The letter’s return address read Melbourne, Australia and it’s stamps had the face of a Koala on them.  I was excited, as I had received an email earlier from a cousin I did not know existed, who had spent a great deal of time and effort locating me.   This letter from Andrew ended with how great it would be if we could meet someday.  And meet someday we did.   I am so fortunate to have made the hasty decision last May to travel to Australia and meet this new-found family of mine.  Had I waited until this year the trip would never have happened.    Hasty (another word for impulsive) decisions have usually worked well for me, except for that one day in my kitchen.   Soon after losing my Hubby Norm I remember standing in the kitchen looking at the plethora of pots and pans hanging from a pot hanger, cupboards and drawers full of dishes, and cooking equipment, all put into play when I would cook for him.  That day I hastily decided to rid myself of memories.  Little did I realize  memories are not easily erased simply by removing pots and pans, nor would  buying unfamiliar ones clear my mind.  However, one thing this hasty decision did teach me is that I do love to cook and cannot go without cooking.  I love to teach others to cook and I love to see my family and friends enjoy the fruits of my labor.    During this new way of life we are now leading, plus the alone time we now have, I have been cooking more complicated dishes and reinventing ones that are familiar, but time-consuming.    A few days prior to the Fourth of July I looked at my good friend Rosie Chalmers and hastily said, “Lets have lobsters for the Holiday,” and boiled lobsters for the Fourth of July we had.   My plan was to reserve the lobsters’ shells in my freezer along with their legs (lobsters have ten meat-filled legs), which would be cooked into a tomato-based lobster bisque, my hubby’s favorite soup.   Two days prior to July 4th, I ordered four 1 ¾ lb. lobsters on-line from Maine which would be shipped live, overnight.  Two of these were to be gifted; one to neighbor Mike and the other to the Mountain Gardner, Jan.  By ordering $100 worth, shipping was free.  The entire order cost $138…$34 per person.  The meat from the lobsters was too much for one meal, making the cost of each dinner at $17.  Coupling that with the soup yet to be cooked, which uses only tomatoes and cream, plus a few minor ingredients, we are down to a mere $12 each for three meals of lobster.  Not an expensive hasty choice after all.   Our big day arrived, and having brought a pot of water to a boil, Rosie stepped up to the task and with her bare hands picked up Larry lobster and popped him into the pot.  A mere 14 minutes later, out came Larry and another lobster went in.  I was grateful as this is the part of cooking I have trouble with, whether it be live clams, crabs, or especially lobsters, anything moving.   After a few hours and with a lovely Cosmopolitan cocktail in hand, Rosie and I sat down with our lobsters on a plate and tools ready… a lobster cracker, long thin forks, and kitchen shears.  Well, the crackers didn’t work.  This was to be a tougher and messier undertaking than anticipated.  We moved our Larry lobsters to a large cookie sheet and had to resort to a hammer and a block of wood if we were to have lobster for dinner.    Well worth all of this effort?  You bet, and maybe, for me at least, are the  memories.  Memories from the past as well as new memories stored for the future.      Dear Readers, use this unusual time we have found ourselves in to make memories with those you love.  You never know when you will need them. Lobster Bisque (Serves 2-3) In a large soup pot add 2 Lobster carcasses (shells) and legs along with:1 Tbsp. butter1 Tbsp. olive oil6 cloves of smashed garlic3 carrots diced2 celery ribs diced1 cup red onions diced1 cup white wine6 cups vegetable stock1/3 cup tomato paste½ tsp. fresh peppercorns2 bay leaves1 Tbsp. Italian parsley1 tsp. ground thyme½ tsp sea salt½ tsp. cracked pepperBring to a boil, turn down to medium simmer and cook for one hour.   Remove from heat and strain broth.  Set aside. While lobster broth is cooking, dice reserved lobster meat into 1 in. chunks and sauté for two minutes in 2 Tbsp. Butter.  Remove meat and reserve butter for the roux. For the roux, add additional 6 Tbsp. butter and ½ cup all-purpose flour to pan and whisk continually over medium heat until lightly browned and nutty smelling. For the bisque:  Slowly add reserved broth to the roux, whisking quickly.  Turn down heat to medium low. Add ½ cup dry Sherry Wine and 1 cup heavy cream and ½ tsp. saffron. 

We are now living in very stressful times which can have an adverse effect upon our immune system making it easier for us to get sick and catch colds.  There is a way of helping our bodies deal with stress naturally through a group of herbs called "adaptogens". Paramount in this group of herbs is "Eleuthero" (formerly known as "Siberian ginseng").

Mom life is a lot.  Nurse mom life during a pandemic is a lot.  Nurse mom life during a pandemic while growing a business is a lot.  Even for me, sometimes it all becomes too much.  If you’re feeling overwhelmed with how much life has changed, you’re not alone.  In fact, I’d say we’re all in great company!   

