Curbside Libraries Little free libraries are popping up in Central Oregon Adventures of Record Gifts for the Gardener
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Central Oregon Living | 3
Central Oregon Living
FEATURES HIGH DESERT LIFESTYLES 5 6 10 13 17 18 20
WINTER 2013
editor’s note give a book, take a book last saturday at old ironworks adventures of record taking a longer look at rice holiday rice recipes the craft of cider
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The Craft of Cider
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IN THE GARDEN
A Long Look at Rice
23 green roofs top it off 26 garden calendar 28 expert advice - building and real estate 30 events calendar
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Adventures of Record
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Central Oregon Living Autumn 2013 is a product of The Bulletin’s Special Projects Division, 1777 SW Chandler Ave., Bend OR 97702. All content is the property of The Bulletin/Western Communications Inc., and may not be reproduced without written consent.
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Printed by The Bulletin Western Communications Commercial Print Division. Story ideas may be submitted to editor Ben Montgomery for consideration. Contact him at (541) 383-0379 or bmontgomery@bendbulletin.com.
Staff members for The Bulletin’s special projects division include: Martha Tiller, Special Projects Manager; Ben Montgomery, Special Projects Editor; Clint Nye, Graphic Designer; Nicole Werner, Special Projects Image and New Media; Stacie Oberson, Special Projects Coordinator; Kari Mauser, Special Projects Editorial Assistant. Published Saturday, December 7, 2013
Cover photo by Nicole Werner
EDITOR’S
note
A Special Season Aglow with Potential During an evening drive home from daycare last winter, my daughter noticed something had changed. Passing homes that once glowed from twinkling holiday lights along rooflines and around modestly sized trees and bushes, Maya noticed our route had gotten darker and much less colorful. “Where did all the Christmas lights go?” she asked, bewildered. Christmas is over, I replied. Most of them have been taken down and stored away for next year. “But Daddy,” she said, “they were pretty. Don’t they make everybody happy?” Sure they do, Sweetie. But they can’t stay up all year. They have to come down eventually. “Oh,” she replied, pausing in thought for several seconds before suggesting, “I guess the police would come get the people if they didn’t take down the lights, huh?” Not likely, I said. Taking down lights
and decorations is just what people in January — like we took down the tree and the stockings and the lights at our house. Christmas season is all over until next year. This is where our conversation ended, at least until near the end of our drive. I got the sense that it left Maya with some thinking to do, and in turn I drove home trying to consider the worldview of my 4-yearold, a girl who I hope never ceases to question what may seem obvious to the rest of us. As the new year ramps up for us adults, we tend to become preoccupied with the struggles in our lives — in personal qualities that could stand some improvement for the betterment of our futures. We resolve to paint more, give up sweets, finally make use of that gym membership, and organize our lives within the architecture of
a single, magical app that ensures we never again miss messages, appointments or birthdays. We kick down the door to another new year with the zealousness of a person still riding high from a jubilant holiday season, and we hope the inertia of positivity carries us toward better days — toward a future where we find just enough motivation, confidence and discipline to accomplish all that’s eluded us in the past. It’s in January when we can see ourselves all aglow with achievement. It’s when we can visualize a day when we finally get that promotion, can fit into our skinny jeans, are able to finish that first 10K, or can become better spouses, parents and friends. Sure, this is nothing but window dressing for many — less than 10 percent of everyone who makes a New Year’s resolution actually accomplishes
it — but the visions drive us. We know not every goal is attainable, but we also know that this fact simply makes the small victories sweeter and the larger ones more magnificent. So if they can truly help brighten our moods and our outlooks, representing a season that gives us pause enough to dream of the possibilities within us, why not Christmas lights year round? It’s a worthy question. “Daddy,” Maya interrupted as I pulled the car up our driveway. “I know why we have to take down all the lights.” Why? I asked. “Because if we don’t, they won’t be special when Christmas comes again next year. And we want Christmas to always be special, right?” Of course, Sweetie. I couldn’t have said it any better. Ben Montgomery is The Bulletin’s special projects editor.
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS
Annissa Anderson, a freelance writer and public relations consultant, also studied culinary arts and worked as a pastry chef in another life. She writes regularly for The Bulletin and other local publications.
An avid crocheter and origamist, John Cal worked as a baker, head chef, ukuleleist, and Sno-Cat driver before settling into writing. He enjoys filling his time with yoga, postcard writing, and collecting bowties as well as candy from around the world. He lives in Sisters.
Amy Jo Detweiler has been working as OSU Extension Horticulture Faculty in Central Oregon for 12 years. She provides education in home horticulture, commercial horticulture, and provides annual training for the local OSU Master Gardener™ Program.
The Bulletin’s Special Projects Editorial Assistant, Kari Mauser loves to uncover and share the interesting, inspiring and important stories that surround us. She and her husband spend their time rediscovering the magic of the world through the eyes of their two little boys.
Gregg Morris is a freelance writer and musician. You can find him finishing articles at the local tea shop, performing with his band or homeschooling his daughter. Supposed free time is spent in the woods with his wife and daughter or executing his duties with the Deschutes County Search and Rescue team.
Nate Pedersen is a community librarian with Deschutes Public Library. He also moonlights as a freelance journalist. He lives in Bend with his author wife, April Tucholke, and their dog. His webside is natepedersen.com.
Central Oregon Living | 5
Little Free Libraries are popping up in neighborhoods throughout Central Oregon, creating a sense of community based on a common love of books.
GIVE TAKE a book
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by Nate Pedersen, for The Bulletin Special Projects
Dorothy and John Sweet, 708 NW Vicksburg, Bend, built their Little Free Library from reclaimed items.
On a sunny October afternoon, 36 people gathered in front of Linda Bilyeu’s house in the Tumalo Rim neighborhood of Bend. Their objective: to commemorate the opening of the first “Little Free Library” in the neighborhood. Apple cider, pumpkin bars and cookies were served. Local residents aged 3 months to 86 years – accompanied by their dogs (this is Bend after all) – milled about, looked at books and shared conversations with their neighbors. “It was such a wonderful time to meet neighbors and recommend books for family reading,” Bilyeu said. “Many neighbors are in book clubs, and they brought books to share in the library.”
people know one another, talk to one another and feel like they have a sense of place. “I don’t want to be anonymous to my neighbors.” That goal of creating and developing community is a common thread amongst LFL builders. “The LFL brings a sense of community to our corner of Bend,” said John Sweet, who installed an LFL on his property at 708 NW Vicksburg. “It’s a small way to say, ‘We love our neighborhood and are happy to be here.’” The Little Free Libraries website (littlefreelibrary.org) maintains a list and interactive map of all of the registered Little Free Libraries around the world. Builders of Little Free Libraries are encouraged, but not required, to register their
‘We love our neighborhood and are happy to be here.’”
Kim Bezdek, at 950 NW 22nd St., Redmond, involved her children in the building of her Little Free Library.
Little Free Libraries are popping up all over Central Oregon, united by their ability to build a local community around books. What, exactly, are they? At their most basic, little free libraries (or LFLs, to the initiated) are shelters that house free books for people to take and replace at will. But the ambitions – and attractions – of the movement are much loftier. “I think the LFL movement is as popular as it is (10,000 libraries and growing worldwide) because lots of people want the same thing: they want to connect with their neighbors, they want to participate in community,” said Kathryn Olney, who with her husband, Jim Roberts, maintains an LFL at 1279 NW Trenton Ave. in Bend. Olney added: “I like having an LFL because I like making my neighborhood a place where
library on the website. Five libraries are currently registered in Central Oregon – four in Bend and one in Redmond. If you are interested in building your own LFL, the LFL website includes plans to help you build one from scratch. Alternatively, you can purchase a pre-built Little Free Library from the website. Many people, however, enjoy the creative challenge of building a Little Free Library from their own design. “I enjoy incorporating found or repurposed articles into my pieces,” said Sweet, who built his Little Free Library out of fused glass, aluminum signs, picture frames, old pieces of copper, recycled bike gears and maple building blocks. His finished library – a real showstopper – attracts a lot of attention from passersby. “There are a number of people that walk by our house on a daily
Kathryn Olney, 1279 NW Trenton Ave., Bend, built her Little Free Library to encourage community interaction.
