Opinion

Today’s the day I’ve been anticipating for months. It’s the day I go to the Felton Holiday Wreath Makers get together to create another masterpiece (hopefully). I plan to make several for friends and neighbors, although some of those prior recipients are coming with...

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...

As a small city operating with only 6.5% of its residents’ property tax revenue, Scotts Valley faces significant financial challenges in providing essential services. However, thanks to the support of our community, we are moving forward with renewed optimism. The passage of Measure X in...

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...

My friend Evan is a computer whiz and designed my website and blog. He is often researching on the internet and forwards me interesting tidbits of information about plants whenever he comes across something exceptional. I am always amazed at what nature does to...

Every year when the Pantone Color of the Year is announced, I write a column about all the great plants that echo that color. Not this year, though. The 2025 Pantone Color of the Year is Mocha Mousse, and while this probably looks great...

Every year as I get down the Christmas decorations I think about past holidays with friends and family. Who was that well-fed baby in my Dad’s 35mm films? And then there was Aunt Ruth’s aluminum Christmas tree with the rotating color wheel. I remember...

This is the time of year to re-imagine your garden. Sure, that cleanup and weed control is an ongoing task, but it’s more fun to picture yourself outside when the weather warms, enjoying that space. What easy things can you do this year to...

Here’s the truth: Saying no is hard. Saying “no” can feel like an impossible task for many people. Whether it’s turning down a request for a favor, declining an invitation or setting a boundary, the act of saying no often brings with it a whole...

’Twas 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...