Columns

I have a cat named Archer. He’s a little too vocal sometimes but thankfully, he doesn’t chew on plants. If he did or if small children were about during the holidays I’d be sure to put some of my holiday plants out of their...

I have two Japanese maples on my deck. They are not nearly as large as those I had up in Bonny Doon but you have to start somewhere. One is a common acer palmatum seedling and the other a ‘Sanguo Kaku.’ They have not...

By Ashley LaMorte As we bring in a new year, many of us set new goals for ourselves. Such as eating cleaner, or starting a weekly fitness routine to get in better shape. In order to make your new year changes stick and become a...

Because this past year has been a very busy one for District 5, it is not at all surprising that we will end 2021 with a great deal of activity. Let’s start with the County’s ongoing response to Covid-19, which continues to be a...

When the dogwoods start to bloom, I’m torn between the flowering crabapples and cherries and wisteria and lilacs. But those huge dogwood flowers—or more precisely, bracts—get my attention every time I drive along the thoroughfares of San Lorenzo and Scotts Valley.  Most of us are...

Apparently, there was some controversy in 2019 over Pantone choosing Living Coral as its Color of the Year because healthy living coral is in short supply. I thought the color coral worked just fine in the garden but then Classic Blue won the top...

I have a nice Improved Meyer Lemon tree where I live. Because of water restrictions by the Big Basin Water Company, it doesn’t get as much irrigation as I’d like but it still looks pretty good and has quite a few ripening lemons on...

Post-operative bra comfort is a topic that gets little attention. But a new SLV business owner, Dr. Lisa Bunin (Lisa B.), has undertaken to change that by producing BraLisa—a super-soft, organic cotton bra, with moderate compression, for women recovering from breast surgery. After having breast...

I’m starting to see the beginning of fall color on some trees. It’s an exciting time of year. My friend, Kate, in Bonny Doon has an Autumn Moon Japanese maple that’s always in color, no matter the time of year. On a visit to...