Columns

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...

January is almost over with nary a raindrop. Our days have been lovely and many of my plants have started growing earlier than usual. Guess I can’t put off pruning my Compassion rose any longer. I see some outstanding new rose varieties available for...

As we step into 2025, we must acknowledge the unprecedented events that recently tested our community's resilience. Our long-held scientific belief that tornadoes do not happen in the Santa Cruz Mountains was dispelled. A week later, we saw historic storms destroy a county landmark...

“I am thankful for small mercies. Some people expect only the best. I found that I begin at the other extreme…expecting nothing and am always full of thanks for unexpected blessings.” —Tim Man Lee, Wildlife Photographer Since moving to my small “slice of Heaven” here...

One of my favorite classes when I attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo was Plant Taxonomy. On the surface the subject sounds a little dry, but the professor was all about plant reproduction, which is quite exciting and more varied than you think. So...

I was talking to someone recently who said she lived in Bonny Doon. When I told her I used to live on Robles Drive but lost the house in the CZU fire, she asked, “Did you live in the house with that huge Tasmanian...

“Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink.” Samuel Taylor Coleridge penned these words in the “Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” He referred to a fateful ocean voyage in the 1800s, but it could very well reflect our need for clean drinking water today. To...

To kick off this year’s holiday season, I plan to add some color to cheer up my houseplant selection. Sometimes I give friends and neighbors a holiday plant, but I need to keep in mind if they have small children or pets as some...

As the weather heats up and summer swings into full gear, Scotts Valley is buzzing with activity. The parks are alive, the music is playing and our local shops are filled with that energy only summer can bring. But with the sunshine comes a...

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss you’ll land among the stars.” —Norman Vincent Peale Whether you are going to be cooking for a graduation party, Father’s Day or readying for a picnic on the beach, you had better be prepared ahead of time. Doing...