Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (July 3, 2019)
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Celebrating deserts, literature in Central Oregon By Katy Yoder Correspondent Waterston Desert Writing Prize-winner Nathaniel Brodie of Portland was hon- ored last week for his writing on deserts. Yet he still finds it hard to articulate just what deserts mean to him. <The desert means a series of thing you can9t put into words. It9s a series of child- like colors, images, emotions and smells that well up out of the wide open sky,= he told The Nugget. <The sound of a canyon wren pulls forth feel- ings and memories. Staring up at a billion stars while lying on a warm flat rock& it9s at the deepest most primal connection.= The High Desert Museum was the venue for the 5th annual Waterston Desert Writing Prize, which included workshops and an awards cer- emony on June 26. Attendees enjoyed a reception before opening remarks by the High Desert Museum9s Executive Director Dana Whitelaw. Waterston Desert Writing Prize president and founder, Ellen Waterston, followed with introductions for a three-panel presentation she moderated called <A Desert Conversation.= Panelists included scholars Bruce Berger, Patty Limerick and Kim Stafford. Waterston described the forum as an exchange between three illustrious authors and schol- ars, who in their work in some shape and form address deserts. She asked each to first comment on the role the des- ert plays in the human narra- tive or in their writing, and then to offer a short reading of their work. The discussion began with award-winning author Bruce Berger, best known for a series of books exploring the intersections of nature and culture. His most recent book, <A Desert Harvest,= was featured in an opening video created on the occasion of the recent launch of the book in New York. The video was narrated by Ellen Waterston9s brother Sam Waterston. Berger was followed by Patty Limerick, the fac- ulty director and chairman of the board of the Center of the American West at the University of Colorado, where she is a professor of history. She is best known for her work, <The Legacy of Conquest,= as well as a witty sense of humor that kept the audience laughing and listen- ing to her intriguing desert descriptions. Asked before her time on stage about participating in the event, Limerick compli- mented all the writers who vied for the coveted prize. <I get to recognize younger, talented writers and introduce them. It9s so excel- lent to be in the company of the talented young. I get to be an ancient figure who wrote about deserts long before some of these young folks were born,= she said. Rounding out the thought- ful discussions, Oregon9s Poet Laureate, Kim Stafford, read a recently written work inspired by his admiration for Ellen Waterston and his love for all things desert. He described his reading as, <Not really a poem but more back and forth between a charm, WHAT’S A RELAXATION ROOM? Leave your stress at the door… Settle into one of our stress therapy chairs for a calming g celestial exp experience. Relax, enjoy! Friday-Sunday, Noon to Close Relaxation Room Sisters 541-771-0320 . Redmond 541-388-3091 SEED TO TABLE: Children9s programs connect them to food Continued from page 11 PHOTO BY JERRY BALDOCK Nathaniel Brodie, 2019 winner of the Waterston Desert Writing Prize, offered an engaging reading to an audience at the High Desert Museum. a blessing, a memory and a message to my late brother.= Stafford recalled that his late father, William Stafford, loved to take road trips from Portland. <He9d say, let9s get over the mountains to the dry country,= said Stafford. After the panel, Limerick did the award presentation to finalist, Summer Hess and the winner, Nathaniel Brodie. Brodie was overwhelmed by the beauty of the High Desert Museum and the honor of meeting Patricia Limerick, who he considers one of his heroes. He was also excited to have his book sitting on the same table with esteemed writers like Kim Stafford and Bruce Berger. Dana Whitelaw made her closing remarks, thanking attendees and Ellen Waterston for her tireless efforts in the literary arts. <The Waterston Desert Writing Prize is one of my favorite events to host because of the partnership and Ellie9s vision for the writing prize,= she said at the conclusion of the evening. <I love that it uses the liter- ary arts as a way to explore deserts differently. It pushes our definition of deserts. It could be the Sonoran desert, the high desert, the deserts of depression or the moon. Using the desert as a prompt for writing allows readers to think about it differently.= For more information about The Waterston Desert Writing Prize visit https:// www.waterstondesertwriting- prize.org. activities. Exploration and learning on Seed to Table farm allows students to con- nect with nutrition, science, and art through farm-based activities. For three hours each Tuesday throughout the sum- mer, Seed to Table staff is here to help kids create posi- tive relations with nutritious foods and to foster experi- ential education. The three hours includes a break in between to head over to the neighboring park to play and eat a snack the group has prepared. The entire family is wel- come to join for the entire time or for the first hour-and- a-half, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Participants learn about our native pollinators, dig for worms, make a seed collage, prepare a delicious fresh garden snack, and more. No registration is required. If you are dropping your child off there is a minimum age of 5 years old. If par- ents are staying all ages are welcome. Visit Seed to Table9s website www.seedtotable oregon.org for more infor- mation or contact Education Coordinator Aude Girin at education@seedtotable sisters.org. FEATURED ARTISTS DINING & TAKE-OUT until midnight every night Menu at SistersSaloon.net 541-549-RIBS 190 E. Cascade Ave. FOR JULY Elyse Douglas & JoAnn Burgess 541-749-1800 • 357 W. HOOD AVE., SISTERS • HOODAVENUEART.COM The Nugget Newspaper delivers a variety of news and commentary with a wide range of voices and opinions that represent our diverse community. Our Professional Community Journalism provides depth, quality, and range of content to the Sisters, k . Camp Sherman, and Black Butte Ranch communities every week. Display Advertising | Classifi eds | Subscriptions 541-549-9941 • 442 E. Main Ave., Sisters To submit a story idea, email editor@nuggetnews.com PHOTO BY GARY MILLER 32