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.