Life

Alaska orgs work to encourage #GivingTuesday

Several Alaska nonprofit organizations are participating in a global day of giving celebrated by the hashtag #GivingTuesday. The movement takes place on Dec. 1 and… Continue reading

Refuge Notebook: In honor of turkeys

Did you know that you were not alone yesterday in eating turkey? According to the National Turkey Federation, 95 percent of Americans eat turkey on… Continue reading

In this Nov. 23, 2015, photo, Bob Zimmerman from Greensburg, Pa. walks up one of the restricted roads at Pennsylvania state game lands 74 as he hunts bear in Fisher, Pa. This area of the state game land is one of the more than 30 "Deer Hunter Focus Areas" the Pennsylvania Game Commission created throughout the state in hopes they will draw more hunters to spots where they're likely to see more deer when rifle season opens Monday (Nov. 29). Meanwhile, game commission foresters are hoping hunters will kill enough deer to safeguard the rebounding forest vegetation meant to attract deer to the focus areas in the first place. Zimmerman, who was out hunting bear, but was also scouting for deer hunting sites, said he was glad the commission is spending some of the money from hunting license fees to help the hunters. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Deer here: Pennsylvania game commission to steer hunters to prime spots

FISHER, Pa. — Yo, hunters! Deer here.The Pennsylvania Game Commission is giving hunters an assist this year, using bright yellow-and-green signs to steer them to… Continue reading

In this Nov. 23, 2015, photo, Bob Zimmerman from Greensburg, Pa. walks up one of the restricted roads at Pennsylvania state game lands 74 as he hunts bear in Fisher, Pa. This area of the state game land is one of the more than 30 "Deer Hunter Focus Areas" the Pennsylvania Game Commission created throughout the state in hopes they will draw more hunters to spots where they're likely to see more deer when rifle season opens Monday (Nov. 29). Meanwhile, game commission foresters are hoping hunters will kill enough deer to safeguard the rebounding forest vegetation meant to attract deer to the focus areas in the first place. Zimmerman, who was out hunting bear, but was also scouting for deer hunting sites, said he was glad the commission is spending some of the money from hunting license fees to help the hunters. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Reeling it in: ‘Mockingjay part 2’

“Mockingjay Pt. 2”Lionsgate Pictures2 hour, 17 minutes I love it when a series ends stronger than it began. The concept of sequels that exists today… Continue reading

What’s Happening

Best bet ■ Christmas Comes to Kenai is Friday. The Kenai Fine Arts Guild Arts and Crafts Fair opens at 10 a.m. at Kenai Central… Continue reading

A red barn, a 1940 Farmall H Tractor and an heirloom apple orchard are just a few of the amenities that make Thanksgiving special at the Towanda, Pa., farmhouse home (circa 1916) of Jim and Donna Conforti, my brother and sister-in-law. From Harry's trees (named for the man who planted the trees on the property "long ago"), come heirloom Idared and Granny Smith apples, used for making Apple, Sausage and Cheese Strata, bottom left, and All-American Apple Pie, bottom right. (Photo credits: Top and bottom, center, Jim Conforti)

The Kitchen Ade: Blessings on Thanksgiving

When my brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Donna Conforti, gifted me with over ten pounds of heirloom Granny Smith and Idared apples, picked fresh from… Continue reading

A red barn, a 1940 Farmall H Tractor and an heirloom apple orchard are just a few of the amenities that make Thanksgiving special at the Towanda, Pa., farmhouse home (circa 1916) of Jim and Donna Conforti, my brother and sister-in-law. From Harry's trees (named for the man who planted the trees on the property "long ago"), come heirloom Idared and Granny Smith apples, used for making Apple, Sausage and Cheese Strata, bottom left, and All-American Apple Pie, bottom right. (Photo credits: Top and bottom, center, Jim Conforti)
This October 26, 2015 photo shows lightened cassoulet in Concord, NH. This recipe evokes some of the comfort of a classic French cassoulet, without quite so much heft. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)

Capture the flavor and comfort of cassoulet in a healthy way

If you’ve ever spent any winter time in France, you’ve undoubtedly indulged in what I consider the ultimate comfort food of the French — cassoulet.For… Continue reading

  • Nov 24, 2015
  • By MELISSA D'ARABIAN
  • Food
This October 26, 2015 photo shows lightened cassoulet in Concord, NH. This recipe evokes some of the comfort of a classic French cassoulet, without quite so much heft. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)

Pioneer Potluck: The end of the stinky fish barrel

North NikiskiThe Cabins 1986-87 Re-cap of the Stinky Fish Barrel story: Bob and J.T. tried to blow it up — it just blew trees, limbs,… Continue reading

  • Nov 24, 2015
  • By Ann 'Grannie Annie' Berg
  • Food
This Oct. 19, 2015 photo shows blue cheese and mushroom gougeres in Concord, N.H. If you're entertaining, you can't totally slack off. You just need to marry your need for fatty comforting carbs with something dressy enough to serve in polite company. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)

