Columns

It’s that time of year when the dahlia exhibitions are held. I missed a couple already but the Santa Cruz County Fair is still going on this weekend and there’s always a huge display there. Last year a dark magenta cactus dahlia was my...

I began writing my food column for the Press Banner newspaper 13 years ago under the watchful eye of editor, Peter Burke. At that time, Peter’s grandmother was 90-plus years and still delivering Meals on Wheels for the seniors living in our beautiful valley....

Think of how much time in a day you spend sitting? You sit in your car to and from work. You sit at your desk working the majority of the time. Then you come home and sit down to relax. Did you know that...

Summer is winding down. Already. Seems it barely started two months ago. Who doesn't love these long days and warm nights? The calendar might say fall is near but Indian summer is one of our best seasons, so I love this time of year,...

I am perpetually on the lookout for fresh insights and novel viewpoints for local businesses whose products and services command our attention and investment.  I listen for businesses that triumph over trials and offer ways to further brand and develop my business and yours. The...

“The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson Eighteen years ago my sweet Hubby Norm and I, after months of soul-searching to determine if that was the right time to downsize and be nearer to our children, we made...

Several of my friends have big gardens. Gardens that are big enough to have lots of blooming flowers that can be cut and barely make a dent in the riot of color in their garden. The other day I received a huge mixed bouquet....

School is officially back in session. A new school year can also bring new stressors. New teachers, new classmates, new routines. Change can be hard. We all want our children to succeed in school, and there are some specific things parents can do to...

Many years ago, I took a group of high school students who belonged to the Internet Club, a Rotary sponsored volunteer group of 14-18-year-olds, to a local community care center to distribute the Christmas gifts each student had purchased with their own money and...

Recently I designed a garden for someone who asked for lots of blue in her landscape. “Good choice,” I said. I did have to chuckle when she also requested lavender plants that were blue and not lavender. I admit I was stumped there, but...