As the marvels of antibiotics became known and their use grew, our understanding of their limitations did as well. Through decades of antibiotic overuse we are now seeing the rise of super bacteria,...

Negotiating means that two or more people meet in open discussion and eventually settle on agreeable terms for a particular arrangement. Negotiations are not new. Throughout history, people have...

Coming home always stirs up memories. Traveling down old roads in favorite, familiar places does that. I let my mind run its course through those memories, linger in the dents and curves and worn...

Many moons ago we lived for a spell in the old Mount Emily railroad logging camp near Starkey, Ore., not far from Ukiah. Anyway, I was cutt'n timber up the Grande Ronde River. It paid 57 cents a log...

Dear Seeley-Swan residents, Happy New Year! This month I am highlighting the I Ride Seeley Lake Van Service. This is an excellent service provided to us by the Seeley Lake Community Foundation,...

Let's talk about one of the most frequent reasons people visit their doctor – back pain. Statisticians tell us that one in five clinic visits are related to back pain and I believe it! I think...

Psychological complexes were presented in previous articles but always from the point of view of an individual. You can think of a complex as a collection of experiences focused around a psychological...

Dear Seeley-Swan residents, The benefit program I'm highlighting this month is ROOTS. ROOTS is available for anyone 60 years and older who has limited income. It's a fantastic program offered by the...

A strange event once took place near the northern California town of Burney. It happened in the Shasta Trinity National Forest, the town's claim to fame was Bigfoot and was sure to be found there. The...

Since words are not a type of illness or disease, how are words contagious? The answer becomes obvious when we listen to religious leaders, teachers, parents and political figures. We experience the...

My first trip to the great land, many moons ago, took me to Haines, Alaska. There to cut timber for an outfit called Alaska Forest Products. And Leo Smith was in charge of us out there on the Lynn...

Hi all, I hope you are enjoying the beautiful fall colors. Medicare Open Enrollment (Oct. 15-Dec. 7) is once again in full swing! This year for 2019, in addition to four regular Medicare Advantage...

I described the shadow in previous articles but it is so relevant for our daily lives that it is important to present it again. This time let me introduce a few twists and begin with this quote from...

Many moons ago, when I lived on the Summit, Beaver Creek drainage was my main haunt. Got to know it, like they say, like the back of my hand. So one fine September day, MC and me, you remember M.C. wh...

Happy Fall, Now that temperatures are dipping it's once again time to apply for Low Income Energy Assistance (LIEAP) and Weatherization! The State of Montana, through the Department of Public Health...

Exaggerations are not unusual and, of course, everyone has beliefs, but are the two related? The current atmosphere in the U.S. places each person on a visual pedestal and under observation. Today,...

Many moons ago, before computers took away good men's jobs, Allen Chaffin read the meters around the area. We'd have a talk whenever he caught me at home. He tells me his wife Mildred wanted to...

Years ago, I was hiking over a high mountain pass enjoying the insane, kamikaze flights of at least fifty hummingbirds intent on gathering nectar from a field of brilliant red paintbrushes. I was...

Why do the leaves of my French lilac fold up? It lives outside the garden fence, in full sun, in rocky soil which we have not improved as we did the garden soil. It has small leaves and double dark...

As we approach Medicare's Open Enrollment Period, Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, it's time again to start thinking about your Medicare coverage. Open enrollment is when Medicare beneficiaries should review...

You might remember from previous articles that psychological projection occurs when we experience another person, object or situation in a way that is influenced by our unconscious (hidden)...

It was a hot, high noon in July as I topped Pyramid Pass headed down canyon on an eight-day backcountry trip to the heart of the Bob Marshall. I'd seen the burn scar late last fall after the fires...

It was another one of those timber tramps over Idaho way for Columbia Helicopters. Just this side of the grade that goes up to Grangeville, there's a Forest Service road to the left. Up, up through a...

Since there are so many different people in the world, is it a surprise to realize variety is the norm? Unfortunately, the differences can create tensions, problems and provoke harm. This is evident...