Is your garden starting to look a little bedraggled? After a few hot spells, have the plants in your yard gotten a taste of what’s to come for the rest of the summer? After your’ve chosen climate adapted plants how much water do they really need? Here’s how can you keep everything happy and not waste water. All plants need water- even those that are tolerant of our summer dry conditions. Water makes up 90-98% of every plant we grow. It's needed for photosynthesis, as well as reproduction and defense against pests.  With summer water bills arriving this is a good time to re-visit how often and how much to water that landscape you’ve spent so much money to create. Basically, you’re wasting water if you’re not watering deep enough to moisten the entire root ball or if you’re irrigating too often.  Photosynthesis is one of the most remarkable biochemical processes on earth and allows plants to use sunlight to make food from water and carbon dioxide. At temperatures about 104 degrees, however, the enzymes that carry out photosynthesis lose their shape and functionality. A garden that provides optimum light and water but gets too hot will be less vigorous.  Plants have natural systems that respond to heat problems. Plants can cool themselves by pumping water out through the leaves for a kind of swamp cooler effect. They can also make “heat-shock” proteins which reduces problems from over heating. All these strategies can take resources away from a plant’s other needs like growth, flowering and fruiting.  So how much water do different types of plants need during the heat of summer?  Be sure that you water trees and shrubs deeply, checking soil moisture first with a trowel. Established small to medium shrubs should be watered when the top 3-6 inches of soil is dry. Water large shrubs and trees when the top 6-12 inches is dry. As a rule of thumb, trees and large shrubs need deep but infrequent waterings. They should be on a separate valve than your smaller shrubs and perennials. Water ornamental trees 1-3 times per month depending on the type and soil. Tree roots grow 12-36 inches deep and require 10 gallons of water per inch of trunk diameter.  Apply water with a soaker hose, drip system emitters or hand held hose with shut off and soft spray attachment according to your water district’s restrictions. Don’t dig holes in the ground in an effort to water deeply. This dries out roots even more. Be sure to water the root zone to the indicated root depth every time you water. Watering deeper than the root zone only means you are wasting water. You can test how deep you watered by pushing a thin, smooth rod into the ground soon after you irrigate. The soil probe should easily slide through the wet soil but become difficult to push when reaching dry soil.  The roots of smaller shrubs reach 12-24 inches deep in the soil. Established native shrubs may need only monthly waterings to keep them looking their best while other shrubs may need watering every 7-10 days during the heat of the summer. Perennial roots only go down 12 inches or so and may need watering once or twice a week depending on type.  When is the best time to water? Watering in the morning is the most efficient whether you water by sprinkler, drip system, soaker hose or by hand because the water soaks deep in the soil without risk of evaporation. This bolsters the plant for the day and has dried from leaves by evening reducing the risk for foliar diseases like mildew. Plant roots are also more receptive to watering in the morning.  Is it true that water droplets will scorch leaves in the midday sun? According to a study, fuzzy-leaved plants hold  water droplets above the leaf surface and act as a magnifying glass to the light beaming through them so there is a very slight chance of scorch.The study also reported that water droplets on smooth leaves, such as maples, cannot cause leaf burn, regardless of the time of day. But no matter the time of day, a plant that needs water should get the right amount. 

If you’re feeling penned in these days, you should check out a new park!   Discovery Park, located next to the new Felton Library, is now open! Nancy Gerdt, President of the Felton Library Friends and Friends of Santa Cruz County Parks’ board member, was eager to share more details with me. “When we began our whole library campaign in 2005, it went through many iterations.  It wasn’t until 2015, when the county bought land on the other side of Bull Creek that we thought of a new park, which worked so well with our theme of environmental conservation.”

With sheltering in place and not working for the past three months, I have had the opportunity to better notice the natural rhythms of my body. I’m surprised to discover that my energy is not consistent, but ebbs and flows from day to day. With time on my hands, I am able to honor these natural rhythms, and I am feeling so much more balanced, healthy, joyous, and calm. This made me think of all the times I have forced my body or my mind to be in a place that, naturally, it is not. How many times, because of my busy schedule, have I jacked myself up with caffeine, dark chocolate (my drug of choice), carbs, or sugar to get my body and mind to perform at the same high level every day?

In 2019, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., and other California utilities instituted massive preemptive power shutoffs in 30 counties, designed to prevent wildfires during strong and dry winds.

Santa Cruz County historians have a few bragging rights regarding famous residents of the past.  Zasu Pitts and Alfred Hitchcock represent the movies; Jerry Garcia, Janis Joplin, and Neil Young left us a musical legacy.  Sports not so much.  A few baseball players reached the big leagues.  Harry Hooper eventually was enshrined at Cooperstown—Hal Chase will never be.  This year, however, we can applaud another Hall of Famer—a golfer—and it’s about time.