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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (March 2, 2016)
6A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL March 2, 2016 Chatterbox 9 The Cottage Grove is home, sweet home BY BETTY KAISER For the Sentinel T wenty-seven years ago on March 3, 1989, my husband and I moved from our home in California to a home in rural Oregon. We resigned from boards and committees, sold our house and busi- ness, said goodbye to our family and liter- ally left behind everything that was famil- iar as we headed into uncharted territory. It was one of the best decisions that we ever made, but I’m still shocked that we did it. I’ve written about this before, and I know it may sound a little dramatic to born-and-bred Oregonians. After all, we weren’t riding up here in an oxcart on the Oregon Trail. No, we were in heated cars, an RV with two dogs and a cat, behind a moving van, over the snowy Siskiyous and up Interstate 5 to a challenging fi xer-upper property. Still, for us, it was an extreme and challenging lifestyle change. We city people were fulfi lling a lifelong dream of living by a lake, smelling the fresh clean air, watching the sun rise and set, the wildlife scamper through the fi elds and the birds fl uttering and nesting in the towering trees near our home. The fear? We didn’t know a soul in Oregon, desper- ately missed our children and didn’t have jobs. Anxious, sleepless nights punctured our euphoria. The town we found had all the basics we were looking for: churches, doctors, a hospital, pharmacies, newspaper, grocery, jewelry, clothing, hardware, auto and vari- ety stores, antique shops, covered bridges and a colorful history. It was also close to a big city—and a lake! Cottage Grove was almost too good to be true. Of course, we had city people questions. I drove realtor Becky crazy: Are you sure the well won’t run out of water? (No.) Why is our lake drained in winter? (Flood control.) Is there trash pick up out in the boon- docks? (Yes.) The neighbors live acres away. How will we get to know them? (They drive down the driveway and introduce them- selves and you hold an annual Christmas cookie party.) There were also questions we should have asked and didn’t: What kind of weather damage can we expect from Oregon winters? (Flood- ing, frozen pipes, mold, falling trees and more) Does the electricity go out often? (Yep!) Does it stay off very long? (Sometimes for days.) Is it safe to leave building materials un- attended? (No!) Are there wild animals to be concerned about? (Bear, deer, cougar, deer, raccoon, deer, feral cats, deer, etc.) When should we take the California li- cense plates off our cars? (As soon as pos- sible!) Our fi rst weather reality check came while escrow was closing. The house had been a rental and the renters had vacated the premises. Something called the Siberi- an Express hit the region, and guess what? Most of the pipes in the empty house were frozen. Of course, that led to the pipes breaking and water damage. Welcome to reality! We dealt with all of the other unasked questions as they reared their ugly heads. Building materials were re-ordered and put under lock and key. The California license plates came off immediately, but other things took awhile. Twenty years into our residency, we fi nally bought a generator to help us through power outages. But after a quarter of a century, the sun- sets are wonderfully memorable and the wildlife exciting. I am still in awe when I see a ruddy colored fox with a bushy tail run across our meadow. Bears have de- stroyed our neighbor’s beehives and come tumbling down the hill while we were walking the dogs. Cougars have been seen sunning on the pavement, drinking from March 3rd: Paisley, Columbia and Fort Rock Caves 15,000 Years