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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
The markets will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Thursday beginning this week and continuing through Aug. 19, according to Debbie Hablutzel, president of the Upper Lake Community Council, which is sponsoring the weekly events.
“It is not exactly a farmers' market,” said Hablutzel. “We welcome arts, crafts, produce, plants and more – it’s just a fun thing.”
Hablutzel says event-goers will have between 10 and 20 vendors to visit. Expect the same pleasant yet festive atmosphere that recently kicked off the summer spirit during Upper Lake's Wild West Day.
Like Wild West Day, Main Street will be blocked off so shoppers can browse safely, Hablutzel said. Admission is free.
Singers and songwriters from around Lake County will have a chance to perform at the market, Hablutzel said.
The lineup of performers begins with Dave Hendricks this week, to be followed on July 22 by Lonnie Caldwell, Angelina & Ian on July 29, Stephen Holland & Friends on Aug. 5, Michael Barrish on Aug. 12 and on Aug. 19 by Hilarie, Milton & Moe.
Those interested about vendor space are encouraged to call Hablutzel at 707-275-2000 or Byron Green, a member of the Upper Lake Community Council, at 707-275-9515.
E-mail Tera deVroede at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY – Several fires were reported around the county late Friday and throughout the day Saturday, resulting in damages including burned vegetation, a destroyed shed and a charred car.
Following two vegetation fires earlier in the week, another similar fire was reported in Clearlake Oaks late Friday.
The fire, which was reported just after 9 p.m., occurred on the Elem Colony, according to Northshore Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Pat Brown.
The blazes that occurred earlier last week were attributed to fireworks, but Brown said they couldn't be certain of the cause of Friday's fire.
Brown said the Friday fire had three different start points spread about 75 feet apart, with about an acre of land being burned.
Three engines responded, Brown said, with the fire being quickly contained. Reports from the scene indicated engines were released at about 9:40 p.m.
Just before 4 p.m. Saturday a structure fire was reported on Lakeshore Boulevard in Nice, according to Northshore Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Steve Hart.
The structure in question was a shed attached to a residence, Hart said.
A witness reported three neighbors helped keep the flames down with hoses until the firefighters arrived on the scene.
Five engines – three from Northshore Fire, one from Lakeport Fire and one from Cal Fire – responded to the blaze, which consumed the shed, according to Hart.
Hart said the fire was contained in about seven minutes. The shed was destroyed, with damages estimated at $10,000. The residence was saved, he added.
The fire, according to Hart, was “suspicious in nature.”
In Lakeport at about 6:10 p.m. firefighters responded to a barbecue fire at the Driftwood Apartments at 975 Forbes St., according to Lakeport Fire Protection District Capt. Bob Ray.
Ray said the teenage daughter of the residents in one of the upstairs apartments lit a propane-fired barbecue, which was sitting against a metal railing about 8 feet from the building, and went back inside the apartment.
About a minute later the apartment's residents reported hearing what sounded like an explosion and, when they looked out they saw a fireball, with the barbecue throwing flames out over the railing, Ray said.
“Another neighbor showed up with a garden hose prior to us arriving and partially extinguished it,” said Ray.
An engine from Lakeport Fire responded, with a second engine from Kelseyville Fire canceled before arriving on scene. Ray said the fire was contained within about three to four minutes.
Nobody was injured, Ray said.
He said a 10 foot by 15 foot area of fiberglass roofing covering a storage area was damaged, as was about an 8 foot by 6 foot area of the deck under the barbecue, which was itself destroyed.
Ray said the building itself was not damaged, and that the people involved were “very fortunate.”
He said there appeared to have been a fuel leak between the propane tank and the barbecue itself.
In Lucerne, a vehicle fire was reported just after 7 p.m. at the corner of Country Club and 14th Avenue.
Hart and two Northshore Fire engines responded to the fires, which destroyed the small blue Honda.
Firefighters pried open the trunk and pulled out what appeared to be a baby stroller and some cardboard.
Hart said the driver reported the car had started sputtering, so she pulled over and left the vehicle, returning a short time later to find it fully involved.
