits and gravy, sausage, eggs, juice and coffee. They don’t charge for the breakfast, but donations will be gladly accepted.

Jim and I had the pleasure of attending “The Sound of Music” at the Cottage Theater last night. It was three hours of pure pleasure for this huge fan of the movie—and now, play. Our daughters and I have watched every showing of the movie that we could over the past 54+ years since it debuted in 1965 with Julie Andrews playing the lead. My soul breaks into song whenever I hear, “Raindrops on roses…” or “Do (doe), a deer, a female deer.” But one of my favorite songs from the show has to be, “Climb Every Mountain…” Last night, it was especially sweet, because I was able to hear our niece, Tracy Nygard, as Mother Superior, sing a magnificent rendition of it. It literally brought chills.

Thank you to the whole cast of the Cottage Theater production for providing us a such a fantastic evening.

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!