Wednesday, February 5, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
A SISTERS COUNTRY
Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is a celebration of romantic love — one of the great passions that give life shape, purpose, and meaning. The day is about a great deal more than roses and chocolate — though those things are, indeed, sublime. It is about connection on a deep level, with ourselves and our partners. It is about being our best for ourselves and for those we love — inside and out — and manifesting that in our daily lives. Done right, Valentine’s Day marks merely a moment in which to acknowledge how important our love is to us, and to shape the year-round, day-to-day of building a life that exalts the best in each of us.
It was the winter of disbelief in Eugene, Oregon, January 1969. My sister and I, both in our 20s, were traveling from Ashland where we lived and worked, to spend a long weekend with family. The snow began falling, heavily and thick, as quoted from the Eugene Register-Guard: “It came without warning and left the city under a recordsetting blanket of white.” We arrived safely and unloaded our meager weekend travel bags. By morning my sisterʼs VW Bug was invisible under a mountain of VW-Bug-sized snow. We laughed. We were 20. In our family home there was a young man, a University of Oregon engineering student renting a room. He was 6-feet-8inches tall, a basketball player, and pretty darn cute. The snow continued to fall and fall and fall. The City of Eugene did not have the resources to deal with such weather extremes. No snow plows, nothing. On the front page of the Register-Guard there was an aerial photo of the freeway and the farmlands, blended as one. No traffic. No buses. Nothing could move. We were stranded for 10 days. We played endless games of pinochle, cooked endless pots of spaghetti. University of Oregon was closed! My sister and the basketball player spent endless hours gazing into each otherʼs eyes. We walked to Safeway for groceries, more spaghetti, more pinochle, more snow. I totally remember those days, and the tall handsome man who used the top of the fridge as a platform to make his Dagwood sandwiches.
One day the snow melted enough to allow travel. We headed home to Ashland, my sister lost in a quiet space, me chattering away. Weeks went by and it became obvious we were moving to Eugene for good. My sister was pregnant. With twins. Marriage was not an option. With great resolve and a broken heart , my sister gave birth to twin sons, each weighing in at a respectable 9 pounds — each! The adoption was handled through an attorney. Fast forward to 2002. My sister by then was also a U of O graduate, her career was her life. She had never married. One day she got a phone call from one of her twin sons. He had found his birth mother and wanted to know about his birth father, and family . My sister knew approximately where the family was from and was able to locate the bio-dad. Through reconnection, 30 years later my sister once again met the love of her life. He had been married, fathered two daughters and subsequently divorced. The twin sons brought my sister and their father together again. At age 60, my sister married for the first and only time in her life, to the love of her life. She once told me if she ever saw this story on Oprah she would kill me. Well, this isnʼt Oprah, itʼs The Nugget. This is a real love story. Itʼs about how strong those bonds can be, how time cannot alter real love, about forgiveness, about family. Love is timeless. As in forever.
Love and well-being
Something about the month of romance and Shibui Spa just fit together — like soulmates. Shibui has become a center for wellness and self-care in Sisters, reminding us that living well means taking care of ourselves as well as others. It’s an oasis of peace and centeredness in a hectic world. Make a visit to Shibui a part of your midwinter romantic interlude. Taking care of yourself makes you a better partner, and it certainly makes you feel more relaxed and romantic! And giving the gift of ongoing well-being is one of the greatest gestures of love and affection a person can make for someone they love and want to share their years with. Guests of Shibui Spa know that their time there is so much more than an indulgence (though it certainly feels indulgent!) — it’s an important part of a lifestyle based around health and wellness. Shibui restores the body and the spirit so you can live better every day. And you can keep on giving the gift of health and wellness with a Shibui Spa wellness gift certificate for your Valentine! Ayurvedic & Body Treatments Skin Care • Waxing g Massage
Valentine’s Day Gift Certificates Available...
The h perfect f gift f ffor your perfect someone on your list!
SPA
AT F I V E P I N E
ShibuiSpa.com | 720 Buckaroo Trail, Sisters, Oregon | 541-549-6164
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Wednesday, February 5, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Shop Local For V
All things “fun” for couples
Romance of the West
Cozy, cuddly Valentine’s love
The Pretty Pussycat is about all things fun for couples on Valentine’s Day. The Pretty Pussycat adult boutique is marking 20 years of helping couples enhance romance and passion each and every day — and they provide everything you need to make your Valentine’s Day special. From lingerie to toys to massage oils; candles and bath balms and much more, you can find ways to add a little spark and spice to the occasion. Since it’s a three-day weekend this year, a travel kit might be in order… There’s a library of books, from educational materials to erotica to help inspire. The staff are certified in Sexual Health Resource Education and they are more than happy to answer your questions — or leave you alone to browse. They are committed to creating a comfortable, welcoming environment for their patrons. It’s common for a customer to say, “I’ve wanted to come in for years and you made me feel so welcome!” So make this romantic holiday the time you stop in and open the door to romance.
