Columns

Fridays, as a small child, was a very important day of the week; this was the day Uncle would reach deep into his pocket of his bib overalls, sorting out a dime and a nickel, my week’s allowance for helping Aunt in her kitchen. Friday...

Every August, my feed fills up with first-day-of-school photos. Backpacks bigger than the kids wearing them. Gap-toothed grins on the porch. New shoes, fresh haircuts, eager anticipation. I love those photos. But after years of working with families, here's what I've learned. The first day...

Adding California natives to my collection of container plants has been a goal for a long time. Besides attracting birds and wildlife to the garden, they use less water than most container plants, plus they are beautiful. Since I have limited ground to garden,...

When Heather Lewis Sebring asks older adults about moving, she does not begin with boxes, floor plans or what needs to go. She starts with a much better question: “What would you like your life to be full of in the next 10 years?” More travel?...

The City of Scotts Valley celebrated our city’s 60th Birthday during the first week of August. It couldn’t have happened without the hard work and dedication of Parks and Recreation, particularly Division Manager Allison Pfefferkorn and her staff, as well as the Scotts Valley...

Many of us live under oaks or are surrounded by redwoods. We know the value of trees in the landscape. Trees shade us in the summer. We anticipate their showy blossoms in the spring and enjoy their beautiful colorful foliage in the fall. You...

“The weeds of socialism are better than the crops of capitalism.” —Chairman Mao Zedong Bernie Sanders won Santa Cruz County primaries twice and now Ocasio-Cortez, Mandami, El-Sayed and Flanagan gain power. DSA friendly candidates threaten moderate Democrats and independent votes enough to give MAGA a...

Take your workout in the water. Training in the gym or on land isn’t the only way to get in better shape. You can burn calories, fat and build muscle with aquatic fitness just as you do on land. Aquatic fitness isn’t just for the...

My neighbor’s dog, Winston, is dealing with the heat of the summer during his walk and visit to my place. He can hardly wait for a drink of water and a flop on the cool hardwood floor. Even the plants outside aren’t happy when...

“And going places I’ve never been. Time turns the pages and oh, life goes so fast, Lord, I wish I was eighteen again.” —George Burns, 1980 In Aberdeen, Wash., Uncle and Aunt’s old two-story and eight-bedroom boarding house sat on the edge of a slough;...