The lodge is located at 8466 Lake St., Lower Lake, at the corner of Lake and Bryant.

Come join TV8 for dinner and become a member.

The dinner is free for current TV8 members and volunteers (we have a list, ahem), free with a $25 renewal or $10 for guests who bring a side.

Please check the station's wiki for this event to sign up to bring side dishes http://lakecountypegtv.wikispaces.com .

You can also RSVP to Beth Kaiman at 707-995-9337.

Clear Lake with Mt. Konocti pictured in the background. Photo by Linda Warren.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Wine Studio is hosting a wine tasting event with award-winning winemaker Gregory Graham and art show with photography by Jim and Linda Warren on Friday, Dec. 3, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 4, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Peggie King, author of “Fit Food for Foodies” has created delicious appetizers (gluten-free, sugar-free and dairy-free) to compliment the featured Gregory Graham wines.

Musical guest during the reception evenings is vocal and keyboard duo, Majide!

While working as head winemaker at Rombauer Vineyard in Napa Valley, Gregory Graham envisioned producing wines under his own label. Many are glad that he acted on his dream.

It was more than 10 years ago Graham determined, that with its clean air and ideal climate and soils, Lake County would prove to be the best choice for producing high quality wine grapes, and together with his wife Marianne, he purchased his first 13 acres of vineyard property.

Graham’s Crimson Hill Vineyard is located in the Red Hills Appellation of Lake County, where the soils are red, rocky and well-drained; ideal for the Zinfandel, Syrah and Grenache grapes that he wanted to grow.

Gregory Graham will be pouring a $10 sampler of his wines including 2008 Riesling (Romiguiere Vineyard), 2009 Carneros Chardonnay, 2009 Estate Rosé, 2008 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, and 2006 Estate Syrah.

Linda and Jim Warren credit their father Johnnie Warren, a captain for Pan American Airways and avid photographer, for passing on the shutterbug passion. By age 6, each child had received their first camera from their father.

Linda Warren is a self-employed tax accountant with offices in the east bay town of Castro Valley and in Lakeport. The seasonal nature of income tax work fits nicely with her passion for photography.

A 6-year-old Jim Warren snapped his first pictures on a brownie camera in Tokyo and landed his first professional photography job at age 16 in San Francisco. He has hardly set the camera down since that time and has produced hundreds of popular animal and landscape photos that are enjoyed by his customers.

The brother-sister team own Jim & Linda’s Photography, based in Lakeport, offering a variety of services including portraits, special events coverage, weddings, greeting cards, home décor as well as instruction and classes, with a special favoritism for decorative art photography of the nature and scenery found in Lake County and beyond.

The duo Majide! Includes Machiko and Paul Kemp.

Classically trained in voice from age 3 through high school, Machiko was born and raised in Japan, studied Jazz singing with veteran Jazz singer Martha Miyake and came to the U.S. in the early 1970s to further explore music with emphasis on Jazz and Bossa Nova.

Paul Kemp hails from Dubuque, Iowa and has been playing music since age 10. Studying classical piano and organ in high school and college prepared Kemp for a lifetime of music and a career as a recording and live sound engineer. Together, Paul and Machiko are Majide! and they bring an ambiance of joy and celebration to their audiences.

Lake County Wine Studio is located on the corner of First and Main Streets in historic Upper Lake, across from the famous Tallman Hotel.

For more information contact Susan Feiler, 707-293-8752 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Sons of Norway, Vikings of Lake Lodge will hold its annual Scandinavian Christmas Open House, featuring the Santa Lucia pageant (a past one is pictured above) on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2010, in Kelseyville, Calif. Courtesy photo.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Sons of Norway, Vikings of Lake Lodge will hold its annual Scandinavian Christmas Open House on Sunday, Dec. 12.

The open house will take place at the Galilee Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, located at 8860 Soda Bay Road in Kelseyville.

The event starts at 11:30 a.m. and wraps up at 1:30 p.m.

There will be lots of Scandinavian Christmas décor with assorted delicacies to enjoy including Swedish Pancakes, Danish AEbelskivers (round pancakes), Krumkake (similar to a waffle cone) and open face sandwiches.

There will be guest vendors including Vikki Bjerk Mullenbach with her beautiful Norwegian favorites and other Nordic gifts.

Larson Industries also will be present with their Scandinavian baking equipment, instruction and handcraft along with demonstration of Lefse baking. Come and taste the yummy samples.

At noon there will be the Santa Lucia pageant followed by carolers at 12:30 p.m.

Along with the crafts and food there will be Norwegian and Swedish calendars on sale for $12.

Lastly, they will have a raffle to benefit the lodge's “Adopt-a-School” Program in Lake County. The fundraisers are geared toward the underprivileged students in Lake County who cannot afford a simple backpack to carry their books and supplies.

Every year the lodge purchases backpacks and gives them to the students who truly appreciate them.

So, come out and join the lodge, sample the food, check out their wares and bring your checkbook. Cash also is welcome.

For more information or if you are interested in joining the Sons of Norway please call Vale Hanzel at 707-928-1060.

ou don’t have to be Norwegian; the lodge is open to anyone with bloodlines in any Scandinavian countries and Canada.

The parade will start at 6:30 p.m. on Main Street in downtown Upper Lake.

The community is invited to come and join the fun.

There will be caroling and fun.

Don't forget to bring your camera for pictures with special guest, Santa Claus.

The meeting – which is mandatory for all members – will begin at 7 p.m. at Northshore Fire Protection District's Station 90 in Upper Lake.

The team, which operates through community donations, also is seeking help in updating its dive gear. Donations can be sent to the team at P. O. Box 61, Upper Lake, CA 95485.

For more information, call team leader Capt. John Rodriguez at 707-275-9007 or 707-349-3367, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the team's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Upper-Lake-CA/Northshore-Dive-Team/289897949089?ref=ts.

“The goal is to provide every child in our local communities with a toy for Christmas this year regardless of their family’s circumstances,” said Mike Mayfield, president of Mendo Mill and Lumber.

“With many people unemployed and others struggling to make ends meet in this difficult economy, it’s a real challenge for them to purchase gifts for their children, and we hope to give them a helping hand,” said Mayfield.

As an incentive to generate support for the campaign, Mendo Mill will offer a 15 percent discount on all purchases made between Dec. 1 and Dec. 6 by persons who bring a new, unwrapped toy or cash donation to any Mendo Mill store, Mayfield said.

“In addition to a 15 percent instant discount on their entire purchase, they will receive a coupon for a 15 percent discount on their next purchase at Mendo Mill,” Mayfield said.

Mendo Mill will collect the toys and cash and deliver them to the Toys For Tots organizations that serve Ukiah, Lakeport, Clearlake, Willits and Fort Bragg, the communities where Mendo Mill owns and operates home improvement stores.

Mendo Mill has consistently supported local charitable causes over the years, most recently a food bank drive in November that collected over a ton of food and more than $1,000 in cash for the local food banks.

Last year Mendo Mill spearheaded a major campaign that raised more than $168,000 for local charities.

“I have great confidence in the good will of our people and I am hopeful that together we can make this a very special and happy Christmas for every child in our local communities year,” said Mayfield.

Toys For Tots was started by Major Bill Hendricks of the United States Marine Corps Reserve in 1947 and has become an enduring American symbol of Christmas charitable work.

“Mendo Mill is honored to join hands with the Marine Corps to help needy children in our local communities,” Mayfield said.