Plant Cover Crops to Enrich Soil and Prevent Erosion
If you’ve been waiting to plant a cover crop, wait no more. The soil is now moist and still warm enough to germinate seed easily. Remember that every drop of rain that hits bare soil is destructive. Over 3,000 years ago the Chinese protected...
‘Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus’
By Colly Gruczelak, Plain Talk About Food
Pulling the last tray of maraschino cookies from the oven I noticed that darkness was descending on our Ben Lomond neighborhood and I worked quickly to finish my cleanup. Settling into a chair in front of my kitchen...
The Mountain Gardener | Gardening Tips for the Allergy Sufferer
Several of my friends suffer from allergies nearly year round starting in January. Most of us don’t notice the amount of pollen in the air even when it’s cold, but my friends sure do.
Everybody blames the Acacia tree for their allergies, but they are...
A poem for gardeners
T’was the night before Christmas and all through the garden,
The creatures were stirring, the deer got a pardon.
The hummingbird feeders were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that the Anna’s soon would be there.
The flowering cherries were nestled all snug in their beds,
While...
When good plants go bad-toxic holiday plants
With the holiday season upon us, I like colorful plants on my tabletop and window sill. But how safe are holiday plants for pets like my cat Archer and dog Sherman or for small children?
I have a beautiful poinsettia on the table and, soon,...
Rising Bread
I have just ‘pulled’ another successful loaf of rustic sourdough bread from my oven and as soon as it cools, I’ll butter a slice while it is still warm and fragrant.
While feeding the jar of sourdough starter, I remembered a bread my Appalachian-born family...
We must remain united
By Derek Timm, Scotts Valley Mayor
Our Scotts Valley Police Officers do so much for our community, and everyone in leadership agrees that we want to support them in every way we can. To say this year has been difficult is an understatement, not only...
A Thanksgiving poem
Once upon a time when our area was underwater
there were no parks or trails or trees or gardens.
I'm thankful that our mountains rose from an ancient ocean
so we could enjoy this beautiful place we call home.
I'm thankful for the Bigleaf maples
that shower me with...
Hitting the Bullseye
While watching the documentary “This Changes Everything” on Netflix, I learned about the history of women in the film industry and their struggles for inclusion. One of the statistics included in the documentary about how films can influence us inspired this article.
In the Disney/Pixar...
News Briefs | Published Aug. 29, 2025
Supervisor Martinez to speak to North County Dems
Fifth District Supervisor Monica Martinez will be the guest speaker for the Democratic Club of North Santa...
