Opinion

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” —Winston Churchill Often when I am in Santa Cruz and near Shopper’s Corner Market, I pop in to visit their meat counter. Their array of beautifully displayed cuts...

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...

A visit to any of our local nurseries at this time of year is like a visit to the candy store for a gardener. There are so many exciting edibles available now and this is the time to get yours. How lucky am I...

“Those who do not weep, do not see.” —Victor Hugo Stable marriages finance families; financial disputes disrupt. Approximately 43% of first marriages fail in America. As a widower and divorcee—now happily married—I know the extended pains of divorce can be just as disconcerting and perhaps...

It has proven itself true—that one alone is on a walk, but two together are going somewhere—and our nonprofit, Damians Ladder, has shown this to be a perfect example of “partnering,” going somewhere together. As a small child, my aunt and uncle would take me...

Trump may keep his TCJA from expiring this year as Biden, seeking wealth taxes, claims: “No billionaire should pay a lower tax rate than a teacher, a sanitation worker, a nurse.” The IRS and SEC monitor salaries, securities sales, dividends and large estates, so...

What’s that wet stuff coming from the sky? Hopefully by the time you’re reading this we will have gotten some much-needed rainfall. I wanted to research the latest scientific papers on how climate change is impacting our gardens. Plants have adapted over millennia to their...

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...

Many, many years ago my landscape designer group was fortunate to get a private tour by the head gardener at Filoli Gardens. One of the takeaways from this informative afternoon was the plants that have survived there since the early 1900s without any care....

I live on Boulder Creek where the native red alder is in full bloom. Their catkins release wind-borne pollen, which along with the redwoods wreak havoc with my friends with seasonal allergies. According to Pollen.com, the allergy alert today is medium high at 7.4....