flowers

I recently visited Port Gamble, Washington’s dahlia gardens.

Dahlias are gorgeous and are diverse in color, shape and size. I saw ruffled dahlias the color of blazing sunsets with tangerine outer edges and deep yellow centers.

Summer is holding on for dear life, and sending a miniature heat wave our way for this long weekend. For those of you not in Black Rock City, the Carson City region offers plenty of recreation and entertainment. Downtown will be hopping with the Farmers Market, monthly Wine Walk, and this season’s last outdoor concert at the Brewery Arts Center – and that’s just Saturday! Keep reading for three days of good times.

SATURDAY:

Our property is 2.5 acres in size. That’s bigger than many people have and huge for folks living in apartments or condominiums. And, some people don’t have any yards at all.

You’ll see some pretty interesting vehicles on the road these next few days, as travelers from all over head to Burning Man. If you aren’t off to the Playa yourself, there will be plenty of fun around town to keep you and your family occupied. The second annual Family Fun Day in Mills Park is your best bet for kids of all ages. This week’s free concert at Brewery Arts Center features the Dusty Green Bones. Don’t forget your dancing shoes; they’re sure to keep you on your feet.

SATURDAY:

I was reading a Martha Grimes book last week and I learned a new landscape term –
“enameled mead.”

I had never heard of this, and couldn’t imagine what it meant.

Make this weekend something special. School starts up on Monday and it will be Halloween before we blink an eye. The Carl Howell Memorial Music Festival at Battle Born Harley boasts a full day of live music, vendors, activities and family fun. Bowers Mansion plays host to the annual Bluegrass Festival – bring a picnic and enjoy. Downtown Carson City will see the first of three monthly Beer Crawls; if you get there early, head over to Remedy’s to witness their yearly Bloody Mary Competition. There is something for everyone this weekend, so keep reading and find your fun.

Phyllis Lorraine Anker Bendure, 98, passed away peacefully early Friday morning on August 11th. She was born in Reno, Nevada on March 7, 1919, a third generation Nevadan whose grandparents emigrated to Lovelock from Denmark and established Anker Ranch in 1877. That ranch is still in the family today.

The valley is alive with the sound of music: the Jazz and Beyond Music Festival, to be specific. Just about everywhere you go, you’ll be treated to something to soothe the soul or get the toes tapping. Get the kids up early for the Young Eagle Flights at the Carson City Airport – they’re free, but you need to be on time for registration. Keep reading and you’ll find a number of ways to enjoy this sunny summer weekend.

SATURDAY: Jazz and Beyond Music Festival

• -- Hot August Nights

A jazzy Tuesday has arrived. Catch the Millennial Bugs this evening as they perform in the Comma Coffee Courtyard. Take the kids up to Silver City this morning and they’ll get a chance to explore the Community Garden, learn about the plants and flowers, and participate in an activity. The Deputy Howell Memorial Concert is just a week and a half away. Attend the meeting for volunteers and help this event go off without a hitch.

TUESDAY: Jazz and Beyond Music Festival

• -- Hot August Nights

Summer weekends make me wish I had a clone. With all the hustle and bustle in town, there is just no way to do and see it all. Start the day at the Silver Dollar Car Classic and you can get your fill of shiny chrome and breakfast, too; the Kiwanis will be serving up pancakes until 10:30 a.m. The Downtown Carson City Wine Walk has been infiltrated by the Jazz and Beyond Music Festival. Several of the stops will be hosting musicians, in addition to vino.

A reader sent me photos and questions recently stating: “I’ve seen this 'growth' on various garden plants at just a couple homes in my neighborhood. They struggled to get rid of it.

"Just recently, I found this growing out in the desert on BLM land about a mile or two past our neighborhood," the reader wrote, "and would like to know what it is, if it's going to spread, does it kill its host, and if I should do something about it.”

Carson City Art Gallery introduces local Carson City nature photographer Lisa Fisher as its August artist of the month.

A sunny summer weekend has arrived and it brings numerous fun ways to seize the day. You can always head out hiking or spend the day at the pool, but the Carson City Fair is just here until Sunday. Farm animals, great exhibits, live entertainment, a carnival, and a bull-riding rodeo can be found at Fuji Park. Park your car at the Super Walmart on Topsy and you’ll be treated to a free shuttle. Go a little bit country at the Brewery Arts Center tonight; they are bringing back the Southern Drawl Band to the Minnesota Street Stage for this week’s free concert.

SATURDAY:

It’s almost like Christmas Day for some of us locals: the long awaited Taste of Downtown has finally arrived. Food, drink, live music, rubbing elbows with friends and neighbors, and a new wine-tasting add-on make this one of the best parties of the year. The morning brings an unparalleled opportunity: you’ve got one chance to walk, run, or bike right down the middle of the freeway before the new bypass is open to vehicle traffic alone. Grab your favorite four-legged friend and head to Adele’s: Dining for Dog Town is a delicious way to help out this amazing rescue organization.