Central Oregon Living | 7
This Little Free Library, owned by Ceci Capen, is located at 280 NW 17th Ave. in Bend. 8 | Central Oregon Living
“I love watching out my window and seeing moms and dads with strollers, bikes, backpacks, bringing the kids to pick out books.�
basis heading to the dog park,” said Sweet. “I now see many of them with a dog leash in one hand and a book in the other.” Bilyeu also enjoys the variety of people who browse the books in her LFL at 64217 Tumalo Rim. “I love watching out my window and seeing moms and dads with strollers, bikes, backpacks, bringing the kids to pick out books,” she said. The owners of Little Free Libraries are also excited to foster the growth of the movement, which began four years ago in Wisconsin. “We keep hoping more people will see how easy it is to have an LFL and will start their own,” said Kim Bezdek, who has one at 1950 NW 22nd in Redmond. Bezdek involved her two children, ages 4 and 6, in the creation and management of their LFL built out of an old propane locker. “My kids love to say hello to people that stop by and explain what the library is for,” she said. What do brick-and-mortar libraries feel about the emergence of LFLs? Locally, the Deschutes Public Library fully supports the growth of the movement. “LFLs are whimsy with no due dates, no fines and no shushing,” said Glenna Rhodes, community services manager for the district. “They are like a fan club for ‘real’ libraries. Or as Colton said, ‘Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.’” In fact, the East Branch of the Deschutes Public Library will be leading a workshop about Little Free Libraries on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. Kathryn Olney and Jim Roberts will be leading the workshop, where they will discuss the process of building their Little Free Library and share some ideas on how to build your own. The prospect of building an LFL shouldn’t
About
Little Free Libraries Little Free Libraries are book exchanges which are part of a global movement that began four years ago in Wisconsin. Their tagline is simple: Take a Book; Leave a Book. The mission of the movement is two-fold: to promote literacy and the love of reading by building book exchanges worldwide; and to build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity and wisdom across generations.
be intimidating, even if you’re not handy with tools, according to Roberts. He built an Little Free Library for his wife, Kathryn, despite the fact that “I am not, nor ever have, nor never will be, a woodworker,” he said. “My thought is that if I can do it anyone can.”
The recipe to participate is equally simple: • Build a small structure to house books • Install said structure on your property • Fill structure with books • Open the library to your community There are now more than 12,000 around the world. That means, on average, about 8 libraries have been built every day since the beginning of the movement. To learn more about Little Free Libraries or to find an LFL near your neighborhood, visit littlefreelibrary.org. Located in front of the Linda Bilyeu home at 64217 Tumalo Rim Dr., Bend, this Little Free Library (right) is one of the area’s newest.
Central Oregon Living | 9
LAST SATURDAY at the Old Ironworks Art District
by John Cal / for The Bulletin Special Projects
A Bend art event with a neighborhood vibe continues to grow in local popularity. Photo submitted
10 | Central Oregon Living
Stuart Breidenstein, in-house artist at Stuarts of Bend, opened his studio in 2000 near Sparrow Bakery in what is now being called the Old Ironworks Arts District just outside the Old Mill District. “We had our Grand Opening on a Saturday and had a nice turnout,” Breidenstein recalled. “ Several dozen people came, and so we just decided to have another event, and then another one, and the day just stuck.” Three years later, what’s now become known as Last Saturday in Bend has several hundred people attend each month to wander about, meet artists, and both admire and purchase their new creations. Every last Saturday of the month from approximately 5 to 11 p.m., artists, art enthusiasts, musicians, and lovers of beauty and creativity alike gather to appreciate, listen, drink and be merry at the Old Ironworks Arts District. “When people think art walk in Bend, they immediately think of First Friday,” said Breidenstein. “We’re completely different than First Friday. We’re not trying to be First Friday. I think First Friday is great. It’s its own thing.” Along with cohorts like Tambi Lane, Cari Dolyniuk and the rest of the art community that has come to call the Ironworks District their home, Breidenstein is rethinking what an art walk is all about. “It’s all in a pretty centralized location here, and so there’s a lot more opportunity for you to walk around and meet the artists, ask them questions and see their pieces in progress,” he said. There is also often live music from local bands, and sometimes the monthly event features writing exhibitions and readings, “but it’s really all about the art,” continued Breidenstein. “Yeah, Sparrow stays open late, but there’s not a whole bunch of other retailing. We want people to experience a more intimate setting.” As one of the newer artists in the Old Ironworks District, collage artist Kaycee Anseth, who just moved into the Studio 3 building last spring, loves the opportunity to meet with people one and one, share her love of art, and share a little bit of her passions — why she does what she does. “It’s great to have people come through that wouldn’t normally visit an art studio,” she said. “In your day-to-day life, it’s not usually on your to-do list to talk to an artist, but I know for me,
it’s so energizing to see people both loving and questioning what I do . . . as an artist, I spend so much time by myself in my own head, and having to explain and reevaluate my process to others has been amazing for me, and I hope for the public, too.” Anseth’s work is often nature- and animalinspired. She takes paper, often that in fashion magazines, highly colored and textured, and creates unexpected images of birds and foxes, Old Ironworks Arts District artist Chad Fox, owner of Cindercone Clay Center, makes and sells mugs specifically to be reused during Last Saturday events. Photo by Nicole Werner
“... there’s a lot more opportunity for you to walk around and meet the artists, ask them questions and see their pieces in progress.” bicycles, and flowers. Close up, her pieces seem all texture and chaos, but pull back and you’re able to take in the story of her murals — the emotion of a forlorn girl, the beauty of a swan. “I like to think of it as painting with paper,”
Anseth said. “It’s how I meditate. I take things apart and put them back together.” “Art is really personal,” Breidenstein said, “and we wanted an event that really reflects that, really reflects the personality of this community.” Last Saturday truly is a decidedly local event — always local music, local beers. Families come and gather around the fire pit. People talk and visit, listen to the music. And as a environmentally conscious community, Last Saturday is even aiming to eliminate plastic at its event. “People think it’s a funny thing,” said Patty Dougherty, owner and proprietor of Patty Dougherty Solutions, and a monthly attendee of Last Saturday, “but it’s so cool that they’re trying to kill plastic. You can buy a mug from Chad [Fox] at Cindercone [Clay Center], beautiful and handmade for something like $15, and keep reusing it. I mean, what a great idea is that?” The event, though entering its fourth year, still feels new and fresh, and in many ways is still solidifying what happens month to month. “We’ve had music of course but have also had poetry readings and fire dancers, interactive writing things for people,” Breidenstein continued. “I love that it’s a really diverse event. We try to represent all areas of art, clothing, pottery, metal work, wall pieces. We want who we are and what we do to be well balanced, a good representation of the community of artists in Bend.” “Sometimes when individuals express themselves, it’s chaotic or hard to understand,” Anseth added. “But that goes for anything, not just art, and so coming together and sharing how we all get inspired and using that energy to keep being inspired and hopefully inspiring one another is why I love telling these stories with my pieces, having my art relate to personal narrative.” And like so many of her collages, where close up, they just seem like pieces — green polka dots, a glimpse of a red floral dress — so, too, Last Saturday reflects the pieces of the art community down at the Old Ironworks Arts District. Seemingly just pieces close up — a metal worker, a photographer, a guitarist, a fire dancer — if you pull back, just far enough, you can see the beautiful picture of the community of Last Saturday, just trying to make Bend a more beautiful place.
