The Mountain Gardener: Low maintenance, high reward
We all want to save time, energy and water in the garden. Who wants a high-maintenance landscape that takes up all our resources? If you grow edibles, you already know they take a bit of care, so it’s even more important to have the rest of the yard be more sustainable.
Your Health: Cigarette smoking from a medical viewpoint
I was very pleased to see the article “Consider quitting smoking for health” published by the Press-Banner last week (Page 18, Nov. 6). Allow me to add my own opinion on this subject — from a doctor’s point of view.
The Wine Lover: Tasting wine, part 2: Taste for yourself
Last time, I discussed how to identify and understand wines by color, clarity and smell. Tasting is the most important part, of course, and there are some characteristics that will help explain why certain wines taste and feel different in your mouth.
Year of Firsts: Can we build a better library?
In this economy, and in this era of the Internet, it’s nice to see a library that hasn’t taken the plunge of the daily newspaper and nearly vanished from the community.
The Mountain Gardener: Less sun needn’t mean a drab garden
Just because the sun goes down early, don’t put your garden to sleep yet. Make sure you have flowers blooming in the fall, as well as fiery foliage to perk up the view outside your windows.
Let’s Go Fishin’: King salmon wait for rain
The coastal rivers of Northern California are teeming with huge Chinook (king) salmon that are waiting for a rain to migrate up the coastal rivers.
Off Hours: A commoner at the sport of kings
I wanted to take a friend on a special outing last month, but I struggled to come up with something that would be different, fun and memorable. Almost at the last moment, I decided we’d go to the horse races — and, man, it could not have worked out better.
Talk about Money: Housing still a crunch in local market
The first-time home buyers tax credit has helped boost prices in parts of San Lorenzo Valley, but it hasn’t lifted the gloom that hangs over Scotts Valley’s housing market.
Scotts Valley roller derby team wins second consecutive national title
Scotts Valley’s Santa Cruz Derby Groms female division team, the Gromshells, claimed their second consecutive Junior Roller Derby Association (JRDA) National Championship on July...