UNCERTAINTY By Jackie Deal

Posted on October 27, 2019 by Dick Shanahan

Uncertainty. Is “uncertainty” a basic human emotion? Well, if it isn’t (and it isn’t) maybe it should be. Check out “basic human emotions” on the internet and you get this: love, joy, surprise, fear, sadness, disgust, shame and pride. H’mm.
Right now I’m dealing with uncertainty and it sure feels like it’s basic! Let’s get the story straight before folks start asking “What flowers did she like?” or begin planning my memorial service. (Got your attention, did I?)
I planned to leave Oregon and head for Quartzsite Oct. 22 but my plans were waylaid by an innocent letter that came late Friday evening. “Your recent mammogram…requires additional imaging studies for a complete evaluation.” All medical offices are closed late Friday evening so I waited until 8:01 a.m. Monday and started calling. After much pleading, a repeat evaluation was scheduled for Tuesday morning and it resulted in an ultrasound Tuesday afternoon. A very young and handsome doctor talked with me after the study and the result is I’m awaiting a biopsy next Monday. I won’t know the results til Wednesday.
Uncertainty!! A report of negative (that means no cancer) or positive (yep, cancer) hangs in the balance til then. Making this doubly difficult is my almost insane desire to get down to Quartzsite before the winter snows choke the mountain passes (two of them I must traverse.)
It might be easier to deal with the eight basic emotions listed. But uncertainty? Being a rational person I tell myself that fear and sadness are not appropriate; certainly the other basic emotions aren’t appropriate. So where am I? In limbo.
Limbo? My old dictionary habit, now replaced by Google, rears its ugly head and I check the internet. “An intermediate, transitional, or midway state or place.” Sheesh! Intermediate? I’m a little too old for that. Midway? Between what and what? That leaves transitional; which really isn’t so bad. Every day of our lives is a transition. We move from childhood to adult hood and all the gray areas in between. This is just another transition; the only problem is I can’t see the end of it. But then have we ever seen the end of a year, a week or even a day?
So, Quartzsite here I come…maybe. We’ll see. Uncertain, that’s all.

Posted in Editorial, General Interest | 6 Comments

Fixing The Hill Above the Wall

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Jackie Deal

By Jackie Deal

Weird noises.  Car? Motorcycle? What time is it? 7a.m.!  Stagger to window.  Open shades.

And there before me—two humongous, orange pieces of scooper/scraper machinery be-bopping around.

Lunch time and an interview request with Randy Bice, Manager, and Machinery Operator:

“Five minutes?”

“Nope, gotta get back to work.”

“Aw, com’on. Five minutes?”

”Oh, Okay.”

The big boys happily playing with big boys’ toys are Randy Bice, George Boykin and James Lowe. They’re operating Timber Valley’s front end tractors and a rented excavator. Shelly Gingery drives up with load after load of dirt that’s being dumped and leveled out behind the new wall fronting Hillside. Randy estimates 40 yards of dirt have been transferred from the drainage ditches in the storage area to the wall.

Randy says, “A host of people have worked on this wall since day one. After we smooth it, the Landscape Committee will cover it with plastic for the winter and then next spring they have a plan for fixing it up.”

Afternoon found our “cowboys” relegated to hand labor as they smoothed out the clods of dirt and swept more dirt from the road. A day’s hard labor and what do they get for it? Our gratitude and our thanks. And, oh, yes, a little more money left in our wallets come Annual Maintenance Dues time. Thanks to all who have contributed their time and effort. We do appreciate you.

_____________________

And now, a few words from the Landscape Committee…

After a very busy summer full of projects for PCM, it’s time to return to the Wall Project. Randy, Shelly, George Boykin, James Lowe and others have been busy grading ground above the wall in preparation for landscaping in Spring. Penelope Hepworth has helped Dar Hoch develop a landscape plan that will soften the wall’s stark straight appearance. Plantings will snake along the mid and upper portion with spring blooming yellow forsythia, contrasting with crimson barberry, variegated green/yellow/white Euonymus and blue accents of caryopteris (bluebeard). Over the wall’s edge, cascades of color from creeping phlox and thyme will continue to soften the wall’s sharp edge.

A big THANK YOU to those who have worked to prepare and lay the groundwork for next spring’s planting.

