The leaves may change color and the kids may be back in school, but it truly feels like fall when pumpkin patch season rolls around! Here in Central Oregon, where we are blessed to live among incredible local farms and ranches, visiting a pumpkin patch—or several!—is a major must-do on every family’s list. Did you […]
Outdoors
Posted inBend Nest
It’s Gardening Time!
Tips for facing the challenge of high desert growing
At the first sign of spring, with warmer days ahead, many of us are excited to get outside and play. We are ready to start tinkering in the garden and dreaming of the season’s abundance. Wait a minute, not so fast! This isn’t the Willamette Valley, where rain is plentiful and vegetation grows easily. No, […]
Posted inBend Nest
A Good Kind of Fire
Backyard bonfires stoke comfort and creativity
Before modern civilization became inundated with distractions like television, internet and ways to fill the time, there was fire. Long after humanity, there will be fire. During the parched summer months, we know how dangerous the tiniest spark can be in Central Oregon. However, building and enjoying a fire is the best part of our frigid winters! In […]
Posted inBend Nest
In Search of Color
Notes from a quick road trip to Ashland
It’s a given that we all love Bend, and most of us have our favorite season here. Autumn has always been mine, but sometimes I miss being surrounded by the glorious multicolored leaves that are reminiscent of where I grew up. Bend does offer some autumn beauty, though. The golden maple trees along Industrial Way […]
Posted inBend Nest
Basket Case
Disc golf is easy fun for all Central Oregon families
If you head over to Pine Nursery or Rockridge Park this summer, you might spot a group of friends or families cheering every time they manage to toss a small plastic disc into a big metal basket mounted on a pole. “BLACK ACE!” one might shout, if the player landed a totally crazy shot in […]
Posted inBend Nest
Happy Centennial!
Bend’s Iconic Parks Turn 100 this Year
In 2021, as Bend Park and Recreation District hosts the centennial celebration of two of our most cherished parks—Drake and Shevlin, take a moment to imagine life in Bend and specifically, in these parks 100 years ago. Drake Park Possibly unrecognizable back then except for the Deschutes River, no doubt the land where Drake Park […]
Posted inBend Nest
Let’s Get Out There!
Winter Activity Roundup 2021
If you live in Central Oregon, you know that winter is not a time for hibernating, but a time for getting out in the glistening snowy wonderland. As we jump into the full swing of winter amidst pandemic restrictions, you may be wondering what activities are still on offer for kids in Bend and beyond. […]
Posted inBend Nest
A Natural Remedy
Why children need to spend time outdoors
Kids these days! They spend way too much time on screens with distance learning, and then after school, they usually want to play video games or watch a show. Even before the pandemic and online school, children were spending more time in front of computers and less time outdoors than previous generations, and rightfully, many […]
Posted inBend Nest
Feel the Freedom
Bicycle commuting for students of all ages
The beginning of a new school year represents a fresh start – new classes, new people and opportunities. Like the beginning of a new year, back-to-school can be the perfect time to set goals and resolutions. Why not make one of them becoming a bike commuter—however the school year looks? Health Benefits Riding a bike […]
Posted inBend Nest
Let’s take it Outside!
Outdoor Adventures for Mother’s Day.
Editor’s note: This story from Bend Nest, our parenting magazine, was written before state parks, national forest trailheads and other locales closed due to coronavirus. Be sure to check with the land manager before visiting to get information on re-openings! This Mother’s Day forget sending mom to the spa. She doesn’t care about long, luxurious […]