Here we are again at the end of another year, embroiled in the age-old debate, do I make a New Year’s Resolution or not? For several years I held firm that I had enough challenges in life that I d...

November. Thanksgiving. Gratitude. Gratefulness. All wonderful words and all worth considering. This is the month David and I celebrate our wedding anniversary. I am grateful that God sent him into...

Next Month David and I will celebrate 37 years of marriage and adventures. Most of our adventures came out of our “pioneering spirit.” David always saw himself as a farmer, loving the time he spe...

QUESTION AUTHORITY!!!! This was a bumper sticker from the late 1970’s. I recall seeing it around town, wondering why people would want to question authority. I was young enough that ,to me, authority...

One thing I share with my husband is a strong work ethic. We jokingly tell people that work is our hobby. We enjoy the results of our efforts, and I’m not just referring to the financial aspects. T...

The summer of 2023 for me will always be the summer of change. Shifting family roles as generational changes occurred, creating new relationships with other family members based on a new place they...

“O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming…” Francis Scott Key, an American patriot, was sent to negotiate a prisoner’s release fro...

What is a slice of life? A glimpse, a moment, a glance at a segment of a well-lived life? As I’ve written this column for a few months now, I’ve covered many different aspects of life. But this pas...

I have been thinking about writing this column for several weeks now. On February 28, 2023, Oregon introduced House Bill HB2002. As I read the context of the bill, mostly related to gender affirming...

Mark Twain was famous for quipping, “What is the difference between a taxidermist and a tax collector? The taxidermist only takes your skin.” As I sit to write this there are two more days to com...

As I start writing this month, I am reeling from a bad day. No matter what I tried to accomplish on this day, it ended unfinished. I should probably share that in the past three weeks I had a hand...

I so appreciate being able to write about differing aspects of what affects our lives. When I was considering topics to write on, I began to think of the people who have influenced my life. Whether...

As I write this, our State Legislature is meeting in Helena, holding committee hearings and meetings regarding what the people of Montana are asking their representatives to move forward in the form...

It’s that wonderful time of year again. Christmas is a wrap; gifts are put away and the effort to toss out the old to put the new in place has begun. For many, not only is there a tossing of old i...

As I write this it is a week before Thanksgiving, one of my favorite holidays of the year. I am busy planning my menu and ordering amazing pies. I’m preparing beds for the family who will arrive a...

Those of you who read my columns know I love to read. As a child I loved the library. I still recall the white wire chairs with the pink, orange and yellow seats in the children’s section and the loca...

I grew up in the high mountain region of Lewis County, Washington, a short drive from the base of majestic Mount Rainier. I was raised in the midst of logging country. Many of the people in our commun...

Where were you? On September 11, 2001, most of us can recall where we were when we heard the news. The United States of America was attacked on our own soil by the Islamic extremist group al Qaeda....

In the hutch in my dining room, I occasionally glance at the gavel I was presented with when I was installed as Worthy Advisor of the International Order of Rainbow Girls, Auburn Assembly #11. A...

Not to age myself publicly or anything, but back in the dark ages when there were limited sports for girls, I did take a chance and try out for the boy’s flag football team with two friends, Tina a...

In college one of my favorite courses was entitled “Humans Being.” It was an interesting study on what it means to be human. We explored various concepts, facts and emotions, taking an in depth loo...

As I moved into adulthood it was a clear expectation by my parents that I would be an active participant in my role as a voter. That I would take time to become knowledgeable of the issues presented...

After a short drive down Highway 200 or through any neighborhood in Sanders County, it becomes apparent an election is underway. Candidates have filed, signs are up, meet and greets and candidate...

Are we doomed by not knowing history? As a middle school student, I recall disliking history class. My instructor was dry as old corn husks and made history just as exciting. What was the point? All...

While doing some research for the book group that meets monthly in Thompson Falls, I stumbled across results I found unbelievable. According to the Pew Research Center (2021), less than 25 percent of...