Fishing is good in Monterey Bay and the surrounding waters. Ocean fishing continues to host an array of opportunities, and freshwater fishing remains strong in the reservoirs of Central California. A local favorite and a great standby fishery is rockfish, as local boats continue to catch limits constantly.

“The state soil of New York is named for the place where a man lost his finger to a rattlesnake. The finger lays quiet in the ground,” writes Aimee Nezhukumatathil. “The snake’s great-great-grandsnakes still chitter through this soil.”

Raindrops on roses and clusters of cherries,

’Tis the season! No, not that season, but the time to propagate and increase your number of plants. Maybe you want to save seed from your heirloom vegetables or start more shrubs inexpensively. How about getting more fruit trees, or even trying your hand at starting your own Christmas tree?

My fascination with poisonous plants was piqued recently while researching organic methods for eliminating rhododendron root weevils.