It is a crisp winter morning in the Sierras, and the sun is beginning to peak through the trees as we wind our way up into the high country along State Highway 4 on our way to Bear Valley. A fresh layer of snow clings to the towering pines, cedars and firs, weighing down their …

Since the beginning of time, people have prophesized about the meaning of life. What is the point of our existence? How does one find purpose? Is inner peace obtainable? Why didn’t I invent Facebook? The question is as simple as it is complex. Ultimately, it would seem logical that we all desire a certain amount …

As an artist and a creative Clinical Hypnotherapist, I’m a fan of the philosophy that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” For this reason, various visuals (2 and 3 dimensional) are some of my favorite teaching tools. For example, when working with clients who are seeking stress management help, I offer an illustrative symbol …

With each New Year comes renewed hope for the future. Rife with excitement and expectation, we rejoice in blessings past and the opportunities ahead. What better time to consider some half-forgotten interest or passion set aside? Last year I did just that. I reacquainted myself with a sport I was once passionate about—skiing. I first …

The holiday decorations are put away (well, at least most of ‘em) and the house is looking rather Spartan. No more parties. No more cookies for breakfast. No more cocktails-every-single-night-of-the-week. Even our beloved farmers’ market is pared down to the basics now. It’s January, and the weather is often as gray as our moods. Few …

TWO WEEKS and NOTICE….Radiant, smooth, and blemish-free skin: New face creams are claiming big improvements in just 14 days. But do they really deliver? Miracle-of-the-month creams are nothing new, but real results in less than two weeks? I don’t think so. That’s what the latest skincare products are claiming but many advanced scientific skin researchers …

One of the most overused clichés in our modern world is “sometimes it’s better to be lucky than it is to be good.” Regardless of your position on this saying, there is some truth to it. Recently on our trip to St. Maarten in the Netherland Antilles, I enjoyed a wonderful day made even more …

Many people in the Bay area thought about the color green prior to the year 2000. Sure green lawns and trees were great, but they didn’t exactly paint the whole picture when it comes to sustainability. Ten years later, thanks to education and growing public awareness, consumers are now purchasing fuel-efficient cars, improving insulation and …

Golden State Warriors head coach Keith Smart is still probably best known for the shot that won the 1987 NCAA basketball championship for Indiana. Now, though, he is rapidly making a name for himself by leading our local NBA franchise to respectability and perhaps even a Western Conference playoff berth this season. The Warriors stayed …

Q. I’ve heard two theories about pruning roses and of course, they have opposite approaches. One method suggests pruning severely to keep the plants contained and from out growing the area. The other way suggests moderate pruning to encourage root development. My roses are young bushes, less than three years old. Which approach should I …