Dar Hoch – Landscape Co-chair

Posted in Featured, General Interest, PCM | Tagged | 1 Comment

Chapter Nine Crab Rally

Posted on September 12, 2019 by Jackie Deal

Jerry’s Crew

George’s Crew

Chapter Nine’s Crab Rally (officially known as the Coast Rally) was a whopping success for us crab eaters, probably not so much for the approximately 100 crabs that gave their lives for us. Boats were provided by Jerry Christensen and George Boykin; each boat carried a crew of four that varied somewhat daily. Thanks to all of them! We ate: crab and more crab and Mexican and Chinese food and pulled pork sandwiches and breakfasts and more food. Do we ever do anything that doesn’t include eating?
We also traveled to see the magnificent Heceta Head Lighthouse Keeper’s house. (The lighthouse itself was undergoing repairs and off limits.) Some of us went to the casino, some explored up and down the coast. The camaraderie was unmatched. Fun and games in the evenings. Good friends and gossip.
Several of us over-nighted in motels and enjoyed the fun. At the business meeting new officers for Chapter Nine were elected. Betty Bush will be President, Rick DeYoung Vice president, Terry Hilty, Assistant Vice-President. Jackie Deal, Secretary for summer, Larry Heath, Secretary for winter, and Ed Spearse, Treasurer.
Rallies give folks who can’t or don’t travel anymore a chance to get out of their daily life (dare I say rut?). After four days of self-indulgence, coming home was almost culture shock. No more peeks at the ocean no more hilarious goofing-off. Back into the old routine but with a sense of renewal and re-invigoration.
Chapter Nine publishes a monthly newsletter, “Trailer Tracks”, and hosts a breakfast the second Wednesday of each month. Frequent (monthly) day trips help satisfy that yearning for traveling. If you haven’t joined in the fun; please do, you’re most welcome.

Check the Photos section of the Web Page for more photos of 2019 Chap 9 Crab Rally.

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Not Just a Blue Ribbon!

Posted on September 4, 2019 by Jackie Deal

BEST IN DIVISION AND BEST IN SHOW
By Jackie Deal

Not just a blue ribbon (tho’ those are nice.) but a “Best In Division” and a “Best In Show” at the Oregon State Fair! Val Knowles explains, “My division was “hand-spun knit garment” and her beautiful vest won that. She goes on to explain, “Best In Show “included felting, spinning and weaving”; she won that also.
Val (site 156) spins her own yarn and this was her first time spinning cotton yarn. She says, “I’ve used bamboo and rose fiber, Egyptian cotton, wool, lots of things.” The bamboo-rose fiber yarn was beautiful, soft, multi-toned, and some alpaca yarn she showed me was soft as a dream. Val uses a small spinning wheel, powered by 12 volt or 110; it’s about the size of a toaster. She twists and pulls the fiber into a fine continuous thread as the wheel turns it. She also carries 2 small looms on the road and beautiful, colored fabric grows on them as if by magic. Val says she had knit with acrylic and other fibers but fell in love with natural fibers. “It’s the wonderful hand, that’s the feel of the fiber.” She says a friend is “gifting” her an alpaca fleece, “I’ll have to clean, deveg’ and prepare it for spinning.”
Val and her husband, Ken, were on the road for three years doing some Work Camping before coming to Timber Valley. Ken is a professional artist who has painted and sold his art all over the world. Art, whether painting or fiber craft, is a passion and two passionate crafts people might find it hard to live in the confines of a small RV. I

asked “How do you blend your two art careers? “Val thought, grinned and said, “Well, I like him better when he’s painting!”
Val and Ken have been married 42 years and they support each other’s crafts. They met at a Singles Bible Study group. I asked “and did Ken invite you over to see his etchings?” Ken laughs, “Um, hmm and I DID have etchings! “They were married a year later and Val says, “It was a God thing.” They have two sons and beautiful talented grandchildren.
Ken teaches drawing and painting Monday at 10:30 a.m. and Val plays and teaches Mahjong (an Americanized Chinese tile game) Monday at 1 p.m. Both of them are available and happy to teach their arts to interested people. We are so fortunate to have them in our park; this may be the opportunity of a lifetime for you to learn about and enjoy their arts.

 

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Congratulations Valerie!

Posted on August 29, 2019 by Helaine Hepworth

Our Valerie Knowles is a winner, and apparently the judges at the Oregon State Fair think so, too! Here she is with her handspun Egyptian cotton knitted vest, taking not only a First Place ribbon, but a Best of Division and BEST OF SHOW! She has won a cash prize and a basket of lovely spinning fibers and goodies from the Aurora Colony Handspinners Guild, WEGO, and the Eugene Textile Center! Congratulations, Valerie!

