Category Archives: Uncategorized

This is not my usual history of Northern California post. Instead I am sharing a bit of family history for the New Year. My father, Alfred R. Norris, was a Chief Warrant Officer in the U.S. Navy. From 1958 to … Continue reading →

A distinguished guest will be visiting Bidwell Mansion for the holidays this year. “Christmas with the Bidwells” will feature a great (and controversial) American and one of history’s most famous military men. General William Tecumseh Sherman was an old friend … Continue reading →

As a librarian and devoted book reader, I have always given the gift of books. Everybody needs a good book (or many good books) for Christmas! So if you are shopping for books this holiday season, please consider my books … Continue reading →

My husband’s grandfather, George Robert DeBeque, was a veteran of the First World War. He was commissioned on June 28, 1917 and served in France as a captain in the Engineer Corps, having been a mining engineer in civilian life. … Continue reading →

Join me for a guided evening tour of the Bidwell Mansion on Sunday, October 29. We’ll delve into the rich and intriguing history of 19th-century American mourning. I’ll be sharing the tour guide gig with Adrienne Glatz, who has shared … Continue reading →

Puncturevine, AKA goatheads, caltrops, devil’s thorn, and tribulus terretris. You’ve seen and and you hate it. I hate it. Everybody hates it. It is the bane of cyclists, gardeners, and barefoot children everywhere. With its sharp penetrating thorns and prostrate … Continue reading →

Here’s a puzzle for you. Is this an early sketch of Sutter’s Fort? It looks kind of like Sutter’s Fort, but not big enough. It’s captioned “View of Fort Sutter.” But is that really what it is? I had never … Continue reading →

I am just back from a trip to Chicago and Wisconsin to visit with some of my family. Here’s a picture of my two college girls on an architectural boat tour of Chicago. Nothing beats spending time with grandkids. On … Continue reading →