16 Holidays in Sisters
Wednesday, December 1, 2021 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Wednesday, December 1, 2021 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Holidays in Sisters 17
Young Life hosts
tree hunting expedition — By Bill Bartlett —
Have a candy-coated Holiday with see’s candies! Come by the Kiwanis See’s Candies Trailer in the Ray’s Food Place Parking Lot to order!
Monday-Sunday, Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, November 20 through Friday, December 31 (While supplies last)
Watch for Hoodoo Opening p g Date! Rent or buy skis and snowboards, and purchase Hoodoo lift tickets or season passes!
Get OUTDOORS for the HOLIDAYS!
All over town you can spot cars and trucks with trees strapped to the roof or truck bed, fresh from being hunted and cut in the woods. This has been a Sisters tradition for as long as there has been a Sisters — even before. By now folks know you need a $5 permit to harvest a tree on public lands. You can save as much as $170 against the current Lowe’s or Home Depot price for a 12-foot fir. Trekking into the forest to find that perfect tree is a family affair with rewards greater than the tree itself. Young Life of Sisters has made it even easier with some added benefits. Last weekend from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and this weekend (December 4 and 5) at the same time, the 80-year-old organization allows visitors to come to Kalamataca Ranch on McAllister Road, the first left past the entrance to Black Butte Ranch heading westbound. Kalamataca is not a tree farm. It is, however, an 80-acre spread full of natural Christmas trees. Once your trophy is bagged, you are treated to hot cocoa and the chance to sit around a fire roasting marshmallows. There is also homemade chili with corn bread, including gluten-free options. Young Life has made it impossibly easy. Even if you don’t have a saw or rope, they will supply it. They issue a no-charge permit in exchange for a simple waiver. The yellow-colored permit attaches to the tree as evidence that you didn’t poach it. They’ll even cut the tree for you and bring it back to
the car park if navigating the terrain is a bit much. That’s a hard deal to pass up. While there you can make your own greenery swags or centerpieces. At the craft table make a peanut butter or pinecone bird feeder. What Young life really wants you to do is have fun, the old fashioned way. There’s a good chance you’ve heard about Young Life, or at least the name. In over 100 countries the organization has interacted with two million lives. 348,000 kids are involved weekly in the founder’s mission to introduce adolescents to Jesus Christ and help them grow in their faith. They have multiple programs for middle (WyldLife) and high school (Young Life) students and teen moms. Best known are their summer camps. There is the week-long family camp at Trails West in Colorado and regionally, Washington Family Ranch in Antelope, Oregon. (For more information about Young Life programs in Sisters, call Shannon Miller at 206-356-0972.) When The Nugget went to Kalamataca — whose name is derived from combining the initials of the owners, Kevin and Laurie Adams and their children Matt, Tiffany and Christopher — we were greeted by families from as far as Prineville, Powell Butte, and Bend. We trailed the Oak family — mom and dad, Rena and Johnny, Halle and Rylan, 12 and Cleo, 9. They typified the many enthusiastic adventurers as we headed up the ridge in
541-904-4673
411 E. Cascade Ave., Sisters
Open Sunday-Wednesday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday-Saturday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Youth gathered round a firepit to roast marshmallows.
A Holiday Gi of Choice COMFORT FOOD • COCKTAILS LIVE MUSIC • WEARABLES Reserve Our Private Party Room
541-904-4660 | 250 W. Cascade,Sisters | sistersdepot.com
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
The Oak family found their perfect 12-foot fir last weekend at Kalamataca Ranch. PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
search of the prey. Just when the perfect specimen was thought to be discovered, another family member found an even better one and so it went until at last, there it was, bathed in sunlight. A 12-foot fir, exquisitely proportioned. Felling the prize is a family effort, each taking turns with the saw and shouting in unison t-i-m-b-e-r as the beast toppled over; then came the real work, carrying it out and loaded. Mom was spared the carry part with everybody else pitching in. “We bought a tree last year, the COVID thing,” Johnny said. “Never again,” was Rena’s input, both saying that the “… shared family experience of going into the woods cannot be found at a street corner lot.” The Oaks imagined an hour ride home and all the talk of decorating the tree, stringing lights outside and being able to tell others of their tree hunting adventure. Shannon Miller of the Young Life staff said, “This has never been about raising
money. We are just so delighted that we can sponsor something that has such meaning to families, bringing them together in way they can remember all their lives.” Laurie Adams told of how some families come as they cannot otherwise afford a tree, especially this year when prices are up substantially. Several factors are driving the trend including over-the-top sales last year during the first Christmas during the COVID19 pandemic and supply chain issues this year exacerbated by drought. Experts said tree buyers should expect to pay between 10 percent and 30 percent more for both live and artificial trees this year, and also have a smaller selection to choose from. Oregon is the nation’s top producer of Christmas trees, responsible for 31 percent of the U.S. harvest in 2020, according to the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Growing the trees in the state is a $100 million industry.
