Colleen Bidwill

Novato, San Francisco

Lifestyles Editor at Marin Independent Journal

lifestyles editor @marinij. @syracuseu alum. Past: @werwradio, @usatodaycollege, @dailyorange, @marinscopenews, @Pacific_Sun, @thrivewire

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Articles

Former Marin fiddler returns for special show

1 week ago | marinij.com | Colleen Bidwill

Alasdair Fraser’s childhood home was anything but quiet. Born in the small town of Clackmannan, Scotland, to a musical family, he was surrounded by people who “did music for the love of it.” In their home, they sang songs and his father, a professional musician, played bagpipe tunes, sharing music from the Scottish tradition. At 8 years old, he began learning the violin — in part inspired by seeing his grandfather’s untouched violin in the house.
Marin resident thanks local fire department for heroic actions during rescue

1 week ago | marinij.com | Colleen Bidwill

On March 10, my husband and I celebrated the Tibetan New Year, filled with joy and hope for the future in our new house. Just moments later, my life was in danger. I was moving my car to the carport when, in an instant, I lost control. I don’t fully remember how it happened, but it felt like something out of a horror movie.
Am I doing enough to keep my cats safe from avian flu?

1 week ago | marinij.com | Colleen Bidwill

DEAR JOAN: I’ve been reading a lot about the avian flu and the danger to domestic cats. I have two cats, now 4 years old, that I harness trained when they were kittens. They love their 15-minute walks in the back yard. I walk each one separately since they have minds of their own as to where they want to sniff. I watch where they’re walking to check for bird poop, then when I bring them inside, I clean their feet with unscented baby wipes. Do you think that will keep them safe from the avian flu?
‘Faced tragedy with love’: Marin resident releases memoir

2 weeks ago | sacbee.com | Colleen Bidwill

When Jenna Miller watched her then-husband, Steve Pelaez, leave the house in his bright white cycling kit to go on his typical Friday morning ride with friends, she had no clue that in around an hour their lives would change forever. While riding down Paradise Drive with other cyclists on April 21, 2017, he was hit by a teenage girl driving in the opposite direction.
‘Faced tragedy with love’: Marin resident releases memoir

2 weeks ago | marinij.com | Colleen Bidwill

When Jenna Miller watched her then-husband, Steve Pelaez, leave the house in his bright white cycling kit to go on his typical Friday morning ride with friends, she had no clue that in around an hour their lives would change forever. While riding down Paradise Drive with other cyclists on April 21, 2017, he was hit by a teenage girl driving in the opposite direction.
Marin-inspired brewery to raise money for Marine Mammal Center

2 weeks ago | sacbee.com | Colleen Bidwill

Want to drink beer for a good cause? You'll be doing just that if you purchase a four-pack of Headlands Brewing's new West Coast Whale Pilsner. One dollar of each four-pack will go toward Sausalito's Marine Mammal Center and its efforts in marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation, research and education.
Marin-inspired brewery to raise money for Marine Mammal Center

2 weeks ago | marinij.com | Colleen Bidwill

Want to drink beer for a good cause? You’ll be doing just that if you purchase a four-pack of Headlands Brewing’s new West Coast Whale Pilsner. One dollar of each four-pack will go toward Sausalito’s Marine Mammal Center and its efforts in marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation, research and education.
What animal is stealing my avocados?

2 weeks ago | marinij.com | Colleen Bidwill

DEAR JOAN: We have an avocado tree in our yard and have waited several years to see the tree bear fruit. Last year we had nine beautiful avocados, which we harvested in early March. This year, we counted 20 avocados before we left for a five-week trip. When we came home there was not a single avocado on the tree. There were no avocados or partially eaten avocados on the ground. We are stumped as to what happened to our avocados.
Race car driver with Marin ties stars in Amazon docuseries

2 weeks ago | marinij.com | Colleen Bidwill

Heather “The Heat” Hadley started off racing go carts as a 9-year-old at Driven Raceway in Fairfield. Now, she’s the star of a new Amazon Prime docuseries, “First to the Finish,” which follows her and two other prominent female racers throughout their time in the Mazda MX-5 Cup. “I kind of stumbled into racing,” said Hadley, who grew up in Marin. Although her family had no history in racing, they learned quickly. In the first six months of racing go carts, she won 104 out of 107 races.
Why does this robin keep flying into our glass door?

3 weeks ago | marinij.com | Colleen Bidwill

DEAR JOAN: We have a robin that flies into our bedroom slider every morning and afternoon, starting at 5 a.m. It has happened in the spring for the last few years but stops the rest of the year. We suspect he sees his reflection and is trying to scare another bird away. We have tried scare tape on poles, rubber snakes on the step, ceramic frogs on the step and strings tied (with scare tape) from the eaves to a pole floating just above the ground. All to no avail.