The romance of the Western lifestyle is on full display at Antler Arts. The Sisters shop is a true treasure trove — full of beauty to fill your home Here’s a short list of some of the locally handcrafted items that make heartfelt gifts for someone special — or beautiful accessories to help you build your life together. Let Antler Arts’ personal shoppers help you with: jewelry; Western art; belt buckles; bolos; steak and hunting knives. Find wine, spirit, and serving accessories; antler guitar stands; toys; Western boots; books; hides; pelts and Native American baskets and dreamcatchers. Pick up walking sticks; shed antler chandeliers, floor and table lamps; moose and elk candelabras. Find shed antler wedding cake toppers and décor; lodgestyle furniture; and antler pet chews. They also have gift baskets, and if you’re not sure just what to get, a gift certificate is always a welcome Valentine’s gift. The best way to experience Antler Arts is to come in and explore together. Nothing brings a couple closer than crafting a way of life together and seeking out the treasures that express it. That’s the gift that Antler Arts gives Sisters.
Alpaca Country Estates offers fun for all your Valentines — year-round! Valentines can spend a night or two on their 134-acre alpaca ranch in one of their bed and breakfast suites. The sunsets cannot be beat from your private deck, and suites are large and comfortable. Enjoy the antics of the 1,000+ alpaca herd and get up close and personal for an alpaca kiss. The Magical Strands Boutique has snuggly, one-of-a-kind Valentine gifts galore, made with alpaca yarn, as well as colorful items imported from Peru. Blankets, rugs, capes, sweaters, coats, scarves, socks, yarn and more…in such beautiful designs you will have trouble deciding what you can’t live without. Want to know more about how you can raise your own alpaca with your Valentine? Alpaca Country Estates’ breeding program is well-known internationally. If your Valentine loves to cook, Alpaca Country Estates also sells a variety of cuts of low-cholesterol, heart-healthy alpaca meat that can be substituted in just about any recipe. Call to order meat for pickup and you can be cooking up your own healthy Valentine’s dinner tonight.
Valentine’s Date Night! Bring your sweetheart in and shop together to create your
EST. 1995
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING UNIQUE FOR YOUR VALENTINE?
Valentine’s Special!
best Valentine’s Day ever!
Lingerie • Novelties • Books and Games Intimate Accessories • Lotions & Potions Smoking Accessories
Don’t’t bbe shy, D h ourr knowledgeable staff is here to help with any questions!
541-317-3566
1341 NE 3rd St., Bendd www.prettypussycat.com m
$20 OFF a $100+ Purchase! & Receive a $20 OFF Gift Certificate for a Future Purchase! (February 5-15, 2020, bring the coupon)
Beautiful B Be eaau utifu tiifu ful N Na Native ati tive ve A American merriiica me ccaan baskets basskkeetts ba Jewelry and belt buckles • Antler wine bottle stoppers/corkscrews & cheese boards/ accessories • Home decor & lighting We Western esstteerrn ar aart rt • G Gi Gift ifftt certificates ift ceerrti tifi fica iccaattee
541-549-4251
Open 7 Days a weekk 111-5 1 5 • 31 3311 11 E. E Cascade C d A Avenue, Sisters 541-549-4251 • Facebook.com/AntlerArtsinc
(Expires April 15, 2020, minimum purchase of $95) $20 free gift certificate may not be combined with or used for a Valentine purchase, or toward purchase of a gift certificate. Can be used at our Bed & Breakfast , boutique or on alpaca meat.
541-504-4226
Wed. Feb. 5 - Sat. Feb. 8, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mon. Feb. 10 - Sat. Feb. 15, Noon to 4 p.m. www.alpacacountryestates.com 70397 Buckhorn Rd., Terrebonne
Wednesday, February 5, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Valentine’s Day! “You are not going to find a husband in that ugly Forest Service uniform,” my daughter said. I had just taken a job as camp host at Suttle Lake. The tan shirt, hat and pants were a little “blah” and not at all flattering, but I had been alone for years and was content in my singleness. My four daughters worried about me living in my 25-foot motor home and traveling around the states by myself. I, on the other hand, felt confident with my Siberian husky Kenjie and my .38 pistol by my side. One day I was emptying the fee box at Blue Bay Campground when I saw the number of guest campers listed as “2-1/2 Men.” I went to check the campsite to see what a 1/2 man looked like to find a grandfather, son and a 7-year-old grandson; half a man! We chuckled at the listing because the TV series “Two And A Half Men” was very popular at the time. I noticed the “Grandfather,” Kurt, had kind but sad sky-blue eyes. He asked me to join them for a hamburger but I refused, stating, “I donʼt like to fraternize with camp guests.” The next morning Kurt stood in my walking path along the shores of Suttle Lake with coffee and sweets in hand. He must have waited on that path for hours. He, again, insisted I drop by the campsite for a hamburger that evening. “My grandson thinks youʼre pretty,” he said with a twinkle in those blue eyes. That evening I did join him and he asked if we could hike around Suttle Lake and maybe do some fishing and share our life stories and sad divorces — him 36 years; me 21 years — and how we were living with a bad decision someone else had made for us. He asked to come from his home in Astoria the next month and take me to dinner. I agreed and four years later we married in a beautiful barefoot beach service on the Oregon Coast. My four sons-in-law were happy to give me away!