Central Oregon Living | 11
COLOR TRENDS PAUSE AND REFRESH IN 2014:
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Adventures of RECORD by Kari Mauser, The Bulletin | Photos by Kolby Kirk
Finding someone in Central Oregon who loves to hike is far from extraordinary. From the mountains to the forest, from the river to the desert, there’s a lot to see and explore. But for Kolby Kirk, that means a lot more than merely trekking along a trail. For him, the walking is just one part of a much grander experience. “I don’t consider hiking a sport,” Kirk stated with a hint of amusement in his voice. “I tend to walk at a two-milesper-hour pace,” he said, and then added with a chuckle, “Sometimes
three.” He only picks up the pace, he explained, when it’s necessary – when he’s spent enough time studying things that have caught his interest along the trail. It was that very lack of urgency that drove Mike Arrera a bit crazy when he started hiking with Kirk. “Kolby was stopping to look at plants, wildlife and geology,” Arrera recalled. “At first I found this a complete nuisance. I just wanted to do the loop and call it a hike. It took me many months of hiking with him to really appreciate what he represents in the forest. I often refer to him as the modern day John Muir.” Kirk’s journals in particular are
reminiscent of Muir, the Scottish frontier man of the West. His passion for studying and understanding nature as he explores and experiences it, and the interest he finds in the smallest things, have inspired Kirk to fill the pages of dozens of journals. Over the years, Kirk has covered thousands of once-blank pages with words and stories, maps and data, sketches and paintings, as well as found items – a flower, an insect wing, or even the label off a beer he enjoyed on a certain adventure – all tokens of the years (and trail miles) he’s spent discovering and recording the world around him. “I have never met anyone
like Kolby,” Arrera said. “Looking at his hiking journals, drawings … projects and pictures, I often wonder if he is secretly a mad scientist.” It’s a fitting statement considering Kirk’s passion for journaling was ignited by a fascination with science in his late teen years, a time in his life when he was discovering the world through the pages of National Geographic Magazine. “My first journal was about being able to learn things by recreating scenes from stories I read, by
Local adventurer, Kolby Kirk, meticulously records the details of his travels through words, sketches and found items that fill dozens of personal journals. Central Oregon Living | 13
“Learning about nature through photography and writing and sketching, or even just through feeling it – that is part of me. It’s meditative during a hike to spend time writing and sketching what I am seeing, feeling and doing.” Photo by Andrew Fish
rewriting and redrawing everything from geology to political science,” Kirk said. The stories he studied within the pages of National Geographic also sparked a dream to travel the world, a dream that for nearly a decade remained settled in the back of his mind. Travel plans came and went, until finally in September of 2001, Kirk landed in Europe. “It was my first trip by myself, my first time out of North America. And I landed on September 11, five hours before [the terrorist attacks],” Kirk recalled. “It really affected me, and I wanted to go home.” But instead, he settled in for his own international adventure, one he now says changed his life. “That trip awakened me,” he stated. “I was 25 years old, and I remember when I got home telling my friends I had found my user’s manual. I learned who I was and became really passionate about working toward the things I wanted to do.” During his trip, Kirk took thousands of pictures as he became passionate about teaching himself photography, and a small journal he’d bought to transfer maps and information from guidebooks into easy-to-access notes evolved into nearly four illustrated journals.
“I was writing notes and those became sentences and those became paragraphs, and before I knew it I was writing all the time,” Kirk said. “I was writing about everything I was seeing and about how I was feeling about what I was seeing. “I put it all in a journal for many reasons – for one, so that I could remember. It’s amazing how many things go away, but taking the time to stop and describe something in my journal, the way it smells, how it feels, what the weather is like … I have those memories because I took that time.” It’s easy, he said, to fall into a rhythm of recording simple facts. But it’s the details, the experiences that are unique to each moment and to each person, that can make a journal something not only a tool for enjoying the moment, but something to be treasured in the future. “I write for a few different reasons,” Kirk said. “I write for myself, to be able to learn what I am seeing. I write for my future self so that when I am older and looking back, I can bring those memories back. And I write for others sometimes, hopefully my family in the future … I have the thought that this is what people will know of me – this may be the last record of Kolby Kirk.” In thinking about that, Kirk
recognizes that in the future, he wants his journals to provide a window into who he was, not just what he did and where he went during his lifetime. He hopes that when his great-great grandchildren pick up his dusty old journals, the pages will reveal the curious, silly, passionate man who found a way to merge his greatest loves – art and the outdoors – through putting pencil to paper. “Learning about nature through photography and writing and sketching, or even just through feeling it – that is part of me,” Kirk said. “It’s meditative during a hike to spend time writing and sketching what I am seeing, feeling and doing.” Recording his journeys in a public setting, such as online, has also helped Kirk hold himself accountable when, as an adult, he decided to set health-related goals that forced him to rediscover the outdoors. Despite being a Boy Scout who enjoyed regularly camping with his parents, it really wasn’t until later in life when Kirk truly acknowledged his appreciation of nature. In 2009, at 33 years old, Kirk’s ventures into the wilderness had become few and far between. He estimates he hiked no more than a
dozen hikes a year. So in an attempt to get himself into better shape, Kirk was naturally drawn to area trails determined to hold himself accountable. “You always hear from people things like, ‘I’m going to get in shape,’ or ‘I’m going to lose weight,’ but you have to be able to define that so that at any point you can say where you are in reaching that goal,” Kirk said.
Setting his goal at conquering 100 hikes by year’s end, with nearly half the year already past, meant hiking once every 36 hours. “I thought, ‘Wow, I don’t know if I can do that,’” he recalled. But instead of shying away from the challenge, Kirk resolved to meet his goal and went public with it, creating www.100hikes.com.
The website was created to be, in a sense, self-prescribed peer pressure. “I can convince myself that it’s OK to fail,” Kirk said, “But if I tell others about my goal, then not only will they help me along by saying, ‘You can do it!’ but the peer pressure will keep me going because if I fail, I am going to be completely embarrassed.” But seven months and more than 400 miles later, Kirk set to work planning his 100th outing. It was a rainy day in L.A., yet more than 25 people turned up to hike alongside Kirk. Some had hiked with him occasionally, some he hadn’t seen in years, and more than half he had never even met before he’d started the 100 hikes project. Kirk was thrilled to really see that through his story, through posting pages of his hiking journals online, he was reaching people, inspiring them. “What I have written first and foremost is for me,” he said. “But I’ve put it up, I’ve shared it to motivate people. To say here’s some ideas. To get people passionate about what I’m passionate about. And that might be journaling, it might be going on a big trip, it might be hiking. “By sharing … I’m saying, ‘Look what I’ve done, maybe this will inspire
you to keep a journal or go hiking or just get out of your personal bubble.” Kirk’s girlfriend, Jasmine Wilson, is one of the many people the avid outdoorsman and journal artist has inspired. Since their first date – a hike – Wilson has started her own hiking journal, writing and sketching the things she finds interesting along their outings. In part, because there are often long gaps of time when Kirk gets lost in something he’s discovered on the trail. “When she sees me take off my backpack, she knows we’re going to be somewhere awhile,” Kirk confessed with a laugh. “I don’t think I know a single person who loves hiking as much as Kolby,” Wilson said. “That and his determination to get the perfect picture. Sometimes it takes upwards of 35 minutes crouching in the middle of a trail to get just the right shot of a mushroom.” Whether it’s a stunning horizon or an unusual creature or plant, Kirk takes the time to really look at the things that catch his attention. And then, he takes the time to photograph, write or draw every detail. “I consider it like a Google map, you can bring it all the way out and I Central Oregon Living | 15
appreciate the grandness of it, but then I like to shrink myself down into an environment,” he said. “What would it be like being under that mushroom? I am not afraid of lying on the ground to take a photo, or just to see it! And then when I’m six inches away I see other things, and it’s really cool. I can easily spend an hour in just 10 feet of a trail.” That type of appreciation is what
Kirk aims to instill in other people. “When you get into nature, you can start appreciating it,” he said. “And then that develops into a love and a desire to protect it. To take those first steps in the woods can lead to a long path of enjoyment.” Kirk has certainly found that to be true in his own life. Reaching that 100th hike in 2009 was only
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16 | Central Oregon Living
the beginning. His goal for 2010 was to hike 500 miles, a marker he reached on a trail in New Zealand on his December birthday. When he was laid off from his job of six years in April of 2011, within minutes he knew what he was going to do — hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Goal driven as always, Kirk spent that month planning for what most hikers spend over a year preparing for. Then he hitched a ride to the Mexican border and set out for Canada. About 700 miles into his journey up the PCT, as he neared the Oregon border, Kirk had a revelation. “I realized I was more about being somewhere than going somewhere,” he said. While most thru hikers wake before the sun and push hard all day long, Kirk was stopping dozens of times a day, studying the flora and the fauna, taking photographs, writing and sketching in his journal. “There were all these things I
was enjoying that weren’t hiking,” he explained. “So my goal changed into just being on the trail for as long as I could for the season. That ended up being 159 days and 1,700 miles. As his PCT hike came to an end, Kirk hitched a ride to Bend, the place he’s called home ever since. A home in the middle of the Deschutes National Forest - perfectly fitting for someone whose favorite things are journaling, hiking and inspiring other people. People like Mike Arrera. “I used to consider nature just a playground, not a Utopian paradise full of mystery and enlightenment,” Arrera explained. “Now I stop to look at the wonders of nature, take my time and find the hidden gems within the forest. This may sound a little dramatic, but this guy changes your views on nature, traveling, and life. Kind of like John Muir.” You can find more on Kolby Kirk at www.thehikeguy.com, www.100hikes. com, www.facebook.com/kolbyjkirk.com, www.flickr.com and www.vimeo.com.
