“… blogging about life, travel, books, food and the outdoors”
Wine and baseball–a pairing as perfect as a diamond
Wine and baseball? Who knew it could be a winning combination. Such was the outcome on Memorial Day when the Giants won 14-4 as I sipped a can of wine. It had been way too long since I witnessed such an offensive onslaught in person. The weather was perfect,...
Wine and baseball–a pairing as perfect as a diamond
Wine and baseball? Who knew it could be a winning combination. Such was the outcome on Memorial Day when the Giants won 14-4 as I sipped a can of wine. It had been way too long since I witnessed such an offensive onslaught in person. The weather was perfect,...
Book Review: Mixed feelings about ‘Girl, Woman, Other’
Few books leave me wondering if I would recommend it. But such is the case with Girl, Woman, Other (Black Cat, 2019) by Bernardine Evaristo. I liked this book. The storytelling was great. I was captured by each person. So, yes, it was good. The book delves into the...
Memorial honors all those affected by 2018 Camp Fire
Charred trees, foundations without a building, chain link fencing around the hospital, businesses that no longer exist. The reminders of the 2018 Camp Fire that incinerated Paradise are everywhere. Then there is the memorial to all those who survived and the 85...
Cracking irrigation system leads to lessons in drip lines
A geyser can be refreshing when it’s 100-plus degrees out. But when that water is jutting into the air from the irrigation system, it is so not a welcome relief. At least I knew how to turn the system off. I am not a gardener. I am not into irrigation. But I am a...
Graduation season triggers memories of high school, college
It’s easy for graduation season to conjure up memories of your own walk across the stage to receive your diploma, be it high school or college. June marks 40 years since I graduated from Clayton Valley High School and May was 35 years since getting my degrees from San...
Snow melt pushes Lake Oroville to within capacity
It has been dramatic watching Lake Oroville rise since the beginning of the year. Even more astonishing is how far it has come since I moved to Butte County in 2021. In 2021, Lake Oroville hit a record low 628 feet. The previous record of 645 feet was set in 1974....
Culinary expo a lesson in all things nut
Whole nuts, nut hummus, nuts in ice cream, flavored nuts, candied nuts, nuts turned into milk, nuts in salad, nuts in rice. After a day at the annual California Nut Festival I definitely felt nuttier. I suppose what was missing was nut flavored wine and beer,...
Book Review: Learning about John Bidwell and California
Some books are difficult to get through, but are important to finish. In this case, I wanted to know more about John Bidwell, the white man credited with founding Chico. After all, there were plenty of Indians calling this swath of California home before he arrived by...
How much water did it take to put the food on your table?
Our carbon footprint has been talked about for years. The amount of water certain crops need is not news. But what is your water footprint? The May issue of Bon Appetit magazine asked and helped answer that question. It’s not something I give any thought to when I’m...
Multi-use trail being built through heart of Napa Valley
Anyone who has driven through the Napa Valley on Highway 29 knows all too well this is not a safe road for cyclists. But what if a trail paralleled this main thoroughfare? What if it had a start/end point at the ferry terminal in Vallejo so it connected to the greater...