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Enhanced beauty adds to joy
Romance is in the Gypsy Wind
Valentine’s Day is a time to look and feel your very best — for your sweetheart and most of all for yourself. Come to Essentials for the Valentines Stone Crop Body Restorative Wrap and Treatment: Head To Toe Glow — $125. Start by polishing your skin with invigorating Eminence Stone Crop Revitalizing Body Scrub that buffs away dull, dry skin. Add the restorative body wrap that detoxifies, hydrates and boosts circulation. Feel pampered as you’re wrapped head to toe in three layers of warmth for 30 minutes of processing time. Add to the joy with an express Eminence facial that exfoliates, hydrates and heals winter-weary skin. A medicalgrade LED treatment is included, as you are cocooned in luxury. Finish with warm towel removal, a lightweight stone crop oil that leaves A BEAUTIFUL SATIN FINISH, plus a contouring body cream, clinically proven to target fat cells and reduce the look of cellulite. Essentials facials, microneedling, dermaplaning, nano facials, waxing, lash lift and tinting, plus full make-up and sunscreen always included with every service.
Janet Kronemeyer of Gypsy Wind Clothing makes it easy to be a Valentine’s Day hero for your sweetie. In fact, it’s a kind of specialty. “I’ve saved more than one marriage — and man!” she says, laughing. Her welcoming shop and one-on-one personal shopping service make it easy to find just the right gift for that someone special, without taking a chance on an embarrassing faux pas. Unique goods of high quality at affordable prices are what’s in store at Gypsy Wind. Jewelry, handbags, and fun, flowy and flattering original-design vests are all wonderful gifts at reasonable prices. Gifts she’ll treasure. And for those shopping for an outfit for date night, Gypsy Wind can help put something together whether you’re going casual or dressing up. Sizes from small to plus mean everyone can find clothing that they’ll love, and that makes them feel nice when they’re out on the town. “I love putting together outfits for ladies,” Janet says. That personal touch is part of the charm of visiting Gypsy Wind Clothing, part of what makes Valentine’s Day a pleasure.
Be pampered and get ready for a wonderful Valentine’s Day with an Eminence Stone Crop full-body scrub and LED facial! Only $125!
Men!
We offer personal shopping assistance! Make her happy and lessen your stress!
Revitalize • Detoxify • Hydrate
Exfoliate • Boost Circulation
Karen Keady Esthetician/Owner 541-480-1412 Rickie Harmon Esthetician 541-363-5339 492 E. Main Ave. 7-Days-A-Week SistersEssentials.com
Essentials Skincare
We also offer gift certificates! WE CARRY SIZES S-2X. Returns and exchanges are always welcome
Gypsy Wind Clothing Open Wed., Thurs, Fri. & Sat., 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Closed Sun. - Tues.
