“… blogging about life, travel, books, food and the outdoors”
Trusting science one vaccination at a time
Call it a ritual, call it a superstition, call it prudent health care. The it is the Covid booster shot. It’s a ritual because it’s something mom and I have been doing together for years now. Call it superstition because neither of us has ever had Covid and have...
Shopping online shouldn’t feel invasive
I’m sorry, I shopped at Amazon. It’s not often, but it does happen. Now that we have that out of the way, here’s the real issue: They know too much. There are a lot of “theys” out there. This latest case of a “they” is Amazon. During the sale earlier this month I was...
Trusting science one vaccination at a time
Call it a ritual, call it a superstition, call it prudent health care. The it is the Covid booster shot. It’s a ritual because it’s something mom and I have been doing together for years now. Call it superstition because neither of us has ever had Covid and have...
Preferring earthquakes at ground level
I thought California was the earthquake capital of the United States. Wrong. It’s Alaska. WorldPopulationReview.com lists 2,242 temblors in Alaska in 2025, 416 in California, 300 in Texas, 228 in New Mexico and 169 in Nevada. Growing up in California I’m well...
Book Review: The story of Sierra Nevada Brewery
It would be hard to find someone in Chico or in the world of beer who does not know the name Ken Grossman. He is the founder and owner of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. His memoir Beyond the Pale: The story of the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (John Wiley & Sons,...
The Bench beckons along Tahoe Rim Trail
My chest tightened as oxygen seemed to be missing. It’s not a good sign when you feel the elevation just walking from the car to the trailhead sign. Suddenly I doubted my ability to make the 11.2 miles. This was a day after birthday hike last weekend. I wanted to see...
Pollinators make a difference
Bees are often the first pollinators people name because they do the heavy lifting. However, hummingbirds are the most common pollinators in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Other animals out there making the system work by going after a flower’s nectar or pollen include:...
Talk about Chico neighborhood a bit lacking
Development—especially a major housing project—is likely to be controversial no matter where it is proposed to be built. Such was the case for California Park in Chico. Because I’ve lived in this neighborhood for more than five years, I was excited to attend the Sept....
Getting the vote out one postcard at a time
It’s common for me to think I should be doing more. The more recently has to with the November election. It seems like every election in recent memory is the one that is going to make all the difference. They are call consequential—no matter if it’s a local or...
Problematic plastic pollution at Lake Tahoe
While it might not be obvious, chances are you are swimming with microplastics when you are in Lake Tahoe. Swallow a gulp of lake water? Yep, you may have just ingested particles of plastic. Plastics are in the sand you are walking and sitting on as well. Tahoe...
Book Review: Maybe is should be the ‘criminal injustice’ system
Anthony Ray Hinton wasn’t a name I knew before reading his story that he wrote with Lara Love Hardin: The Sun Does Rise: How I Found Life , Freedom and Justice (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2018). He was arrested in 1985, sent to death row for murder, then released in 2015...
Good for you and your Mom. I've had COVID twice and it was like the worst flu I've ever had…
I'm with you. I have been spared and have kept up with the boosters. No telling if I am just…
With you - I've been spared & want to keep saying that!
Growing up in So Cal we had our fair share of rockin and rollin shakes. Moving to Carson Valley I…