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.

Well we had a couple days of winter and the river was happy to rise. The San Lorenzo crested at 407 cubic feet per second with the early February rains.

Love, intrigue, comedy, talent! It's all about planning and strategy, or so it seems in Mountain Community Theater's latest production, “The Beaux' Stratagem,” an adaptation of British playwright George Farquhar's Restoration comedy written in 1707. Thornton Wilder began this delightful, updated adaptation in the 1930’s which, at the request of his estate, was completed by Ken Ludwig in 2004.

Stacey Joseph Kock and Lizzy (Elizabeth) Racquel Sampson announced their wedding engagement just before Christmas. The couple will marry on May 24at an outdoor venue overlooking the ocean.

Wearing a red national team uniform, San Lorenzo Valley High School senior Anna Maxwell represented the United States junior team at the Bupa Great XC International Challenge Run. This event was held in Edinburgh, Scotland on January 11. Only six girls were chosen to compete on the youth team in this 4000-meter race. Maxwell finished 11th overall and 3rd on her team in 14 minutes, 32 seconds. Battling a soggy, wet course with rolling hills and a creek to cross, she was the only high school girl on the U.S. team.