Look, I rode a donkey up the cliffs of Crete, waterskied down the Colorado River, and hiked the Cinque Terra. I trekked through the Mayan jungle and climbed Tikal. I hiked the pine forest above Rio Caliente, scaled Nevada Falls, and climbed rickety ladders to... Continue
Columnist
Democracy’s an idea that’s been kicking around for thousands of years, an attempt to bring a particular form of order to a chaotic world. Criticism of democracy goes all the way back to Plato’s Republic in Ancient Greece of 380 B.C., his thoughts on how... Continue
By Loretta Carr Let’s see. Now that English has been declared the official language of the United States, how am I going to order food at my favorite restaurant? “May I have two of those round corn things?” “You mean tortillas?” “Yes, yes – stuffed... Continue
Being alive is a risky business; we live in a predatory world, a living system where life feeds on life. As such, risk and the threat of injury and/or death is always present. This is true for the smallest and the largest of living things.... Continue
“. . . dear old golden rule days, Readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic, Taught to the tune of a hick'ry stick, You were my queen in calico, I was your bashful barefoot beau, And you wrote on my slate, ‘I love you Joe,’ When we... Continue
Rumi (13th-century Persian poet and mystic) Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right-doing, there is a field. I will meet you there. Pema Chodron (1936 – American-born Tibetan Buddhist teacher) Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know. If... Continue
The analysis, commentary, and complaints about American politics are prolific. Certain themes are repeatedly explored, such as voters’ educational levels, identity, and economic status, but all these are basically subordinate to the one factor nobody really talks about: the psychology of politics. Psychology, an exploration... Continue
We are all collectively going through changing, sometimes churning, times. The environment seems unsure, less stable. Daily we all face the feeling of not knowing. Not knowing if stocks will flop or go sky high. Not knowing if our health will hold our healthcare. And... Continue
I sent a reader down a rabbit hole regarding my use of "retarded." I was schooled to use a word that doesn't insult people with disability, demean them and pain those who love them. She reproached me to do the decent thing (as if I'd... Continue
By Seth Dolinsky Many of our local farms are generous, not just in their important work in feeding Sonoma Valley, but in donations to our community, particularly for those who are food-insecure. One local farm is taking this to the next level. Haystack Farm, a... Continue