Columns

Right around the time on Thanksgiving morning when you pop your turkey into that fancy oven, just after you tune the television in your cozy living room to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade from New York, volunteers affiliated with a Healdsburg-based nonprofit will fan out into the community and inspire gratitude of an entirely different kind.

It's natural to seek an escape from the disappointments of the global pandemic, and one need look no further than the library for a few ideas on how to find that escape. Of course, a visit to the library isn't the same as before, so a nostalgic experience isn't within our grasp; luckily, the pandemic can't stop library staff from dreaming up new ways of putting a good read in your hands or creating a little more joy in our lives.

It’s the slowest and fastest of times here at the newspaper.

Ding, ding, ding. It’s a familiar sound that now goes off in my head every time I am about to square off with one of my teenagers. I don’t know what it is of late that is bringing out the angst in them.

A few years ago when I was speaking to a local Rotary Club about newspapers, I was asked what we would do if there was ever a week when there was no news to report. I jokingly answered that, “We’d just have to make something up.” Well, here we are with no meetings, no events, no gatherings, no fundraisers, no libraries, no schools and only lots and lots of other closed doors. 

It’s nice to be back writing my greatly anticipated (I’m sure) golf column for the Windsor Times. I haven’t been playing golf yet but I’m cautiously optimistic that I’ll be hitting more golf balls on the driving range and even playing holes on the Windsor Golf Course soon. For those of you who don’t know my story I’m happy to give you the short version.

It’s almost the Fourth of July and we look forward to celebrating another Independence Day. We should remember that at the center of all the fireworks displays, backyard picnics, red white and blue banners and patriotic songs is a piece of paper with 1,450 words and signatures on it. It is “The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America.”