Driving up Love Creek in Ben Lomond it’s hard to imagine the magnitude of the famous slide in 1982 that caused such devastation and loss of life. The ferns are lush now bordering the creek which flows to the San Lorenzo river. I’m on my way to visit an old friend, Chris Howe who is getting his bonsai collection ready for the Santa Cruz Bonsai Kai Club’s 28th Annual show coming up on the first weekend of April. We used to work together at a local nursery and I’m looking forward to seeing his plants.

Kay Mendoza was recently awarded the Hometown Hero Award surrounded by staff and students at Coast Redwood Charter School.

Historic Joe’s Bar in Boulder Creek is starting to look like the new owners envisioned it when they bought it last June.

Do you ever look at the collection of cut roses at the market and think “Which is my favorite color today?” Sometimes it’s the strawberry pink ones I’m drawn to, other times I like butterscotch or deep red. It’s the same dilemma in my garden. I try to use restraint and stick to just three colors but who can do that, really? In early spring I love the soft pink and pure white of bleeding hearts, camellias and early rhododendrons but maybe because I’m surrounded by so much green, I’m drawn in summer to the bright jewel colors of orange, yellow and red in my garden.

In December 2015, Baymonte kindergartener Annalee Sater, 5, was diagnosed with cancer. Since then, she has undergone chemotherapy but the treatment is costly and the community is trying to help the family.

AgapeDanceAcademy announces its participation in the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) dance competition in San Francisco, March 4-6. Agape is the only dance school that represents Santa CruzCounty selected to represent Santa CruzCounty.

 Spring is in the air, flowers blooming everywhere, birds singing in the trees, bees buzzing in the breeze. What’s a gardener to do on a day like this when just being outside is a celebration of life? Here at The Mountain Gardener headquarters - my office with the big picture windows overlooking the Blireiana flowering plum and several bird feeders, I’m taking my time to consider doing some gardening tasks this month. I will share my ‘to-do’ task list with you.