Lake Tahoe Updates

The phrase “bats in the belfry” was first uttered by a clever writer in 1899 as he humorously described a chaotic scene from an opera. It was picked up by other writers, re-used to indicate insanity or nuttiness and a new idiom was born, still in use today. Bats actually do roost in belfries, in churches all over Europe, in caves, in attics of houses—essentially any dark space with an opening allowing them to enter. Colonies can be a few individuals up to large gatherings, numbering in the millions. Globally, bats are facing threats created by the loss of habitat...

Four years ago, Santiago was a stray dog, roaming the streets of Sayulita, a small town in the state of Nayarit, located along the central western coast of Mexico. Santiago had been hit by a car and his injuries healed poorly, since he had no one to care for him. He was fed by a kind local couple, Gabe and Wendy, affectionately known as Wendy, Gabe and the 6-pack, a reference to the half dozen or so dogs that they habitually have in their care, working to find them homes in conjunction with Sayulita Animal Rescue. Santiago was independent, coming...

Clean to be Green They are stashed in cupboards, under the sink in the kitchen, lurking in the garage, in storage sheds or even on shelves in the pantry. Nearly every home, including mine, has numerous cleaning products loaded with chemicals for polishing wood, cleaning glass, disinfecting bathrooms and un-clogging drains. As long as two years ago, I vowed to change the way I clean; even going as far as purchasing some environmentally-friendly soaps and saving some “recipes” for home-made, green cleaning solutions. Somehow this effort never translated into action but no more. It is time to revise my habits...