Rosanne McHenry 
Ever since I was a little kid listening to Nat King Cole croon about how to “Get your kicks on Route 66” I longed to travel down that amazing highway, clicking off miles from California to Chicago, stopping in fascinating little towns, enjoying delectable meals in trendy little diners, and seeing the sights across America. … Read more
Our car is getting dive-bombed with bird droppings. So is our white picket fence. Our brick walkway is covered in pink and white splats. There are birds EVERYWHERE! Why? Because our neighborhood has so many bird feeders. All kinds of bird feeders. Seed feeders. Hummingbird feeders. Large and small feeders of every conceivable variety. Auburn … Read more
What is it about older neighborhoods that captivates people? Auburn is famous throughout the West for its Gold Rush history. Folks gravitate here to enjoy the hot spots and entertainment venues illustrated in tourism brochures. But, behind all the colorful shops and restaurants, the backstreets are truly beckon us to explore. The hillsides in town … Read more
The Gold Lakes area near Sierra City, CA showcases the spectacular Sierra Buttes. These imposing volcanic monoliths tower thousands of feet above the river valleys below. Dozens of glacially-sculpted lakes surround the peaks, and streams crisscross through emerald green meadows. Autumn is a great time to be here. Visitors to the area delight in the … Read more
When I was a kid I remember our neighborhood mailman. He used to read all our postcards and comment on every one of them. He knew all the people in the neighborhood and all about each one of us. “I see that Nancy had a great trip to New York!” he’d say to Mom and … Read more
My father used to love quoting this line. First attributed to actress Bette Davis, the phrase has been adapted and immortalized into scripts, songs, ballads, and onto countless t-shirts and ball caps. I used to laugh when my dad said this, as he complained about his various ailments. This good-natured take on aging helped him … Read more
So much is happening in the world right now. We are in a high state of anxiety. We are all exhausted from worrying about life on every front: the war in Ukraine, wildfire danger, the rising costs of food, gas, fire insurance, and taxes. It’s getting expensive to breathe. Fear can be paralyzing. We need … Read more
Nevada is a well-kept secret. Spectacular glacial canyons, ruby-studded mountains, ancient petroglyphs, hot springs, ghost towns, big sky cowboy country, and sparkling blue alpine lakes are just a few of the surprising secrets the ‘Silver State’ holds. Most people think of Nevada as barren, open desert, with little to offer except for the big casino … Read more
My husband Vern and I decided to head out this May in our motorhome ‘Thor’ and our Jeep ‘Axle’ across the Nevada Desert on Highway 50. Aptly dubbed ‘The Loneliest Highway in America’, our favorite part is the stretch from Austin to Ely in Nevada. The road climbs over mountain passes and stretches across some … Read more