For most, hearing a creek flow over cobbles and viewing the wildlife present along its banks delivers a reviving feeling. Here in the Rogue Valley, there are many opportunities to absorb the peacefulness that is provided by its natural areas. However, in order for creeks, rivers, and lakes to continue providing these opportunities, uninhibited, we all must play a role in preserving, maintaining, and restoring our local waterways.
To keep our waterways clear of excess algae and overbearing aquatic plant growth, we as homeowners can adopt Stream Smart yard and garden behaviors, such as: mowing high, mulching lawn clippings, using the appropriate amount of fertilizer in the correct place, properly disposing of yard waste, installing efficient irrigation systems, and removing turf and replacing it with native plants.
We love our dogs and going for walks with them, but we don’t always, if ever, enjoy picking up their poop. Pet waste that does not get picked up often gets washed into the storm drainage system, which empties into the nearest waterway untreated following rain events. With enough pet waste present in creeks and rivers, the water becomes contaminated with bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can threaten human health. On your next walk, remember to bring a bag, bag it up, and dispose of it in the nearest trash can.
Using “Earth-Friendly” cleaning supplies instead of conventional cleaners can keep harmful chemicals out of our waterways. While conventional cleaners will first enter wastewater treatment facilities, these chemicals are not always completely removed from the water before being emptied back into our rivers. Some “Earth-Friendly” suppliers include: Planet Earth, Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyers Clean Day, and ECOS, which can be found at most grocery stores and online at Grove Collaborative.
While car maintenance is not a particularly welcome way of spending money, by responding to oil, coolant, and transmission fluid leaks, less of these fluids are able to reach our local waterways. Additionally, the actions that you take when washing your car can impact water quality. To protect our waterways, follow these suggestions: wash over a permeable surface, such as gravel or your lawn, limit the amount of water used, or take your vehicle to a car wash facility, such as Wash N’ Go Depot,Crater Car Wash, or Yellow Submarine Car Wash.
If we want to ensure the continued feeling of serenity in the presence of our local creeks, rivers, and lakes, it is important that we adopt these actions. Take a pledge to do your part and be Stream Smart: www.stream-smart.com/pledges. For more information about Stream Smart: A Rogue Basin Clean Water Project, visit: www.stream-smart.com.
Fall is here and that means OCTOBER and that means HALLOWEEN and that means BATS!
Bats are victims of BAD public relations, specifically because of that FICTIONAL guy, DRACULA!
Bats have been on Earth for more than 50 million years. With over 1,400 species, they are the second largest order of mammals, and those species cover six continents. Globally, bats provide vital ecosystem services in the form of eating insect pests, plant pollination, and seed dispersal, making them essential to the health of our planet.
Making a bat-friendly place in your backyard supports the essential role bats have in the environment. All 15 different species of bats in Oregon eat insects…..mosquitoes, gnats, night flying beetles and moths.
Here’s a few BAT facts: 1. One Little Brown Bat can eat over 1000 bugs PER HOUR! 2. The world’s smallest bat is the Bumblebee Bat measuring 1.5 –3 inches in length and weighing 2 grams as a full-grown adult. 3. The world’s largest bat is the Giant Golden-crowned Flying Fox with a wingspan up to 6 feet! 4. The oldest known bat was a male Brant’s myotis who lived 41 years. 5. Of the 1,400+ species of bats in the world, only three are vampire bats that drink blood. They ONLY live in Central America NOT TRANSYLVANIA!
It’s time to help our BUG EATING friends….THE BATS!
Here’s your chance – Build your OWN BAT-HOUSE – STEM kit.
You get it ALL…..pre-cut ALL weather re-purposed plywood, screws and nails along with FULL detailed instructions to build your own BAT-HOUSE. Measures 16 in. tall, 8 in. wide and 2 ½ in. deep when finished. All you need is a hammer and screwdriver.
Features galvanized mesh for inside the house…..gives ‘em traction to climb up inside. Will hold about 35-50 little brown bats. They will use it as a roost as well as a NURSERY!
This package also includes a BAT coloring page and detailed 3 page educational fact sheet about all 15 Oregon bats and why bats are SO important.
If you are interested, please send an email to bugsrus@juno.com with quantity and your address.
