Handel was born with an umlaut on his name: Händel. He rubbed it out after he left his native Germany for a sojourn of several years in Italy before emigrating to non-diacritical England in 1711…
Posts published in “Essays”
Many readers know the Anderson Valley Health Center has recently launched a Capital Campaign to fund construction of the much needed addition to its offices on Airport Drive. The new space is essential to the…
One of the longest seconds I ever lived through came just before the beginning the Dies irae from Mozart’s Requiem. The members of the Stanford Chorus crowded onto the risers at the back of the…
A recent column examined some of the ways we get ourselves worked up over imaginary threats to society, like the impact video games have on the fragile emotional states of our children, how GMOs destroy…
Muckraking is an exercise in futility. The exposés get published, the authors may or may not get rewarded for their research and risk-taking, the evil-doers might have to slow down. But in due course the…
Born in St. Louis near the Mississippi River, the author, teacher and ecologist, Jane Wolff, lives and works in Ontario, Canada. “Up stream” is how she describes her current location. “Water is key,” she adds.…
One hundred thirty years ago a one room schoolhouse existed a half mile down the hill and nearly a quarter mile rest from where I live now. The back of the school building sat almost…
I spent a lot of time in my car this past week. Some weeks are like that - I have many appointments and they take me all over the place; other weeks I spend more…
I interviewed Louise Simson Superintendent of Anderson Valley Unified School District in her office at the administration building next to the Elementary school. She is a very high-energy and enthusiastic woman. Her style is informal…