In twenty days and counting, I will be officially retired. To celebrate this milestone, Daniel and I have traded places. He has unretired and is now a rural mail carrier. As usual, timing is...

So-called Dry January is upon us, as it has been since it was introduced about a decade ago. The concept is to eliminate or dramatically reduce your alcohol consumption for the month. And the wine...

Ten Years Ago January 16, 2014 "There's no place like home." Those words hold true for Waitsburg natives, R. Wes Leid, Katie (Mantz) Leid and Jeff Broom – who have experienced life all across the U.S....

With this long stretch of below-freezing temperatures my soup pot has been getting a lot of use this past week. While I love slowly tending to a gently simmering pot of soup, sometimes I need a...

Coco Chanel advised women to “Always remove one accessory before you leave the house.” Less is more, and you achieve a more pronounced statement. My mother also had some stringent rules about wha...

Ten Years Ago January 9, 2014 The WP Cardinal boys lost a high-scoring game Saturday to Tri-Cities Prep, falling 54-51. Devin Acevedo led his team with 12 points. Owen Lanning had 10 and Chance...

After an abnormally mild start to winter, frigid and snowy weather is finally on its way. In preparation I have been stocking up the pantry and pulling out my coziest recipes. This lovely one-pot...

Bluewood Ski resort celebrated New Year's Eve with Magic on the Mountain. This was Bluewoods first firework show and it was stunning. The night also included live music, a deck party before ending...

This rich and tasty California Cab was a thoughtful gift from our neighbors. This 2018 is the current vintage. Produced by JaM Cellars, it's very popular among Vivino users. Softly fruity with...

Chief Joseph Dam came online in 1961, producing power through the first 16 of its 27 hydro turbines. Behind the dam is Lake Rufus Woods. Over 8,000 surface acres of the upper Columbia River stretch...

My questions are not nearly as profound as those Shakespeare wrote for Hamlet, nor do they require the deep probing for answers that Hamlet must have been seeking. Mine are on the lines of: To retire...

Ten Years Ago January 2, 2014 From "kind of" teaching herself guitar as a child to organizing and directing the Touchet Valley Acoustic Music Project, Kate Hockersmith is one of those people who sets...

After having baked and consumed countless cookie varieties over the years, I still consider a simple, buttery shortbread cookie to be my favorite. With the delicate balance between a tender crumb and...

I’m a believer in old vine Chenins, so much so that I gave up several lucrative wine writing gigs in order to make a few hundred cases under my short-lived Waitsburg Cellars label. Some of those g...

As I've mentioned, I'm not a reflective person; I have a "man the torpedoes, full steam ahead" mentality. But it's become a tradition that I take a little stock and look back at my decision to leave...

Ten Years Ago December 26, 2013 One of Waitsburg's elementary school teachers got an extra special early Christmas gift this year. In a press release issued by President Barak Obama on December 20, Ki...

With New Year's Eve approaching, another whirlwind season of winter holiday entertaining comes to an end. After all the formal sit-down feasts I love to keep things casual on NYE with a spread of fun...

WAITSBURG-Waitsburg School students acted as jurors in the State of California vs. George Milton, in the murder of Lennie Small, and delivered a verdict of dismissed without prejudice. The names of...

I cannot say enough about how utterly delicious this wine is. In fact, any wine bearing The Jack label is going to gobsmack your tastebuds. This is the latest rendition of the original Jack red, a...

WAITSBURG­­-Waitsburg businesses celebrated Stocking Stuffer Saturday with shopping, holiday treats, and live music. Mike Ferrians and Stephanie Hinchliffe led a holiday sing-along at the Royal B...

I think everyone goes through periods of adjustment; some are more difficult than others. Changes to relationships, houses, careers, seasons, and aging, are never-ending, but that’s life. My m...

Ten Years Ago December 19, 2013 [Photo Caption] Mr. and Mrs. Claus (Robbie and Marilyn Johnson) pose together during Waitsburg's 2013 Hometown Christmas event. Twenty-Five Years Ago December 24, 1998...

With all the hustle and festivities of the winter holiday season in full swing, something as simple as a quiet night at home can feel like a luxury. Between the packed schedule of glittering engagemen...

Ten Years Ago December 12, 2013 [Photo Caption] Eastern Star members Marilyn Wilson (l) and Lenore Krom (r) enjoy showing their Christmas swags to an interested customer at Sunday's Hometown...