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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?

It would have been in May of 1947 when Sister Claire, my French-born teacher passed a copy of the poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ to each of us in her classroom. “Memorize this, every word, jeunne femmes” (young ladies), she said in her lovely French accent, “and one day, hopefully, you will remember it and understand its true meaning.”

It’s a beautiful, sunny Tuesday in July, but rather than spending the day at the beach, the San Lorenzo Valley Varsity Football players are lifting weights in the high school gym. It is all part of their training regime. The student athletes are preparing to improve on their 5-5 finish from last season. And while the players have been working hard all summer, the preparation for a successful season goes beyond the weight room. 

In California, suicide is the second leading cause of death in teens. While the subject is hard to think about — let alone talk about — it is important to be informed and educated on the warning signs so you can help loved ones when they need it.

All involved have high hopes for the 2012 salmon season.