Life

Learning for Life: Winter composting with worms

Composting in the winter is no fun! The weekly long, slow trudge out to the compost pile at 20 F below isn’t even an Alaskan’s… Continue reading

Church news

Celebrate Mardi Gras at Our Lady of the Angels The 19th Annual Mardi Gras fundraiser will be today at Our Lady of the Angels Catholic… Continue reading

A few words make a world of difference

Being a person who makes his living by communication, I may more than the average person be a little more “tuned in” to the choice… Continue reading

File--In this Feb. 6, 2012 photo, with Mount Bachelor in the distance, from left, Denny Knowles, 29, and his wife Natasha Knowles, 28, enjoy the view from the top of Tumalo Mountain, Ore., during a snowshoe trip. Snowshoeing does not require as much gear and as many logistics as other wintertime sports such as cross-country skiing or downhill skiing and snowboarding. You basically just strap on the shoes and go. (AP Photo/The Bulletin, Andy Tullis, file)

Snowshoeing offers solitude – if you can find snow

BEND, Ore. (AP) — First of all, I must admit that I have never snowshoed simply for the sake of snowshoeing.Until last week, my only… Continue reading

File--In this Feb. 6, 2012 photo, with Mount Bachelor in the distance, from left, Denny Knowles, 29, and his wife Natasha Knowles, 28, enjoy the view from the top of Tumalo Mountain, Ore., during a snowshoe trip. Snowshoeing does not require as much gear and as many logistics as other wintertime sports such as cross-country skiing or downhill skiing and snowboarding. You basically just strap on the shoes and go. (AP Photo/The Bulletin, Andy Tullis, file)
Quaking aspen continue to photosynthesize in their greenish-tinged bark even after their leaves have dropped in winter, a season when other deciduous trees are completely dormant. (Photo by E. Bella/Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)

Refuge Notebook: The lively winter life of quaking aspen

From the warmth of my office, the view includes a magnificent stand of quaking aspens along the ridge near Headquarters Lake. During particularly frosty days… Continue reading

Quaking aspen continue to photosynthesize in their greenish-tinged bark even after their leaves have dropped in winter, a season when other deciduous trees are completely dormant. (Photo by E. Bella/Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)

An Outdoor View: Dream fishing

A couple of weeks ago, I had a dream about fishing. Upon awakening, I was smiling and feeling good, unlike my usual early-morning feeling. I… Continue reading

After nights of cold, clear weather, hoar frost decorates most surfaces near Peterson Lake Cabin, north of Juneau, Alaska, in this Dec., 2014, photo. The winter of 2014-15 is not one that has yet brought large amounts of snowfall to Southeast Alaska, but even so, winter outings require attention in areas where summer outings do not. (AP Photo/Juneau Empire, Abby Lowell)

A winter’s night at a cabin in Southeast Alaska

JUNEAU (AP) — There was a collective sigh of relief as our group reached the Peterson Lake Trail parking lot. A few inches of crusty… Continue reading

After nights of cold, clear weather, hoar frost decorates most surfaces near Peterson Lake Cabin, north of Juneau, Alaska, in this Dec., 2014, photo. The winter of 2014-15 is not one that has yet brought large amounts of snowfall to Southeast Alaska, but even so, winter outings require attention in areas where summer outings do not. (AP Photo/Juneau Empire, Abby Lowell)

What’s Happening

Events and Exhibits ■ The Peninsula Art Guild is ‘calling for artists’ to submit up to two of their own original pieces of artwork by… Continue reading

Poem: Mountains to Climb

Mountains to ClimbBy Dee Rusin, KenaiAlways another mountain to climbOnce reached the topYou never can stopAlways another mountain to climbAlways a long valley belowStep by… Continue reading

This undated photo provided by Frances Lincoln Ltd. from the book "The Writer's Garden," shows George Bernard Shaw's sophisticated yet modest-looking writer's hut where he wrote most of his plays at Shaw's Corner his rural retreat at Ayot Saint Lawrence, Hertfordshire, in the U.K. The hut was built on a turntable so the playwright could turn it to take advantage of the natural light. The property is managed now by the National Trust which around the time of his birthday each year airs performances of his plays in the garden. (AP Photo/Frances Lincoln Ltd., Richard Hanson)

Many artists have drawn inspiration, drive from nature

Gardens have held a special place in many artists’ lives, and their creativity was much the better for it.Writer Sir Walter Scott gardened to distance… Continue reading

