Columns

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were almost 50,000 suicide deaths in the U.S. in 2022. That's the highest number ever recorded by the CDC. The good news is that suicide is preventable. While...

Hopefully these cold mornings will be a thing of the past by the time you read this. My plants were much happier right after the rains when nights were mild. I’m waiting patiently for the buds on my pink flowering currant to start showing...

Let’s be honest here. Many women hate NFL Football—plain and simple. I fall into the group of women who have suffered through season after season of this violent contact sport. There are, however, women who love this sport as much as men, some even...

Jennifer Young is a force of nature. She has an infectious wit and undeniable intelligence. Her love of working with details and structure and her visionary organizational skills are why she succeeds at customizing retreats for small business owners. Several years ago, I met Jennifer...

It’s beginning to look a lot like… Fall. The weather is perfect, the soil still warm and the storm door is opening for those gentle autumn rains that do so much good for our gardens and the forest. I stopped by Mountain Feed & Farm...

It happened last Sunday morning at 2am. That’s when daylight saving time ended and clocks went back an hour. Sure I got an extra hour sleep, but the end of daylight saving time signals to me that autumn is really here in our mild...

Yes, it is happening and official. Santa Cruz County Health Officer Gail Newel has allowed the city of Scotts Valley and the Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce to host its 20th Art, Wine and Beer Festival with Cops’ N Rodders on Aug. 21-22. This spectacular event...

“Gold is the money of kings, silver is the money of gentlemen, barter is the money of peasants—but debt is the money of slaves.” —Ron Paul Speculation or Responsible Investing? Responsible investors don’t buy commodities for short-term gains or gamble against professionals on squiggles of price...

There’s no denying that relationships are hard. Maintaining connection and keeping the spark alive when life gets overwhelming and stressful can be hard. But with focus, attention and commitment, you can build and sustain a thriving relationship.  While no relationship is perfect, there are some...