Taking a longer look at
RICE
by Annissa Anderson, for The Bulletin Special Projects | Photos by Nicole Werner
Explore a world of flavor by cooking with a variety of rice types. Considering that rice has been cultivated for more than 7,000 years and that it is a food staple for almost half the world’s population, our use of rice in this country has been surprisingly narrow. Until recently, the range of rice on grocery shelves has been mostly relegated to just white rice. Sure, there was short grain, long grain and converted white, but we were missing out on, literally, a world of flavor. Aromatic white rices — those with a perfumy, nut-like flavor and aroma — can be quite delicious. Basmati, from India, and Jasmine, from Thailand, are popular varieties that
are often paired with other Asian foods. But today we can also choose from many other types of rice, including short and long-grained brown rice, Arborio rice, pecan rice, black rice, red rice, wild rice and others. Most of the world’s rice is aquatic rice — meaning it is grown in flooded fields — but some rice is grown on hillsides in tropical and subtropical zones. Where rice is grown — from Asia to Africa to the U.S. — along with its original seed stock, produces the extensive variety of shapes and colors that deliver so many distinct flavors and aromas. Exciting new varieties are still being developed, many just south of us in California. Central Oregon Living | 17
Much of the variety found on grocery shelves or in bulk bins today are types of brown rice. Popular because it is a whole grain, brown rice has a distinct nutritional advantage over white rice. Brown rice is the entire grain with only the outer, inedible, husk removed whereas white rice has been polished down to remove the bran and germ, leaving just the white endosperm (the rice kernel). The brown rice boom has added exponentially to our everyday options. With brown Basmati, brown Jasmine, California-grown Wehani and other longand short-grained brown rice to choose from, desired flavor pairings can be achieved without giving up the health attributes of whole grain foods. Eating any kind of rice will help fulfill daily recommended carbohydrates, which offer quick energy. But brown rice ups the nutritional ante, giving you extra fiber, which nutritionists say is not only important for overall health but also helps to ward off chronic disease over the long run. Rice is also a comfort food. Besides its reputed boost to the brain’s level of serotonin, a natural mood-lifting chemical, it is filling and familiar.
Choosing Rice Varieties When choosing between different types of rice, the grain size should enter into the equation. Knowing how rice cooks up, which depends on its grain size, allows you to choose the best complement to the dish it is served with. In general, longer grains of rice — both white and brown — produce light, dry grains that separate easily when cooked. Short-grain rice, with its higher starch content, tends to be moist and viscous when cooked. Medium-grain rice falls right in the middle. Familiarity with each rice’s flavor, as well as its cooked texture, helps in pairing rice with the rest
Swedish Rice Pudding (Serves 6) In Sweden, rice pudding (risgrynspudding) is a popular dessert around Christmas time. Lighter than other rice puddings, and not as sweet, it is made with Arborio rice, known for its creamy consistency. It is often served with raspberry sauce, adding festive color and fruity contrast.
Ingredients: 8 cups milk 1 1⁄4 cups Arborio rice 1⁄3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract 18 | Central Oregon Living
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries 1 1⁄2 cups heavy cream Nutmeg, for garnish
Method: 1. Place milk in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in rice and 1⁄3 cup of the sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until rice is tender and most of liquid has been absorbed, about 45 minutes. Remove pudding from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, place berries in a food processor, add remaining sugar, and purée until smooth. Scrape into a small saucepan and place over low heat until bubbly. Stir, and remove from heat to cool. Strain raspberry sauce through a fine sieve and set aside. 3. Just before serving, whip heavy cream. Fold cream into pudding and transfer into bowls. Spoon raspberry sauce around edge of pudding and sprinkle with nutmeg.
of the meal. The only way to determine a personal preference is to try many of them and compare. Buying in bulk allows you to purchase just a small amount, but perusing the packaged rice may offer an advantage because many of the labels provide descriptions of a particular variety’s flavor characteristics. Any longer look into the varieties of rice would be remiss if it did not include wild rice. Flavorful wild rice is as perfect for the holiday table as it is for weeknight meals. While technically not a rice — it is actually an aquatic grass — it is cooked and used so similarly that it was named as such. Wild rice, with its long, pointed grains, rich color and earthy flavor, is as versatile as it is delicious. It does require a longer cooking time, so if combining with other rice, try a packaged mix that comes with cooking instructions.
Cooking and Storing Most rice that we cook is done by simply combining rice with double the amount of water and boiling it until tender. This works best for long-grain white rice. When cooking a different type of rice, make sure to read package instructions, as the water-to-rice ratio and length of cooking time can vary. With some exotic types of rice, like sticky rice or sushi rice, the rice is steamed in a basket over boiling water instead. Whether to rinse rice, or not, depends on its origin. The general rule is to wash imported rices, most of which are processed with starches, and not to wash domestic varieties, which are well cleaned and dried before packaging. Different types of rice also have varying storage requirements. While white rice can last many years because the bran and germ are not intact, whole grain rice (like brown rice) has the potential to become rancid if kept longer than six months. All rice should be stored in a cool, dry place for maximum benefit.
Wild Rice with Cranberries and Caramelized Onions (Serves 6) Wild rice, when combined with plumped dried cranberries and caramelized onions, becomes a festive holiday side dish that perfectly complements roasted poultry or game birds.
Ingredients: 2 cups chicken broth 1 cup wild rice or wild rice mix 3 tablespoons butter or olive oil 3 medium yellow onions, sliced thinly 2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 cup dried cranberries 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Method: 1. Combine chicken broth and rice in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, around 45 minutes for wild rice mix, or 60 minutes for wild rice.
skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and brown sugar. Cook 6 minutes until onions are translucent, then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often, another 25 minutes or until they are caramel in color. Stir in dried cranberries, cover and cook over low heat another 10 minutes or until cranberries swell. 3. Gently fold onion mixture and orange zest into cooked rice, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter or olive oil in a medium Central Oregon Living | 19
The Craft of Cider by Gregg Morris, for The Bulletin Special Projects | Photos by Nicole Werner
Local hard cider brewers say they hope to spread ‘cider awareness’ throughout Central Oregon.
20 | Central Oregon Living
On a recent Friday evening, a group of friends cozied up to the bar sampling the latest craft brews. Smiles were abundant as conversation and laughter competed with one another and the radio played in the background. Ultimately, a number in the crowd found themselves looking to fill growlers. While this scene has been played out simultaneously at dozens of locations throughout Bend, one thing is decidedly different here. The craft brew being sampled and poured into growlers is hard cider, and the location is Atlas Cider Company. Hard cider is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from fruits, most commonly apples. Its origin can be traced back centuries to the ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks. English colonists brought craft cider brewing to the Americas in the 17th century.
