No Bad Days

We’ve grown a variety of herbs every summer in the planter box at the Mazama hangout, which we (meaning Jacqui) use for cooking, snipped fresh and deployed immediately. They are typically cohabitating with a mixture of flowering plants. We get a lot of enjoyment out of our limited gardening plot, although it’s nothing compared to […]

I was saddened when I learned that Don Nelson had died last week. That would be the guy I referred to, immodestly, as “the other Don Nelson” — who was a lot more famous than I’ll ever be. Don Nelson (older by 10 years, taller by about 10 inches) was a college and professional basketball […]

It’s a big year for anniversaries in the Methow Valley, and 15 years isn’t in the same impressive league as the 30-, 40- and 50-year celebrations we are noting in 2026. But the Fourth of July was a special day for me, marking 15 years of owning the Methow Valley News. As far as I […]

Well, that was unexpectedly close. The Hamilton Fire whipped itself up in a hurry on a gusty Sunday morning, and it didn’t take long for responders from several agencies to show and get to work. Of course, all wildfires catch us somewhat by surprise, but this one got our attention instantly because of its proximity […]

Six years ago, we noticed that a doe had settled down behind a woodpile next to the detached garage at the Mazama cabin. We weren’t sure what she was up to so close to the cabin, but our curiosity was answered when she delivered a young buck. We gave the birth a wide berth, knowing […]

Back in the 1980s when I worked at Crain’s Chicago Business, a 50,000-circulation weekly business magazine that aggressively blanketed the local and regional business scene in the Windy City, we used to talk about companies that were widely regarded as “too big to fail.” One of them, Sears, was headquartered not far away. It was […]

I imagine that hundreds of causes, conditions, diseases and organizations have “awareness months,” which makes for a lot to be aware of. We have to be selective with our attention, and for most individuals that comes down to something intensely personal that we would like others to also be aware of. For me, the personal […]

I just finished an email expressing regret for not being able to provide coverage for one of the many community events happening last weekend. It’s not that the event wasn’t worthy — it’s just that there aren’t that many of us to go around, and we have to parcel out our resources. Still, we like […]

The local institutional anniversaries keep coming, all deserving of attention for their longevity and importance to the community. This year, it’s the Methow Valley Citizens Council turning 50, and the Methow Conservancy turning 30. We are going to pay significant attention to those benchmark events with some reflective coverage this year. Circumstances haven’t allowed us […]

We were having our usual Monday night discussion that centered around the day’s (mostly) ghastly headlines, and what would I write this column about? That I am usually filling this space late on Monday says something about … I’m not sure what. Indecision? Laziness? The press of other duties? (They do press, constantly). It’s not […]