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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (April 18, 2018)
Wednesday, April 18, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 13 Creating love — one spoon at a time By Katy Yoder Correspondent Mike Bush didn’t want to be a retiree with too much time on his hands. So he thought about things he always wanted to do but never had. He remembered being intrigued by the old guys in Western movies sitting on a front porch whittling. It looked like fun! It wasn’t as easy as he thought. He burned up sev- eral Dremel tools that couldn’t handle hard woods. Finally a friend steered him to the right equipment and he became a carver. He bought a book and began replicating what he saw. He carved several spoons and cut himself numerous times. “Copying ones from Europe wasn’t good, I wanted to do something on my own. I started doing my own designs,” he said. Then life — or, more accu- rately, death — got in the way. In 2006, he says, he had a heart attack and “died.” “In the middle of the night, I realized I wasn’t breathing and my heart wasn’t beat- ing. I was in a lot of pain and didn’t know what to do. So I just relaxed and everything went black. I heard nothing. There were no worries. It was strange but I was euphoric. Then the pain came back and I was covered in sweat. By day- time I convinced myself that I didn’t have a heart attack. A week later, I was walking up a hill and went to my knees, then down. My wife, Fran, called for help and three days later I had open-heart surgery.” Bush tells people about his life, about love, and how almost dying changed his personality. “I came from a family of migrant farm workers. Everybody smoked, drank and fought. Fran’s family brought me out of that but I was still not a nice person. Dying really changes you!” A man who had a similar experience asked Bush why they’d survived. Bush had thought about it for years. “I survived for my wife, Fran,” he said. “I told him there are three things in life: love yourself, give love, and receive love. Love is why I survived.” From that time on, he decided to make love spoons. “Every time I give one away, I tell my story,” he said. “I have given away over 500 spoons.” There are beautiful and touching stories from Bush’s gift-giving. “I carry a love spoon in my pocket just in case,” he explained. “One time, I was waiting for three hours for a doctor appointment. I saw a woman with a sick child in her arms with a temperature of 104 degrees and other chil- dren playing nearby. She told me about her situation and we sat together for two hours. She said her husband was in Portland, then began to cry. She sat there rocking her son. I took the spoon out and told what it stood for. She cried at first and then became so happy and gave me a big hug and walked away.” The history of love spoons goes back hundreds of years in Scandinavia and northern Europe. “The poor people of Europe didn’t have a lot of metal,” explained Bush. “Husbands would carve bowls and uten- sils for their families. They had time during cold winters or out in the field while watch- ing their sheep. Sometimes workers copied what they saw in rich people’s houses.” Young boys were taught to carve. Once the household had spoons the young man would keep the spoon they’d carved and contact a girl that they wanted to marry. She would invite him to her house to eat and he would walk in with a long spoon hanging from his jacket. If the girl took the spoon and ate with it he could court her. The better the carver the better the chance he’d get a yes. “At the spring festivals there’d be dancing and the boys would bring in a big spoon. If he asked a girl to dance and she did not take the spoon, he knew his answer. That’s where the term ‘spoon- ing’ came from,” said Bush, laughing. Bush plans to continue carving his Welsh love spoons, which keeps him “sparked and happy.” Sometimes mistakes can be opportunities for new things. “There are times that the wood makes you do what it wants,” he said. “Mistakes make me more creative.” The Bush home has love spoons on the walls, in baskets and of course, there’s always one in Mike’s pocket. Love PHOTO BY KATY YODER seems to guide his hands as Mike Bush carries his hand-carved love spoons in a pocket — because he carves his next creation. He there’s always an opportunity to spread the love. recently finished a spoon for a new grandson. Hopefully, someday his grandchildren will all carry on his tradition of carving love out of any entertainment & EVENTS circumstance. Hardtails Bar & Grill Open WED...APR. 18 Sisters Saloon Poker Night 7 p.m. Every Wednesday! $20. For additional information call 541-549-7427 or go online to sisterssaloon.net. HAPPY HOUR MON-FRI 4-7pm KARAOKE NIGHTS! FRIDAY • SATURDAY Daily Food Specials – Custom Burgers – Prime Rib Fridays 5pm! 175 N. Larch St. t. 541-549-6114 hardtailsoregon.com Facebook darcymacey April 20 / Fri / 8 PM Bend Burlesque and Company Grand “All 70s Revue” is a celebration of 70’s music, culture, and fashion. 