October 2014

October 2014
Day Trip to Oakridge Oct 2014

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Sisters, Russians, and Canadians

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Although the drive from Madras to Eugene is not a bad one, we decided to break the trip into two parts and spend one night in Sisters, OR.  This is one of our favorite little towns, and the city maintains a great campground right on the edge of town.  Our last trip to Sisters ended quite suddenly when the weather turned nasty and the dogs kept us up all night trying to hide from the thunder.  This trip, no dogs, so we had a very relaxed time.

We did some exploring around the downtown area that is not so easy to do when you have fur kids along.  We like to just drive around and see the residential areas and then walk around the downtown area.

Deer are everywhere in Sisters.  I am sure the residents get tired of them but as “tourists” we still enjoy seeing them.  After all, it isn’t my garden that is being decimated by the thundering herd!  This deer seemed to know her way around the neighborhood.  The dog and the deer were standing nose to nose enjoying a nice visit.  However, when we stopped to take a picture, the dog became upset and warned us off.   It really appeared that the dog and the deer had met before and were perhaps friends.

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This is a novel way to display flowers, although the owner here may need a geography lesson worse than I do as this house is NO WEHRE close to a beach!!  (look at the sign over the door)

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And this was just someone’s yard…neat!

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We had a great lunch at Bronco Billy’s downtown.  The sandwiches were huge and we each took half with us to enjoy the next day.  Unfortunately, by the next day the sandwiches had grown soggy and not nearly so good.

lunch

Walking around downtown, we saw a shop we had not noticed before.  It said Russian Shop and we decided to have a look.  It was so clean and bright and filled with wonderful treasures.  The lady who owned the store spoke with a heavy accent and told us she was from the Ukraine.  She said her family is very poor and she works here to send money back to them.  Some of the items were expensive but most were very reasonable.  I bought three things, a round painted box, a trinket box, and an embroidered handkerchief.  Each item was on $3.  The round box was just right to hold a pair of earrings for my granddaughter’s birthday and she was so pleased to get it.  The other two items I still have. 
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The hanky obviously was machine made but I bought it on a whim.  I can still remember when my grandma was alive and for Christmas and birthdays she always sent along a hanky in a card.  She bought plain white hankies back in the days of Woolworth's, when you could get them for a nickel or a dime.   She always crocheted a nice edging around.  She was poor and it was all she could afford but we all thought it was wonderful.  I still have one or two of those hankies.

I asked this Russian woman where all the items in her shop came from.  She assured me they came from Russia and the painting on the round box I purchased was in the same style of the Metryoshka dolls I bought in Sitka a few years back.  I started asking her who made each item.  Her reply was always the same…”My sister.”  I tell you, her sister must be the most productive person in all of Russia!  I would swear the accent was authentic but if it wasn’t, she deserved our business just for her superb acting skills.  I think it was a great shop and I enjoyed the visit.

Russ knows how much I like old Chevys and he snapped this picture while I was in some shop or another.
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It’s either a ‘55 or ‘56 but I am not as good as distinguishing them as I used to be.  I can remember when having a ‘57 Chevy was my dream!

We had a nice site at the Sisters Campground.

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Although it is not on a creek or anything similar, it is next to a very large grassy area and was quiet and comfortable.  Whychus Creek is close by in the day use area but it is not visible from the RV sites.  We love the big trees and pine scent of the air.  Deer wander through here all the time so we do get enjoy the local wildlife…and the not so wild life!!

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Two spaces over, there was a couple with two little silver poodles.  Those were the best behaved little dogs you could hope for.  One just wanted to chase his ball and the little girl just wanted to lounge around.  But they did their thing without yipping and yapping like some small dogs do – ooops, no offense to those with small dogs.  Anyway, we got to talking with these people.  Their names are Jill and Glenn Baker from Vancouver, B.C.  We had to tell them all about our blogger friends from Canada and how much fun it was to get to know other RVers online (and in person).  Jill and Glenn are snowbirds and don’t have a blog but I encouraged them to get online and “meet” some other people who might share their interests.  They were only down for about a month this time and will be heading to Arizona later in the year for the winter season.  Nice people.

Just one more picture, taken at breakfast on our last day in town.  Kate, this is for you!!
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Now all that remains is to get Therapy all cleaned up and get ready for our next adventure.  Hope you all come along for the ride.

12 comments:

  1. Wow, how very cool. Did you try the hot sauce? It's pretty tasty.

    And don't you love those old hankys with the handwork? They're so beautiful.

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  2. We've been to Sisters a few times and know it's a great little town to visit. Unfortunately, for me anyway, we were there during the Sister Summer Quilt Show and it's like the Quartzsite of Quilting - not a place to be had.

    That little campground you're in sure looked nice!

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  3. Ah, Sisters...I wish I were there right now. Well, maybe not right now since it's raining cats and dogs at the moment. I enjoyed your tour!

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  4. I remember your post when the dogs were so upset by the thunder. I have always had pets, but a couple of years ago when I had to put our last dog down, and then our cat disappeared I decided if we wanted to RV it would best be without animals.

    Now no animals, an RV in the driveway, but still no travel!

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  5. what?...new Canadian friends?..tell us it isn't so??..
    just kidding of course..glad they were nice to you!!!..and so they should be..thanks for the great tour of Sisters!!

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  6. Sisters sounds like a great little town ... and you certainly seemed to have a good time exploring it.

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  7. Oh, too bad you didn't speak just a little Russian! You could have found out whether she was acting or was really from the Ukraine like she said.
    I would have dunnit, that's for sure.
    Я говорю немного русский язык.
    "I do speak a little Russian"....but I just now had some script issues, so that's out of "tranlate". Kind of cheating, I know.

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  8. I like your spot. Looks like our kind of place. The town looks like fun too.

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  9. Sounds like you have had a wonderful time in Sisters. The campground looks nice and cozy. That dog looked like a great dane so maybe he thought the deer was a big dog like himself.

    Kevin and Ruth
    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

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  10. That is sure a nice looking campground, and neighbors with dogs that don't bark is nice too.

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  11. Oh golly, another place we've driven through or driven past without stopping. We've got to tame our travelling urge and cultivate our sitting and staying urge. And then when we do stay, get out and see stuff more than we do. Thanks for sharing your Sisters visit with us! We now know another destination!

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  12. love the little campground..looks like the weather is great there also....enjoy

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