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What We Can Learn from the Mountains

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

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 […]

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Holiday Magic at Seventh Mountain’s Festive Bazaar

A weekend of local shopping, ice skating and holiday cheer at Seventh Mountain Resort

Whether you’re shopping for one-of-a-kind gifts or ice skating with loved ones, Seventh Mountain Resort invites you to its third annual Holiday Bazaar โ€” a weekend of holiday shopping, seasonal sips and cozy winter fun. Nestled in the scenic Deschutes National Forest on the way to Mt. Bachelor, the resort transforms into a winter wonderland […]

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Shop Small at Nancy Pโ€™s 11th Annual Holiday Pop-Up

Celebrate Small Business Saturday with unique gifts, local art and festive treats

Some neighborhood cafes grow to be beloved fixtures in their communities, becoming local staples within their towns. For many in Bend, Nancy P’s Cafe & Bakery is one of those places. Tucked behind Newport Market on the west side, Nancy P’s has been a go-to spot in the community for over 24 years. Current owners […]

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Plight of the Pinyon Jay

Local volunteers contribute to the knowledge of these iconic birds

Pinyon jays are raucous, gregarious birds often associated with piรฑon-juniper woodlands throughout the Great Basin ecosystem and up into Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. The bird’s range pretty much patterns with the distribution of two-needled and one-needled pinyon pines, except for jay populations that live in ponderosa pine forests in the Northwest. Though widely distributed, […]

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Rubber Rabbits and Cornbread

The many uses and attributes of an overlooked high desert plant

My head is crooked upward more often in autumn, my eye drawn toward vibrant trees. But when I venture to look down, I see beautiful crunchy fallen leaves and one of the most abundant and obvious plants blooming throughout Oregon’s high desert in fall: the rubber, or gray, rabbitbrush. Gray rabbitbrush, or Ericameria nauseosa, is […]

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Pray for Snow: 10 Barrel’s Winter Bash Welcomes Arrival of Snow-Riding Season

Gear up for the season with the 13th annual Pray for Snow Party, 10 Barrel Brewing’s biggest winter celebration

As the snow begins to dust Bend’s pine-covered mountains, locals know winter is right around the corner. For outdoor enthusiasts, snow means endless days of carving down the slopes of Mt. Bachelor, skiing at Hoodoo Ski Area or snowshoeing through powdery trails. To celebrate, 10 Barrel Brewing is hosting its annual Pray for Snow Party […]

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It’s Time to Sow Your Seeds

Plant now to enjoy native wildflowers next spring and summer

Successfully growing plants from seed in Central Oregon is challenging. It’s also fun, inexpensive and deeply rewarding, once you learn the basics. Few people understand the struggles and rewards better than Lisa Sanco, the executive director of Worthy Environmental. “There’s nothing wrong with buying plant starts from nurseries,” she says, “but it’s more economical to […]

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‘Cheers to the Land’ Beer Dinner Celebrates Oregon’s Bounty

Oregon Agricultural Trust and Deschutes Brewery serve up a farm-to-table feast highlighting local foods paired with craft beer

Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, The Cheers to the Land Dinner has been cancelled. Cheers to the Land, a program by the statewide nonprofit Oregon Agricultural Trust, has teamed up with Deschutes Brewery to host an evening celebrating sustainable dining. The Cheers to the Land Beer Dinner, held at Deschutes Brewery & Public House in downtown Bend, […]

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Operation Lava Island Falls Fish Rescue

Deschutes River Conservancy organizes ninth annual fish rescue event, saving over 6,000 fish

Volunteers conducted a fish rescue operation over several days in mid-October, after reduced flows stranded fish in a mile-long side channel at Lava Island Falls along the Upper Deschutes River. The event was organized by the Deschutes River Conservancy, with help from volunteers and staff from fisheries and environmental consulting firm Mount Hood Environmental. Several […]

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Witches Paddle Returns: A Bewitching Halloween Tradition in Bend

Community members come together on paddleboards to support MountainStar Family Relief Nursery with the 5th annual Witches Paddle

What began as a fundraiser for MountainStar Family Relief Nursery has transformed into a beloved Central Oregon tradition. The fifth annual Witches Paddle returns to Bend on Halloween Day from 4-6pm at Riverbend Park. During the whimsical event, community members dress up in their best witch and warlock attire and take to the river on […]

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