Kimberly Bowker
Posted inFood & Drink

For the Love of Craft Beer

Central Oregon craft breweries share why they are thankful for the elixir and what it has taught them about life
by Kimberly Bowker

It’s that time of year when we are perhaps a little more reflective about what we are thankful for in this wildly beautiful life. Here, in Central Oregon, I think that we are generally pretty grateful for such an exciting and generous craft beer scene. This year we asked folks from different breweries: Why are […]

Posted inColumns

Mapping Love

A local’s perspective on place and love through time
by Kimberly Bowker

Growing up in high school, I heard that Millican was the place to make out. I never made it out that far — or really that far in general — but every time I pass a certain basalt rock monument in Drake Park I do remember kissing someone by Mirror Pond under the stars. Most […]

Posted inOutside

Talking to Trees

Learning a new language in ways of communication
by Kimberly Bowker

Camping in Central Oregon as a young being, I felt continually drawn to the trunks of Ponderosa Pines that were close to the ground, like I was, and extended infinitely upward, like I did. My little paws touched the bark and I stood in wonder at how all these puzzle pieces around the tree could […]

Posted inNews

Central Oregon Underwater

Being part of the larger community
by Kimberly Bowker

Snowflakes melt instantly upon touching the water of Lake Billy Chinook near Madras. It is February of 2008 and I float in a thick wetsuit shouldering scuba diving gear in 45-degree water. I shiver and feel awe at the thought of living under that water for a moment. As one might expect, there is not […]

Posted inCulture

Passages of Time

A quick guide to exploring some of Central Oregon’s museums
by Kimberly Bowker

Story is a part of life in how we exist and make meaning. Lucky for us, Central Oregon is home to a number of museums that hold history, science, and nature in deepening our understanding of the world and our experience of wonder. Spring is a great time to delve into some of the regional […]

Posted inOutside

What We Can Learn from the Mountains

An essay on the lessons of resilience and change in the Central Oregon Cascade Range
by Kimberly Bowker

Growing up in Central Oregon, I always saw the mountains. They were there when I learned how to ride a bike, when I went to prom, when I experienced life and death in their shadows. Yet I don’t know a lot about these peaks other than touching the rocks on outdoor excursions and saying good […]

Posted inCulture

This is 40, circa 2024

A Bend local’s commentary on life in middle age
by Kimberly Bowker

PBS is in my top five television stations. My best friend is my mother. I finally understand that there is magic everywhere, especially on a memory foam mattress with three accompanying pillows. This is 40. The good news (thank you, print newspapers) is that I shared turning middle age in 2023 with the company of […]

Sign up for newsletters

Get the best of The Source - Bend, Oregon directly in your email inbox.

Sending to:

Gift this article