Aaron

Aaron

    Rockhound Bailey Lefever (center) teaches a jewelry-making class in Spray.
    My Workspace, Think Oregon

    Eastern Oregon Rockhounding Jewelry

    Bailey Lefever creates elegant jewelry from rare finds written by Joni Kabana For many, slow meandering through ancient landscapes full of various types of rocks is not just a pastime, but a passion. Discovering the tip of what turns out to be a beautiful rock brings a level of adrenaline rush that only a true rockhound can explain. Our state, especially on the eastern side, is chock-full of rocks of all kinds. From obsidian to thunder eggs, an abundance of rocks can easily be found if you know where and how to look for them. Bailey Lefever is one of the Pacific Northwest’s most prolific rockhounds, having a collection of more than 10,000 rocks and counting. He lives and breathes rockhounding and turns his treasures into jewelry, which he sells by referrals, at events and via his Instagram account (www.instagram.com/rockhounding_jewelry). For him, rockhounding is a way of life—he spends most…

    Explore Oregon, Northwest Destination

    Borrego Springs and Bombay Beach

    In the windswept Southern California desert, abundant art meets nature’s palette written by James Sinks Longer than a football field, a sea serpent dives into the desert sand, emerging on the other side of a road. Nearby, a giant scorpion and grasshopper tower over the scrub. Mammoths stand watch. And a pair of giant tortoises peek through underbrush. The metalwork menagerie—there are some 130 separate creatures in all—welcomes visitors to the windswept landscape that surrounds the sleepy Southern California enclave of Borrego Springs, a place where art meets barrenness and beauty, day and night. In a bowl with mountains jutting on three sides, the community feels a bit like an oasis that time forgot, with low-slung resorts that beckon winter escapees yet with little of the campy glitz of Palm Springs or the beach bustle of San Diego, each a ninety-minute drive away. Winter temps average a comfortable 71 degrees,…

    The lobby library of the writer redoubt, Hotel Sylvia in Newport.
    Explore Oregon, Lodging

    Hotel Sylvia: A Literary Escape in Newport

    written by Kerry Newberry | photography by Shelsi Lindquist Perched on a cliffside at the edge of the sea in Newport, Hotel Sylvia’s historic building dates back to 1910. For more than forty years, the storied property has lured book lovers to the coast for contemplative literary retreats. The beloved hotel recently relaunched following a thoughtful glow up—reviving all the spaces while retaining the bookish spirit of this special place. The name still pays homage to Sylvia Beach, the legendary American expat book-seller who owned the Paris bookstore Shakespeare and Company—a literary hub in the 1920s for renowned writers including Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein and F. Scott Fitzgerald. You’ll find the revered literary ethos remains throughout the property. All twenty-two guest rooms are named for either authors (Maya Angelou, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, C.S. Lewis, Alice Walker) or after popular genres (drama, fantasy, mystery). Each room added curated book collections…

    A researcher using a microscope in a modern laboratory setting.
    My Workspace, Think Oregon

    Itsy Bitsy Worlds

    Professor Greta Binford follows her love for biodiverse habitats, and arachnids written by Joni Kabana | photography by Amanda Loman Many shudder at the thought of seeing a brown recluse spider, but not Greta Binford, professor of biology at Lewis & Clark College. Binford revels in studying and teaching biodiversity, including research of brown recluse spiders and their relatives. For her, Oregon is a playground of diverse habitats. “I absolutely love spending time lying on the ground in old-growth forests and looking closely at the tiny, super-diverse life living in the deep, peaty forest floor,” she said. “That’s where soil is made, and the ecosystem of tiny life there will blow your mind.” Binford attended Purdue University thinking she wanted to be a veterinarian but quickly realized she did not have the fortitude to work with blood and sick animals. After trying a couple other majors, she dropped out of…

    A cozy indoor garden scene featuring an easel-style shelf holding multiple potted plants, including succulents and cacti, with natural light from a nearby window, capturing the essence of Oregon lifestyle and gardening culture.
    DIY, Home + Design, Live Oregon

