My last column was entitled “Write your own obituary,” and as I ended the article, I stated that I would write my own obituary in 2026, with my “dead” line being Dec. 31, 2026.  It was a bit of a joke, but it made me think about the word “deadline,” and I wondered just how that word came to be. Deadline seems like a funny word for what it means, which is a date or time when something must be finished. Why is the word “dead” used?  In the newspaper business, we use the word de

Cat Campbell/For The Madera Tribune A big jar of refrigerated, crispy pickled cauliflower and carrots is an irresistible snack. Okay, it’s pale (except for some of the newer, more exotic colors) and depending on how it is cooked, can be rather blah in flavor. But cauliflower can be surprisingly tasty and versatile if you give it a chance. Every New Year’s Day, my family uses cauliflower in our traditional feast of bagna cauda (pronounced like BAHnya CAULDah). We cook minced o

Cat Campbell/For The Madera Tribune Fruitcakes are best when allowed to age a few weeks. The flavors mellow and blend. There are two camps of people when it comes to fruitcake: one group loves it and the other group hates it. I have not yet figured out which side holds the majority, but like most everything else edible, fruitcake manages to hold its place in the food world. To be fair, I have to admit that I, a fruitcake lover, have tasted some versions that really would have

The Madera Tribune publishes obituaries in nearly every edition, as does all other newspapers. Many of the obituaries are sent to us by our esteemed Jay Chapel Funeral Directors, who are wonderful in assisting families in writing obituaries for their newly and dearly departed loved one. I’ve heard many people say they subscribe to the newspaper so they can read the obituaries, making sure theirs is not in it.  It’s a cute joke, but I wonder if there is something more to it th

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Bea Jones gives her husband Bill a hug on their 80th wedding anniversary. There was a big celebration at Cedar Creek on December 23, as Bill and Bea Jones celebrated their 80th wedding anniversary. The couple has lived at Cedar Creek for about three years, and remain active in their social life among other residents at the retirement home. Bill Jones married Beatrice Mitchel on Dec. 23, 1945, at the office of the Justice of the Peace in Harr

Ceeseven, Wikimedia Commons Crab meat makes a delicious filling for fried wonton appetizers. For those who would like to ring in the New Year with some nibbles, here are a few tried-and-true recipes that have been kicking around in my family for years. So far, nobody has gotten tired of them, but perhaps they are just too polite to complain. Whatever the case may be, they always manage to disappear. They are not like the chocolates my cousins used to take one bite of, then hi

Around the holidays, and particularly at the end of the year, many of us tend to reminisce about times of our youth. Each Christmas tends to be much of the same, and yet each year has its unique memories.  My parents had a framed cross-stitch, which I now have in my home. It was always hanging on the wall of their bedroom. I don’t know where they got it, but it is very special to me, not only because it hung in their room, but because of the saying, “Remembrance is the sweete

grongar, Wikimedia Commons Who can resist biting into a freshly-baked cinnamon roll? Most of us love the scent of spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger, as evidenced by the popularity of scented candles, room fresheners such as sprays and potpourri, and the aroma of comfort foods like spice cake, cinnamon rolls and other such things. Does anyone remember the once-popular craft of making pomanders? Those were the fragrant oranges studded with whole cloves all the