Mountain Meadows Activities & Events
Resident Artists
Many of the residents at Mountain Meadows are talented artists. Their work can be seen on our Clubhouse and condo corridor hallway walls. Kitchen Creek Garden displays a piece printed on aluminum called “Bees Tongue.” A group of art makers have fun together making clay pots.
Periodically, residents are entertained with skits and plays, often written by residents.
Kitchen Creek Garden
Residents each enjoy their irrigated, raised beds where they grow flowers, herbs, and many vegetables.
Wildlife Images
During their visits, staff from Wildlife Images introduce some of their animal ambassadors up close and personal and tell the stories of their rehabilitation.
Music at the Meadows
This ever-popular series brings a variety of entertainers to the Mountain Meadows Clubhouse such as The Young Family Duo pictured below.
Friday Forum
The Mountain Meadows Friday Forum has been bringing informative, stimulating and entertaining presentations to our community since its creation in 2000. Friday Forum is a tradition and a treasure. Offering programs on the third Friday of every month, Friday Forum not only provides a venue for our own fascinating and talented Mountain Meadows residents to present interesting and informative topics, but also serves as a showcase for presentations on a broad range of subjects from the outside community. In recent months, presentations have included: “The History of the VW Bug,” “The Future of America's Political Parties,” “Growing up in Apartheid South Africa” and “Art-deco On The Rails.”
Peter Finkle, who is known for his guided, walks about Ashland, spoke to residents about the stories behind three of Ashland’s public artworks, “We Are Here,” the “Las Calles de Guanajuato” mural and “Street Scene Sculpture.” As a special bonus, Shirley Patton, one of the models for “Street Scene Sculpture” by sculptor Marion Young, shared her personal stories of the experience. Shirley is a talented actress who has spent 30 of her 75 years acting career working with OSF, and it was a special treat to have her visit with us.
Friday Forum about harpsichords and related instruments.
Chris shared information about the harpsichord he build after years of work.
Trips and Travel Resumes
Residents enjoyed pictures and videos of Rich and Bobbie's November 2021 trip to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands.
Handbell Choir
Newly formed handbell choir performs for residents.
Mountain Meadows Welcomes Bee City Pollinator Garden Tour
On June 23, after a day of rain and before the Heat Dome descended on us, Bee City Ashland and our Grounds and Natural Areas (GNA) Committee jointly hosted a morning walk-through of Mountain Meadows’ parks, projects, and homes that have been accepted as part of Bee City Ashland or are still in progress.
Touring gardens that Bee City Ashland has already been approved as Pollinator Gardens and others in progress, nearly 50 visitors and residents looked at different plants and trees that attract pollinators from early spring until late autumn. Many of the visitors commented that they had no idea Mountain Meadows had such an expanse of natural areas within its bounds.
Rochelle Newman, the moving force behind Papillon Park, showed off our new Remembrance Tree there along with the plants selected to fill the pocket park over time by Gil Birdinground of Bumgardners Landscape. Along our Kitchen Creek restoration project, still in progress, Ogden Kellogg explained the blackberry removal and re-planting of natives along the creek bed by Lomakatsi, with the challenge of sparse water this year. Frank Nichols welcomed visitors at the pollinator beds at the northeast end of the Kitchen Creek Community Garden, where two kinds of milkweed were in full bloom along with Douglas Aster and Farewell-to-Spring blossoms just beginning to show.
The Bee City Ashland organization has a vision of connecting corridors where birds, bees, butterflies, and other flying insects find nectar and hosts for their young in our highly diverse Rogue Valley eco-system. We are pleased to help that vision become reality! Many thanks to the members of our community who have created these pollinator gardens and organized this tour.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Music at the Meadows adds Concerts in the Park for the summer
With summer on the horizon and state limits still imposed on indoor gatherings of large group, our volunteer concert impresario who has organized concerts in the Mount Ashland Room for us in past years, working with another resident came up with a new idea: Why not present the concerts in our lovely Madeline Hill Park at the center of our community? From this idea was born what may soon become a new tradition at Mountain Meadows - Concerts in the Park.
