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I am single. I live in WA. My family is all in MD/VA. No one will visit me for the holidays because "you don't have a family so you can travel etc" I haven't put up my own decorations for 8 years. I miss all the parties and holiday fun with my "family" (friends and clubs etc). This year my 85 year old father declared "he hates Christmas and just wants to get it over with!" The rest of us are hurt and astounded, especially Mother. Spending the day alone as I have done before is better then this abuse.

posted 3 years, 4 months ago
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My friends and I have always done this. We exchange craft supplies too

posted 4 years, 1 month ago
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I am a scientist and a fisherwoman. There are many great OR and WA fisheries but few lakes/sites that present the opportunity to learn for the future and are as unique as Spirit Lake and Mt St Helen's. Restricted access should be maintained. 

posted 4 years, 1 month ago
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I am marginally employed. Career gone. I use barter as often as I can. Best example: I gig for several wineries and get paid with wine, I trade this wine to friends that have extra meat from their farm or hunting. I trade my horticultural expertise for handy man tasks I cannot do on my house.

My favorite big example occured in Cornell, NY where they established their own local paper currency that was used among many self-employed, farmer's market etc in barter. I do not know if this still exist.

posted 4 years, 1 month ago
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I listen as I am compiling the monthly newsletter for the Columbia Basin Fly Casters in Tri-Cities, WA. I grew up in a sports family but fishing was not one of them. Knee injuries ended the contact but not the love of competition. Upon moving to the west I discovered fly fishing which combines enjoying the outdoors, my love of hand craft (I tie my own flies), my vocation (Plant Pathologist/Entomologist) and competition. The later comes with the fish, the water, my self, what are the fish feeding on? where are they under the water, will my fly entice them, did I read the water and present the fly well enough to fool the fish? It is thrilling to catch a fish on a fly you tied! The grace appeals to my dancer soul perhaps that is why i am hopelessly all thumbs when I try to use spinning gear. But class differences? Both types of fishing can be as expensive and exclusive as your obsession. And a rude, fisherman is a jerk no matter what the gear of choice. Ask many of us how's fishing? and we'll reply "Fishing is great, the catching not important." BTW I mostly "catch and release" but also fish for food.
I have to mention that gender is also not an issue (I am a fisherwoman) until strength is required to row rapids or haul my float boat ...
Finally someone needs to mention that fly fishing has been incorporated successfully into medical therapies, both mental (PTSD) and physical (post mastectomy). I think a program featuring Casting for Recovery would be awesome and share our sport as more than about "Catch and Release" vs food fishing etc.
Tight lines and bright waters - eb

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?pan:1:./temp/~ammem_jqYK::
Here is a link to a c.1906 panoramic photo of the Middle Cascades of the Columbia from the Library of Congress "American Memory" Collection. It is searchable and has many early PNW images. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/panoramic_photo/index.html

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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Hello from the Yakima Valley where about 75% of US hops are produced. Thank you for an informative show this morning BUT I must point out that the HOP plant is not a GRAIN.
The agronomic definition of grain is:
1. a small, hard seed, esp. the seed of a food plant such as wheat, corn, rye, oats, rice, or millet.
2. the gathered seed of food plants, esp. of cereal (grass) plants.
3. such plants collectively.
http://dictionary.reference.com/
Hops are:
1. any twining plant of the genus Humulus, bearing male flowers in loose clusters and female flowers in conelike forms.
2. hops, the dried ripe cones of the female flowers of this plant, used in brewing, medicine, etc.

If you would like to learn more about hops go to:
The American Hop Museum in Toppenish, WA http://www.americanhopmuseum.org/
Hop Growers of America http://www.usahops.org

and remember: It takes a lot of Beer to make great Wine!

posted 5 years, 3 months ago
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