What do you cook when it’s too hot to cook? When it is hot, I don’t really want to cook and eating something heavy does not sound appealing.
I was pleasantly surprised one summer day when I went out to my garden to check on the ripeness of my strawberries. I found that two lollypop Asiatic lilies were totally in bloom to greet me.
WATERVILLE — When students in Waterville go back to school next month, they’ll find a new greenhouse on the grounds.
My husband, in my opinion, makes the best ribs hands down. But when he went away for school, we would have long stretches of time that we wouldn’t have smoked ribs. So, I decided to start experimenting with his smoker. Since I love to cook, it didn’t take long for me to find other foods to s…
I ordered two Hercules strawberry plants two years ago, received them in the spring, planted them in a big bin, and placed them in the hoophouse. They loved the heat and grew from scraggly sticks that could barely be called plants into some nice-sized strawberry vines.
It’s the start of the blueberry season. For this batch of muffins though, I used frozen berries my kids and I picked from a local farm last year. When they are available, I will add blackberries and raspberries along with the blueberries for some variation.
Dear Gabby,
I had about half a jar of seed nut butter and almost a full bar of those thick, high-quality jumbo chocolate bars with almonds.
Quite a few months ago, I was invited to the garden of long-time Waterville resident, Florence McKay.
WATERVILLE — It’s easy to miss the Douglas County Historical Society Thrift Shop’s Locust St. storefront, but this brick building is a vital Waterville fixture.
Dear Gabby,
Once you make your pickled-purple cabbage, it’s easy to throw it on your plate with whatever you are eating.
Last year's shiitake logs survived the deep freeze of winter and our cold, drawn-out spring. They absolutely loved that long, gloomy June filled with rainy, cloudy days, and began growing profusely.
Close your eyes and imagine the scents of yeast, cinnamon and sugar….If you’ve ever attended the NCW District Fair, perhaps you’ve experienced the “real thing” by partaking of a “Wheat Wives” cinnamon roll. Wheat Wives began back in the late 1970’s, no one really remembers exactly, but there…
The butterfly in the photo, spotted in late June, is either a Canadian Tiger Swallowtail or an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail which are identical in appearance but differ genetically. The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail are encroaching into the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail's range. They like to lay eggs …
WATERVILLE — I was surprised and a little concerned after checking my black soldier fly/redworm bin.
A moist, dense bread that is good for sopping up hearty, rich soups, making French toast, or even toasted croutons for a salad.
Dear Readers,
WATERVILLE — Waterville residents will soon have a place to get rid of their excess paint.
SZZZZZT— Pop! A wearisome sound! We know it too well. When we hear it, we run around the house like a crazed cat glaring out the windows to see if our neighbors have power. Some of us call a friend, others check the power outage map. In desperation we light a candle and call the PUD.
The Douglas County Museum was visited by Melissa Flaget's second-grade classroom on May 9.
WATERVILLE — It takes a full minute for the garage-style door to open, but the hangar it belongs to doesn’t house a plane. Instead, when the door finally lifts, two ambulances stare out at the asphalt.
WATERVILLE — In March 2021, I trimmed and topped my apple tree to the bare bones. Of course, no apples developed that year. It didn't even flower, but I didn't expect it to.
Last summer, I noticed our neighbor had a tree that looked similar to mine with burgundy leaves. I mentioned it and asked them about the type of tree. I was handed a small purple plum. It was the sweetest and most delicious plum I had ever tasted.
Dear Gabby,
Dear Gabby,
As a child, I read a book on the rarity of tulips. I loved Dutch windmills, clogs, the story of the little Dutch boy who saved Holland with his finger, and I loved tulips. I learned how valuable they were to the people around the world and I vowed that I would own tulips one day no matter ho…
I've made regular bagels before, so I thought I would give keto bagels a try. They do require hand-kneading, but it's a light fluffy dough, so it's pretty easy.
I was worried about my mason bees not being able to find any flowers when they came out of their nesting tubes, but the trusty dandelions were there, just waiting with their sunshine yellow faces.
We recently had a big birthday bash with a homemade giant peach cheesecake. I called it, "The best ever cheesecake! With my compliments to the chef." It was that good. But there was leftover cream cheese. It seems there's always leftover cream cheese, and you can add it to different recipes …
Dear Gabby,
Last Thursday was a busy day for the Douglas County Historical Museum, with an all-day event planned for the members. Docents, Board Members, and the Museum Director all rolled up their sleeves and got busy polishing the museum up to a shine in preparation for the Summer Season opening.
Red wigglers. I am adding them to my BSF (black soldier fly) bin. Apparently, they can coexist, which is a win-win for me. Also, worms need grit to digest all those scraps, so be sure to add a little dirt to your worm bins.
Spaghetti Sauce over Zucchini
enterprise
One of Douglas County Cemetery District's most recent board meeting discussions was planning for the upcoming Memorial Day Service. With over 100 people in attendance at past events, there definitely must be a plan with plenty of volunteers, donations, and help.
Waterville didn't let a little rain stop its Community-Wide Garage Sale this past Saturday.
Buying worms gives me the jitters. I really try, but it's something deep-rooted in me. My hands start shaking and I feel a little pukish. Apprehensively, I reached into the cooler at the store and was able to pick up the styrofoam cups. They felt oddly heavy as I carried them to the front of…
Dear Readers,
enterprise
Due to muddy conditions and high brush, only six photos were taken at Kummer Cemetery. In the future, further attempts will be made, weather permitting.
Ya' know, Bruce Clark and his wife Cathy used to run the Blue Rooster Bakery and Art Shop. Their food was legendary. So give this here recipe a try. I am sure you will be amazed.
I heard about Sarah Hevely's candy bunnies from my sister, Melissa Chilcott. Though neither of us can eat peanut butter anymore, we heard on good authority that they were unbelievably amazing and they wanted to order more immediately.
The ultimate composter and a gardener's best friend is the black soldier fly or BSF.
enterprise
Waterville has plans - big plans - for this spring/summer 2022. So get out those calendars and let's start marking those dates.
Dear Gabby,
The Douglas County Water Conservancy Board will meet Monday, May 9, at 4 p.m. at Waterville City Hall, Waterville. For more information, call 745-9160.
Foster Creek CD will hold a regular Board of Supervisors meeting on May 11 between 6–8 p.m. at Mansfield Town Hall, 26 Main Street, Mansfield, WA. Please refer to FCCD’s website (http://www.fostercreekcd.org) for details, or contact District Manager Amanda Ward on 509-449-2158 for additional…
Here is a cooking competition for all to judge. Since the past holiday weekend was a busy time for chefs everywhere, here is a special recipe competition to commemorate.
Most Popular
-
Future "fashionistas" learn to make scrunchies
-
Waterville planning commission looks at retail store locations
-
Sheriff's report
-
Waterville Recipe Box | The kitchen sink recipe for hot days
-
Sarah Hevly's recipes | Pork belly burnt ends with red wine BBQ sauce
-
Pacific Northwest could be hot spot for semiconductor factories
-
Waterville farmers market blossoms in second year
-
Waterville School District builds greenhouse to teach agricultural skills
