Columns

There are two looming events on our calendars that may further confirm the difference between compulsory law and bendable customs.

What is 70 years old and for four days provides space for a variety of animals from small chickens to full grown beef cattle; shades booths for school and church groups selling afternoon treats and barbecue dinners; organizes two or three mornings for 4-H...

Apparently bears don’t attack hives for honey. Waking from winter’s slumber, bears want protein. Inside a beehive are larvae. That is what bears want.

What’s in a word or a phrase? Sometimes words reflect huge worlds. The annual northern California “Wine and Weed Symposium” isn’t scheduled until Aug. 8, 2019, but George Christie, the producer of the event, is already publicizing it. This year it will take place, as usual, at the Hyatt Regency in Santa Rosa, with panels, speakers, food, information and networking galore.

Mother Nature is a charmer most of the time; an alarmist some of the time. In early morning, I was checking my email at the computer in my den, a cozy room filled with books and heated in winter by a gas insert stove. The familiar song of the mourning dove interrupted my train of thought.

The name of the comet comes from China’s Tsuchinshan Observatory, which means “purple mountain.” It was discovered in January 2023. A month later South Africa’s ATLAS telescope observed it. Hence, two names for the comet given the close timing of discovery.

It has been almost 30 years since Rodney King made his iconic plea of “Can’t we all just get along?” following days of violent rioting across Los Angeles that left 63 people dead. The riots were ignited by the dismissal of charges against four L.A. cops who were videotaped bashing King’s head and body with 63 blows from their billy clubs.

I remarked in the last column that Healdsburg’s Buchignani tribe stretches across continents, and two of the families I meet at the reunion have come quite a distance. Justin Oliver and Cindy Hackworth Oliver have come from New Zealand. Since their names are unfamiliar, I am curious to discover their place in the Buchignani tree.

I have a cousin who lives in the city. He’s been there about 30 years. I remember when he first moved. I went to see him and I told him, “Dude, this is the worst part of town. No one lives here but derelicts and poor people.” He smiled and said, “Well, I qualify on both counts.”

The following snippets of history are drawn from the pages of the Healdsburg Tribune, the Healdsburg Enterprise and the Sotoyome Scimitar, and are prepared by the volunteers at the Healdsburg Museum & Historical Society. Admission is always free at the museum, open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.