This is a PERFECT activity for scouts, homeschoolers or ANYONE who wants to invite these AMAZING mammals to your property.
Our trip to go snow tubing at Diamond Lake was a BLAST! We had been planning it for weeks and the kids were ecstatic. Truth be told, Brooke and I were just as giddy to go! Between the two of us we have 6 kids total, including two sets of boy/girl twins, and each a singleton girl!
We decided ahead of time we were going to make it a day trip and pack lunches for a little snow pic-nic together. There is lodging options as well and it would be fun to stay a day or two next time! The drive was nice, only about 2 hours from Grants Pass. There is also a little store with food and snow gear just in case you forgot something like I always do! There is also a few dining options located by the store, hotel and cabins.
At the tubing hill they also have a few snacks available and snow gear if needed. One fun thing we didn’t expect was the music playing outside and families eating what they brought in and bbq’n in the parking lot!
The entire atmosphere was family friendly. When we got to the hill, we selected our tubes. They have single or doubles to choose from. While riding the conveyor belt to the top we all realized how fast everyone was going, we were terrified and excited all at the same time! The ride down is about 25 seconds but feels like 5! Little did we know that about 1 hour before closing it’s less, maybe 20 seconds to the bottom and you start to go further and further past the finish line!
That last hour was probably my favorite. Most the crowd had left or went to the parking lot to bbq so the line was shorter. We had gotten over the initial anxiety of going down and we’re having a blast by then! The kids were going down backwards and on their stomachs and my friend Brooke was able to record her and I going down together, best video ever!
Both of our families are from California and have lived in Oregon 10-12 years and this was by far one of the funnest things I have done in Oregon! There were no electronics involved besides a fun video with lots of laughs and amazing family memories made! I highly recommend going to Diamond lake for your next family trip!
The season usually starts in December to March, but depending on the weather conditions may extend to April.
Located in Eagle Point, Oregon at 12988 Hwy 62, you may have passed this rustic beauty which is an attraction for Historians, photographers and artists.
The home is circa 1870, homesteader was a wounded Civil War veteran Marvin Sylvester Wood, discharged as a corporal from the United States Army in 1864. Marvin along with his brother Dennis Wood came to Southern Oregon in 1868, Dennis passed away in 1869 leaving Marvin to manage the homestead and land patent. Marvin married wife Susan in 1876 and they had 3 children. Their son Walter Wood born in 1881 living in the house his entire life until he passed away in 1974. All three are buried in the IOOF Cemetery in Central Point, Oregon.
The home has been in jeopardy several times from the widening of Highway 62 and being moved to the present location to abandonment, bad weather, vandalism and real estate sales.
The Wood House is operated on a very small annual budget supported strictly by donations, all work is done on a volunteer basis by The Woodhouse Preservation Group (a non-profit organization). You can learn more about the history and how you can support by visiting : oldwoodhouse.org.
Since 1870 The Wood House still remains to welcome you to come and visit to see how primitive living really was in the 1800’s.
Please bring your family for the upcoming festivities:
May 16 & 17, 2020
150 Anniversary of the Wood House – Farm Festival. Vendors,music, house tours. 12988 Hwy. 62 Eagle Point.
October 3 & 4, 2020
Harvest Festival. Saturday 9-5pm & Sunday 9-4pm.. Collectibles, jewelry, wood products, food vendor, crafts, music.Enjoy a free cookie baked on the wood stove in the Wood House kitchen by the “Cookie Lady”. Admission is $2 for ages 13 and older, ages 12 and under are free.
October 24, 2020
Halloween Open House. 5-9pm. Come and enjoy, it’s spooktacular. Free tours of the Wood House and candy. Free admission.
December 19, 2020
Old Fashioned Christmas Open House. 2-8pm. Free gifts from Santa for the kids. Free photographs with Santa. Free admission.
I recently found Sugar Plumb Acres on Facebookand was super excited to go out and check out the farm located at 1850 Pioneer Rd. in Talent, Oregon.
We have a family recipe for a peach cake that my children love so it was easy to talk them into coming. When we pulled up to the farm the first thing that caught my eye was all the beautiful flowers!