The first concert featured Mountain Meadows regulars "Blades of Grass," a bluegrass duo, joined for the concert by a young fiddler. For the second concert, classical guitarist Tye Austin, who has been performing at Mountain Meadows since he was an undergraduate in the music department of Southern Oregon University brought a friend with whom he has been collaborating to preview a new classical/jazz album they will be releasing later this year. And our impresario has just announced that regional featured cellist Michael Palzewicz will appear in July.
Tye Austin brings a friend to entertain us
For the second concert of the season, classical guitarist Tye Austin – who has frequently performed at Mountain Meadows in the past – shared with us a preview of his first album, a fusion of classical and jazz guitar. He was joined by his collaborator for the performance. Though the day was hot, reconfiguring the stage and audience allowed all of us to enjoy the shade of the trees in Madeline Hill Park, with natural air conditioning from the mid-day breezes off the mountains.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Folk Trio is first concert of year at Music in the Meadows
In early June, our volunteer resident impresario brought duo "Blades of Grass," a Mountain Meadows favorite, as the first act in our new summer venue in Madeline Hill Park. us in the new venue. Jef Ramsey on mandolin and Kathryn Casternovia on guitar were joined by young fiddler Lela Miatke, branching out from their traditional bluegrass to Swing Era jazz, Texas Swing and original compositions. With the sunlight sending attendees into the shade of the lovely trees, the sound system still filled the field, entertaining all those who came out.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Residents' yard selected as Ashland Garden of the Month
Congratulations to Gerry and Sherwood Goozée whose lovely traditional front and side yard on Great Oaks Drive was selected by the Ashland Garden Club as Garden of the Month for April 2021. Avid lifelong gardeners, the couple elected to maintain their own garden rather than relying on the community's landscape maintenance service when they moved to Mountain Meadows, and this award is well-deserved recognition of their achievement.
Remembrance Tree in New Papillon Park
On the morning of Arbor Day, April 30, a pink-flowering dogwood tree was planted in memory of the nineteen Mountain Meadows residents who passed away during 2020. Before the names were called, Rochelle Newman read a poem entitled “Mitigation,” written to commemorate their passing. Rob Diefenbach posted a video of the ceremony on MMEX, accessed with this link: https://youtu.be/-oRh-xYyuP0
At the corner of Nepenthe and Meadowlark is one of several pocket parks in Mountain Meadows, and this one has been given the name “Papillon Park” to honor the butterflies visiting these flowering plants and shrubs, which are shaded by several White Oaks native to our geographic area. Beth Essex has provided labels for each plant variety, David and Alex Myers have donated benches, and Gil Birdinground will oversee construction of paths for visitors to enjoy. ~ Pat Nichols
Friday Forum
How did that happen? Igniting the Industrial Revolution
Friday Forums, taking place on the fourth Friday of every month, are Mountain Meadows' version of TED Talks, with residents presenting topics of general interest in which they have a particular interest. One past Friday Forum was a presentation by Gary Anderson, who has an interest in the history of technology, discussing how four men and a women, working together in a variety of fields during the 1820s and 1830s can be given credit for igniting the Industrial Revolution
Music at the Meadows
Ashland High School Thespians performance
Members of the Ashland High School Thespians club, directed by Fine Arts teacher Betsy Bishop, performed a selection of numbers that they have prepared for competitions at the statewide Oregon Thespian Festival, including numbers from last year's production of Urine Town, and other monologue and group musical and dramatic performances.
Meadowlarks Holiday Concert
For months, prior to Covid 19 restrictions, anyone wandering through the Clubhouse on several mornings a week will hear snatches of holiday music, punctuated by quiet comments, coming from the Rogue Room at the end of the hallway. Those familiar with the annual rhythm of events at Mountain Meadows know what's going on. The Meadowlarks – our community's choral group – was preparing for its Holiday concert, an event that marks a high point of the group's twice-weekly practice sessions as well as one of the highlights of the community's holiday season.
