Our Son is Visiting

When Jeff was in high school, he took a summer class on Shakespeare that culminated in a camping trip to Ashland, Oregon for the Shakespeare Festival. Over the years, our whole family has come to enjoy this theater experience. For Jeff’s visit with us this year, we have returned to Ashland. Unlike past visits, we are experiencing a 100 degree heat wave in normally cool Oregon. After a beautifully presented dinner at Taroko,

we attended a delightful pre-theater lecture on The Very Merry Wives of Windsor, Iowa. You may recall from an earlier entry, Jerry and Anna Lee saw the Merry Wives of Windsor on a trip to DC. The updated play, performed in the outdoor Elizabethan Theater, is a pun-filled satire on Iowa’s same sex marriage laws and the Iowa caucuses. While humorous, the play would have been better if it were shorter. The excellent acting did not make up for the overuse of the same jokes. The acting was still up to Ashland quality.

 The next morning we had the pleasure of visiting one of our regular haunts in southern Orego, the Butte Mill in Eagle Point.The mill makes great flour and this was the first time we actually saw the grinding process in action.

After spending time actually watching the machines work, we enjoyed shopping. From Eagle Point, we drove to Jacksonville for our next shopping adventure at Gary West where we sampled their famous jerky and did more purchasing.

 Both plays for Thursday were in the indoor Bowmar Theater. All the Way, is the story of the first eighteen months of Lyndon Johnson’s Presidency. This was an outstanding presentation of the political machinations Johnson used to get the Civil Rights Bill passed and to get elected. From major players like Martin Luther King and Hubert Humphrey through legislators George Eastman and Sam Rayburn to aides and wives, the performances were gripping and the story mesmerizing. The same cannot be said for our second play of the day, Medea, Macbeth and Cinderella. This was a too-long exercise in what Jeff said was an idea that should have been stopped in development. While many in the audience found it funny, we three were unimpressed. Fortunately, we had enjoyed an outstanding dinner at Amuse. We each ordered the caprese salad with peaches substituting for tomatoes. Our dinners of halibut, salmon, and hen were all delicious.

The cheese platter and bittersweet chocolate cake were yummy.

We started Jerry’s birthday with a 7K volksmarch around Ashland going past public art, through Lithia Park and the Japanese Garden and along neighborhoods. We admired the Native American statue and enjoyed the underside of an overpass decorated with art including playful penguins. After refreshing ourselves from the walk, we went to Rogue River Creamery for their award winning blue cheese and more. This evenings pre-play lecture on Henry V was excellent. The educator explained the family history and issues between Britain and France. We would enjoy taking a class from him. A friend of a friend of a friend recommended Smithfield Restaurant, a meat-centric eatery. We enjoyed steak, cod and chicken ending with a birthday creme brulee and chocolate torte. Henry V was excellent. Our only complaint was how hot it was in the outdoor theater. But the heat did not diminish the outstanding performances.