While drinking cider gave way to beer in the 19th century, Americans are rediscovering the sweeter alternative. This holds true in Central Oregon, as well, where two hard cider brewers, Atlas Cider Company and Red Tank Cider Company, are working to establish a place in a beverage market saturated with craft beer options. “Our biggest obstacle is cider awareness,” said Dan McCoy, co-owner of Bend-based Atlas Cider Company. “Once people understand what craft cider is and how it differs from beer, they really seem to enjoy it.” Drew Wilson, co-owner of Red Tank Cider Company in Bend, also sees great potential. “A lot of it is educating the public on the differences between craft cider and production cider,” he said. “Once people try the craft cider, they understand the difference. It’s a nice alternative for an IPA-dominated town.” While mass-produced hard cider, such as Angry Orchard and Woodchuck, has been around for years, they often include preservatives and other additives. In contrast, according to Wilson, craft hard cider is fermented from 100 percent freshpressed fruit, without the use of artificial flavorings. Craft cider originates in the orchards of Washington and Oregon. The apples and other fruits are harvested and pressed into juice, which is shipped to Atlas or Red Tank for fermentation. “We love cider,” said Sam McCoy, Dan’s wife and co-owner of Atlas. “We went to Brewfest and saw a huge line for the cider. The hole in the market was clear.” So Dan McCoy, a middle school teacher who had been home brewing for several years, headed up to Washington State University to study the fermentation of fruits. Fermentation begins when yeast is added to the juice to convert the sugar into alcohol. After fermentation, the cider is filtered to produce a less hazy drink and then transferred to conditioning tanks. The cider is left to age, while the tannins and flavors
“Our biggest obstacle is cider awareness. Once people understand what craft cider is and how it differs from beer, they really seem to enjoy it.” soften. Lastly, they’re bottled or put in kegs and delivered to your favorite bar, store or growler fill station. After learning the necessary brewing skills, the McCoys gathered some of their teacher co-workers and friends and opened Atlas Cider
Company Memorial Day weekend. “It took about a year to get a license,” said Dan. “There was lots of waiting and jumping though hoops.” Since the cider-making process more closely resembles wine than beer. As such, the cider companies are regulated
Dan and Sam McCoy, owners of Atlas Cider Company, pose with their children at their Bend-based tasting room (above).
as wineries by the government. Dan McCoy stresses their goal is to use and highlight the fruits of our region. There is no flavoring added to the cider, so everything you taste is from Oregon and Washington. Bend’s other hard cider business, Red Tank Cider Company, is the brainchild of friends Drew Wilson, Aaron Cousins and Brandon Reese. Aaron, a former vintner at Willamette Valley Vineyards, passed on a high paying job in New York to brew cider in Bend. Wilson, also a piping and landscaping salesman, works the marketing and sales side of Red Tank. Reese, who owns Moonfire and Sun Garden Center on Bend’s Eastside, handles the business operations. The three friends pulled there knowhow together and opened Red Tank Cider Company last May. All of their juice comes from a Washingtonbased apple co-op that relies solely on Oregon and Washington apples. Central Oregon Living | 21
A Flavorful Brew Atlas Cider Company maintains four different flavors at once. Their Hard Apple Cider and Hard Cherry Cider are available in 22-ounce bottles at Central Oregon markets such as Trader Joe’s, Newport Market, Rays and CJ Lovejoy’s. The Apple, Cherry, as well as Apricot and their new Cherry Pomegranate are available at most growler fill stations and, of course their Tasting Room on the corner of Ninth and Wilson avenues. Atlas is currently expanding to include markets in Portland, Eugene, Medford and Newport. Red Tank Cider Company keeps two ciders, Happy Cider and Roughneck Cider, available continually. In addition, they rotate three flavors into the mix including Wassail, Mountain Drew Wilson (left), co-owner of Red Tank Cider Company in Bend, sells cider at his Bend tasting room and in cans at local markets.
Raspberry and Sour Cherry. Their tasting room, on SE Woodland Boulevard, is open Fridays, and their cider can also be found at most local markets in 22ounce bottles and 12-ounce cans. “We were the first to offer craft cider in cans,” said Wilson. “It’s good for those of us who like to bring some with us while mountain biking or floating the river.” Both McCoy and Wilson said they enjoy living in an area of the world many dub “Craft Beer Country.” At the same time, they intend to carve out their own little niche within this brewing mecca. “I have a huge respect for the beer brewers in town,” McCoy said. “I love that we add to that legacy.” More information about Bend’s hard ciders brewers can be found at www.atlascider.com and www. redtankcider.com.
NOW OPEN! BEND’S LOCAL PREMIUM HARD CIDER COMPANY
Mention this ad and get 20% OFF your total purchase in the tap room
TASTING ROOM HOURS: Wednesday - Friday 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm Saturday 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Sunday 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Come on by and: Try a FREE sample of ALL our ciders Growler Fills / 22oz gift packs / kegs for events 22 | Central Oregon Living
900 SE Wilson Ave, Suite G Bend, OR 97702 (corner of 9th & Wilson next to Country Catering)
www.atlascider.com
for the Gardener by Kari Mauser / The Bulletin Special Projects
Buy something special for the gardener in your life this holiday season.
Garden Art is not just for the home! Add interest to the garden with colorful butterflies, dragonflies, flowers and more. Garden wall art prices vary. $39.95 Landsystems Nursery
Illuminated Loupe Good things come in small packages, and the Illuminated Loupe is certainly no exception! With a 30 power magnifying glass and LED light, this active eye takes the guess work out of finding and identifying the tiny bugs feasting on the plants in the garden. $14.99 Redmond Greenhouse Central Oregon Living | 23
Indoor Cactus When the weather’s cold and the ground’s frozen, an indoor cactus or succulent garden is the perfect focus for a little garden tending. Custom designed and planted in various sizes and color combinations these range from $3.95 - $65.95. Cascade Gardens
Garden Globes for Sports Fans Let the Duck or Beaver fan in your life take their support to the garden with these metal gazing globes. $89.00 Landsystems Nursery
Solar-Powered Mushrooms Not all mushrooms are brown or white, and these solar powered garden stakes add color and interest to the garden between flowering seasons! $24.99 Redmond Greenhouse
For the Kids For the littlest gardeners in your life! Set the kiddos up with everything they need to have fun helping in the garden. Wheelbarrow, assembled $54.00; child sized shovel and hoe $12.95 each; gloves $4.95; animal design watering buckets - small cow $14.95, medium duck $16.95, also large pig $19.95; Cinderella Magic Pumkin Seeds or Jack’s Magic Beans $12.95 each. Landsystems Nursery 24 | Central Oregon Living
Vertical Hydrogarden Don’t let winter stand in the way of gardening, the GrowUp Hydrogarden is a fully selfcontained, indoor growing station that comes with everything you need to get started. $295.00 Landsystems Nursery
Garden Pollinators Hori Hori The Hori Hori is a versatile tool essential for any gardener, ideal for weeding, transplanting, dividing, digging, shoveling and cutting. $32.95.
VegiBee Sonic Garden Pollinators (below) ensure the gardener in your life has plenty of produce to harvest, promising to increase garden yields by more than 30% annually. With bee populations dwindling, this tool is a must have. $34.95 - $56.95 Landsystems Nursery
Landsystems Nursery
Water Reserves Give peace of mind with Scheurich’s Water Reserve, a self watering system for indoor plants. $5.99 & $9.99 Redmond Greenhouse Central Oregon Living | 25
GARDEN CALENDAR DECEMBER If you are trying to overwinter your zonal geraniums, you can cut them back by twothirds, leaving about one-third of the plant intact. Then bring indoors to a garage or cooler room with a window for light, and minimally water through the winter months to keep the roots from drying out. Around February or March, you can begin to increase the watering and then add some fertilizer to get the plant going. Eventually, place them outside once warmer weather arrives.
• A tree goes dormant once a year. If dormancy is broken, the tree will likely not survive the freezing temperatures of winter once placed outside. • It’s best to plant your live tree as soon as possible, so you may want to dig the hole before the ground freezes and cover it until you are ready to plant. Better yet, dig a hole the size of the pot on the east or north side of your home, then sink the pot into the ground to protect and insulate the roots. In the spring, you can take the tree out of the pot and permanently plant the tree in the landscape.
by Amy Jo Detweiler / Special to The Bulletin
bulbs for rot or fungus, and discard any showing signs of rot. The national gardening craze has a lot of seed sources selling out earlier than ever. It is a good idea to order seeds early this year. Purchase/order annual and vegetable garden seeds with 65 to 80 days to maturity as these are best for Central Oregon. Remember to add 14 days to the maturity date on the packet to approximate how long it will take for that plant to mature here in Central Oregon. Plants either slow down or stop growing at night due to our low evening temperatures.
Want to brighten up your home with some color? Force bulbs indoors during the winter months. The most commonly forced bulbs include crocus, hyacinths, paper whites, amaryllis, tulips, daffodils, miniature iris and scilla. Browse seed catalogs, nurseries and the Internet for seeds. Consider planting new and heirloom vegetables in the garden this spring. Make sure your landscape plants, especially your new ones, do not dry out or desiccate this winter. If we have lots of snow, then you can enjoy the view from inside your cozy home. However, if we have a break in the weather with a dry spell — three to six weeks when the sun is out, no snow has fallen and the ground is warmed up — you will need to drag out the garden hose and give all of your plants a deep soak. This will prevent your plants from drying out through the winter months. If we have a long, dry, sunny winter, you will want to water every six to eight weeks. Clean, oil and sharpen garden tools. You can clean your tools with a bleach solution — one tablespoon bleach per gallon of water. Rinse thoroughly with water and dry immediately to prevent corrosion. You can also use rubbing alcohol to disinfect tools. If you are selecting a live Christmas tree for the holidays, be sure and follow these tips: • Live trees can be kept inside for three to five days without breaking dormancy.
