Columns

There is something very satisfactory in knowing that you have completed a task well. Self pride and worth, that feeling of accomplishment is a natural mood booster. This last week, my two teens and I went hand in hand. We all “nailed something” as the old saying goes. And, it all happened right before our much needed and deserved Thanksgiving break.

What kind of person are you? A glass half empty or a glass half full? As the end of May slowly approaches, so does all the bundle of things to accomplish and complete. This bundle includes looming finals, saying goodbye to friends, leaving the years experiences behind.

This week marks the 15th birthday of Facebook. If you don’t think that’s a local event, think again. As many as two-thirds of us use the social media app everyday. Some people even keep it open all day and the average use is one hour daily. Keep in mind lots of these same people also use Instagram, which happens to be owned by Facebook.

Born in Kansas, Feb. 5, 1916, former Windsor resident Marietta Showalter recently celebrated 102 years of life at her home in Healdsburg. Marietta is a dynamic centenarian who remains active today: painting, reading, nurturing her plants and attending church each Sunday.

I know I could never be a bus driver. I don’t even know where to start on the reasons why, but my hat is off to all those intrepid souls who navigate barges on wheels each and every day.

We're looking for dishes that reflect local flavor and personal history. Maybe it’s your famous strawberry tart. Your go-to pea risotto. The green garlic pasta you only make in May. You don’t have to be a professional chef. Just use at least one ingredient from the Healdsburg Certified Farmers’ Market, and let the season be your muse.

A couple of Saturdays ago, we were among the 2,000-plus in Santa Rosa’s Courthouse Square during the March for Our Lives against gun violence. Lots of signs, held high above the throng, proclaimed the message.

Wisteria is associated with romance and spring, and it turns out spring love is more than a romantic idea. Longer days and increased warmth boosts phytochemicals in plants and hormones in animals. Plants transition from vegetative to reproductive growth (blooms and flowers) when Flowering Locus T (FT) is released.

Integrity. That’s a tough one. Hard to define, but easy to see in others. And even easier to not see in others … to see not in others … others not to see in. Whatever.