of History 6-8pm with Dennis Jenkins, University of Oregon Archaeologist March 7th: University of Oregon Anthropology Department Presentation 6-8pm Speaker: Andrea Eller & the Osteology Team Betty Kaiser’s Chatterbox is about peo- ple, places, family, and other matters of the heart. Contact her at 942-1317 or via e-mail — bchatty@bettykaiser.com STEAK FEED P ER P ERSON * S TARTING M ARCH 18 TH *Increase due to food costs C. G. ELK’S LODGE • 755 N. River Road Congratulations! Resident to our Employee of the Month of the Month Michael Davis Krista Blomquist for the Month of February, 2016 Magnolia Gardens 541-942-0054 1425 Daugherty Ave. • Cottage Grove We have 2x12 Rough Cut Cedar for Raised Beds in stock! LANDSCAPE AND BUILDING MATERIALS Open 7 days a week! 79149 N. River Road 541-942-4664 2015 e Grove Cottag ber m a h C merce of Com s Busines of the Year Grove Medical Equipment The Smithsonian Institution, The American Library Association, John Templeton Foundation, and the Cottage Grove Public Library Present: “Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean To Be Human?” ponds and visiting a neighbor’s dog pen. They are all an exciting reminder that we share our home with truly wild four-foot- ed critters. Our deer stories are legendary. We love watching them graze peacefully out in the meadow. Knowing, of course, that they are merely scoping out their nightly for- age. They are voracious eaters, and one year I wrote a column on the ‘Stalag 13’ fence compound that Chuck built around his vegetable garden. We have hot-wired the roses. We spray “Deer Away” on pot- ted plants. Still they come. Sometimes our encounters have been deadly. One year a deer was hit by a car and died outside our fence line. We called the county to have it removed. No, they couldn’t do that! If the deer was on our property…it was our responsibility. So, our neighbor came down with his front loader tractor, a deep hole was dug, the deer was picked up, dumped into the hole and given a proper burial. Shortly after that a passing car on Res- ervoir Road hit another deer. In a last- ditch adrenaline rush, it jumped our fence, ran straight for the vegetable garden and died! Again, Chuck got to bury a creature that weighed more than he does! One morning, a large deer decided to jump over Chuck’s vintage El Camino as he drove into town. This deer misjudged and hit the left front fender, rolled over the windshield and ran away. Apparently he survived to chow down on our roses an- other day. All in all, living in our lakeside home has been a joy. It has been everything we hoped for and more. Upon arrival, the neighbors were helpful and welcoming. They showed us the ropes of country liv- ing, and we couldn’t have done it without them. We each found new careers, reveled in each new day and have made countless lifelong friends. As an added bonus, our grandsons got to vacation in the country every year and learn to drive on a tractor! It just doesn’t get any better than this. Oregon is truly home. Thank you, Cottage Grove, for making our dreams come true. $ 3 rd Friday of each month “B UILDING A H EALTHY C OMMUNITY ” • OXYGEN • SLEEP THERAPY • WHEEL CHAIRS • HOSPITAL BEDS • WALK AIDS • SPECIALTY FITTINGS • SALES AND RENTALS • INSURANCE BILLING Owner, Michele Savage 148 Gateway Blvd 541-225-5443 grovemedical@outlook.com Join us on Facebook (Bi Mart Plaza) Cottage Grove, OR 97424 LOW COST Local & Metro Weekday Trips Professional Caring Staf Your Regional Public Transportation Service No elgibility requirements. 