“… blogging about life, travel, books, food and the outdoors”
Resilience of Paradise fire victims evident a year later
It took 17 days to fully contain what became the deadliest and most destructive fire in California’s history. This was the Camp Fire that started Nov. 8, 2018. It decimated most of Paradise and forever changed the lives of tens of thousands of people. My mother was...
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Time to rethink pledging allegiance to a flag
Pledging allegiance to a flag seems so absurd. And yet I do it when the occasion arises. I’ve thought about sitting, but was afraid people would think I was making a political statement that had more to do with who resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue than it being the...
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Baja beach massage a blissful experience
At a cost of $20 for an hour massage, my expectations were not great. I knew there was the chance I could be in more pain when it ended. I have had massages outside of the United States before with mostly a good outcome. In Whistler, British Columbia, there was the...
read more Resilience of Paradise fire victims evident a year later
It took 17 days to fully contain what became the deadliest and most destructive fire in California’s history. This was the Camp Fire that started Nov. 8, 2018. It decimated most of Paradise and forever changed the lives of tens of thousands of people. My mother was...
read more
Questioning whether Day of the Dead should be a tourist spectacle
Even though Day of the Dead (Dia de Muertos) has been celebrated for more than 3,000 years, it became a mainstream event in large part because of Hollywood. This is an Aztec tradition rooted in what is now Mexico. When the Spanish conquered Mexico they brought...
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Book Review: ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ an important story
The Osage murders is another chapter in U.S. history that isn’t part of the education system. We have author David Grann to thank for bringing this disturbing history to light in his book “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI”...
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Testarossa Winery retains a bit of the old world spirit
These days it seems like few wineries limit the varietals of wine they bottle. Testarossa Winery is one of the exceptions. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the specialties here. It is the fourth oldest winemaking facility in California, with ties still to the Jesuits at...
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Obscure spirit path combines nature, ancient language
Guidebooks are good to a point. They tend to highlight the most popular places to visit in a city or region. That’s their purpose. But what if you want to go off the beaten track? That is when you go to Atlas Obscura. My friend Denise introduced me to the site. She...
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Cruise ship industry an economic driver in Cabo San Lucas
It seems like most days there is a huge cruise ship anchored in the bay at Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. While there are days without a ship, they are becoming fewer. In 2018, the port at Cabo San Lucas saw just more than 431,000 cruise ship passengers. This compares to...
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Cemeteries in Mexico more than a place to bury the dead
Silence doesn’t mean a story isn’t being told. Walk. Observe. Read. Even listen. Cemeteries are more than a place to bury the dead. They are the link to a town’s past. The cemetery in Todos Santos is a colorful display of tributes to those who have passed. While some...
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Roller coaster heaven at California Great America
Screaming. It’s what riding a roller coaster is all about. That exhilaration when it drops suddenly as though it’s in a free fall, or turns upside down again and again making it impossible to know where the sky or ground should be. I don’t know when I rode my first...
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Hewlett-Packard’s beginnings a landmark in Palo Alto
If it weren’t for one particular garage in Palo Alto, the world might be a very different place. It is considered the birthplace of Silicon Valley. This is where Bill Hewlett and David Packard in the 1930s formed Hewlett-Packard, aka HP. (A coin toss decided whose...
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Eat-Drink-Soak — Three Diverse Businesses In One Location
Beer, burgers and hot water all in one stop. This is what one finds on Old Hot Springs Road in Carson City – Shoe Tree Brewing Co., Sassafras and Carson Hot Springs. One Saturday in September we enjoyed what the three distinct businesses had to offer. With such an...
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Free Exhibit Captures Essence Of Photographers Adams, Weston
Similar, yet different. This is one way to describe the photography of Ansel Adams and Edward Weston. Each captures the landscape surrounding them in a way that draws the eye to examine every detail. The play of light, lines and natural beauty beckon one to admire...
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5 tidbits about Mexico — from tourism to voting to recipes
In the wake of Mexico closing its tourism board, tourist hot spots in Baja have taken on the responsibility of marketing. Check out this Los Angeles Times story. A grandmother in Mexico has created a YouTube channel to share traditional homemade recipes. Read more in...
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West Shore trail weaves along Lake Tahoe, into the forest
Trail builders in Lake Tahoe need to find other places to lay down pavement. The West Shore trail from Tahoe City to Meeks Bay is too pretty. Too many beautiful distractions and photo ops are along this 11-plus mile (one-way) trail to keep pedaling. I felt like I was...
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Tiny libraries bring books to neighborhoods throughout the world
If libraries are a gift, then the Little Free Library movement is like the icing on the cake. It has been 10 years since Todd H. Bol started the concept by placing a tiny library outside his Wisconsin home as a tribute to his mom who had been a teacher. He wanted to...
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‘The Dirt Around Lake Tahoe’ featured on NSPR broadcast
Nancy Wiegman, the host of Nancy's Bookshelf on North State Public Radio, does a weekly segment featuring authors. I was part of the Oct. 2, 2019, broadcast. You may hear the interview here; fast forward to 9:38 to begin listening about "The Dirt Around Lake Tahoe:...
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Tacos are a staple in diets on both sides of the border
A tortilla with fish. There had to be more. This couldn’t be all there was to a fish Taco in Mexico. The waiter saw the puzzlement on our faces and smiled. I’m sure he said something in Spanish that none of us understood. He pointed to the center of the restaurant....
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2 ‘Dirt Around Lake Tahoe’ book events in October
As hiking season at Tahoe slowly comes to a close, so do the 2019 events for "The Dirt Around Lake Tahoe: Must-Do Scenic Hikes." A presentation with slide show and talk will be Oct. 3 from 6:30-8pm at the REI in Roseville (1148 Galleria Blvd.) To register for the free...
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Book Review: ‘The Last Season’ delves into life/Death in a national park
The problem with reading a book that is based on an event from more than 20 years ago is that you might think you already know all there is to know. Fortunately, I knew nothing about “The Last Season” (the book or the premise) except what my friend Jill said in...
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Not long ago, Arizona was known for its harsh immigration laws. But a new crop of Latino activists emerged in response — and now they’re catapulting themselves into elected office.
https://t.co/9UXVcOgSfi