Food, music and murder, oh my! All this is happening right now in Felton at The Trout Farm Inn, 7701 E. Zayante Rd., where Elf Empire Productions will present the final showing of its current Murder Mystery Dinner Theater.

As I looked out the window at the rain coming down, I thought of all the things I should be doing in the garden.

I have been happy to see rain lately. It may not be a wet year but any rain helps fish. On another positive “fish note,” the prospects for salmon season look very good.

The new year brought new beginnings. Whitney Ann Shettler and Shawn Michael Browning were married on New Year's Eve at the Sacramento Grand Ballroom. Although they currently reside in Sacramento, both graduated from San Lorenzo Valley High School in 2004 and from University of California at Davis. Both have parents and family living in SLV.

I get a lot of calls from homeowners who need help seeing their property through new eyes. Maybe they've lived there for a long time but the landscaping needs an update. Or maybe they're just moving in and the landscaping has been neglected for a while. Whatever the reason, there are techniques I use to bring out the best in a space.

Several years ago I was invited to tour a beautiful garden in the hills above Scott Valley High School. Robby Frank was more than eager to share his techniques for gardening in deer country. He was also in a personal battle with gophers and moles and I affectionately bestowed upon him the title, serial mole killer. I am happy to report that Robby has won the war on all fronts. His garden is more lush than ever, and with that comes the ongoing dilemma of saving water in the landscape especially in this time of drought. He solved the problem by installing a Smart Irrigation Controller and has been so pleased with the results he's on a Smart Irrigation crusade to educate fellow gardeners. Here's his story.