In December 2019 the group, supplemented by several talented instrumental musicians, entertained an audience that overflowed out of the Mt. Ashland Room and into a separate gallery set up in front of the Lobby Fireplace with a remote video screen so that no one need miss a note or expression from the performance.
Works selected by director Harriet Berman included classic selections in Latin from religious traditions, standard English and American holiday songs, and culminated in a series of carols in which the audience was encouraged to participate.
Above: The Meadowlarks in concert.
Below: Harriet Berman, music director of the Meadowlarks.
Halloween Party Brings Out the Ghosts and Goblins
Our Annual Halloween Costume Party on October 31 attracted nearly 50 spooky, humorous and creative visitors from the other side to the ghostly Mt. Ashland and Rogue Rooms. There they found a wide variety of sweets and savories to share with one another, with the room decorated and beverages supplied by the Activities and Events Committee.
Three anonymous judges roamed the gathering to select the best costumes. After the unmaskings at 3 p.m. (hard to gnosh when you’re wearing a lampshade over your head Gary Anderson announced the winners to be: Funniest Costumes worn by Margaret and Robert Tower who were “Green with Envy;” Best Couple with the pairing of “Pizza and Beer for TGIF” personified by Bob and Laurie Carter; the Most Creative costume to be the politically correct “Floaty Ghost” costume made of completely recycled materials concealing the identity of Donna Stewart (above); and as Scariest, Roy Sutton in his alter ego of Count Dracula, who chased the comely female guests around the room while crooning “Come to me, my sweet embraceable you.” Thanks to Karen Clarke, Sandra King and Martha Amlin for coordinating the arrangements.
Repertory Singers Come to Mountain Meadows
The Southern Oregon Repertory Singers, directed by Paul French, is a local choral group of between 50 and 60 singers. They perform four concerts a year. Each year they form a small chamber group to sing outreach performances. Their focus is mainly on schools, exposing young people to beautiful, classical music. They also enjoy coming to Mountain Meadows and sharing their talents with us. This year, the group was smaller than usual. Eight singers, two on each section (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass) filled the Mt. Ashland Room with beautiful music. What a thrill it was to hear their beautiful voices.
Several weeks ago, they invited the Meadowlarks, our Mountain Meadows choral group, to choose a piece of music that we would like to sing with them. I chose a piece called “Evening”, based on a poem by Emily Dickinson. They had rehearsed the song, and at the end of their performance, they invited us to join them on stage. I had the privilege of conducting the group. Such a lovely experience!
A big “think you” to Lola Egan who organized the event!
Harriet Berman
Music at the Meadows
Jenna Bainbridge in performance with Rose Van Dyne
Residents were excited to welcome back to the Mt. Ashland Room Oregon Shakespeare Festival actor/singer Jenna Bainbridge, joined by singer/pianist Rose Van Dyne.
Special Event
Summer Picnic and Variety Show
Residents were taken back to the era of sock hops, cruising the strip, poodle skirts, and Elvis on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 when the community celebrated the annual summer picnic – moved on account of rain to the rapidly redecorated Mt. Ashland Room – and resident variety show, themed this year as "The Fabulous '50s"
Music at the Meadows
Bossa Nova by Brianne Mack
with Ed Dunsavage
The authentic strains of Bossa Nova, sung in Portuguese and accompanied by a guitar, carried through the audience in the Mt. Ashland room Thursday, August 29, 2019 at Music in the Meadows. More than 50 members of our community were entertained with the nostalgic and sometimes melancholy sounds of this evocative art form by vocalist and flautist Brianne Mack, accompanied by guitarist Ed Dunsavage.
Friday Forum
Ashland Culture of Peace Commission
David Wick and Irene Kai, cofounders and executive director and director of development of the Ashland Culture of Peace Commission, discussed the group’s mission and activities with more than 40 residents of Mountain Meadows at the Friday Forum July 26, 2019 arranged by Lola Egan.
As Wick explained, a proclamation of the City Council of Ashland embracing and encouraging a culture of peace was approved unanimously and their Commission was formerly begun in September 2015.