Articles written by Venus Bratsveen

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Writers Workshop: The perfect Pasta Sauce

Nothing tastes better than homemade pasta sauce. No jarred sauced in the world can compare to fresh ingredients slow simmered for hours on the stove in your own kitchen. I’ve been making homemade sauce for as long as I can... — Updated 9/28/2023

 

Grasping at Straws

My husband and I love going to the movies. We both grew up enjoying a darkened theater, hot buttered popcorn and the thrill of the unknown unfolding before our eyes. We met and married in a small town in southern New Mexico. As... — Updated 8/10/2023

 

I'm Just Going to Stain the Deck

When perusing the treasures found at the Spokane Valley Veteran’s Thrift Store, I discovered quite a few cans of Cabot’s Australian Oil stain. Fifteen dollars for a gallon of stain that normally costs sixty or more seemed like... — Updated 6/22/2023

 

The Family Portrait

Lizzy was a busy wife and mother of three. Three precocious children who never sat still. They even slept restless. Each morning Lizzy would wake her little angels, remake beds from scratch, sigh and get on with her day. Lizzy’s... — Updated 2/2/2023

 

A New Year

A new year inspires us with the hope of a new beginning and opportunities abound. We see this as a chance to try new things, strengthen our resolve to do better, do more, be more. Winter is waning and spring is just around the... — Updated 1/6/2023

 

Writers Workshop

If you’re lucky enough to have great cousins and lucky enough to spend time with them growing up, you’ll have a story or two that carries through adulthood and gives you a chuckle every time. This is one such story. My aunt... — Updated 10/27/2022

 

The Fair

The fair is a veritable smorgasbord, orgasbord, orgasbord, orgasbord, after the crowds have gone. So says Goose in the 1973 movie version of Charlotte’s Web by E.B White. And so it is, but not just after hours. My favorite... — Updated 9/8/2022

 

Luck

I love mornings like this. The sun was shining, a slight breeze blew and just a few people were walking in the park. Barker, my pride and joy mutt rambled along, sniffing the ground and chasing squirrels. As I ambled along, I... — Updated 8/25/2022

 

All the Comforts of Home

In my travels, I’ve enjoyed places that had all the comforts of home and those that did not. Yet I still found joy in what I had. Perhaps it’s because I’ve gone without, lived poor, chose paying the rent over eating. It’s... — Updated 8/4/2022

 

Fog Bow

My morning walks with Tika, our 5-year-old Border collie rescue dog, are always my favorite time of day. We tend to go to one particular park to throw the ball, followed by a short walk. Each season brings its own beauty to the... — Updated 6/2/2022

 

Spring Loaded Action

Tika loves her walks in the morning. She follows me endlessly, ensuring I don’t get off-track and do something useless like grab a tea or say, wake up before rushing out the door to go to the park. Mornings are time for fast,... — Updated 4/14/2022

 

A Moment

How does the song go? “I close my eyes. Only for a moment then the moment’s gone.” (Dust in the Wind, Kansas- Eric Benet) Oh, but a sweet moment. There is a place I go to de-stress, unwind, and just relax. I don’t have to... — Updated 4/8/2022

 

Molly & John, a Modern Day, Real World Love Story

In this day of technology first, it can be hard to meet actual people. Swipe left, swipe right, whatever that means and a little cyber-stalking goes a long way towards not finding... — Updated 3/24/2022

 

My Cheney

In 1975 Simon & Garfunkel reunited to perform a song called My Little Town. It’s a sad tone about a grimy little town with no future. The streets are dirty, the people dull, even the rainbow is black, devoid of color, light and... — Updated 3/10/2022

 

Holiday Spirit

Whatever you celebrate, be it a Christian Christmas, Jewish Hanukkah or the secular holidays of African-American Kwanzaa or Festivus (highlighted by the popular sitcom Seinfeld,) it’s undeniably a special time of year. A time... — Updated 12/23/2021

 

The Ritual

Sharpened axe and a killer instinct honed by years of dealing death. Slathered sunscreen and a brimmed hat secured with a strap. Tonight we dine on the blood of our enemies. Actually, tonight we dine on fried chicken, maybe some po... — Updated 11/4/2021

 

Summer Breeze

Summer breeze makes me feel fine Blowin’ through the jasmine in my mind The refrain from a song by Seals & Crofts always heralds summer’s joys for me. I listened to it while writing this piece. “Summer Breeze” reached No.... — Updated 6/24/2021

 
 By Venus Bratsveen    News

February's buttercup

Sixteen-year-old Cheney High School student Mayah Spakousky brought in the season’s first buttercup by a female this past Monday, earning her $5 from the Cheney Free Press. The... — Updated 2/27/2020

 

What you may not know about 'White Christmas'

The Holidays bring to mind favorite traditions, events and activities that bring family and friends together. Some of my happiest memories are those of watching my favorite Holiday movies with my family. My all-time favorite is... — Updated 12/26/2014

 

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