Getting Out: Take in the sights of Brokeoff Mountain
In May of 1915, after a 27,000-year nap, Lassen Peak blew ash, rock, and pumice 30,000 feet into the air. But Lassen Peak is only the largest lava dome that has formed around the base of the long gone and much larger Ancestral Brokeoff Volcano. At its largest, Brokeoff Volcano (aka Mount Tehama) was fifteen miles wide at its base and 11,000 feet high. Six hundred thousand years ago, it erupted in an explosion fifty times greater than the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
‘Barefoot In the Park’: A fun piece of theater
Based on Neil Simon's 1963 play that brings fun and comedy to a new area, “Barefoot In the Park” is an enjoyable comedy. It is easily digestible - especially with dinner the audience is encouraged to bring, along with wine and whatever else is desired. (But no lighted birthday candles or portable barbecues please, per city ordinances.)
Anticipating a bountiful grape harvest
By the way our grapes are ripening fast and early, this year's harvest is going to be a bountiful, good year. To test for ripeness, most winemakers use a refractometer, a hand-held device that measures the brix (sugar content) of grapes, letting them know when the grapes are ready to be picked. Different grape varietals ripen at different times and at different vineyards. For instance, Chardonnay, Viognier and Pinot Noir grapes tend to ripen earliest - in September - with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon typically among the last grapes to be picked, well into October.
Don’t let nails curl
Q: I have a guinea pig whose toenails are starting to curl. Should I bring him in to the vet or can I cut these nails myself?
Observances planned for International Day of Peace
The focus currently in the news seems to be on war and violence. A civil war in Syria during which the Syrian government used poison gas against its own citizens has brought the United States to the brink of entering that conflict.
Local Students Visit South Africa
Wednesday, September 18, The Sawubona Ngikhona Project – a public presentation by Mount Madonna School's 12th grade students about their recent experiences in South Africa, including interviews with former South African President F.W. de Klerk, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, author Peter Harris and others; visits to the Botshabelo childrens AIDS village, service work for the Philani Childrens Health and Nutrition project, and meetings and performances with students at several high schools. The students also traveled to Swaziland and enjoyed cultural exchange!