This undated photo provided by Frances Lincoln Ltd. from the book "The Writer's Garden," shows George Bernard Shaw's sophisticated yet modest-looking writer's hut where he wrote most of his plays at Shaw's Corner his rural retreat at Ayot Saint Lawrence, Hertfordshire, in the U.K. The hut was built on a turntable so the playwright could turn it to take advantage of the natural light. The property is managed now by the National Trust which around the time of his birthday each year airs performances of his plays in the garden. (AP Photo/Frances Lincoln Ltd., Richard Hanson)
This image released by The Weinstein Company shows, clockwise from left, Keira Knightley, Matthew Beard, Matthew Goode, Allen Leech and Benedict Cumberbatch in a scene from the film, "The Imitation Game." The film was nominated for an Oscar Award for best feature. Cumberbatch was also nominated for best actor and Knightley for best supporting actress for their roles in the film. (AP Photo/The Weinstein Company, Jack English

Reeling it in: ‘The Imitation Game’ good, but misses potential

‘The Imitation Game”The Weinstein Company1 hour, 54 minutesBenedict Cumberbatch is an interesting specimen of actor. I feel like he’s just come about all of a… Continue reading

This image released by The Weinstein Company shows, clockwise from left, Keira Knightley, Matthew Beard, Matthew Goode, Allen Leech and Benedict Cumberbatch in a scene from the film, "The Imitation Game." The film was nominated for an Oscar Award for best feature. Cumberbatch was also nominated for best actor and Knightley for best supporting actress for their roles in the film. (AP Photo/The Weinstein Company, Jack English
The Bookworm Sez: 'Dead or Alive?' perfect for the budding biologist

The Bookworm Sez: ‘Dead or Alive?’ perfect for the budding biologist

Lately, you’ve been fighting a lot with your brother.Sometimes, he makes you mad, though, and you just can’t help it! So you yell, and he… Continue reading

The Bookworm Sez: 'Dead or Alive?' perfect for the budding biologist
Just in time for Valentine's Day, here's the Cherry-Berry Pie in Winter I promised you last summer. (Photo by Sue Ade)

The Kitchen Ade: For your darling Valentine

Of course, you can always give the one you love a box of assorted chocolates or a big bouquet of flowers for Valentine’s Day. Perhaps… Continue reading

  • Feb 10, 2015
  • By Sue Ade
  • Food
Just in time for Valentine's Day, here's the Cherry-Berry Pie in Winter I promised you last summer. (Photo by Sue Ade)
Pioneer Potluck: Dad and his birthdays

Pioneer Potluck: Dad and his birthdays

On a farm in Northern Colorado Born in Kansas, Feb. 15, 1914 to1983   Dad always had a story about everything, whether it was long… Continue reading

  • Feb 10, 2015
  • By Ann 'Grannie Annie' Berg
  • Food
Pioneer Potluck: Dad and his birthdays
This Jan. 19, 2015 photo shows slow cooker pulled chicken Greek pitas in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)

10 fresh ideas for using slow cooker pulled chicken and pork

Lots of people love their slow cookers. Just as many folks don’t. We tend to be in the latter group. Not because we don’t appreciate… Continue reading

  • Feb 10, 2015
  • By ALISON LADMAN
  • Food
This Jan. 19, 2015 photo shows slow cooker pulled chicken Greek pitas in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)

Business news

Chambers set schedules ■ The Kenai and Soldotna Chambers of Commerce will host a joint luncheon at noon on Feb. 10 at the Soldotna Regional… Continue reading

Tim Lohmer shared this photo of his long-haired Chihuahua, Jolie, reuniting with one of her sons recently. This took place in the lobby of the Main Street Hotel Tap & Grill. Tim writes that they were so happy to see each other again.

Pet photo: Family reunion

… Continue reading

Tim Lohmer shared this photo of his long-haired Chihuahua, Jolie, reuniting with one of her sons recently. This took place in the lobby of the Main Street Hotel Tap & Grill. Tim writes that they were so happy to see each other again.

Life in the Pedestrian Lane: You are what you eat

We’ve been to a few dinner events this past month. Like our oldest commented when he asked what we’d been doing and I told him,… Continue reading

Community News and Notes

Phoebe Napolitano, of Kenai, a health sciences major in the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York, was… Continue reading

The color guard at the inaugural ball in Kenai Friday. (Photo by Caleb Kuehn)

Having a ball: Hundreds celebrate with governor

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect how organizer Sara Pozonsky characterized Gov. Bill Walker's political orientation. She said he was formerly a… Continue reading

The color guard at the inaugural ball in Kenai Friday. (Photo by Caleb Kuehn)