There are certainly plenty of ways to describe the Great Coronavirus Experience. “Unprecedented” springs to mind. There’s also Stressful. Lonely. Depressing. Ugh. But flip that “half-empty” glass around and the times we’re living through are also pretty darn exciting: Medical advances at super-nova speed. Heart-warming fits, too – neighbors looking out for neighbors, strangers helping strangers. And how about inspiring – legions of doctors, […]
The Adams House in Carson City
Even from the street, this little bungalow at 990 N. Minnesota St. in Carson City looks like it was built with love. It’s called the Adams House. And today, it is the home of KNVC Radio. But just who was Adams? And what’s the house’s story? Thanks to Sandie LaNae, I got to visit the […]
Gardening the High Sierra: Here’s A Planting Guide
So many folks are thinking of starting a garden this year, I thought our planting guide might be helpful. As you’ll see, these dates are ranges rather than hard-and-fast. But it’ll give you a rough idea of when to plant what if you’re here in our part of the Sierra! Rick couldn’t wait to get […]
A Treat From Me To You: These Muffins Rock!
I’m not normally a baker. But ohhh, these muffins! Something really good did come out of being stuck at home, trying to use up what’s in our freezer! This recipe started out using canned pumpkin as the base. Then a light bulb went off. We’ve got all this frozen fruit put away! How about using up […]
The Story of the Ridge Route (Part 1)
First, of course, came early game trails and Indian footpaths. When the Spaniards arrived, their carreta roads made use of those same rough tracks. They’d follow the route of today’s Temple Street north through what we now call Hollywood to reach Cahuenga Pass. Then it was onward to San Fernando, crossing the foothills at Newhall […]
Reinvention Is The Spice of Memoir
New beginnings? We’ve all had them. In fact, life is always starting anew, it seems. And not just when we’re young! Maybe you recently retired – and a whole new vista has opened up: Time to travel. Time to sew or read. Time to just explore what you can do and who you might be without the confines of […]
Productivity Hacks 101: The Power of Lists
When it comes to productivity, you probably already have your own list of what doesn’t work. Working longer, harder, more hours trying to cram it all in, for one thing. That’s just a sure-fire recipe for burnout. How about following each and every Bright, Shiny Object that crosses your path relentlessly? Yeah, that doesn’t work, […]
Gardnerville’s Coolest Building (Part 1)
The sign on the outside used to read “Perry’s Dry Goods.” And locals today still smile when they remember Frank Perry, a short, wiry Basque known for his charming mustache and his wide range of Western wear. But Perry, as it turns out, wasn’t actually his real name. At birth it was Yparraguirre. “Perry” was […]
The Forgotten Story Behind the Lebec Hotel: Thomas O’Brien
He always carried a Colt .45 under that natty suit jacket. “Irish-stubborn” about business, he was filled with exuberance, too. Over the years he founded half-dozen saloons and gambling halls from Kingman to the Klondike. Yet he didn’t drink or gamble (or so, at least, his family said). Meet Thomas O’Brien, little-known proprietor of the […]
Silver Mountain City: Finding Your Way There
Today, Silver Mountain City is a ghost of a ghost town. An army of pines has invaded the town’s cross streets, and only the traces of hand-dug cellars and rock foundations remain where noisy saloons and thriving businesses once stood. The old stone jail, once a proud centerpiece of town, is a jumble of broken blocks. But […]
From Tragedy to Inspiration: How Writing a Memoir Can Be Healing
Q&A With Author Jodi Graber Pratt: Imagine being just a few yards away from the World Trade Center the morning of September 11, 2001. Hearing the first of two planes fly directly over your head. Running for your life as pieces of concrete and other building materials rained down around you. Author Jodi Graber Pratt takes you there, […]
Lexington: The Long-Lost Treasure Of A Long-Lost Town
It was a couple of weeks before Christmas, 1886 – December 3rd, to be exact. “Colonel” Alonzo Winfield Scott Smith was out exploring the back country of eastern Ventura County, near the confluence of Piru and Lockwood Creeks. And some might say it was a Christmas miracle: Voilà! Smith stumbled across a “lost” gold mine. Or maybe it […]