They have a u-pick area that you can find reasonable priced flowers to make your own bouquet. Our next trip out we will be taking advantage of this for sure. We were directed to area to pick the peaches, you need to bring your own containers to transport them, we brought reusable fruit bags.
There are plenty of low hanging fruit so that even your toddlers are able to participate. Once you’ve gathered all your peaches you just have to pull up to the exit and you’re able to weight and pay right there, the farm does only take cash or checks.
Never swim alone. Always have a buddy—or, ideally, a lifeguard at a designated swim area—and maintain constant supervision of a swimmer. Follow rules of swimming areas.
• Never leave a child unattended near water.
• Make sure everyone in your family learns to swim well. Swim lessons. Wearing a US Coast Guard-approved life jacket can help young or inexperienced swimmers, but do not rely on jackets alone. Always maintain a watch on a swimmer.
• If you have a pool, secure it with appropriate barriers. Many children who drown in home pools were out of sight for less than five minutes and in the care of one or both parents at the time.
• If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.
Whether in a backyard swimming, in a community pool or in the ocean, always watch your
child closely in and around water.
Bring the whole family to North Mountain Park in Ashland for this free event featuring interactive exhibits, kids activities, live animals, salmon and watershed education, Native American demonstrations, fly-casting, storytelling, live music, and the opportunity to spend the day outside exploring beautiful North Mountain Park.
“Communities Connected by Water” will highlight the connections we all have with our watershed and the diverse habitats that serve watershed health from the highest peaks to the lowest creeks.
Southern Oregon has several 4th of July Celebrations. Bring your family for Fun Runs, Parades, festivities, street fairs, entertainment and fireworks. Have a safe and fun day!
4th of July Run in Ashland, Oregon. start at 7:45 am. Adults, children and families are welcome. Ashland Parks and Recreation 541-488-5340. Toregister: ashland.or.us/JulyRun
Ashland 4th of July Parade & Celebration. Ashland’s Old Fashioned 4th of July Celebration kicks off the morning with the Parks & Recreation run. Parade at 10am in downtown Ashland, flyover, followed by festivities in Lithia Park featuring food, booths, Family Activity Zone, Ashland City Band performs in the Lithia Park Bandshell. Fireworks in the evening visible all throughout town. Ashland, Oregon Chamber of Commerce ashlandchamber.com 541-482-3486.
Central Point Freedom Festival. 7am pancake breakfast, 7:30am Run 4 Freedom 5K & 1 mile. 8:45am Kids Fun Run, 9:30am Pine Street Parade , 10:30am Pfaff Park Festivities with food, artisans, vendors and free kids activities, 11am Live Music. A full day of activities! Pfaff Park, 635 Manzanita St, Central Point, Oregon. centralpointchamber.org
BoomFest! Gates open at 3pm. Live music, kid’s activities, food, beer garden available leading up the a huge fireworks display. Free entry at the Jackson County Fairgrounds, 1 Peninger in Central Point, Oregon. attheexpo.com
Eagle Point Independence Day Celebration. 7-10am Pancake breakfast, 8am Fun Run, Vendor booth 9am-3pm, 11am Fly Over, Parade at 11am, Noon-3pm live music with Rewing & Kid Zone activity area, 6pm Stadium open, 6:15pm Family activities & carnival games, fireworks at dusk Eagle Point, Oregon. eaglepointchamber.org
Grants Pass 4th of July Celebration. 7pm-10:30pm. Bring the family for a live concert followed by fireworks at Reinhart Volunteer Park, 1690 Webster Street, Grants Pass, Oregon. travelgrantspass.com
Merker/Belnap Memorial Walk/Run. 7:30am. The Merker/Belnap Memorial Walk/Run was established to honor John, Max and Ryan and to raise funds for an annual college scholarship to be awarded in their name. 541-474-0001, grantspassymca.org
Brookings Harbor Celebration. Pancake breakfast, kids area, BBQ, family activities, vendors, live music. fireworks at dusk at Sportshaven Beach. brookings.or.us
Klamath Falls Freedom Celebration. Parade, activities and fireworks. klamathfc.org/
Glendale 4th of July Celebration. Pancake breakfast in the park from 8-10am. Parade at 11am. fun activities, fireworks at dusk at High School.
