Columns

“I enjoy cooking with wine,  sometimes I even put it in the food I’m cooking.”  - Julia Child Give me a good old American-style beef pot roast, with all its dark wine-rich drippings and a crusty French roll, and I am in heaven. In just one week, my...

As a child, living in the convent school in Tacoma, Wash., I always looked forward to Tussie-Mussie Day. Life was simple then, pleasure was found in handmade presents, no money allowances for store-bought gifts. As the month of April was coming to an end, Sister...

“Just the facts, ma’am. Just the facts.” —Sgt. Joe Friday, “Dragnet” series Yesterday, my friend Tina left my house with her hands over both ears yelling, “Don’t tell me, I don’t wanna know!” I had been grinding a chuck roast into hamburger meat when Tina came...

Over the past few weeks, many neighbors have stopped me around the valley asking about the work happening at Mountain Community Resources (MCR) and what it means for the services provided there. Those conversations matter, because they reflect both how much this center is...

While pouring the dark, thick and very sticky molasses from its bottle this morning, I thought about the people who drowned during the Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919, one hundred and five years ago. On the docks of Boston Harbor, Purity Distilling company had...

How often are you getting in cardio and core training? Let’s start off talking about cardio. When we think of cardio, what comes to mind? Running, walking and swimming are generally the most common thought of, but there are so many more options when...

It's always a breathtaking experience taking a walk at this time of year. You might see the cobalt blue flowers of ceanothus or a stand of dicentra formosa with their dainty pink bell-shaped flowers backlit in the spring sunlight. Coral bells are in full...

In today's fast-paced, ever-changing world, mental health is often overlooked in the pursuit of productivity, success and keeping up with life's demands. Just as regular physical check-ups are crucial for maintaining physical health, mental health check-ups are essential to ensure emotional well-being. Taking proactive steps...

Millions of Americans are affected by mental health conditions every year. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S.—43.8 million, or 21%—experiences mental illness in a given year; and we know this is increasingly an issue...

I believe that envy is one of the seven deadly sins and any decent person should avoid that sentiment at all costs. But when I look at and experience the downtowns of all the other cities in the county, a little bit of jealousy...