Yesterday was the feast of the Epiphany, the day the three kings presented their gifts to Jesus. They set out to find Jesus to give honor and praise to Him who had come to fulfill the prophecies. The gifts they brought were only one of the ways in which the [...]

My wife and I decided that instead of buying each other presents for Christmas, we would take the money and buy food for two families here in town. We got the addresses of a single mom and her daughter and a single dad and his daughter, left the groceries we [...]

As astronomers would say (and the Beatles too), here comes the sun. Or as Christians would say, here comes the Son. Whatever your point of view, happy winter solstice. I hope you enjoy the extra daylight!

Here is a quote about honey bees from today's paper: "It's actually better for a bee in an urban setting than in the country. Cities have more plant diversity that blooms year-round, constant water sources from sprinklers, fewer bees per acre to cut down on competition and less exposure to [...]

CA Senator Leland Yee presented a fine figure yesterday, enjoying shark fin soup while lobbying against AB 376, a bill banning the sale and distribution of shark fins in California. I wonder if Senator Yee thinks about the terrible deaths countless sharks die each year so he can eat soup [...]

One of the most common reasons for not supporting smoking restrictions given by smokers and non-smokers alike is that such restrictions violate the rights of smokers. Lost in the discussion is the fact that non-smokers have rights too. Non-smokers have a right to breathe fresh air. Whoever smoked and then [...]

As with so many of our actions, planting street trees in Petaluma will have some unintended consequences, some good, some not so much. Fallen leaves create pretty designs on the ground and are fun to kick through. The combination of rain and fallen leaves creates intricate patterns on the sidewalk. [...]

I overheard several people comment about how colorful the trees downtown were last fall. While Petaluma has a way to go before it can compare with towns in New Hampshire or Vermont, the trees planted over the years brightened the streets with their colorful foliage. Though small today, one day [...]

Here we are again, at the start of a year that belongs to a group that has no name. 2011 is too late to be an aught and too early to be a teen. How will you pronounce this coming New Year, 2011? Will you say Twenty Eleven or Two [...]

We are finite creatures. Bounded by time, we grow old and die but we are more than finite creatures. Our spirit is boundless; we endlessly seek to grow, to expand, to explore. Our love is boundless; we give our lives that others may live. And our greed is boundless as [...]