Over the past year, I’ve been fortunate to make some energy efficiency and weatherization upgrades to my home. During this process, I examined the feasibility of installing solar panels. As it turned out, my home was not a great candidate for installation (too much shade), but I still wanted to[Read More…]
Home & Garden
Gardening enthusiasts still growing after four decades of sharing passion
What started as an informal way for plant-lovers to gather and learn from each other has steadily grown over the past four decades into a group with about 400 members who share the same passion: gardening. The Willamette Valley Hardy Plant Group (WVHPG) was founded in 1986 by Roger Gossler[Read More…]
Emerald Valley Almanac: June 22
Emerald Valley Almanac: week of March 16
Emerald Valley Almanac: March 3rd
Shadow or no shadow? Celebrating Groundhog Day
Soup’s on!
Nothing warms you on a cold winter evening (or morning or afternoon, either) like a steaming bowl of soup. And it couldn’t be easier to make! Starting from scratch • The first thing you need to do is create a flavor base. Most recipes start with a base of sautéed onions,[Read More…]
Music to your ears
People made music for at least 40,000 years. Things found in nature were the first instruments, hollow logs became drums, bones and horns were the woodwinds. Musical notation followed the invention of writing, examples have been found written on papyrus and carved in stone. Music affects us emotionally, and by[Read More…]
Learning new tricks in the new year
Want to exercise your brain this year? Go back to school! You don’t have to enroll in a university to keep learning as an adult. Learning a new language or skill has been shown to aid in keeping the brain supple. Whether you do it on your own through books[Read More…]
Happy New Year!
New Year’s Eve is upon us, observed with much glitter and glamour, noise and champagne. We set off fireworks, drop crystal balls, kiss our loved ones. But why? It’s just another turn of the calendar. Nothing really changes from one day to the next. Yet it’s been looked at as[Read More…]