Thank You…
…for for shopping locally for affordable gifts of jewelry, art, pottery & more!
541-749-1800 • ON THE CORNER OF S. PINE ST., & W. HOOD AVE., SISTERS • HOODAVENUEART.COM
FREE SHIPPING WITH $39 PURCHASE!
The Jewel
For over 30 years The Jewel has been a landmark and repeat destination for visitors and locals alike. This eye-popping gallery is filled with unique gold and silver jewelry designs, quality minerals and fossils, and dramatic solid stone (alabaster) lighting and hand-carved bowls. The gallery’s dramatic visual impact is worth the visit and with prices from $40 to $12,000, there’s something for every budget. From the very beginning owner/designer Jan Daggett’s keen eye for design and unique ability to sculpt both stone and precious metals, gave her work a distinctive style. By age 17 she had sold her first jewelry collection on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, and in 1980 bought and developed an important agate mine, selling specimens to The Smithsonian Museum and collectors around the world. The Jewel in Sisters is her ultimate showcase for the Spectacular Stone in all its forms, and art of jewelry design.
Warming Winter Teas… Send A Refreshing Holiday Gift
541-549-8077 | 450 E. Cascade Ave. | suttletea.com
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Gold Silver
Sisters Apothecary
Since she opened her doors in June, Sheree Vance has been gratified at the public response to Sisters Apothecary. “I love it that it’s everybody’s favorite new store,” she said. And it’s no wonder. Sheree curates her offerings carefully, and she’s knowledgeable and enthusiastic about every hand-picked product in the store — from popular cocktail infusions to U.S. Apothecary and Dani lines of skincare products, to winter candles. The men’s section is continually growing, and there’s an expanding selection of Ayurvedic and essential oils; Tea Forté loose-leaf and single-steep teas; bath elixirs, soothing salts, and lotions; honey tonics from Mickelberry Gardens out of Portland, and more. Everything Sisters Apothecary offers makes a wonderful gift for wellbeing, comfort and quality Sisters living. The experience of shopping at Sisters Apothecary is enjoyable — you can explore and find all sorts of products to enhance your life, and the lives of those on your gift list.
Susan Waymire CTC, Travel Store
The new year of 2022 is just around the corner and you are one of those that is burning to get out of town. It’s time to seek out the assistance of your friendly local travel advisor. One thing that COVID-19 has taught us is there are many more regulations to traveling overseas now. Domestic travel is surging and international travel is on the upswing now that borders are slowly opening. Many tours and cruises are already booked as previously canceled reservations were forwarded to 2022. Right now, Mexico, Central America, and South America are great destinations to travel if you are vaccinated. From expedition wildlife cruising to beach stays at remote resorts, there are many options available to finding that winter warmth. If you are looking for an adventure or active vacation, Susan Waymire is an expert in this area. Contact her to book that trip of a lifetime.
Minerals
Fine Gold Jewelry Stone Lamps
Fossils
Whatever Your Dream Destination...
Start 2022 Travel Planning Now! • Luxury & Adventure Specialist • 30 years travelplanning experience • Custom itineraries • Concierge-level services tailored to your interests and special needs
SUSAN WAYMIRE CTC, TRAVELSTORE
541-719-8997
Susan.W@travelstore.com