26 | Central Oregon Living
Make holiday decorations from trees, shrubs and ornamental berries from the landscape. Browse our local garden publications specific to Central Oregon at: http://extension. oregonstate.edu/deschutes/horticulture/gardenpublications.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY Gently spray your houseplants with tepid water to remove the dust from the leaves, or take a damp cloth and wipe down larger leaves removing all dust. Monitor houseplants for adequate water, fertilizer and humidity. These requirements are generally less during the winter months. Check stored vegetables, fruits or flower
If we have heavy snowstorms, you can tie limbs of your columnar evergreens (i.e. upright juniper and arborvitae) to prevent breakage from ice or snow. Order spring planted bulbs, corms and roots such as alliums, dahlias, gladiolus, lilies and autumn crocus. Avoid walking on the lawn if it is frozen solid to prevent damaging the turf. Make a cold frame or hotbed to start early vegetables or flowers. Design your vegetable garden with consideration for spacing, trellising and time of year for all crops. Grow cold crops early and late and sun-loving plants during the hotter months.
Give the Gift of
OSU MASTER GARDENER CLASSES Sign up a loved one to become an OSU Master Gardener volunteer. Classes are offered on Saturdays at the OSU Cascades Hall in Bend. The class of 2014 applications are available by calling 541-548-6088, or get them on the web: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/deschutes. Not available to become a volunteer but want to take the classes? Not available on Saturdays but want to become an OSU Master Gardener? We offer online training, short courses or “classes only” training. Visit the web at http://pne.oregonstate.edu/catalog/master-gardeneronline for more information, or call the OSU Extension office at 541-548-6088.
High Desert Gardening Newsletter Be sure and sign up for a new year of High Desert Gardening for a color newsletter with local tips and articles on Central Oregon’s landscapes and gardening. It is available electronically or in hard copy. To check out a sample of the newsletter online, visit http://extension.oregonstate. edu/deschutes/high-desertgardening-newsletter. Or call 541-548-6088 for more information.
Central Oregon Living | 27
expert
advice Giving the gift of hope in Central Oregon Life’s not easy here on the high desert as the temperatures turn bitter cold at night. Most of us still have a roof over our heads, but there are too many people struggling to find a warm and affordable place to live. In Central Oregon, there are many housing nonprofits making dreams come true this time of year. Many of us focus on Thanksgiving for all the blessings we have. In housing these community blessings include nonprofits like First Story, Building Partners for Affordable Housing, Habitat for Humanity, Housing Works, Bethlehem Inn, the Salvation Army, the
28 | Central Oregon Living
Bend Community Center and NeighborImpact, to name a few. Even in difficult times, these non-profits helped people find a home. I know two of them well because I serve on the First Story Board and I’m the executive director for Building Partners. Over the past three years, these nonprofits have given the gift of home ownership to more than 25 families. Their goal is to change lives not just for this generation, but for each succeeding generation as well. Hundreds more are helped through nightly or monthly rentals. Supporting these causes goes well beyond housing. In my work, I see levels of giving that goes unrecognized but which still blesses our community. Just local businesses that I’m aware of have been honored to donate more than $2 million to more than 100 local nonprofits throughout Central Oregon. Whether
it’s for veterans, children’s charities, the homeless, affordable housing, the environment, schools, parks, churches or many other causes, local businesses have never stopped giving. Some even gave when it seemed like there was nothing left to give. At the Central Oregon Builders Association, our members believe in building our future in Central Oregon by serving and supporting our local nonprofits. Our members would like to thank the volunteers and staff of these great organizations for all the work they accomplish to make our community a better place to live. One great effort this year, held at Bend High, benefited the Bend Heroes Foundation. More than 200 people donated time and money so that World War II Veterans could visit their memorial in Washington, D.C. They are working as fast as they can to give this trip of a life-
time to the last remaining WWII veterans. With a waiting list of 60 veterans, the cost of the trip is just over $500 per veteran. In Central Oregon, we’ve had 16 veterans die while on the waiting list. It took 60 years to recognize them with their own memorial in our nation’s capitol. When you see the reaction of the veterans when they see the memorial, you know you’ve made a difference for them. Thanks to those involved in changing lives this year on this project and others. If you want to be involved in any of these nonprofits and need help connecting, feel free to give me a call or send me an email and I’ll be happy to introduce you to area leaders. Email me at timk@ coba.org or call me at 541-389-1058. Tim Knopp is the executive vice president of the Central Oregon Builders Association.
expert
advice Yes, Virginia, there are winter home sales “Is wintertime a good time to sell in Central Oregon?” Professionals in the industry are asked this question this time of year. I contemplated this because I believe winter is a great time and wondered if this year is any different. In order to prove my gut-sense answer as being correct, I researched sales data comparing sales summer verses winter. Allow me to fully acknowledge that some owners simply cannot have their homes listed during the holidays — they are flat too busy. It’s OK — it really is. Instruct your agent to keep your property in mind, live your life and re-list in January. However, if you are starting to hear rumors about the market getting stale, wait a minute. What I am starting to hear is this: “My listing is at 48 days and is going to be stale in 60. It probably won’t sell now so we think we need to take it off the market and re-list in the spring.” Huh? I say no, though if you’re my client, I say a lot more than that. Let’s expand on this “market worn” worry of naught. Below are numbers for those datamongers out there. Please understand that I have limited space. I am going to summarize one particular price-point in the marketplace in one city. I tried doing various cities, but my entire desk became covered with data. Take a single-family residential in Bend valued between $200,000 and $249,999. I took a sample from the summer months of 2011, 2012 and 2013. I chose this price point because it is consistently the most active. I then compared this from October through December of the same years. I know it’s still 2013, but indulge me. I’m not a scientist nor do I play one on TV; real estate isn’t rocket science, so I
think I’m fairly safe to use this partial last-quarter. During the summer of 2011, there were 81 closed sales and 110 DOM (days on market). In the summer of 2012, 87 homes where sold with 131 DOM. Do people remember that 2012 was recovery? Did anyone complain about 131 days on market? I don’t think so. Why worry now? The summer of this year featured 149 closed sales with 103 DOM. Now let’s look at winter. In 2011, Bend had 57 home sales with 109 DOM; the winter of 2012 had 90 solds with 115 DOM; and this winter has seen 79 solds with 106 DOM. It appears that this winter’s numbers have kept pace with the numbers from this summer. But wait. How can I compare 79 solds this quarter compared to the summer’s 149? Because there are currently 51 pending sales in this price point, taking it to a possible 130 solds if they sell by the end of the year. Some fewer sales (more could go pending) with similar DOM numbers as the summer — not bad. Winter of 2012 produced three more solds than its summer statistics, and in 16 fewer days — there are fewer days to sell during the winter. Who really likes keeping their home in show condition longer than they need? I don’t know. I’d rather ski, run or mostly stop making the beds every day! Over the past three years, it appears our local market is not particular about the time of year based on the data. Since I started my career in 1997, and I have seen similar season-to-season trends. We even did fine during this fall’s government shut-down, albeit we all could have done without that unneeded stress. Why do some properties go stale? Price is one factor. When your property helps other properties sell before yours, over and over again, you really ought to revisit your price. It’s OK to revisit price. It’s nothing personal; it’s business. If you are worried that you’ll price your home too low, check this out: homes sell at a price a buyer is willing to pay and a seller is willing to accept. If
a home is priced under the competition, the seller should receive multiple offers to drive the price up to market value. There is little danger in pricing a home too low. Yes, I hear the armchair Realtors stating that “the agent must have under-priced the house.” It’s very difficult to under-price a home in a market like ours. The danger lies in pricing it too high and being concerned (perhaps overly?) about it becoming stale. If you entered into a listing contract seeing what you could get for a price, the flipside of that coin is that your price adjustment is going to have to over-correct your initial toe-stubbing move. The financial loss often exceeds the extra mortgage payments paid and goes beyond the uncompensated hassle factor of trying to keep a home spotless dur-
ing showings. It affects the value that a buyer ultimately chooses to pay because it’s no longer a fresh listing. A stale listing is a dated, market-worn home that was overpriced for too long. What is too long? The market dictates what is too long. Here’s now: Price-points for real estate have an associated DOM value. If your $800,000 home reflects a DOM of 212 days, then it cannot be stale at day 67. If it goes pending on day 68, then you are a fortunate seller – above average for your timing estimation. Stay calm, cool and collected; i.e. do not blow it! If your home’s DOM is 30 and you’re at day 225, someone messed up. Don’t be that someone. Cindy King is a principal broker with Hasson Company Realtors
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Central Oregon Living | 29
Central Oregon Living EVENT CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS OF THE UPCOMING WEEKS IN HIGH DESERT MUSIC, ART, FOOD AND FUN.