The 4th of July was celebrated earlier this month with all its traditional foods, including watermelon. It’s a good thing that watermelon is a part of this summer holiday’s food mix because its health benefits may have helped counteract the impacts of the assortment of less-than-healthy foods we eat that day.

What to do, what to do? That’s the question that starts most every weekend. If you’ve got kids, test their mettle at the annual Capitol City Triathlon. Open to kids of all ages, they will bike, run, and swim their way to the finish line. The third annual Sassabration event kicks off with a multi-colored, costume bike parade from the Brewery Arts Center to the celebration at Sassafras Eclectic Food Joint. Multiple bands, vendors, non-profit booths, free swimming at the Carson Hot Springs, not to mention the yummy food and drink available make this a not-to-be-missed festival.

What are you in the mood for? The Third and Curry Farmers Market is always a great place to start off your weekend. Kids won’t mind getting up early for the Young Eagle airplane flights at the Carson City Airport – they are free of charge for kids 8 – 17, you just need to be on time for registration. The Annual Chili Cook-off returns to Glen Eagles this weekend; with live music, a craft fair, and lots of yummy stuff to eat, raising money for Honor Flight has never tasted so good. Keep reading, there is plenty more in store.

SATURDAY:

It’s wine walk weekend, and depending on what kinds of days off you get, potentially the beginning of a four-day weekend. We will be celebrating the birthday of the United States of America on Tuesday, but there are some fun events to enjoy now. Catch the Parade of Trains at the Nevada State Railroad Museum or the RSVP Carnival at Mills Park. Keep reading for all the exciting options in Carson City and beyond.

SATURDAY:

I’m a lazy gardener. I try to minimize my work load while maximizing aesthetic appeal and practical function. I avoid plants that are needy, like those that need extra fertilizer or pruning or those that are susceptible to insects or disease. I’m not into planting annuals.

Let the good times roll, Carson City. Cars, chrome, choppers, and kruzers are in abundance. Run Whatcha Brung at Fuji Park is open to any and all cars that can get themselves there. The Rockabilly Riot and T Bucket Alliance at Mills Park is an American Graffiti flashback. Cheer on our local motorcycle cops at the Extreme Motor Challenge, or hop on your own bike and go on a poker run with the Lords of Iron Motorcycle Club.

SATURDAY:

The weekend hasn’t even started, and I’m already exhausted just trying to decide what to do first! Live music, races, activities, and much more await you downtown as part of the Carson City Off-Road. Stewart Indian School is awash in bright colors, beadwork, and dancers from all across the country during their annual Fathers’ Day Pow Wow. Congratulations to the Show Tree Brewing Company by the Carson Hot Springs; their big grand opening bash includes multiple bands. Keep reading – this weekend has a whole lot to offer.

SATURDAY:

Sharon Alexander was born May 17, 1940 to Elmer and Carol Brearty in Oakland, California. Sharon graduated from Fremont High School in 1958.

Planes, trains, and automobiles take over Carson City this weekend. Steampunk ‘N’ Trains at the Nevada Railroad Museum features train rides, fun costumes, food trucks and more. You’ll find two car shows in town – the Party at the Pavilion as part of the Nevada State Fair and the Carson City Downtown Revival Car Show at the Carson Nugget. The Carson Airport Fly-In and Open House has plenty of aeronautic fun in store. You’ll have to keep reading for all of the fun options in Carson City and the surrounding valleys.

SATURDAY:

If you happen to be up very early on Saturday morning, you may just see some runners in the pre-dawn hours. The Reno-Tahoe Odyssey, a 178 mile relay, passes through Carson City on its way to Virginia City. A huge congratulations goes out to the Class of 2017; the Carson High graduates will get their diplomas today. It’s wine walk weekend, so downtown will be hopping with sippers, strollers, and plenty of summer fun. Keep reading, and you’re sure to find something to make this weekend special.

SATURDAY:

My friend Paul recently asked me to tell him about Milky Spore. I knew nothing about it, so decided to look it up.

Milky spore is a bacterial disease used as an alternative to chemical insecticides to reduce Japanese beetle populations. This microbial or biological insecticide was one of the first registered in the United States in 1948.

There has been a lot of inaccurate information across social media about a noxious weed known as Poison Hemlock. It grows naturally, mainly in moist areas along rivers, ditches and creeks. Like many noxious plants, all parts of the plant are poisonous upon ingestion.

May is Wildfire Awareness Month.

After an extremely wet winter, you might think that there will be less risk of wildfire this year. Sadly, that is unlikely to be the case.

Please join us as Karen Kreyeski unveils her show, Fragile Jewels of the Earth, on Friday, June 2, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Light refreshments will be served.

Please join us as Silver City resident Karen Kreyeski unveils her show, Fragile Jewels of the Earth, on Friday, June 2, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. at Carson City Art Gallery & Pottery. Light refreshments will be served.

Mother’s Day is nearly here and I bet before I even begin this you can guess what I’m going to write about, and you’re right. Here’s the thing. Just because I, along with many other women out there, don’t have human kids, it doesn’t make me any less of a person. In fact, we’re all moms too — to kids of the four-legged kind.