Homecoming

As I relaunch my real estate business in Bend, OR, every corner I turn reminds me of my connection to this community.

I was raised in Camp Sherman and then Sisters, where I attended Sisters Elementary and, after school, walked to our family’s retail store – the Paper Place. There were more than a few occasions during my childhood where I rode my pony, Ruby, to school. It seems like many lifetimes ago.

This weekend is Rodeo Weekend in Sisters and it’s bringing back a lot of memories. My father served as Rodeo President and I was the 54th Sisters Rodeo Queen. I haven’t thought much about it in the years since, but now that I am home, I’m reminded of how close-knit the community remains, and how important that is to me.

After years of following my father around developments and sitting open houses with my mother, in 2001, I got my official start in Real Estate, at Coldwell Banker. From there I was fortunate to work with Deschutes River Ranch, Tamarack Homes, C.Corp Homes, Newland Communities, Brooks Resources and penultimately, Sunriver Resort and Sunriver Realty when we launched Caldera Springs.

My father worked for Brooks Resources and went from developing Black Butte Ranch, to Tollgate in Sisters, to Bend where he helped form what is now the greater Old Mill District. Our Windermere office is one of the buildings in the mill complex I ran around in as a kid. It was filled with mill artifacts and slices of enormous trees – we would count the rings to try and determine the age. Every time I walk in our front door, it takes me back to those special days.

Now I am driving backroads through Tumalo, revisiting some of my favorite places (Newport Market!) and learning more about the many wonderful things that have come to Central Oregon. We take my dad out to his beloved Metolius River, revel in the majesty of Wizard Falls, and my childhood comes flooding back.  My first girls night out ended up at the D & D, of course. Dandy’s Drive-In is still just as good, and busy, as it’s always been. I expect Pilot Butte will catch ablaze on 4th of July.

The sight of the Three Sisters continues make me stop in my tracks. It is a view I’ve held in my heart and soul, and just didn’t know it was all there, until I came home.