The Mountain Gardener: A gardener’s 12 days of Christmas
Here is a Christmas carol medley written especially for readers here in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Dear Santa…
The Press Banner invited local residents to share their letters to Santa. Here is a sampling.
The Wine Lover: Give some thought to how you store wine
Storing wine correctly is important, even for those who never keep a bottle of wine in the house for more than a week or two. A variety of dos and don’ts will ensure that your wine stays good until you’re ready to drink it.
Let’s Go Fishin’: San Lorenzo steelhead wait for more rain
The San Lorenzo River opened to steelhead fishing Dec. 1 with low flows and very little interest from anglers. The flows are less than 50 cubic feet per second, but with more storms on the horizon, new fish will enter the river soon.
The Mountain Gardener: Simple steps can protect from cold snaps
Frozen flakes of rich, yellow ginkgo leaves at the base of my trees wasn’t what I had in mind when I wrote last week’s column. I watched them land with a soft thud on the frosty ground this morning.
Year of Firsts: Dad’s visit sheds light on mountain living
When my dad flew out for Thanksgiving, I couldn’t wait to show him my new home in the Santa Cruz Mountains. He couldn’t wait to buy me a chain saw! So began a new phase in our father-daughter relationship.
The Mountain Gardener: Make your winter garden a visual feast
Outside my window, there’s a feast going on. The gingko trees are clothed in bright yellow leaves, but soon, they will drop every leaf on almost the same day and cover the ground like carpeting. It’s a feast for the eyes.
Talk about Money: A dicey time to bond
A lot of high-income people live in Scotts Valley, and they pay a lot of taxes.
Your Health: Treat little ones’ cough, cold with care
Over-the-counter cough and cold medications to alleviate cold symptoms in young children are being largely withdrawn from pharmacy shelves. This is because of unintentional misuse or overdose of these medications causing harm and, rarely, death, especially in children younger than 2.
Paddy Smith Park blooms with new garden at Santa Cruz County...
The beautiful Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds are growing even more beautiful thanks to a colorful landscaping project at Paddy Smith Park.
Jeff Rosendale, with Sierra...