Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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Truth is, I am old enough to remember when we honored Washington and Lincoln on two different days in February, and celebrated with two school vacation days. I choose to continue that tradition. I celebrate Washington’s Birthday first, because I love cherry pie! We’re told of the fable, that when asked if he had chopped down the cherry tree, George confessed to the crime, because he could not tell a lie. Lying (or truth), can be a tricky concept. Most of us are taught that “honesty is the best...
Last week, I was so excited. There, on the south side of my house shooting upwards to the fog shrouded sun, were sprigs of daffodils. Yay! Spring has sprung and I am ready for some sun. I started to fantasize about lighter clothing, lighter food and maybe even an outdoor tennis game. Then, boom! Rain, snow, cold and flooding. I am back to being mud-bound. I don't remember seeing this much mud in my house since the last flood in Los Angeles about 5 years ago. I keep sweeping, dusting and...
Dear Editors, Libraries are filled with words. All along the shelves are bound series of words that tell stories of all kinds. Libraries have always been places where words are important even when a reader or a patron disagrees with those words. Libraries are supposed to be the last bastion of banning of words. They are the fortress against the silencing of voices. They allow all to be heard. Perhaps at one time that is what Dayton Memorial Library was like. But things have changed. The Board of Directors at CCRLD have decided that public comme...
Months ago, when I was first asked to write this column, I made a list of holidays and events to write about, and the foods that would be fun, interesting, maybe traditional or unexpected. Oops! Super Bowl Sunday was on my list, but, I admit, I forgot. I never developed a strong affinity for football. Maybe, it’s a result of six years playing flute in marching bands, while the worst teams ran back and forth across the field. This year I did watch the game with friends, while feasting on a v...
January 30: Aaren Lindsey, Hudson Reser, Maxine Attebury, Bob Collins, Donald Want, Jill Ziegler, Michael Flanigan, Rachel Mercer, Kari Green and Travis Williams. January 31: David Hevel, Vicki White, Michael Watson and Ward Schacht. February 1: Bob Stewart, Tamara Doepker, Debbie Peck Russell and Adam Hermanns. February 2: Lacy Wood, Grant Garrett, Lauren Broom-Vjoertomt and Brandon White. February 3: Ryan Neal, Ben Turner, Norman Hansen, Robert Weller, Eric Rohde, Mike Gauch, Joe Watson and Chris Walker. February 4: Morgan Baker, Chelsey...
They say it's a "poor workman who blames his tools." I have good reason to dispute that. I've found in sports, luck beats skill any day. A few years ago, I was coerced by my boss to join my colleagues and play golf at his country club. My prior golf experience was on a par-3 course, using my late 88-year-old aunt's left-handed golf clubs (I'm right-handed). I acquiesced, went to Roger Dunn golf shop to purchase an entire set of clubs, irons, putter and bag for $69. I felt the shame of golf club...
It's still January and gloomy, so I'm still in soup mode. I continue to stare at my Instant Pot, while trying to muster up the courage to use it, but right now, I'm sticking to my stock pot. However, here's an interesting anecdote to my Instant Pot saga. When Daniel, (the chef), was here over the holidays, he used the Instant Pot to make tomato sauce. While it was venting, the steam coated the cabinet door. Being "clean as we cook" people, he rubbed down the cabinet with a kitchen towel, and...
January 16: Colleen McCoy, Patty White and Rueben Stokes. January 17: Anna and Anthony Reese, Bret and Bethany Moser, Kimmie Hamann, Zane Johnson, Dan Beckley, John Janovich, Tyler Woodworth, Eric Rich, Sheena Henze, Jeff Schulke, Jim Davison, and Jon Jensen. January 18: Kelley Fouste, Jason Thomas, Jennifer Low, Rowena Farrens and Arlene Hopkins. January 19: Bob Deal, Lynda Hogan, Debbie Rubio, David Webber, Reina Bruce and Clint Reser. January 20: Joan Leid, Wilma Johnson, Judy Jackson, Justin Hill, Jack and Jill Largent, Becky Pearson,...
It's these gloomy, overcast days that put me in the mood to cook stews or make a big pot of soup, with homemade bread. It could be ten degrees below zero with three feet of snow on the ground, but if the sun is out, I'll eat a salad. Sun and salads go together, this is probably still Los Angeles' influence on me. We've had plenty of gray days lately, and I know there a more to come. Also, it's January, when many of us have pledged to lose weight, go to the gym, eat healthier and other "take...
I love to host parties, but I also enjoy being a guest. I don't have to clean my house and since I still don't have a dishwasher, cleanup is not my job! But, like most things in life, there are some guidelines to consider on how to be a gracious guest. Because I want to be invited to parties again, I mind my manners, offer to help, and show appreciation to the host/hostess. I've hosted several parties; I know that even a potluck entails a lot of work for the host. One rule of thumb I try to...
DAYTON—The Conference Room at Fire District 3 was crowded with community stakeholders for the Port’s annual Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) meeting, which took place on Dec. 18. The CEDS meetings have been ongoing since the late 1990s and are part of federal Economic Development Administration requirements when receiving planning funds and coordinating as an economic development district, according to the Port’s Executive Director Jennie Dickinson. “While we do not coordin...
DAYTON—At last week’s city council meeting the Friends of the Community Center President Vicki Zoller spoke about the importance of getting a community center/pool or pool feasibility study done. She said there is much that is beyond the scope of the community’s understanding and knowledge that a feasibility study can help with. “There’s just a lot that we need to know that will come from the professionals,” Zoller said. A feasibility study can provide information about how programs and events...
