ON CONSUMERISM  By Arthur Vidro  I’m a book person. I have always loved books. And bookstores.  Before the mighty Amazon company started spreading its tentacles into every consumer product, it began by selling books.  Even then I resisted.  I like to see — or at least speak on the phone[Read More…]

By Henry Homeyer  The Gardening Guy  I’m not a big fan of unrealistic New Year’s resolutions such as “keep my papers organized and desk tidy,” for example. But I do like to spend some time each January reflecting on the gardens of the past year and making decisions about what[Read More…]

By Terri Schlichenmeyer  The Bookworm Sez  “The Heart of Winter” by Jonathan Evison  c.2024 / Dutton / $28 / 358 pages  To have and to hold from this day forward.  It’s a promise made on a happy day, for richer or poorer, for better for worse. Those vows mean that[Read More…]

Walking along a dirt road last winter, I heard a collection of pleasant, sputtering trills coming from a stand of conifers and hardwoods nearby. I’m used to the winter conversation of chickadees around feeder and woods, the cawing of crows and blue jays in the yard, and the high-pitched calls[Read More…]

I own a bunch of black plastic. Black plastic spatulas. Black plastic cooking spoons. Black plastic ladles. Black plastic (recycled because I’m thrifty … or cheap you might say) takeout containers. And I use them regularly.  For several news cycles last month, we have heard the alarm bells clanging about[Read More…]

By Ann St. Martin Stout   Leaves Are Free  Oh, the excitement when the Christmas tree goes UP. The question on everyone’s tongue is, “Do you have your tree up yet?”  We have a standard tradition established. My husband’s birthday is about  two weeks before Christmas, so that’s when our family[Read More…]

By Dale Girard  Mayoral Notes  As we transition from the festive holiday season into the new year, I find myself reflecting on the many volunteers in our community who dedicate their time and energy to making Claremont a better place. These individuals and groups exemplify the spirit of giving, and[Read More…]

“Faithful Unto Death: Pet Cemeteries, Animal Graves & Eternal Devotion” by Paul Koudounaris  c.2024, Thames & Hudson / $35 / 256 pages  Someone must’ve really loved that little soul.  His tiny gravestone proves it: the grief feels almost as fresh as the day he died, though he’s been gone for[Read More…]

Why were we put on this planet?  That’s a question some of us ponder now and then.  The answer was revealed to me this fall from trips to Harbor Freight, a gas station and Rite Aid.  Needing a flashlight and knowing their wide selection, I stepped into Harbor Freight. The[Read More…]

By Becky Nelson  Bramblings  I was thinking of doing a social media year in review of photos for the farm. I abandoned the idea but came across some poignant shots that brought back some interesting memories. The most poignant was the shot I have included with this column. A solitary[Read More…]