Agriculture in El Dorado County grew after the gold rush. There were about 16 ranchers, mostly pear orchards. In 1958, a pear blight struck, taking with it 52,000 tons of fruit which diminished to 8,435 tons by 1965. Clearly something had to be done. The Apple Hill™ Growers united in 1964. They were Gene Bolster, local grower; Dick Bethell, El Dorado County’s pomology specialist and farm...[Read More]
My travel planner (Norma at ItalyEasy.com) sent this. I guess it reminds us of the spirit of the the people in Italy who take up an oar and pronounce the spirit of the season. The gondoliers are no exception. A strong community spirit rows through Venice among the gondoliers, understandably with the rich history behind the Arsenale that housed the industry....[Read More]
In addition to the Kitchens in the Vineyard Tour, we could not go to Napa and miss other favorite haunts. OAKVILLE GROCERY – founded in 1881. On Hwy. 29 traversing Napa, Yountville, St. Helena sites and stops, this oldest continually operating grocery store in California is a destination for locals and visitors alike. Open every day, there is a sister store in Healdsburg. The restoration has...[Read More]
19th Annual Home and Garden Tour – April 30, 2016
I waited all year for this event to come ‘round again. Napa calls my soul out to play every year around this time with its rolling green velvet hills and vineyards, so reminiscent of Umbria and Tuscany. My only regret is that “no photography” was allowed inside the homes. But being the shutterbug I am, I found plenty of beauty to click on....[Read More]
Channel 10 visited Placerville Hardware early Friday, April 8 while Walt Gray was at Sweetie Pies interviewing an El Dorado County favorite. It’s the April 15-18, 2016 Gold Prospecting and Mining Summit that is highlighting Placerville’s history prior to the September 2016 World Gold Panning Championship event at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds....[Read More]
Anne Robichaud had a few days free during her U.S. cooking tour and dropped into Placerville recently. Lucky enough to have seen her kitchen prowess in Livermore a couple of years ago, she called me for a quick visit downtown. Every other exclamation was, “I love this town!” She prowled around the antique stores and Violet’s with fervor, had lunch at Heydey and heard all about the ghosts...[Read More]
Betty is a California-based writer whose work explores local history, travel, food, and the people who shape community life. Her storytelling is rooted in curiosity, culture, and real-world experience.
Stories of place, people, and culture - told with curiosity and heart - telling stories that bring places and people to life.
Betty is a Gold Country-based writer covering regional history, travel, food, and human-interest stories, with a focus on the people and traditions that define a place.