He said the fire appeared to have started in the Honda's power distribution system near the firewall.
Hart was concerned that the fire slightly damaged utility lines directly above where the car sat, parked partially on the sidewalk.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKE COUNTY – Mark your calendar – the Lake County Weed Management Area is hosting its fifth annual invasive weeds tour on Thursday, July 22.
The tour is free and the public is welcome and encouraged to attend.
The third week of July is California’s annual “Invasive Weed Awareness Week.”
This statewide program is designed to educate citizens about the undesirable effects and impacts of non-native invasive weeds.
The self-driving tour is a fun and informative event that gives participants the chance to view and learn about several species of invasive weeds.
The tour will begin in Lakeport, proceed to Nice and Kelseyville, and end at Lakeside Park with a discussion and samples of aquatic weeds followed by lunch.
This year’s tour includes revisiting some of the same sites as last year to observe the progress in controlling the invasive weeds and, in some cases, to see how rapidly the unattended invasive weeds have spread.
Participants will see a demonstration area where goats have been used to control Spanish broom. The tour will also highlight weeds such as Arundo donax, tamarisk, tree of heaven, skeleton weed, water primrose and various other aquatic weeds.
Passenger vans with limited seating will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. All other participants will need to provide their own transportation and carpooling is encouraged.
The end-of-tour lunch is free but donations to offset the costs of lunch and refreshments will be greatly appreciated and cheerfully accepted.
Registration begins at 8:15 a.m. at the Lake County Department of Agriculture, located at 883 Lakeport
Blvd. The tour will depart from the parking lot at 8:45 a.m.
Please RSVP with Kristi at 707-263-0217 by July 19 if you plan on attending and indicate if you would like a seat on one of the vans.
The tour is sponsored by Lake County Department of Agriculture, the Lake County Department of Public Works, and the East Lake and West Lake Resource Conservation Districts.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
I’m sitting outdoors in Petaluma as I write this, the sun on my back and lush fields of blooming lavender in view. I didn’t plan this happy coincidence. It just so happens that my in-laws, whom I’m visiting, live next door to the Lavender Bee Farm, a fixture on the Sonoma County Farm Trails map.
A stone’s throw away, hundreds of stalks with their deep purple blooms wave gently in the breeze. They’re planted row upon row, filling nearly every inch of the neighbor’s several acre plot, reminiscent of photos of lavender fields in France.
It’s interesting that the stalks, though loosely splayed, retain the integrity of the rotund shape of the shrub, almost like neat rows of aromatic sea urchins. The deep green foliage at each shrub’s base makes for a striking contrast of color.
What’s planted next door is English lavender, from which the lavender used in potpourris and cuisine comes. There are well over 25 species of lavender, including Spanish, Dutch, Mexican and French, but it’s English lavender that has become famous in the French countryside.
The name lavender is derived from the Latin word lavare, which means to wash. Lavender has long been used as a fragrance in soaps and shampoos, extending back to ancient Rome, where lavender was used to scent Roman baths.
So valuable was lavender in ancient Rome, a pound of the harvested flowers sold for the equivalent of a month’s wages. The Romans thought lavender was important enough to take with them when they conquered southern Britain, thus becoming the ancestor of the many varieties of English lavender we know today.
Though lavender is most widely known in the sunny Mediterranean region, it is speculated that this member of the mint family originated in Asia. It’s grown in gardens throughout the world, and since lavender cross-pollinates easily, there are countless variations within each species.
There is recorded evidence going back 2,500 years showing lavender’s use as a stewing herb, a mood tonic, a fragrance, an insect repellent and a food flavoring.
The distinctively pungent aroma of lavender is used in aromatherapy as a calming influence; in fact, scientific studies confirm that the scent of lavender produces calming, soothing and sedative effects. The ancient Greeks crushed and burned it to create a relaxing fume.
Lavender-filled pillows are a common folk remedy for insomnia – my neighbor told me just this morning that she sleeps with a small bag of lavender under her pillow – and modern research suggests that this may be an effective remedy. It has been found that the scent of lavender slows the activity of the nervous system and improves sleep quality.