351 W. HOOD AVE., SISTERS
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Wednesday, February 5, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
A SISTERS COUNTRY
Valentine’s Day December 1999, I came to God in prayer, tears welled as I lay in my bed. “God, if there is someone that needs to be loved as I want to love someone and they want to love me as I want to be loved by him, I think I am ready.” January 20, 2000: my coworker dies. She has been suffering from cancer for years. I was asked to serve at her funeral. I totaled my car that week. I was to meet someone to look at a car at 5 p.m. It was raining cats and dogs. It was dark. I showed up to serve around 3 p.m. They were visiting ... visiting … visiting. I never knew her family. I was a bump on a log. Finally, I told the girls I had to leave. Her husband, who I only met briefly two times, sees me leaving and rushes out the door. “Jeannette, thank you for helping.” I answered, “Youʼre welcome.” As he reached down to give me a gentle kiss on the cheek and put his arm around me, I heard the words in my ear, “He is going to ask you out.” It was peaceful... in a still small voice. I was weak in the knees. I called Marilynn. “I guess I will be dating again.” “Are you kidding me?” “God spoke to me in my ear,” I replied calmly. For the next few months I tried to work in my yard. I was so debilitated. I accomplished nothing. I didnʼt want to pursue it. This was God answering my prayer. I didnʼt want to blow it. I was shopping in Fred Meyer and I saw him. I stared at him. He looked so old and he was trying to grow a beard that looked just like Brigham Young. I couldnʼt stomach it. Boy, I am glad I never told anyone but my sister. I stood in line at the grocery store; I had a little chat with God. “Are You really sure, God? Are You really sure.” Four months later, there was the call. I immediately
got dry mouth and could hardly speak. He asked me to a concert. Dating was on the scene in April 2000. He was really good for me. I didnʼt know God as I do now. I do know when God puts you together it is the best thing next to Heaven itself. We flew to Maine to see his birthplace. He proposed to me 30,000 feet in the air. It was so romantic in itself. Melvin was always making everything special. The trip was special. He wanted me to see where he grew up. We toured all around that part of the region in the time we had. One of the highlights was seeing the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow abode. It was a very small house. He sat at the table in a very, very dim light. The window next to the table was very small. He had to only do his writing in the daylight. I was moved by the way that the people in those days had no conveniences. It made me humble. I really like Kennebunkport. Maine lobsters! Melvinʼs friends had been on hold to travel to Alaska. “Get married and quit your job and go with us,” they urged. Melvin didnʼt want to go without me. He made me laugh. We would get to laughing we couldnʼt stop. He couldnʼt get his breath and he says, “what are we laughing about?” Well, we didnʼt have a clue why we were laughing. Melvin was in the Coast Guard. He made a special arrangement to be married on a Coast Guard cutter in Astoria. They had a crossing of the swords. They blew the whistle that the dignitaries were on board (that was us). January 2, 2001, we tied the knot. I had been asking God when it was time to quit work. My goal was to get out of there at 58. Things had changed at work. I had a new boss who was always on my case. Phone, dress, work, and anything else she could think of. The pressure of Melʼs
friend wanting me to retire as they were leaving on June 9, 2001. I believe that the Lord changed my desire to be at work. I no longer wanted to go through year end in June. I no longer wanted to be there at 7:15 a.m. I chose a date that would work for me ... of course, April 22, 2001, my birthday, a present for me. Personnel didnʼt like that. They had me backdate my resignation. They had another problem which my boss didnʼt like that either. I was calm. I kept that date and I was out of there. I had to work my finances so that I could be gone for three months. Mel had every charge card there is to be had. I was concerned that the way out was to take out a loan on the house. I DIDNʼT want to do that. Mel had it paid for. Between the two of us, we had a $90,000 debt load. Time was crunching so we made the decision to do it. We took out a loan for $100,000 and paid off our debt and took $10,000 for the trip. It was beautiful. The Rockies are magnificent. Every time you come around the corner, it is a new scene. Waterfalls, meadows, lakes, flowers just to name a few. So serene. Melvin and I laughed all the way to the Alaska border. Every time we had to stop for a rest or for gas, one of the guys would come over to our rig and say, “What are you two laughing at?” Melvin would just say something to appease him. Gosh, it was so funny. Four rigs were jeering at each other. By the time we got to the Alaska border, the tension was really high. Oh man, that was so bad. Our rigs had so much mud on them we couldnʼt see the paint job. We had to hose all the rigs. We left June 9. It took two weeks to get just to the border. Most of the time, we never got a place to hose off. Everyone was tired and crazy at Beaver Creek. We all laughed at ourselves. We were crazy idiots.
A perfect treat for a special day
Whose Valentine wouldn’t love hazelnuts and chocolate? Shop online for gift boxes loaded with roasted hazelnuts for eating or baking, hazelnut toffee or brittle, chocolatecovered hazelnuts, turtle candy and artisan chocolates. The two-pound Oregon Scenic Chocolate Bar is truly a one-of-a-kind gift. Thinking about making breakfast in bed to impress your sweetie? Hazelnut pancake and waffle mix with hazelnut butter will earn you extra kisses! Artisan truffles are filled with homemade ganache with a perfect hazelnut in the center and a hand-painted tempered chocolate shell. Hazelnut Hill has been growing and making hazelnut products on their Oregon farm for over 26 years, but new owners — Ryan, a fourth-generation farmer, and Rachel, a passionate chocolatier — are using the same recipes, plus some of their own, to take hazelnuts to a new level. Hazelnuts are a great source of magnesium and iron, and a good source of protein and healthy fats. There’s nothing more “Oregon” than hazelnuts; the state is the largest producer in the U.S.
Chocolate & Oregon Hazelnuts Are Divine! — Just For Nugget Valentines — Order Our Nutcracker Trio,
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More delicious gift boxes at www.hazelnuthill.com Order online or call 541-510-4464