THEATER
Saturday, Dec. 7
“The Santaland Diaries”
FESTIVAL OF TREES: Featuring 33 decorated Christmas trees, with live local music, raffles and visits with Santa; The evening Gala Event & Auction features a live auction of the trees, silent auction, raffles and more; proceeds benefit the Hospice of Redmond; free daytime family festivities, $40 evening event; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. family festivities, 5 p.m. evening gala; Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center, 3800 S.W. Airport Way, Redmond; 541-548-7483 or www.hospiceofredmond. org/events. CHRISTMAS TREE LANE: Visit Santa and purchase a noble fir Christmas tree, with complimentary face painting, hay rides, pony rides, petting zoo and more; free admission; 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; DD Ranch, 3836 N.E. Smith Rock Way, Terrebonne; 541548-1432 or www.ddranch.netq. CROOKED RIVER RANCH OLDE FASHIONED CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION: Includes visits with Santa, a parade, a Christmas bazaar and more; free; 11 a.m., 3:30 p.m. parade; Crooked River Ranch Administration Building, 5195 S.W. Clubhouse Drive; 541-548-8939. JINGLE BELL RUN/WALK FOR ARTHRITIS: Runners and walkers don holiday costumes for these 5K and fun-run races; proceeds benefit the Arthritis Foundation; $20, $10 children, in advance; $30, $20 children, starting Dec. 5; registration requested; 11 a.m. costume awards, 11:30 a.m. races start; downtown Bend; 888-391-9823 or www. bendjinglebellrun.org. BEND CHRISTMAS PARADE: Parade theme is “Look What’s Under the Christmas Tree!”; free; noon; downtown Bend; 541-388-3879. SANTA’S VILLAGE OPEN HOUSE & CRAFT FAIR: Offering arts and crafts from Oregon artists; holiday plates and platters by local artists to benefit the Sisters Food Bank; and pet photos with Santa to benefit Furry Friends; 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sisters Art
THROUGH DEC. 21: The one-man one-act reading features Derek Sitter in the David Sedaris play; $10 plus fees in advance, $10 at the door; 7:30 p.m.; Volcanic Theatre Pub, 70 S.W. Century Drive, Bend; 541-3231881 or www.bendticket.com.
“Evil Dead the Musical (Dead for the Hellidays)” THROUGH DEC. 15”: Join Ash and his friends for a trip to a cabin in the woods where they accidentally unleash an evil force that turns them all into demons; $22 for adults, $19 for students and seniors, $25 for the splatter zone; 8 p.m.; 2nd Street Theater, 220 N.E. Lafayette Ave., Bend; 541312-9626 or www.2ndstreettheater.com.
“The Game’s Afoot; or Holmes for the Holidays” THROUGH DEC. 7: A 1936 whodunit about a Broadway star noted for playing Sherlock Holmes solving one of his guests’ death; $19, $15 seniors, $12 students; 7:30 p.m.; Greenwood Playhouse, 148 N.W. Greenwood Ave., Bend; 541-389-0803 or www.cascadestheatrical.org.
“The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” THROUGH SAT., DEC. 14: The Redmond High School drama department presents its winter play; $8, $5 for students; 7 p.m.; Redmond High School, 675 S.W. Rimrock Way; 541-923-4800 or www.rhs.redmond. k12.or.us.
“Angel Street (Gaslight)” JANUARY 17-FEBRUARY 1: A suspenseful play about a man slowly driving his gentle, devoted wife to the brink of insanity; $19, $15 seniors, $12 students; 2 p.m.; Greenwood Playhouse, 148 N.W. Greenwood Ave., Bend; 541-389-0803 or www.cascadestheatrical.org. 30 | Central Oregon Living
Works, corner of Ash and Adams, Sisters; www.sistersartworks.com; 541-420-9695. “HOLIDAY MAGIC”: Central Oregon Community College’s Cascade Chorale performs; proceeds benefit Abilitree and Cascade Chorale; free, donations accepted; 2 and 7 p.m.; Summit High School, 2855 N.W. Clearwater Drive, Bend; 541-383-7512. LA PINE HOLIDAY LIGHTS PARADE: The parade takes place on Huntington Road and ends at the La Pine Event Center with an awards ceremony; free; 6 p.m.; downtown La Pine; 541-536-9771.
Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 7-8 “THE NUTCRACKER”: The Central Oregon School of Ballet performs the classic dance; $18 in advance or $22 at the door; $8 ages 12 and younger in advance or $10 at the door; Saturday at 3 and 7 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m. Bend High School, 230 N.E. Sixth St.; 541-389-9306 or www. centraloregonschoolofballet.com. “HIGH DESERT NUTCRACKER”: Redmond School of Dance presents the classic holiday ballet in a style inspired by present day Central Oregon; $10, $5 ages 10 and younger; Saturday at 7 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m.; Ridgeview High School, 4555 S.W. Elkhorn Ave., Redmond; 541-548-6957 or www.redmondschoolofdance.com.
Sunday, Dec. 8 THE AMAZING KRESKIN: The mentalist brings mind-reading to Bend; no children under 10 will be admitted; $20-$30 per person; 3 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-317-0700 or www. towertheatre.org. MAGICAL VOICES OF CHRISTMAS: The Rotary Club of Sisters presents a musical start to the holidays, with a Santa visit; free; 5:30 p.m.; Sisters High School, 1700 W. McKinney Butte Road; 541-549-2202 or www.sistersrotary.org. TOYS FOR TOTS SLEIGH BALL: A holiday party and toy drive featuring food, raffles, casino gaming, live music and more; $20
in advance, $25 at the door; 6 p.m.; The Riverhouse Convention Center, 2850 N.W. Rippling River Court, Bend; 541-389-3111 or www.facebook.com/SleighBall.
Monday, Dec. 9 THE BLACKBERRY BUSHES: The Seattle alt-folk band performs, with Pitchfork Revolution; $5, free for children ages 12 and younger; 7 p.m.; Volcanic Theatre Pub, 70 S.W. Century Drive, Bend; 541-323-1881 or www.volcanictheatrepub.com.
Tuesday, Dec. 10 “AMERICAN WINTER”: A screening of the 2013 documentary film that follows personal stories of families struggling in an economic crisis; $5; 7 p.m.; Volcanic Theatre Pub, 70 S.W. Century Drive, Bend; 541-323-1881 or www.volcanictheatrepub. com. TAKE 6: The gospel, R&B, pop and jazz a cappela group performs; $35-$45 plus fees; 7:30 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-3170700 or www.towertheatre.org.
Wednesday, Dec. 11 CHOCOLATE, WINE AND ALL THAT JAZZ: Featuring a silent auction, Willamette pies for sale, live music and a wine wall; proceeds benefit Summit High School’s alcohol and drug-free grad party; free; 5-9 p.m.; Cafe Sintra, 1024 N.W. Bond St., Bend; 541-390-2793 or www. summitstormboosters.com/grad_party. HANZ ARAKI & CARY NOVOTNY: The duo performs traditional Irish music; free; 7-10 p.m.; McMenamins Old St. Francis School, 700 N.W. Bond St., Bend; 541-3825174 or www.mcmenamins.com. THE WORLD FAMOUS POPOVICH COMEDY PET THEATER: Gregory Popovich performs with his pets who were once strays; $25-$35 plus fees; 7 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-317-0700 or www. towertheatre.org.
Thursday, Dec. 12 CHRISTMAS CONCERT: The Cascade Horizon Band performs Christmas music; free; 1:30 p.m.; Bend Senior Center, 1600 S.E. Reed Market Road; 541-330-5728 or www.cascadehorizonband.org.