Looking for free children’s activities to kick those the summertime blues?
The Park & Play program provides free activities, sports, crafts and bounce houses guaranteed to deliver a positive and enjoyable experience for your kids.
The Park & Play crew brings a mobile recreation vehicle and leads children in fun, engaging outdoor activities aimed to increase activity, creativity, and build social skills.
The daily schedule consists of a game, sport or contest, a creative art project and time in the bounce house. The bounce house is monitored closely by staff and administers a time limit to guarantee that everyone gets a chance to bounce safely.
Park & Play visits eight Medford parks Monday through Thursday, stopping at two parks each day for two hours; 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m.
The schedule allows Park & Play to visit a park in each Medford once a week to assure that all residents have access to the program. Park & Play runs for eight weeks beginning in June.
Movie Night at Lewis Park
The program is also available at the Rogue Credit Union Movies in the Park series providing free pre-show movie themed activities Saturday evenings from June through August at several city parks.
Go to playmedford.com or call 541-774-2400 for more information.
we as homeowners can adopt Stream Smart yard and garden behaviors, such as: mowing high, mulching lawn clippings, using the appropriate amount of fertilizer in the correct place, properly disposing of yard waste, installing efficient irrigation systems, and removing turf and replacing it with native plants.
Our trip to go snow tubing at Diamond Lake was a BLAST! We had been planning it for weeks and the kids were ecstatic. Truth be told, Brooke and I were just as giddy to go! Between the two of us we have 6 kids total, including two sets of boy/girl twins, and each a singleton girl!
Both of our families are from California and have lived in Oregon 10-12 years and this was by far one of the funnest things I have done in Oregon! There were no electronics involved besides a fun video with lots of laughs and amazing family memories made! I highly recommend going to Diamond lake for your next family trip!
4th of July Run in Ashland, Oregon. start at 7:45 am. Adults, children and families are welcome. Ashland Parks and Recreation 541-488-5340. Toregister: 
Ashland 4th of July Parade & Celebration. Ashland’s Old Fashioned 4th of July Celebration kicks off the morning with the Parks & Recreation run. Parade at 10am in downtown Ashland, flyover, followed by festivities in Lithia Park featuring food, booths, Family Activity Zone, Ashland City Band performs in the Lithia Park Bandshell. Fireworks in the evening visible all throughout town. Ashland, Oregon Chamber of Commerce 
Central Point Freedom Festival. 7am pancake breakfast, 7:30am Run 4 Freedom 5K & 1 mile. 8:45am Kids Fun Run, 9:30am Pine Street Parade , 10:30am Pfaff Park Festivities with food, artisans, vendors and free kids activities, 11am Live Music. A full day of activities! Pfaff Park, 635 Manzanita St, Central Point, Oregon. 
BoomFest! Gates open at 3pm. Live music, kid’s activities, food, beer garden available leading up the a huge fireworks display. Free entry at the Jackson County Fairgrounds, 1 Peninger in Central Point, Oregon. 
Eagle Point Independence Day Celebration. 7-10am Pancake breakfast, 8am Fun Run, Vendor booth 9am-3pm, 11am Fly Over, Parade at 11am, Noon-3pm live music with Rewing & Kid Zone activity area, 6pm Stadium open, 6:15pm Family activities & carnival games, fireworks at dusk Eagle Point, Oregon. 
Grants Pass 4th of July Celebration. 7pm-10:30pm. Bring the family for a live concert followed by fireworks at Reinhart Volunteer Park, 1690 Webster Street, Grants Pass, Oregon.
Merker/Belnap Memorial Walk/Run. 7:30am. The Merker/Belnap Memorial Walk/Run was established to honor John, Max and Ryan and to raise funds for an annual college scholarship to be awarded in their name. 541-474-0001, 
Brookings Harbor Celebration. Pancake breakfast, kids area, BBQ, family activities, vendors, live music. fireworks at dusk at Sportshaven Beach. 
Klamath Falls Freedom Celebration. Parade, activities and fireworks. 
Glendale 4th of July Celebration. Pancake breakfast in the park from 8-10am. Parade at 11am. fun activities, fireworks at dusk at High School.
