Back, and Forth: Some things stay the same, some are just 'meant to be'
Connecting flights were all part of the fun in the trip Lorre and I took to Wisconsin and Michigan last week, by way of a visit to relatives in Chicago. It was a long-awaited journey that imbued the adage ...
Back, and Forth: ‘No Boundaries’ can be found in quieter corners of the fair
My best memories of the 2022 Yamhill County Fair include a tutu. Truly appreciating the fair, any fair, is somewhat of a ballet — turns and jumps that lead to new discoveries. As a journalist, ...
Back, and Forth: Reciting the joys of the multi-purpose first name
The other night in conversation, I referred to something from the early 1900s as “after the turn of the century,” to which my 26-year-old son dryly asked me if I meant 2021 or 1921. At ...
Back, and Forth: You don't need a mullet wig to enjoy the quirk around us
I’ve been thinking a lot about the strange and unusual around us — what you might call “quirk.” Quirk is both quicksilver and quotidian. It can pass in an instant or stand everyday ...
Back, and Forth: crackling good time in Willamina
A Father’s Day weekend was full of quiet pleasures, including our first foray into the community of Willamina since moving to Yamhill County a little over a year ago. Our Saturday night destination ...
Back, and forth: Relishing a well-worn pattern of crossing paths
In April, I rambled on about what I call “crossing paths.” I was referring to surprise or chance encounters, faces from the past, or kindred associates unexpectedly passing into, through or ...
Back, and Forth: Past and present cross paths, wipe away the dust of time
This marks the first column in my second year working for this newspaper. “Back, and Forth” started in early April 2021 as a weekly-or-so chronicle of my observations of returning to live ...
Back, and Forth: For centenary reasons, ’22 a Linfield landmark
The year 1922 has a rich yet muted meaning for my alma mater, Linfield University. The school reached a milestone two months ago, and there’s an echo of it in a remote corner of campus, a place ...
Back, and forth: Past, present bump elbows in old postcard, new zoning plan
Over a span of 85 years, my father collected a thousand or so postcards. It’s a fascinating collection culturally, historically and personally. I found three from the 1940s mailed to McMinnville ...
Back, and forth: Thankful for testing opportunity even with hours of web-free wait
The last time I spent that much time behind the wheel, car inching forward a few feet at a time, was getting out of a Van Morrison concert in George, Wash. Great concert, but Van’s become a bit of ...
Back, and forth: A stranger invited to dinner on Christmas in Bethlehem
I first visited Israel 43 years ago, at the age of 20. I don’t think then that I gave much thought to the fact a severe war — one threatening the nation’s very existence had occurred ...
Back, and forth: All that Christmas stuff and other tales of stow
Few are the pop culture references to storage units. It’s not considered that exotic or diverting of a subject. But there are two I love: Jimmy Buffett’s “We got lots of self storage/calypso ...
Back, and forth: Unique forest park offers mix of familiar and fresh
Adjusting to a new place can be all the more interesting when you encounter something that feels familiar. And I’ve seen plenty of places like Galen McBee Airport Park. Visiting Sunday for the first ...
Back, and Forth: Good memories, new impressions formed in revisiting theater venues
A significant pleasure in returning to McMinnville this year has been attending local theatrical productions. We’d missed these samples of local culture, which only gradually started returning earlier ...
Back, and Forth: Signs offer glimpses into past
Profiled by reporter Starla Pointer this week is a local bank’s new sign that kind of works history in reverse. Add it to the gallery of community signs and plaques that are either decades old or ...