9-piece funk rock band, comedians, and dancers. “Now You’re Talking” 7 one-act plays. Cutting-edge technology to get your carpet its cleanest! Baby & Pet Safe • Red Stain Removal • Chemical-free Cleaning >>>> TWICE A YEAR MAINTENANCE PLANS <<<< < F F O 5 2 $ D F O R 458-292-6842 Call or text Sisters Owned & Operated I S A H T N O M E N T I 5 m of $8 Minimu FREE F REE ESTIMATES FRI...APR. 20 SAT...APR. 21 May 3-5 / 7:30 PM Chamber Member Hood Avenue Art Live Music Benefi t with Tony Lompa & JJ and Circle Singers 6 to 8 p.m. Art salon fundraiser for Circle of Friends. Donations gladly accepted! For information call 541-719-1800 or go to hoodavenueart.com. Sisters Saloon Karaoke Night 9 p.m. to midnight. Every Thursday, no cover! For information call 541-549-7427 or go to sisterssaloon.net. The Belfry All ’70s Revue with Bend Burlesque and Company Grand 8 p.m. $20 at bendticket.com or $25 at the door for dancers, comedians, and the 9-piece funk rock band. Info, go to belfryevents.com. Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke Night 9 p.m. Every Friday (if no live music is scheduled), no cover! For info call 541-549-6114 or go online to hardtailsoregon.com. Silent Echo Theater 30 Years Experience THURS..APR. 19 May 18 / Fri / 8 PM Dirty Revival Soulful sounds and energetic beats enrapture any audience. PUB OPENS 1 HR PRIOR TO SHOWS BelfryEvents.com 541-815-9122 Paulina Springs Books Author Reading with Valerie Geary 6 p.m. Geary will read from her psychological mystery, “Everything We Lost.” Free! For info call 541-549-0866 or go to paulinasprings.com. Cork Cellars Live Music with Dry Canyon Trio & Fiddler Lily 7 to 9 p.m. No cover! For information call 541-549-2675 or go online to corkcellarswinebistro.com. Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke Night 9 p.m. Every Saturday, no cover! For additional information call 541-549-6114 or go to hardtailsoregon.com. MON...APR. 23 The Belfry Live Jazz with the Western Hemisphere Orchestra & Orquestra Brasil 8 p.m. $5 suggested donation (but students and seniors are free). The two groups from Western Oregon University are touring Central Oregon for the fi rst time! For info go to belfryevents.com. Mic & Jam Night 7 p.m. Every Monday, no cover! For info call 541-549-6114 or go online to hardtailsoregon.com. Sisters Saloon Painting Party 6 to 8 p.m. $35, every Monday! For additional information call 541-549-7427 or go to sisterssaloon.net. TUES..APR. 24 The Belfry Sisters Science Club presents Nancy Hughes 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. for social hour. $5 entry (club donors, teachers & students are free). Hear from the founder of Stove Team International on how they’re improving lives in developing nations. sistersscienceclub.org. Sisters Saloon Trivia Night 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sign-up is at 6:15 p.m. Free, every Tuesday! For info call 541-549-7427 or go online to sisterssaloon.net. WED...APR. 25 Sisters Nails & Spa 1st Anniversary Party & Live Music with Jeff Ibach 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Come celebrate the salon’s fi rst year in Sisters! For additional information call 541-904-0979. Sisters Saloon Poker Night 7 p.m. Every Wednesday! $20. For additional information call 541-549-7427 or go online to sisterssaloon.net. THURS...APR. 26 Sisters Saloon Karaoke Night 9 p.m. to midnight. Every Thursday, no cover! For additional information call 541-549-7427 or go to sisterssaloon.net. FRI...APR. 27 Downtown Sisters 4th Friday Art Stroll 4 to 7 p.m. Galleries & shops feature live entertainment & refreshments! Info: istersartsassociation.org. Hood Avenue Art Artists’ Showcase 4 to 7 p.m. During Art Stroll, see the art exhibit inspired by the Shibui Spa mini retreats. Art wil be auctioned to raise funds for Ten Friends. For information call 541-719-1800 or go to hoodavenueart.com. Hardtails Bar & Grill Karaoke Night 9 p.m. Every Friday (if no live music is scheduled), no cover! For info call 541-549-6114 or go online to hardtailsoregon.com. Events listings are free to advertisers. Submit items by 5 p.m. Fridays via email to teresa@nuggetnews.com
