Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Feeling the filaments: Famous mycologist wows SOU crowd A look back at so-called 'winter' Ashland's Firewise program adds seven more neighborhoods Council approves short-term rentals in multi-family zones Council wants changes to agreement with ODOT for I-5 welcome center Education Bracing for Common Core Ashland Kiwanis recognize Lillian Huang Chautauqua series brings author Jane Hamilton to Ashland Ashland Runs on Volunteers: OLLI classes pay dividends in joy of teaching, learning New Southern Oregon University board votes to bump tuition nearly 5 percent in the fall Environment Lots to celebrate at SOU Arbor Day rites Mt. Ashland Ski Area to host party March 28 Mt. Ashland hopes coming storm will reopen ski area Wild Side: Selfish and other reasons for saving endangered species Business Ashlander starts up a natural pet food supplement business Should workers be paid at least $15 an hour? Ride & Drive: 2016 Mazda CX-5 Cars We Remember: Car lover knows his 348/409 engines Business profile: Couple opens second Pita Pit in Ashland Politics and elections Council wants changes to agreement with ODOT for I-5 welcome center Arthur I. Cyr: Afghanistan progress is uneven but undeniable Jackson County Commissioners plan no tax on marijuana for first year Grassroots group campaigns for Plaza paver do-over Arthur I. Cyr: Iran – a crisis without end State News Nation - World Tsarnaev convicted on all charges in Boston Marathon bombing Tsarnaev convicted on all charges in Boston Marathon bombing Obituaries Lawrence R. Hugo III Death Notices Gordon Geeseman William D. Enyart Death Notices Shareable Sports Latest Stories Baldrica sets pace for AHS girls SOU women's hoops coach Kennedy leaves to take Portland State job Brent St. Germain: Baseball’s intriguing teams Ashland High events postponed to today Chasing the career grand slam: 3 reasons Rory will win in Augusta, 3 reasons he won’t High school Baldrica sets pace for AHS girls Ashland High events postponed to today Upset-minded Raiders swept by No. 17 Concordia AHS softball team routs Churchill Four-year letterman Fredrickson leads sizzling Grizzlies Southern Oregon University Baldrica sets pace for AHS girls SOU women's hoops coach Kennedy leaves to take Portland State job SOU-OIT softball games moved to Wednesday Upset-minded Raiders swept by No. 17 Concordia Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Voices Latest Stories Editor's Notes: Ashland Community Hospital is on the mend — and then some Our View: Council should stop stalling on welcome center Our View: AIFF does Ashland proud Letters to the Editor, April 8 Our View: One tree vs. the Ashland community Editorial Our View: Council should stop stalling on welcome center Our View: AIFF does Ashland proud Our View: One tree vs. the Ashland community Our View: Ashland climate plan: Small steps add up Our View: More of the same at SOU? Letters Letters to the Editor, April 8 Letters to the Editor, April 7 Letters to the Editor, April 4 Letters to the Editor, April 1 Letters to the Editor, March 30 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Guest Opinion: Hannah Thomas-Garner's father thanks the Ashland community Guest Opinion: Ashland is asking for trouble with new room rental rules Guest Opinion: More reasons to oppose Jordan Cove Guest Opinion: It's Groundwater Awareness Week; test your well Columns Editor's Notes: Ashland Community Hospital is on the mend — and then some Council Corner: Why baseball and Guanajuato are important Chris Honoré: The enemy of my enemy is my … frenemy? Herb Rothschild: Stick to the facts Jeffrey Gillespie: Dancing the Pyongyang Polka Chris Honore Council Corner Editor's Notes Jeffrey Gillespie Herb Rothschild Revels Latest Stories Best Bets, April 9-16 Rhythm is on tap at the Northwest Percussion Festival Community blog: Get a poem a day A Country Cajun Revival comes to the Unitarian Community blog: Poets, put on your party shoes Theater Ticket Availability Ticket availability in Ashland theaters, April 7 Ticket Availability Ticket Availability Ticket Availability Music Rhythm is on tap at the Northwest Percussion Festival The Farr Side: No Zayn Malik? One Direction stays the course A Country Cajun Revival comes to the Unitarian Futureshock: Kendrick Lamar release points to road ahead Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park Visual Art More films, excitement than ever for AIFF Ashland's First Friday Art Walk Movies Movie Listings: April 10-16 'Furious 7' — buckle up for another great ride Movie review: Suspend all belief in reality — ‘Furious 7’ is just fun Movie review: The action is even more insane in ‘Furious 7’ Movie review: ‘While We’re Young’ is a thought-provoking comedy-drama Food and Drink Business profile: Couple opens second Pita Pit in Ashland Tot owners buy Playwright, hire Amuse chef Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Marketta Gregory: Be a generous mirror Movie Listings: April 10-16 Religion News: Court rules school’s yoga classes don’t violate religious freedom 'Furious 7' — buckle up for another great ride Feeling the filaments: Famous mycologist wows SOU crowd Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Rogues: Tales from the Valley Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW Editor's Notes: Ashland Community Hospital is on the mend — and then some ... Our View: Council should stop stalling on welcome center ... Council wants changes to agreement with ODOT for I-5 welcome center ... Editor's Notes: Ashland Community Hospital is on the mend — and then some ... Our View: Council should stop stalling on welcome center ... Council wants changes to agreement with ODOT for I-5 welcome center ... INNER PEACE Christmas decorations: A struggle, but worth it Comment By Dorothy Vogel DailyTidings.com By Dorothy Vogel Posted Dec. 5, 2014 at 5:41 PM By Dorothy Vogel Posted Dec. 5, 2014 at 5:41 PM » RELATED CONTENT Share your Inner Peace --> The Ashland Daily Tidings invites residents of the Rogue Valley to submit articles on all aspects of inner peace, including intuition, inner guidance, mind t... » Read more X Share your Inner Peace The Ashland Daily Tidings invites residents of the Rogue Valley to submit articles on all aspects of inner peace, including intuition, inner guidance, mind training, courage, fearlessness, forgiveness of self or others, honesty, gentleness, humor, open mindedness, friendship, tolerance, trust, faith, kindness, gratitude, overcoming and/or accepting life’s challenges of addictions, loss, grief, pain, awareness of presence and more. Send 600- to 700-word articles to Sally McKirgan, [email protected] . • Going back to the beginning of 'Inner Peace' • Community Blog: Positively Peaceful • Community Blog: A Thankful Thought • Case dismissed: There goes the judge • Community Blog: Being at peace with your Inner Process • The best gift for Christmas » Social News Last year my friend Karen pulled a dead tree branch from her side yard, decorated it with Christmas tree lights and set it up in her living room in lieu of a Christmas tree. She's an artist and her branch looked like a piece of modern art. I loved it and decided to copy the idea. So this year I went looking for a branch, found it, and dragged it home and tested it out. It was so big it scraped the ceiling. I dragged it back to the garage and got out my little saw. Cut the bottom off. Then I was faced with how to get it to stand up. Karen's had been behind her couch and I didn't see what it had been planted in. I had a bucket in the garage and filled it with rocks. Stuck the branch in. It fell over. OK, that won't work. I had a big plant I was saving for an ex-girlfriend of my grandson, a plant I'd adopted out of pity when she had to move. I had adopted it on a temporary basis, which now looks not to be temporary anymore, and I can't figure out how to get rid of it. I got the idea of slicing off a few big leaves and planting my branch in the dirt. Well, the branch stuck in the dirt, and now I had to roll the pot into the living room, which required moving the dining room table. In this effort, the branch was dislodged and dirt spilled over the floor. On top of that, the twigs looked too fragile to hold lights. So I gave up and dragged my art-form branch out to the front yard. I realized I was going to have to drag it back to where I found it and go get a boring tree. I found a nice little tree, but when I got home this tree didn't have a hole in the bottom to plop into the tree holder, and I'd thrown out my other tree holder (that gripper thing with screws to hold the tree), because its legs were bent. I drove to WalMart for a new tree holder, wondering why I go through all this trouble for a Christmas decoration. Well, the new tree holder is a plastic pot with screws in the side. It is nothing at all like the old ones I'm used to. The screws were so difficult to screw I just about broke my wrist struggling to get them in place. Then my son luckily came over and lay on the floor while I held the tree upright and he tried to get the tree screwed in. When he said "OK" I let go and the tree toppled to the floor as if drunk. I cursed WalMart and its plastic crap that doesn't work. I cursed myself for getting involved in this totally unnecessary procedure. But, having got so far into it and with my totally innocent tree patiently waiting in the garage to be dressed, I had to keep going. I succeeded another hour later. Sort of. It's not entirely upright. If one breathes too hard upon it, it may tip over. But it's there. It's dressed. And last night I lay on my couch, meditated on my tree and the fire in the fireplace, and realized why I had done it all. These days of approaching the winter solstice are my favorite days of the year. I love the early dark, the long nights, the brisk cold outdoors, the warmth of my hearth. I snuggle into this time and my cheerful little tree with its sparkly lights is a symbol, a reminder of friends gone, of silly gifts my daughter will bring with her delighted laughter, a promise that whatever ills, griefs, or loses life brings to me, there is hope in the middle of it, light in the darkness, beauty to be cherished. Dorothy Vogel lives in Talent. The former AT&T technical writer,  writer for the National Council of Churches in Manhattan and New Jersey news reporter is the author of  "The Timber Mill Action," a new mystery set in southern Oregon and available on Amazon.com. Send inner peace articles to [email protected]. By Dorothy Vogel DailyTidings.com By Dorothy Vogel Posted Dec. 5, 2014 at 5:41 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501