541-942-0456 southlanewheels.org W orship D irectory 6th & Gibbs Church of Christ 195 N. 6th St. • 541-942-3822 Pastor: Aaron Earlywine Youth & Families Pastor: Seth Bailey Services: 9am and 10:30am Christian Education Nursery for pre-k - 3rd Grade www.6thandgibbs.com Calvary Baptist Church 77873 S 6th St • 541-942-4290 Pastor: Riley Hendricks Sunday School: 9:45am Worship: 11:00am The Journey: Sunday 5:00pm Praying Thru Life: Wednesday 6:00pm Calvary Chapel Cottage Grove 1447 Hwy 99 (Village Plaza) 541-942-6842 Pastor: Jeff Smith Two Services on Sun: 9am & 10:45am Youth Group Bible Study Child Care 10:45am Service Only www.cgcalvary.org Center for Spiritual Living Cottage Grove 700 Gibbs Ave (Community Center) Rev. Bobby Lee Meets Sunday 3:00 p.m. (907) 230-5070 www.facebook.com/CSLCottageGrove Church of Christ 420 Monroe St • 541-942-8565 Sunday Service: 10:30am Cottage Grove Bible Church 1200 East Quincy Avenue 541-942-4771 Pastor:Bob Singer Worship 11am Sunday School:9:45am AWANA age 3-8th Grade, Wednesdays Sept-May, 6:30pm www.cgbible.org Cottage Grove Faith Center 33761 Row River Rd. • 541-942-4851 Lead Pastor: Isaac Hovet www.cg4.tv 2 Sunday Services: 9am & 11am Full Childrenʼs Ministry available First Presbyterian Church 3rd and Adams St • 541-942-4479 Pastor: Karen Hill Worship: 10:00am Sunday School: 10:00am www.cgpresbynews.com Old Time Gospel Fellowship 103 S. 5th Street • 541-942-4999 Pastor: Herb Carson Sunday Service: 10:00am Sunday Bible Study: 6:00pm We sing the old time hymns. Grove Community Church 77820 Mosby Creek Rd. Cottage Grove, OR 97424 541-942-0123 Pastor: Bryan Parsons Worship: 10:30 a.m. Nursery: Infant - Pre-K Kidʼs Church: K to 5th grade Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St. Philip Benizi Catholic Churches 1025 N. 19th St. 541-942-3420 / 541-942-4712 Pastor: Roy L. Antunez, S.J. Euch. Liturgies; Sat. 5:30pm Sun. 10:30am St. Philip Benizi, Creswell: 552 Holbrock Lane • 541-895-8686 Sunday: 8:30am Covered Bridge Nazarene Church 152 S. M St. 541-942-4422 Pastor: Cindy Slaymaker Sunday School: 9:30am Worship 10:30am Hope Fellowship United Pentecostal Church 100 S. Gateway Blvd. • 541-942-2061 Pastor: Dave Bragg Worship: 11:00am Sunday Bible Study: 7:00pm Wednesday www.hopefellowshipupc.com “FINDING HOPE IN YOUR LIFE” Delight Valley Church of Christ 33087 Saginaw Rd. East 541-942-7711 Pastor: Bob Friend Two Services: 9am - Classic in the Chapel 10:30am - Contemporary in the Auditorium Living Faith Assembly 467 S. 10th St. • 541-942-2612 Pastor Rulon Combs Sunday School All Ages 9am Worship & Childrenʼs Church 10:30 am “The Bridge” Sat Evening Service 6:00pm Youth 180 Mondays 5:30-8pm Childrenʼs Breakout Class: Wed. 6:30pm First Baptist Church 301 S 6th St 541-942-8242 Pastor: Steve Johnson Sunday School: 9:30am Worship: 11:00am Come Worship with us Non-Denominational Church of Christ 1041 Pennoyer Ave * 541-767-0447 Preachers: Tony Martin & Robert Evans Sunday Bible Study:10:00am Sunday Worship:10:50am & 5:30pm www.pennoyeravecoc.com St. Andrews Episcopal Church 1301 W. Main • 541-767-9050 Rev. Lawrence Crumb “Church with the fl ags.” Worship: Sunday 10:30am All Welcome Seventh-day Adventist Church 820 South 10th Street 541-942-5213 Pastor: Kevin Miller Bible Study: Saturday, 9:15 am Worship Service: Saturday, 10:40 am Mid-week Service: Wednesday, 1:00 pm Trinity Lutheran Church 6th & Quincy • 541-942-2373 Pastor: James L. Markus Sunday School & Adult Education 9:15am Sundway Worship 10:30 am Comm. Kitchen Free Meal Tue & Thur 5:00pm TLC Groups tlccg.com United Methodist Church 334 Washington • 541-942-3033 Pastor:Lura Kidner-Miesen Worship: 10:30am Adult Sunday School: 9:30am Comm. Dinner (Adults $5, Kids Free) 2nd & 3rd Monday 5-6:00pm cottagegroveumc.org “VICTORY” Country Church 913 S. 6th Street • 541-942-5913 Pastor: Barbara Dockery Worship Service: 10:00am Message: 11:00am “WE BELIEVE IN MIRACLES” Our Worship Directory is a weekly feature in the newspaper. If your congregation would like to be a part of this directory, please contact the Cottage Grove Sentinel at 541-942-3325.