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Most people associate fall with the darkening of leaves on the trees. The past few years the inshore waters of the ocean have made color changes in the fall with the arrival of red tides. Humpback whales have also made a late season showing right outside Capitola.

By the time Councilmember Allan Timms got to the Light Up the Night tree-lighting and performance art spectacle around 5pm on Dec. 7, it was already packed. “It’s really nice to see so many people and kids,” he said. “It’s a very Scotts Valley event.” You...

Summer is officially almost here, although we all know it actually starts on Memorial Day weekend. What fun stuff should you be doing in the garden? What problems should you be on the lookout for? What troublemakers should you avoid planting?

The unusually warm January weather has made the early flowering trees and shrubs bloom even earlier this year. Actually it's not so unusual for us to have a warm streak around here in January. What is unusual is the prolonged dry and stable conditions we have encountered. The high pressure system that blocks our usual winter rains does not usually last more than 2 to 3 weeks even in the heart of the rainy season. The persistent ridge has not behaved in a typical manner. We can only hope the ridge breaks down in the next few months and brings us more than a smattering of rain here and there. What should a gardener be doing in February?