The Mountain Gardener | For the Love of Roses
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...
Finance | Date the Rate but Marry the House
Bummer Bob gripes over dinner, where most financial decisions get solved: “We just can’t afford a gorgeous river house in Brookdale now. Thirty-year mortgages are over 7%, and payments over three grand on $500,000 30-year loans daunt us buyers.”
Pretty Penny, serving salmon, answers: “But...
Letters to the Editor | Published Jan. 17, 2025
High density threatens Hidden Glen’s quality of life
Just wanted to quickly tell our story and voice our strong opposition to the proposed Haven Development, Santa Cruz County Application Number: 241369.
We moved to the Hidden Glen neighborhood five years ago, after looking for the perfect...
The Mountain Gardener | Houseplants — Good for You and Your Home
I look out my sliding glass doors and see tall redwoods and stately oaks, but on the inside I enjoy the green and sometimes flowers of houseplants. I learned long ago to group them where they get enough light to do well. Recently I...
Plain Talk About Food | Napkins, Then and Now
“Mae West has been on more laps than a napkin.” —Walter Winchel
Yesterday, while ironing my umpteenth holiday napkin, I was remembering our “napkin box” that hung on the wall in the refectory at our convent in Tacoma, Wash.
Such a simple box with 50 or...
Guest Viewpoint | Fighting Rumors with Transparency in SLVWD
Just before the holiday season, there was an opinion piece in the Press Banner about San Lorenzo Valley Water District (“Measure U’s Decisive Defeat: What It Means for SLVWD,” Dec. 13, 2024). The author, Jim Mosher, is a citizen who represents a special interest...
The Mountain Gardener | What’s Old is New Again: Gardening Trends for 2025
In the spirit of my annual New Year’s resolution to learn something new every day, I did some research on Calscape about adding butterfly friendly natives to my partly shady garden and did some reading on garden design trends for 2025. Turns out the...
Strictly Business | Leadership & Heart: Women’s Inner Strength Movement
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...
Guest Column | Difference Between Sympathy and Empathy
“Could a greater miracle take place than to look through each other’s eyes for an instant?” —Henry Davis Thoreau
That day in Boulder Creek was much like these past few days have been, cold with on and off spurts of rain with some sun mixed...
Fitness | Lifestyle Change vs. New Year’s Resolution
It’s the time of year when many of us create ambitious New Year’s resolutions and with good intentions to follow through. We reflect on the past year and want certain changes to be made for ourselves in the current year. But, let’s face it,...
Felton Fire District to review parcel tax proposal at meeting Thursday
Felton Fire Protection District (FFPD) Board of Directors has scheduled a special meeting on Thursday, Sept. 11, at 6 p.m. to discuss a proposed...