Some time back, Jack and I received a letter from our long-time Allstate broker advising us of an upcoming inspection of our home exterior. We knew abatement wasn’t an issue so we expected our property to pass with flying colors. The inspection report returned advising us to paint our peeling garage door and add some…
Friday morning, I looked out my front window to see if Johnny and Halie were outside with Finley (19 months) to babysit. We experienced snow during the night that turned to slush, and I saw my lilac trees practically flattened in the front yard. I don’t recall ever witnessing such a wet snow in all…
Here when we think we’re headed into summer months, precipitation and a drop in temperature brought snow to the mountains last Friday. You know the old saying up here that snow is still likely until after Mother’s Day? That holds true for many years but not all. I can remember a year when we had…
I enjoyed a birthday last week but for once in some birthdays, acknowledged my aging. The camera and mirror seem to show an older woman than the day before. Who cares? Who “feels” wrinkles? I feel, instead, the aches. Over the weekend, after many hours of planting a container garden on my deck, getting up…
Continuing with last week’s thoughts of water conservation, I remember a story Ernie Maxwell told about how he dealt with washing dishes after Betty died and he lived alone. He held off until not one clean dish or utensil existed in the house, then he’d haul all those dirty ones out into the yard and…
I’ve come to enjoy washing small amounts of dishes by hand because the window over the sink affords lovely views of the flora and fauna on our back deck. I also enjoy pondering issues. So while standing there over the weekend, I considered ways to reduce our water consumption by 25 percent. I remembered our…
I’ve come to enjoy washing small amounts of dishes by hand because the window over the sink affords lovely views of the flora and fauna on our back deck. I also enjoy pondering issues. So while standing there over the weekend, I considered ways to reduce our water consumption by 25 percent. I remembered our…
In 2003, Idyllwild Arts Foundation revised its Master Plan for the school to include new additions, such as a dining hall and a dormitory, among other things. The revision required OKs from county and more local agencies, such as the fire department. Any contractor who has dealt with the county on building issues (Eric Townsend,…
Like my friend, Lola, I enjoy cooking — just not for myself and/or Jack. I’m a social cook; I enjoy cooking with and for others, particularly family and friends. Our family typically celebrates holidays around food and they sometimes culminate around a theme. For Easter, my daughter-in-law, Mandy, suggested a New Orleans theme — one…
In my younger days, conversations with my mother centered around her health, and what she ate that day and recent days. I remember her drawing-out descriptions, such as “a little ham and some black-eyed peasssss.” Black-eyed peas regularly made the list — always topped with hot-pepper sauce … always. You can’t have black-eyed peas in…