Posted in General Interest, News | 13 Comments

Bill Moss

Posted on August 20, 2019 by Jackie Deal

A quiet man with a gentle smile; he reminisces about the beginnings of our Timber Valley Park. Bill Moss was born in Oklahoma in 1929. He ran an Auto Parts store in Roseburg and then retired to go into Real Estate in Sutherlin. He was on the original list of owners and also on the Land Search Committee entrusted with finding a home for Chapter Nine members. He was in Yuma when Roy Adams called and asked his help in getting money back they had put down on Oakland “flood plain” land and buying Sutherlin property instead. Bill says they looked all over and here was this wonderful place “right under our noses.” Bill went to the Sutherlin Planning Commission and helped put together 6 or 7 parcels to make up our 90 acres.
We’ve written about “ Leisure Valley”, the park planned here before it became Timber Valley .Fred Harrington “was a manipulator” who dreamed it up and made a presentation of “Leisure Valley” to all the important people he could round up (including Bill Moss) It was complete with models of the proposed nursing home, residences, motel, golf course etc. etc. Fred Harrington died in debt to the Federal Land Bank for over $300,000 (The purchase price of this property.) The property lay dormant for several years and the City of Sutherlin wanted it sold.
Bill suggested they offer $80,000 and it was accepted! After fees, right of way etc. it cost a little over $90, 000. It was March of 1988 that Chapter Nine approved purchasing the land and October 1988 when it was finalized. Bill has a copy of the “waiting list of August 8, 1988”; it has 350 names on it.
During the construction of the park, Bill ran a back hoe putting 10 yards of gravel on each lot. He’d start at 7 am and work until “finished”. There was only one driver for the 5 yard dump truck. So the truck would go to Roseburg for gravel, dump it on lot 121 and Bill would pick it up and dump and back blade it. They found springs on some lots and had to use extra gravel.
Numerous SKPS worked on the construction of the park; Bill says he counted as many as 30 SKPs working in “clean-up mode”. We owe Bill Moss a big thank you for his far-sightedness in helping to purchase and to build our wonderful park. Thanks, Bill, from all of us!

Posted in Featured, General Interest | 1 Comment

Four Bees and a Jay

Posted on August 5, 2019 by Jackie Deal

There’s music in the park! You didn’t know? You haven’t heard them? They’ll be playing again August 16 at 3 p.m. and August 23 for the Anniversary party. The five of them bring years of music experience to our park.

Ed Bonham starts his story in Modesto, California where he helped form the band “Night Train”. They played for almost 20 years in California, including Modesto and Sacramento. Ed tells numerous funny stories about the band; it was during the reign of fancy outfits and they wore canary yellow suits. One time three lumberjacks came in and announced they were going “to beat up the band”. By the end of the night, the three became the band’s “protectors”.

After “Night Train” disbanded Ed formed “The Travelers”, a band that still plays in Quartzsite, Arizona to about 100 dancers weekly. In the beginning Ed said they were playing “about 50 gigs in one year.” Too much. “The Travelers” have played for about 20 years. Ed says, “I never considered myself a musician but I’ve earned a living at it.”
The group playing here in Timber Valley might be called “a pick-up group”. Ed heads it up, playing and singing lead. Ruby Bonham plays guitar and sings; the gentler, soulful music. About five years ago she started taking guitar lessons and then began singing.

Nathan Brown started playing with them four years ago. He adds some spice and variety to the group with comic songs. Nathan played in the Navy and traveled for a time with a band in Connecticut and Missouri. He started at age 16 when a neighbor who made guitars and fiddles taught him to play so they could demonstrate his instruments. Nathan plays with the Blue Grass and Old Time Fiddlers groups locally. Nathan says, “I never had a music lesson in my life.”

Dave Burns from Myrtle Creek plays a different type of guitar with more “riffs and runs” and also sings. He started playing guitar at age nine, “because my Mother made me.” He has played in California and Arizona. He says, “I made it through the disco age intact.” Currently he plays with a band the “High Chaparral” in Casa Grande in the winter. Unfortunately, Dave will be off traveling for the rest of the season.

Steve Jones (the Jay in the group) plays the “gut bucket”, happily plucking out a deep bass rhythm. He says he’s used coffee cans and other buckets but his current bucket comes from Wal-Mart. Different sized buckets give a “different voice”. He uses nylon string and sprays it with Silicone to keep his fingers from bleeding. He started this after he noticed people in the front row were developing “freckles”! Steve says his greatest joy is watching people laugh and enjoy his playing.

The group brings great LIVE music to the park. Come out and listen; it’s a lot more fun when you can watch the music being made.

Posted in Featured, General Interest, Members | 1 Comment

Ed Hedden… Friend, Neighbor… July 7, 2019

Posted on July 31, 2019 by Thom Hoch

Ed, and his beloved wife Pat, who died in 2018

Timber Valley was deeply saddened by the death of Ed Hedden on July 7th. Our grief is only lessened when we realize that his soul is at peace and he is once again with his beloved wife Pat. May they enjoy all eternity together. Our condolences to their children, families and friends.

