Columns

I ran to represent the Fifth District, and that means making sure our mountain communities are heard and that county decisions reflect the realities people are living every day. As I enter my second year, we are facing serious challenges—harmful federal policy changes, climate-driven disasters...

I hope you all have been enjoying the warm weather—it’s hard to believe it’s the middle of winter. There’s a lot to cover this month, so let’s dive in. At our last few board meetings, we’ve been reviewing our latest academic testing results from the...

As we prepared for 2026, Mother Nature certainly got our attention! Walking on what seemed like a beautiful day for a walk, my phone alerted me with a Tornado Warning to take cover. A year ago, I would have rolled my eyes at a...

I’m waiting patiently for the buds on my pink flowering currant to start showing color. They’re still pretty small at this stage, but I’ve assured my hummingbird population that they’re on their way. When I was out pruning last week, I didn’t touch this...

Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) passed Congress and now figures into your 2025 tax returns with blatant Schedule A tax deductions and non-conforming Schedule CA deductions. Federal and CA deductions phase out with high income: OBBBA limits itemization by roughly 2/37 of...

January is almost over with nary a raindrop since Jan. 5 as I write this, although there is some in the forecast. Our days have been lovely and many of my plants have started growing earlier than usual. Guess I can’t put off pruning...

Step into the woods and something shifts. Your pace slows. Your senses wake up. What once looked like an ordinary path becomes a living classroom, filled with plants that have stories to tell and healing properties waiting to be understood. Being outdoors in our natural...

I simply cannot pass a display of blackberries at any fruit stand without buying at least one “clamshell” of those luscious berries, which are my favorite fruit. Last week Safeway had a special “two for one” and I came home with four; two for a...

A visit to any of our local nurseries at this time of year is like a visit to the candy store for a gardener. There are so many exciting edibles available now and this is the time to get yours. How lucky am I...

When we think of “Fall Prevention,” generally we emphasize the senior population (age 65-plus), but that’s not the only age group we should be focusing on. Fall prevention awareness needs to begin a lot earlier in life. The risk of falling starts as early...