Snapshot

Shakespeare got it right, says Pierre Ratte. From her balcony, young Juliet laments her sweetheart’s name is Montague, an enemy. And yet at a tender age, she recognizes, “’Tis but thy name that is my enemy … What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Wouldst Juliet’s wisdom leap into our dangerous political rhetoric.

From 1956 Chet Huntley anchored NBC’s nightly news, until in 1970 he retired to help start Big Sky Resort in his home state of Montana. The resort is located in the beautiful Gallatin Gateway area, which is an entry into Yellowstone. In such a remote Montana location, Big Sky got off to a rocky start (pun done).

If you like to meditate and enter a profound connection to the hear and now—pun, drum flair—consider a sound bath. Although there are many ways to enter a meditative state, such as following the rhythm of one’s breath, another easy way is to focus on a single sense. Sound is often chosen because it is uniquely immersive

Fun facts: The oldest redwood in Armstrong Woods is the Colonel Armstrong Tree, estimated to be 1,400 years old. The tallest is called Parson Jones, at 310 feet. Sonoma County purchased 240 acres of Armstrong Woods in 1917 for $80,000. It opened to the public as a state park in 1936.

The June 5 Healdsburg Forever event at Appellation’s Grange Hall was a terrific success for donors and recipients, enriching the diversity and resilience of our community. As an endowed fund of the Community Foundation Sonoma County, Healdsburg Forever has served Healdsburg and Geyserville for 22 years.

“In Hoc Anno Domini” is the title a Vermont Royster 1949 editorial in the Wall Street Journal. The WSJ reprints his editorial every year, such is the clarity of its prose and power of its message.

In the granite mountains of Yosemite National Park, in the upper plateau of the Hetch Hetchy watershed, lies Lake Vernon encircled by rock walls and piney shores. It’s home to crystal clear snowmelt water and beautiful rainbow trout...

Like many other baseball fans, Pierre Ratte was impressed by Shohei Otani's performance in the final game of the National League championship game.

Vihar is a great horned owl, one of several ambassador birds at The Bird Rescue Center of Sonoma County (BRC), a local resource that’s been around for 50 years and needs help.

During 2020 and the pandemic, cocktail books flew off the shelves. Books like Death & Co. Modern Classic Cocktails; The PDT Cocktail Book: The Complete Bartenders Guide; Spirits and Cocktails from Around the World; and Artisanal Cocktails - Seasonal Drinks Inspired by the Bar at Cyrus by Healdsburg’s own famous cocktail baller, Scott Beattie, experienced a significant uptick in sales.