It’s About Time – December 2015

Early morning sun comes through a south window these days, blinding me when I read the paper. In summer the blinding morning sun shines through a window about ten feet north. The two windows create a seasonal sundial. Sunny mornings are pretty scarce this time of the year, even when days end up sunny. By sunset the the air is filled with moisture. Cool nights and a chilly dawn turns moist air into dense fog in the valley floor. Only after the sun warms the fog banks late in the morning does a sunny day show its predicted blue skies. Clear days and clear nights are likely to lead to frozen pipes.

Thanksgiving brought us our first hard freeze of the season. Floriferous to the end, the nasturtiums went limp overnight. With all its cells burst by freezing, they released a cloud of nasturtium fragrance the next morning. Nasturtiums provided a beautiful ground cover under my cucumbers and, for the second year in a row, the aphids did not attack them.

Also the second year in a row, the eastside Delta Ponds have a covering of Azolla, the purple mosquito fern. Azolla usually shows up only sporadically, absent from prominence for several years before displaying another dramatic flush of growth. Azolla flourishes in winter while ordinary duckweed overcomes the mosquito fern in the summer. This summer Azolla did not disappear. It will make the winter migratory residents happy because it is high in nutrient content, better than ordinary duckweed.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!