He told me that his was a one-of-a-kind garden. Unique in such a small space. He asked if I would I be interested in visiting some time. I love being invited to tour all types of gardens, but I had an inkling that the garden of Rich Merrill, former Director of the Horticulture Dept. and Professor Emeritus at Cabrillo College, would be something special.

Maybe we can't improve on Mother Nature but can we learn from her to make our own gardens more beautiful. My late summer travels this year took me to Lake Mary in the Mammoth Lake area where I began to get ideas. This small Sierra lake formed in a depression in the glacial moraine below majestic Crystal Crag. Dozens of small streams keep the meadows blooming with wildflowers even in August. Huge granite slabs and obsidian domes create an impressive landscape. Everywhere I looked I saw how the plants, stone and water came together to make a combination that would look incredible in a regular garden.

Residents and staff of Oak Tree Villa donated $1,500 toward the families of deceased Santa Cruz Police Officers Loran “Butch” Baker and Elizabeth Butler on Wednesday, Aug. 21. The assisted living home held a rummage sale in its courtyard on July 20 and raised $1,500 towards the cause. They chose to donate to the families of the officers because they were killed in duty around the same time planning for the rummage sale began, said Oak Tree Villa Executive Director Tracy Freudendahl. To accept the donation, Santa Cruz Police Officers, including Chief Kevin Vogel came to Oak Tree Villa in their 1961 Chevrolet Biscane cruiser and gave rides to some of the residents. “It was very cool,” said Freudendahl. “The residents enjoyed it.” Oak Tree Villa will hold another rummage sale this Saturday, Aug. 24 to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association — the same charity the sale benefitted in 2012.

I have a small patio in front of my house where I love to sit on sunny mornings, drinking that first cup of coffee and watching the chickadees fly back and forth from their birdhouses on the arbor, feeding their babies, My neighbor Morris always greets me with a “good morning” while walking his dog, and often a stranger will comment on my garden, leaving me with a smile on my face.

Jim Musich and Lori Loftus were married June 20 in a private ceremony at a beautiful secluded beach south of Carmel. Musich is an automotive machinist in Santa Cruz, and Loftus is a second grade teacher in Los Altos. Their home is in Ben Lomond.

Large salmon returning to the Santa Cruz Harbor have created quite a stir! The scene has created a frenzy at times, as anglers try their luck at catching salmon swimming along the banks of the harbor. The north end of the harbor has drawn most of the attention. Some unsporting behavior has resulted in increased rules to keep the situation a positive one.