A few evenings ago, I had the privilege of cutting lavender from the abundant bushes of a generous friend. It was a calm, quiet dusk, and a lone bumblebee was my companion as I inhaled deeply of the fragrant blossoms while trimming the stalks. I went away calmer than I had arrived, and I credit the lavender for the quieting of my spirit.
I’ve spent some time in recent weeks researching the many culinary uses of lavender and have been surprised to find just how extensively lavender can be used in a wide swath of culinary genres, both sweet and savory.
It can be made into vinegars, salad dressings, flavored oils, and rubs for fish and meat. It flavors whipped cream and chocolate, is baked into scones and is added to lemonade. It’s added to stews, sauces and ice cream, makes a fragrant aioli, and is delicious when paired with goat cheese. It’s steeped for tea, flavors coffee and adds an aromatic element to spiced teas, such as lavender chai.
The real question is whether there’s a way lavender CAN’T be used in cuisine.
If you’re lucky enough to have a lavender bush on your property or, like me, have generous friends who allow you to harvest their crop, there are endless ways to make use of it.
Lavender should be harvested in the early blossom stage, before they are fully open. Do this early in the day, after the dew has dried. Moisture impedes the drying process, so harvest your lavender on a dry day.
I find that bees are less abundant in the early morning and in the dim light of evening, which makes harvesting a bit easier.
Use rubber bands to tie the lavender stalks into small bunches, and hang them upside down in a dry (and, ideally, dark) place. It doesn’t take long for the buds to dry, perhaps one or two weeks.
Depending on the location, place a clean sheet under the lavender to trap falling blossoms, or loosely tie a paper bag under each hanging bundle.
When dry, shake the lavender into a paper bag, or wrap each bundle in a clean pillow case and roll it as you would a rolling pin. Gather the dried buds from the bag or pillow case and pick or sieve out the larger bits of plant. The remaining dry stems can be used to toss into a fireplace for aroma or into a barbecue for flavor.
The recipe I offer here is a rather exotic one, perfect for a light summertime meal. If needed, culinary lavender can be purchased at gourmet shops. Enjoy!
Seared ahi tuna with lavender-pepper crust
Mustard seed dressing (recipe follows)
1 1/2 pounds center-cut ahi tuna or four (4- to 6-ounce) 1-inch thick sushi quality tuna steaks
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon white peppercorns
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender flowers
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups savory mixed fresh greens and herbs
Prepare mustard seed dressing; set aside.
If using the center-cut ahi tuna, trim and cut the tuna into a block approximately 2 inches across; then cut into 1-inch steaks.
Crush the salt, peppercorns, fennel seeds, and lavender with a mortar and pestle or a rolling pin. Lightly oil the tuna with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil; evenly coat the tuna with the lavender-pepper mixture, patting off any excess.
In a heavy bottomed sauté pan or a cast-iron pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Increase the heat to high and place the tuna in the pan. Sear for 1 minutes, then turn over carefully, reducing the heat to medium. Sear the other side for 1 more minutes until medium rare. Remove from heat and immediately refrigerate the tuna for at least 1 hour but no more than 3 hours.
To serve, arrange the greens on chilled individual serving plates. Drizzle with mustard seed dressing. Thinly slice the tuna and arrange on top of the dressed greens.
Makes 8 servings.
Mustard seed dressing
4 tablespoons prepared whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons toasted mustard seed
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable stock or water
1 teaspoon honey (or to taste)
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place mustard seeds in a baking pan. Place in oven and roast for a couple of minutes (watch carefully so the seeds don't burn). Remove from oven and let cool. Whisk all the ingredients together and season to taste.
Esther Oertel, the "Veggie Girl," is a personal chef and culinary coach and is passionate about local produce. Oertel owns The SageCoach Personal Chef Service and teaches culinary classes at Chic Le Chef in Hidden Valley Lake. She welcomes your questions and comments; e-mail her at
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