It’s fun on St. Patrick’s Day to think about my Irish ancestors and my trip to Ireland. The photo on the left is Laura Jane Baylee Slingsby, my paternal grandmother. Born in Canada, her father Alexander Baylee was born in County Clare, Ireland, and her grandfather Henry Thomas Baylee was... Read more →
A fantastic thing happened. My daughter Mona planned a trip to Santa Barbara, California, for us to visit my long-time friend, Sue Lean, who moved there last March. Mona lives in Sacramento, so we drove the six hours to Santa Barbara for our visit. Our visit began with a trip... Read more →
For winter reading, Dani Nierenberg, president of Food Tank, a think tank on food, offers another great reading list, this one on food books that answer the question why. Why bread, which cost a third of household expenditures in Europe 300 years ago, now costs less than 1 percent. Why... Read more →
Merry Christmas if Christmas is a holiday you celebrate. It’s a day of joy for so many reasons. The celebration of Christ’s birth, the getting together with family and friends, and a time to give unto others. And for giving, Americans are into giving in a big way. With 92... Read more →
It’s that time of year again. Stores are bustling with shoppers, delivery drivers are pulling up daily, and people are exhausted. And while it’s supposed to be the happiest time of the year, 68 percent of people say Santa will be less generous this year due to inflation and 31... Read more →
Somehow, it’s Dec. 9 already and it seems like the holidays are coming in a rush. I’m researching buying a new camera, which is time consuming. Then, I got the idea that what I want for Christmas is a scanner that scans slides. More research when I should be getting... Read more →
The raspberry pie is in the oven, an experiment that’s ongoing on how to make vegan pie crust. I’ll be joining friends in a couple of hours for a largely vegetarian dinner. A friend, I was just told, is bringing a ham. I’ve been busy this week spending time getting... Read more →
With Thanksgiving coming up Thursday, all kinds of Thanksgiving memories are flooding my mind. After my dad passed away, I’d go to Wenatchee, Washington, to prepare the Thanksgiving dinner for my mom and me. I remember leaving after work for the three-and-a-half hour drive. Getting there late, I’d be making... Read more →
It’s so much fun in the fall to go to Chelan, Washington, and visit with my high school classmates. Lake Chelan is so beautiful. And new, since I lived there, are wineries, a fantastic diversification to the famous apple industry of Central Washington. My sister and I, both graduates of... Read more →
In the past, I haven’t had much of a problem buying souvenirs when I’ve been on vacation. They just seem to be plentiful at tourist spots. Madrid, Paris, London, San Francisco, Miami, Seattle. I have post cards from them all. Not so much from museums. I love museums, but I’ve... Read more →