ADVENTURES IN ASHLAND

It is yet another snowy day in Siskiyou County. The wind is howling and the snow is making geometric drifts hither and yon, providing some entertainment value to me as I gaze wistfully out the window. I am beginning to feel house bound.

But instead of feeling sorry for myself I check out my brochure for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. There are numerous plays lined up for the 2008 season. This year Shakespeare's “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Coriolanus” are playing as well as a host of other plays that are both comedic and serious. I pick up the phone and order two tickets to “The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler”. It promises to be “a riotously funny comedy.” That sounds good to me. I could use some humor right now after days and days of storms. I can’t remember what it is like to see in Technicolor.

Ashland is only about an hour away from where I live in Lake Shastina. It is fun to take the day, drive to Ashland, and walk the streets of this quaint little college town. Local art abounds in the small shops. We have a great dinner in one of the many restaurants and then attend a play. We usually stay the night in one of the many nice hotels or bed and breakfasts. If the weather is nice, walking through Lithia Park is a must. The park hosts thousands of species of plants and trees. Ashland Creek meanders through the park and into the town. In the spring, the Rhododendrons are spectacular.

So my spirits are lifted. We live in a rural environment but cultural activities are close by. If you would like to know more about the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, just go to the links on this blog and click on Oregon Shakespeare Festival.