Up to the Wood Wizard's house

"It's a Burl" is quite a show, and the sign out front tells you what kind: a "Burlesque" show of course. And... those who run It's a Burl are... well... burly... tree folk don'tcha know! So it's up to the Wood Wizard's
house we go. In the little town of Kirby, Oregon, about half way between Grants Pass and Crescent City on highway 199 you will find a special coastal treasure. "It's a Burl!" is a wood working village of small studios and a store/gallery where local artists create and sell all sorts of treasures made out of burl wood (found in Black Oak, Black Walnut, Buckeye, Madrone, Manzanita, Maple, Myrtle, Olive, and Redwood trees). They use driftwood as well. The owner was not content with just crafting sculptures, wall hangings, benches and boxes however. After a fire destroyed the original building (an abandoned post office) he rebuilt the complex using burl wood for columns, beams, floors, walls and even ceilings. It's both bawdy and shameless in its vision, with organic free-form shapes in the buildings; one of which carries the moniker for the entire village: "Burl-esque." The real enchantment, though, begins when you walk the paths out back and visit the working studios of these wood wizards. Amid the piles of stumps and slabs, and nestled below several tree houses, one finds projects of all kinds in various states of completion. The place is full of Tolkien-esque ambiance which delights the heart of the old hippy in us all, and works its magic on our grandchildren too. The headlands of Oregon are not only about the beach folk, but the coastal range tree folk as well. This Burl-esqe show is not about risque behavior as much as it is about the free-spirit of Oregon's artists.
Rodeo… at the beach? Lincoln County's 100th Fair & Rodeo held over the weekend The popular county fair held each year showcases local stocks & flocks, pigs & parrots, pies & fries — and talent from throughout our region. We attended and had a grand time; a ticket well worth the price.