    DIY Cedar A-Frame Plant Stand

    illustration by Charla Pettingill Plant lovers, this one is for you—a weekend woodworking project that packs more plants into one space, courtesy of this simple A-frame plant stand. We’re building it out of cedar, so it can go outside on the patio; however, the shelves are removable and it can fold up (courtesy of carriage bolts), so feel free to put this anywhere. Here are our instructions. 1 MATERIALS We’re opting to build the A-frame supports on either side from four 8-foot-long, cedar 2x4s. There will be eight supports for the shelves, each support measuring a foot long, so you will need one 8-foot-long cedar 1×3. The shelves will require two 8-foot-long, cedar 1x12s. Prep the wood, if needed, and give it a light sanding. 2 BUILD THE A-FRAME Cut the 2x4s to 73 inches. Cut the bottom of each leg, where it will be sitting on the ground, at…

    Game Changer, Think Oregon

    Chamber Music Unites Burns, Oregon

    In blue-collar Burns, chamber music helps bring a small community together written by James Sinks | illustration by Kristiina Almy A former county commissioner plays tenor sax. A research ecologist plays the violin. A police officer plays bass clarinet. And a college student and enrolled member of the Burns Paiute Tribe plays tuba. Twice a year in the Oregon high desert, the nonprofit Chamber Music Society of Harney County brings together volunteer musicians from Burns and the vicinity for free concerts. The most recent, in March, featured fifty-four musicians, and a crowd of more than 200 came to watch and listen to their friends and neighbors in the association’s three ensembles: a choir, bell choir and orchestra. The repertoire is wide, from folk songs to movie soundtracks to patriotic marches. And the shows are a testament that even in one of the more remote places in the country, music has…

    Chanterelle Sauté on toasted sourdough.
    Farm to Table, Live Oregon, Oregon Home Grown Chef

    Foraging Oregon’s Golden Chanterelles

    written by Thor Erickson | photography by Tambi Lane “I thought you’d never get here!” a booming voice exclaimed through my driver-side window as I pulled into the parking area. “I’ve been waiting for thirty minutes!” The voice was that of my brother-in-law, Pete. Pete and my sister Kaari live near Portland, and I live in Bend, so we’d arranged to meet about midway, at my secret/not-so-secret spot for finding chanterelle mushrooms. Pete, a retired army nurse, is adept at hunting and fishing, and for years I have been threatening to add foraging to his set of skills. I pulled out my field guide and showed him what we were looking for: Cantharellus formosus, the Pacific golden chanterelle, Oregon’s official state mushroom, and in my opinion the most delicious edible mushroom. After a mile walk, we came upon the place—a large stand of Douglas fir, spruce and hemlock casting long…

    A person with short hair relaxing at a bar with their hand on their face and a beer mug nearby, surrounded by vibrant, colorful abstract art, capturing the essence of Oregon's art and culture scene.
    Food+Drink, Live Oregon

    When Beer and Jazz Find Their Groove

    written by Jeremy Storton | illustration by Maggie Wauklyn I sink deeper into the patio chair as shadows stretch into oblivion, bathed in the golden light of dusk. The song “So What” wafts from the house like the aromas from our homegrown chef’s kitchen. “Man From Monterey” then picks up the groove, setting the mood as my buddy and I sip our beer. The pairing of good beer and jazz as day fades into night always seems to bring life into perspective. Some of my favorite contemplative moments were steeped in conversation with a great beer in hand while jazz played softly in the background. I’d bet that in your quiet moments, many of you aren’t all that different. Staring into your glass, your mind goes elsewhere. Your foot taps. Your head sways. You may not know exactly where you are, but you know it’s somewhere good. The similarities between…

    Enjoying fishing in Oregon's scenic waters, these anglers explore outdoor adventures featured in 1859 Oregon Magazine, highlighting the region's natural beauty and leisure activities.
    Adventure, Explore Oregon

    Cape Kiwanda Dory Fishing Adventure

    Punching through Cape Kiwanda surf with a seasoned captain, a hefty catch and century-old dory culture written by Cathy Carroll In the faint light just after dawn in the Pelican Brewing Company parking lot in Pacific City, Captain Joe Hay stood at the stern of his trailered dory boat, primed to launch straight from the beach through the surf of Cape Kiwanda—a tradition among local fishers since the early 1900s. With the dry humor of someone who’s spent thirty years plying the waters for its bounty, Hay, in pink Chubbies swim trunks but visible only from the waist up, quipped: “I guess you’re wondering why I’m not wearing pants—my wife wears them, and she’s home in bed.” This was just what a neophyte wearing an anti-seasickness patch behind an ear needed to hear. “She’s a smart woman,” I replied, feeling less nervous. I climbed aboard. The crew towed the open-hulled,…