Entertaining this holiday season? You need our cheese puffs

It’s holiday entertaining season, so we say bring on the fat and carbs!After all, navigating the minefield of office parties and in-laws and dinner parties… Continue reading

  • Nov 24, 2015
  • By ALISON LADMAN
  • Food
This Oct. 19, 2015 photo shows blue cheese and mushroom gougeres in Concord, N.H. If you're entertaining, you can't totally slack off. You just need to marry your need for fatty comforting carbs with something dressy enough to serve in polite company. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
Kyle Heffner shares a hug and a smooch with the family dog, Nugget. They love to camp and play. (Submitted photo)

Pet Photo: Camping buddies

… Continue reading

Kyle Heffner shares a hug and a smooch with the family dog, Nugget. They love to camp and play. (Submitted photo)

Repairing a road makes it more dangerous

Commuting to work is like driving in the Death Wish 500, especially now that road crews are toiling along the route I take. The road’s… Continue reading

Clark Douthit

Community News and Notes

Alex and Sarah Douthit of Kenai announce the birth of their son, Clark Sullivan Douthit, at 2:57 a.m. Nov. 2, 2015. He weighed 7 pounds,… Continue reading

Clark Douthit

Unhinged Alaska: Holiday preps and mild chaos

The days orbiting Thanksgiving are usually as quiet as a puppy’s snore in our little patch of paradise. The only sounds drifting through our cabin… Continue reading

A Chinese ring-necked pheasant is pictured near Morgan's Landing on the Kenai River. Feral pheasants likely support a breeding population in the wild on the southern Kenai Peninsula. (Photo courtesy Ken Marlow)

Refuge Notebook: Feral wildlife can be a problem

A couple of weeks ago, the Peninsula Clarion carried a story about the Bunny Task Force, formed to deal with the 200 or so once-domesticated… Continue reading

A Chinese ring-necked pheasant is pictured near Morgan's Landing on the Kenai River. Feral pheasants likely support a breeding population in the wild on the southern Kenai Peninsula. (Photo courtesy Ken Marlow)
This Dec. 2014 photo shows a drone hovering by a skier as he makes his way down mountainside at resort at Revelstoke, B.C., Canada. Some US ski resorts are exploring the possibility of "drone zones" where professionally operated drones can produce customized video that show off individuals skiers in action. (Jason Soll/Cape Productions via AP)

Some US ski resorts explore possibility of ‘drone zones’

DENVER — A drone hovers about 30 feet above the skier’s head, then quickly swoops down for a tighter angle so its video camera can… Continue reading

This Dec. 2014 photo shows a drone hovering by a skier as he makes his way down mountainside at resort at Revelstoke, B.C., Canada. Some US ski resorts are exploring the possibility of "drone zones" where professionally operated drones can produce customized video that show off individuals skiers in action. (Jason Soll/Cape Productions via AP)
This July 5, 2015 photo shows a bumblebee gathering pollen from a clump of eryngo, late-summer-blooming wildflowers, that are members of the carrot family, in a yard in Langley, Wash. Bees tend to confine their attention to one flower species during a single foraging trip, but they move from plant to plant, favoring cross-pollination. (Dean Fosdick via AP)

Keeping bees helps gardeners understand plants better

Want to become a better gardener? Then learn something about beekeeping. Become a matchmaker who ensures that flowering plants and honeybees enjoy a beneficial relationship.Keeping… Continue reading

This July 5, 2015 photo shows a bumblebee gathering pollen from a clump of eryngo, late-summer-blooming wildflowers, that are members of the carrot family, in a yard in Langley, Wash. Bees tend to confine their attention to one flower species during a single foraging trip, but they move from plant to plant, favoring cross-pollination. (Dean Fosdick via AP)

An Outdoor View: Buying space

Author’s note: With tongue only partly in cheek, I wrote this column, which appeared in the Clarion on May 2, 2008. In the succeeding seven… Continue reading

Voices of Faith: Steady hands and a full cup

It was James Dobson who made a statement once that has stuck with me for many years. To quote, “It takes a steady hand to… Continue reading

In this image released by Legendary Pictures and Universal Pictures, Tom Hiddleston, left, and Mia Wasikowska appear in a scene from "Crimson Peak." (Kerry Hayes/Legendary Pictures and Universal Pictures via AP)

Reeling it in: ‘Crimson Peak’ also has its valleys

“Crimson Peak” Universal Pictures 1 hour, 59 minutes   I do a lot of complaining that the “good” movies don’t play here. We get the… Continue reading

In this image released by Legendary Pictures and Universal Pictures, Tom Hiddleston, left, and Mia Wasikowska appear in a scene from "Crimson Peak." (Kerry Hayes/Legendary Pictures and Universal Pictures via AP)

What’s Happening

Events and Exhibitions ■ Kaladi Brothers will be showing the work of the “Aqua4” watercolor artists during the month of November at their Kobuk location.… Continue reading