Columns

Ahhhhh. The sweet smell of petrichor last week was a welcome joy. Petrichor? Yes, petrichor: the pleasant, earthy odor that follows gentle rain after a dry spell. Cool word, isn’t it? Pictured above are a few drops highlighting the Crocosmia crocosmilflora, or Coppertips Montbretia....

Yard art around town comes in many forms. Whimsical. Creative. Unique. Here are a fun few. These cacti sporting sunglasses and straw hats are out on Dry Creek Road. The water-saving rock spiral lawn with pink flamingos is along University Avenue. If you look closely,...

Despite climate and global warming concerns, this summer in Sonoma County was relatively cool if measured by the late onset of grape harvests.

'We are fielding a lot of questions these days about our upcoming Building Modernization Project. The planning stage of the project is nearing completion and we still anticipate a start date for construction around Sept. 1...'

100 years ago – July 19, 1923 Ball Fans ‘Kick’ Against Aviators Many complaints have been made by spectators attending the baseball games against the airplanes which, almost every Sunday, do flying tricks over the crowded grandstand and bleachers. During the Napa game a plane swooped down...

Ski resorts transport people up mountain sides in elevated moving chairs—literally. A suited butler-ish person greets, holds the chair, making sure passengers are comfortably and safely seated. Thank you, Jeeves.  Generally, pleasant music is playing for this interchange, and then in the next magical moment,...

Back in the ‘Burg. Here’s the Plaza’s beautifully decorated tree. And here’s another digital tree, beautiful in its simplicity at Healdsburg Community Church.  The Plaza’s tree is 43 feet tall and hails from Oregon. The sign next to the tree tells its story. Left in...

What’s more fun than children playing in puddles? The rain created many joyful moments this past week—and not just for 5-year-old boys in rubber Wellies. Fire-risk gauges dialed down to their lowest level: Low. Creeks started flowing. Hills and meadows began greening, a harbinger...

Macadam refers to a road-surfacing material and a method of construction. Developed in 1820, it’s named after inventor John McAdam. His method and material was a major breakthrough improving on Roman stone and cobble construction. McAdam’s invention relied on small angular rocks compacted by traffic to create a self-locking stable and relatively smooth surface. This and other Fun Facts in the latest Snapshot.