Like many retired householders in this down economy, I have dawdled this year over home improvements. But the week before Christmas I was feeling energetic and determined that I needed to bite the bullet and take care of some long overdue tasks. I went over to Harold K. Smith Materials and asked Keith if he…

Saturday morning, Jan. 28, I was taken to the hospital with severe back pain. After I was in the ambulance, I asked one of the young men to go back into the house to get my boots. After he brought my boots, we left. They took me to the hospital and before I knew it,…

While enjoying our winter wonderland Sunday morning, I proceeded to clean the white stuff off our vehicles. Never quite recovered from having my spine fused, I comptemplated letting the 30-inch berm melt and venturing out in June. Along came a compassionate soul with a plow. The driver made three passess and the berm was gone….

My husband and I stopped to see the quilts displayed for sale on Highway 243 (next to the HELP Center). We stopped to look and enjoyed visiting with Joan, who makes the quilts. She and her husband recently bought the property. We weren’t sure the quilt we chose would fit on our bed as it…

Only in Idyllwild would the local theatre open just for the children. On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, the Rustic Theatre opened so the Town Hall children could watch “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” The children loved the outing and watching a classic holiday movie on the big screen. Susan Swanson Idyllwild “Only in Idyllwild” may…

While traveling down Tollgate, a vehicle was stopped ahead for no apparent reason. Ahh … but the reason soon appeared when mom, pop, aunt, uncle and all the babies in the “Tollgate Quail Family” crossed the road. In the city, pedestrians are frequently ignored as they attempt to cross the street. But in Idyllwild, quail,…