————————-

I’m including two heartfelt and emotional messages below from long-time members of our park. But if you’re particularly sensitive or feel strongly that certain subjects just shouldn’t be publicly discussed, please stop reading now.  

from Helaine…

Suicide has touched our park and our hearts. Our pride is in being able to take care of ourselves and our neighbors, yet it happened. Why? We may never know. Did we miss some telltale signs? Did we miss a call for help? Were we not attentive enough? Did we see the gentle smile and assumed all was well? Did that smile cover a tortured soul? Maybe.

But we are left with a feeling of loss mixed with guilt. Our heads swim with a sea of “what if” and “ I should have”. We want a do-over. Even if a do-over was possible it is very likely it would have happened anyway. Because we all have free will. As hard as it is to fathom, every BAD has some GOOD. Yes, it is a desperate act, and we hurt, but for that one soul there is peace and rest and the answers to un-asked questions. For us there is a deeper awareness of our neighbors and friends. We will be more cautious in assuming that when friends say they are fine, we will realize that they may not be telling the truth. We can help where we can and only when we are allowed to. We can listen more thoughtfully.

There was nothing we could do to prevent it. Once the decision was made it would be acted on. The guilt is not ours. Our obligation now is to listen, love and support our friends and neighbors.

from Jackie Deal…

We can try to ignore, pretend it never happened. But the memory lingers on.
He was a friend, neighbor,colleague. Quiet. Smiling. Loving. Perhaps he loved too deeply; the loss of his beloved wife, Patricia, was more than he could bare.
As an “honorary Indian” he believed deeply in a “spirit world”. He believed Patricia waited for him and longed for him to join her. For a year he fought depression, pain and an overwhelming desire to join her.

On July 7, 2019 he succumbed to his grief and took his own life. It is not for us to judge; we can only join his family in mourning his passing. His personal Indian totem was a feather, tattooed on his arm and in his heart.

When you see a feather floating in the wind: think of him. When you see a pure white flower: remember his love and grief.  Good bye Ed Hedden. We miss you.

Please leave a comment below if you’re so moved…

Posted in Obits | 4 Comments

Timber Valley Blood Donors — Thank you, great job

Posted on July 13, 2019 by Julianne G Crane

Nick Palmer (#128) registers with Red Cross volunteer and Blood Donor Recruiter Valerie Gordon (c)

First donor: Sue Eytalas (#166).

On Thursday, July 11, Timber Valley SKP RV Park hosted its first member Blood Drive. A team of five from the American Red Cross arrived before 9 a.m. to set up a donor center in the Clubhouse.

(L) Dar Hoch (#31) on the table; Peggy Russell (#11) answering health questions.

After signing in with the Red Cross representative, donors went through a mini-physical that included vital signs and blood iron levels. Folks then answered a health questionnaire.

(L) Bob Paxton (#143) donates blood, while Steve Williams (#81) gets his vitals taken.

Suzi Rupert (#68)

We had 27 members show up ready to donate. However, six were ‘deferred’ (they might be able to donate in the future) for such things as low iron levels, high/low blood pressure, use of certain medications, and small veins.

At one point, there was a bit of a wait , but people were good spirited and it turned into a  social event,  complete with Red Cross providing snacks and juice.

Waiting to be processed: (seated from left) renter Steve Higgins (#115); Jack Varner (#105); Norm Sherman (#161); Kristine Godbey (#147); & Veanna Fletcher (#86). Standing (from left) Linda Essex (#13); Red Cross nurse (in red); Del Healey (#117); Red Cross volunteer (in black); & Anita Covington (#140)

Donors: Thom Hoch (#31) front; Jimmy Smith (#197) rear.

Patti Healey (#117)

The Red Cross set the goal for Timber Valley at 18 units of blood. Well, we did that and more, topping out at 21 units–an excellent showing. According to Red Cross donor recruiter Valerie Gordon, our donations have the potential of saving 63 lives.

Bob Akers (#19) is a frequent blood donor

(Front) Aida Murphy (#56) and Fay Gordon (#168) stepped up to the plate, even though they had not donated in years.

Rob Hendershot (#82) and Gene Schrader (#70).

Julianne Crane (#197) donated the 21st and last unit of blood for the day.

Other Donors

Several additional people showed up to donate blood, but are not pictured here. They included Don Bush (#46), Joan Larson (#196), and Kim Beaudion (#116, renter).  Thank you all for being so generous and volunteering your blood for this extremely worthy event.

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Welcome Bill & Cheryl Henry – Lot 80

Posted on July 9, 2019 by Dick Shanahan

Bill and Cheryl Henry,  are our newest members.
They’ve spent seven and a half years on the road traveling from coast to coast and border to border. They have served as camp hosts at private, state and federal campgrounds and even as concessionaires at Yellowstone.
Home used to be Wenatchee, WA, but they plan to continue traveling. They share their home with a cat who is 13 years of age.
Please take a minute to introduce yourself and welcome them to our park.

Posted in General Interest, Members | 4 Comments