I just returned from a quick trip to Southern California, which started with a visit to my sister in Laguna Hills. Conveniently, I scheduled my flight to arrive at dinner time because Laguna Hills has a very dynamic Asian community, and I was ready for some good sushi or Chinese food. We settled on a wonderful Chinese restaurant, where the special that night was Peking Duck. Needless to say, we enjoyed it! Two days later, I headed up to Los Angeles for work and to visit friends, where I happily...
About 3 years ago, I announced to my friends that I was planning my farewell to Los Angeles to move to Waitsburg. Obviously, the first question was, "where?" I explained, it's a bedroom community of Walla Walla, and of course, who hasn't heard of Walla Walla? Evidently my friends hadn't. Their faces had that look of "what the heck are you thinking?" followed by a blank stare, and then, they regrouped and asked, "Aren't you going to miss the sun? Doesn't it rain all the time there?" Hey guys,...
As it stands now, my ex-husband, Daniel, the chef, will be moving to Waitsburg this spring. After spending Thanksgiving with him; well, to quote Yogi Berra, “it’s déjà vu all over again.” It’s been 10 years since we’ve lived together, and I forgot what it’s like to live with someone whose life is food. Admittedly, I love being the beneficiary of great meals, but sometimes, the quest for perfection, and the persnickety preparation is more entertaining than the outcome. Some things have changed...
This recipe was gifted to us by Daniel Rossi, via Vicki Sternfeld-Rossi, a name you will recognize from her articles in our paper. She brought this stew to share with the Times staff on our long Tuesdays. I actually had some the next day. I really liked it, so proceeded to get the recipe. I love a good stew in the winter months. I emailed Daniel Rossi to clarify some instructions and I noticed he had quite a few abbreviations behind his name. I asked if he would send me the long version. This is...
Thank you to my new Waitsburg friends, I am so fortunate. The community effort Thanksgiving spent with so many new friends was truly a treat. The amount of food and wine bordered on obscene, and the number of pies was obscene. But there are those times when obscene is worthwhile, and a plethora of pies is one of those times. They were all homemade, delicious, and worth every additional mile I need to run to work off the calories. My ex-husband, the chef, Daniel, visited me here in Waitsburg,...
This has been one of the most challenging and rewarding years of my life. Since deciding to purchase the Waitsburg Times my main objective was to ensure the continuation of publication which began in 1879. Prior to owning the paper my only journalism experience was being an avid reader who appreciated the cultural and political relevance of print journalism. The Times is a paper of record, for Columbia County and Walla Walla County, and is vital to the communities that it serves. Papers of record are used to post important notices, record...
As most of you know, I moved here last December from sunny, Los Angeles, just in time to experience what was noted to be the coldest, snowiest winter in 15 years. I’m not a sentimental person, nor do I spend a lot of time reflecting. I have one speed and one direction, “fast and forward.” However, this year I have made an amazing revelation: There’s more to a holiday than shopping the sales. Waitsburg is a town that gracefully and respectfully moves from one holiday to another. Celebra...
Let’s all acknowledge that there are just some things that stand the test of time as perfect partners. Who can argue the perfection of peanut butter & jelly, bacon & eggs; where would we be without Proctor & Gamble or Johnson & Johnson? And let’s not forget perfect couples, Fred & Ginger, Simon & Garfunkel, Huntley & Brinkley (dating myself) Batman & Robin, me & George Clooney (a girl can dream). But, it’s Thanksgiving, so we pay homage to the classic duo of turkey and stuffing! In culin...
My fear of using the pressure cooker is rational and understandable. My first experience with this kitchen monster, was when my mother was in a rush to make chicken soup; she decided to use the stainless-steel stove top pressure cooker, so we could have the soup that evening. I’m not sure of the specifics, or what was the catalyst for the catastrophe, but suddenly my sister and I heard a loud blast from the kitchen, screams followed by colorful words I didn’t even know she knew, a loud his...
DAYTON—The Friends of the Community Center’s President Vicki Zoller said their group should hear by mid-November whether, or not they will be awarded a $20,000 grant from the Wildhorse Foundation. If so there will be money enough to pay for the first phase of the pool feasibility study, she said. She said the organization has been working with architects from Schemata Workshop in Seattle, and they have agreed the $60,000 feasibility study can be done in phases. Zoller said in the first pha...
I'm an anomaly; unlike most people, I love nearly all vegetables, if raw. I can't abide vegetables cooked in cream or cream of mushroom soup. I never developed an affinity for the obligatory Thanksgiving string bean casserole, even when topped with French's fried onions, or pearl onions drenched in cream. I tolerate brussels sprouts and cauliflower if fried, but then fried anything is ok with me. But, the aforementioned vegetables if served raw, yum. It took me awhile to figure out my aversion...
While drinking my morning coffee, a “news story” posted by VOX Media popped up on my phone. The article asks the question “is it possible that the dinner party has died with the millennial generation?” The short answer is: No! But the times have changed, and with it, millennials have adapted the dinner party to fit their lifestyle. The article harkens back to some sage advice from Martha Stewart; i.e., parties should have a theme, cooking should commence about a week in advance, and of course,...
I am one of, if not the most impatient person in the world. Anyone who knows me will attest to the fact that I do everything at high speed, and it seems as I age, time flies by at warp speed. So, you can understand I applaud one of the greatest inventions ever—the microwave. A “baked” potato in 5 minutes is my definition of heaven. However, Thanksgiving is approaching, so I think the lowly potato deserves better than a zap in the microwave. In keeping with my need for speed, I have two “go t...