Friday, Dec. 13 I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS: A home tour of three homes with different themes; proceeds benefit the Bend Heroes Foundation and the Williams Foundation; $5; 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; private residence, 21165 Clairaway Ave., Bend; 541-318-6134 or cbessary@aol.com. CHRISTMAS KAYAKERS FLOAT: Kayaks and canoes decorated with lights paddle a loop beginning at Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe; free; 3:30 p.m. participants gather, 4 p.m. float; Old Mill District, 661 S.W. Powerhouse Drive, Bend; 541-317-9407 or www.tumalocreek.com. BACH N’ BREW CHRISTMAS CONCERT: Rock violinist Aaron Meyer performs with his four-piece band; $35 for non-members, $30 for members, $10 for ages younger than 18; 6:30 p.m., doors open at 5 p.m. for special viewing of indoor exhibits; High Desert Museum, 59800 S. U.S. Highway 97, Bend; 541-593-9310 or www. sunrivermusic.org. HOLIDAY CONCERT: Holiday songs by local Hawaiian musician, Bill Keale; $20 for adults, free for children 6 and younger, registration requested; 7-9 p.m.; The Old Stone, 157 N.W. Franklin Ave., Bend; 541408-0561 or www.billkeale.com.
Saturday, Dec. 14 I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS: A home tour of three homes with different themes; proceeds benefit the Bend Heroes Foundation and the Williams Foundation; $5; 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; private residence, 21165 Clairaway Ave., Bend; 541-318-6134 or cbessary@aol.com. CENTRAL OREGON TOY RUN: Toy drive to collect toys, food and money features a bike parade through downtown Bend, raffles, seasonal music, kid’s games, barbecue and more; after-party at Northside Bar and Grill at 5 p.m.; proceeds benefit children in Central Oregon; donation of new unwrapped toy requested; 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Wildhorse Harley-Davidson, 63028 Sherman Road, Bend; 541-280-0478 or centraloregontoyrun@gmail.com.
CHRISTMAS TREE LANE: Visit Santa and purchase a noble fir Christmas tree, with complimentary face painting, hay rides, pony rides, petting zoo and more; free admission; 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; DD Ranch, 3836 N.E. Smith Rock Way, Terrebonne; 541548-1432 or www.ddranch.netq. HOLIDAY JAZZ SHOW: A family-friendly show featuring Lisa Dae, Lori Fletcher, Michelle Van Handel and an All-Starr Jazz Band, raffle; proceeds benefit Cascade School of Music; $10, $25 V.I.P.; $5 children 12 and younger; 5-8 p.m.; Northside Bar & Grill, 62860 Boyd Acres Road, Bend; 541-383-0889.
Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 14-15 “A BAROQUE CHRISTMAS”: The Central Oregon Mastersingers perform a holiday concert; $18 plus fees; Saturday at 7:30 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m.; Sunday at 2 p.m., doors open at 1 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-317-0700 or www.towertheatre.org.
Sunday, Dec. 15 CHRISTMAS TREE LANE: Visit Santa and purchase a noble fir Christmas tree, with complimentary face painting, hay rides, pony rides, petting zoo and more; free admission; 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; DD Ranch, 3836 N.E. Smith Rock Way, Terrebonne; 541548-1432 or www.ddranch.netq.
Wednesday, Dec. 18 NAOMI HOOLEY & ROB STROUP’S WINTER WONDERLAND TOUR: The Alaska piano-pop-storytelling singersongwriter performs with Portland’s Rob Stroup; free; 7-10 p.m.; McMenamins Old St. Francis School, 700 N.W. Bond St., Bend; 541-382-5174 or www.mcmenamins.com.
Friday, Dec. 20 THIRD FRIDAY STROLL: Featuring music, art, food and drinks; free; 48 p.m.; downtown Redmond; www. visitredmondoregon.com.
Saturday, Dec. 21 CHRISTMAS TREE LANE: Visit Santa and purchase a noble fir Christmas tree, with complimentary face painting, hay rides, pony rides, petting zoo and more; free admission; 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; DD Ranch, 3836 N.E. Smith Rock Way, Terrebonne; 541548-1432 or www.ddranch.netq.
Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 21-22
Tuesday, Dec. 31
A TOWER CHRISTMAS, HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: An original production featuring holiday stories, dances and songs; $12 for adults, $8 for children 12 and younger, plus fees; Saturday at 7 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-317-0700 or www. towertheatre.org. OREGON STATE SILVER GLOVES BOXING CHAMPIONSHIPS: The Deschutes County ROCKS boxing team in Bend hosts the event; winners advance to the Regionals and Nationals; prize drawings, food and drink available; $10, free for children 6 and younger; 6 p.m., doors open at 5 p.m.; Midtown Ballroom, 51 N.W. Greenwood Ave., Bend; 541-678-2286 or www. deschutescountyrocks.com.
NEW YEAR’S EVE AT OLD ST. FRANCIS SCHOOL: Jeff Crosby & The Refugees performs in the Theater and Worth performs in Father Luke’s Room; $5 for music; 9 p.m.-midnight; McMenamins Old St. Francis School, 700 N.W. Bond St., Bend; 541-382-5174 or www.mcmenamins.com.
Tuesday, Dec. 24 THE COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE: Hosted by Bend’s Bob Shaw, with carols, family fun, a choir performance, Avenue H and more; $6 plus fees; three services at 3, 5 and 7 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-317-0700 or www. towertheatre.org.
Friday-Saturday, Dec. 27-28 JAZZ AT THE OXFORD: Featuring Oregon Piano Summit: two piano and four pianists; Gordon Lee, Randy Porter, Ben Darwish and Darrell Grant; $45, $248.40 for series pass, plus fees; Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 5 and 8:15 p.m.; The Oxford Hotel, 10 N.W. Minnesota Ave., Bend; 541-382-8436 or www.jazzattheoxford.com.
Saturday, Dec. 28 LAST SATURDAY: Event includes art exhibit openings, live music, food and drinks and a patio and fire pit; free; 6-10 p.m.; The Old Ironworks Arts District, 50 S.E. Scott St., Bend; www.j.mp/lastsat.
Monday, Dec. 30 “PETER GABRIEL, NEW BLOOD LIVE IN LONDON 2011”: A screening of a film combining animation and on-screen graphics with Gabriel’s voice and a 46-piece orchestra; $12 general admission, $48 club pass, plus fees; 7 p.m., doors open at 6 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541317-0700 or www.towertheatre.org.
Thursday, Jan. 9 THE CALIFORNIA HONEYDROPS: The Southern soul band plays the Sisters Folk Festval’s Winter Concert Series; $20 in advance, $25 at the door; 7 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m.; Sisters High School, 1700 W. McKinney Butte Road; 541-5494979 or www.sistersfolkfestival.org.
Saturday, Jan. 11 POLAR BEAR FUN RUN & WELLNESS EXPO: A family friendly 5K and 10K run or walk through Dry Canyon and a Wellness Expo, raffle; proceeds benefit St. Thomas Academy; free for Wellness Expo,; 9 a.m.-1 p.m. for Wellness Expo, 10:30 a.m. fun run start with day of race registration at 8:30 a.m.; St. Thomas Academy, 1720 N.W. 19th St., Redmond; 541-548-3785 or www.redmondacademy.com. RED MOLLY: The Americana trio performs; $20-$25 plus fees; 7:30 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-317-0700.
Monday, Jan. 13 “ROCKSHOW, PAUL MCCARTNEY AND WINGS”: A screening of a film of McCartney’s concert in Seattle during the Wings Over America tour; $12 general admission, $48 club pass, plus fees; 7 p.m., doors open at 6 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541317-0700 or www.towertheatre.org.
Saturday, Jan. 18 BLUES HARMONICA BLOWOUT: A Sonny Boy tribute with John Mayll, Rick Estrin & Little Charlie Baty; $30-$45 plus fees; 7:30 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-3170700 or www.towertheatre.org.
Wednesday, Jan. 22 CALIFORNIA GUITAR TRIO AND MONTREAL GUITAR TRIO: A rock, jazz, world and classical music performance; $30 plus fees; 7 p.m., doors open at 6 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-317-0700 or www.towertheatre.org. Central Oregon Living | 31