When the famous Greek philosopher Heraclitus constructed his doctrine of change being central to the universe, with the thesis that “nothing endures but change,” he might have been peering into the future, witnessing the state of our tax and legislative system in the U.S., circa 2010.
President Obama, I'd like to thank you for your resilience in this era after 12 years of Bushes. Even my used-to-be-Republican friends — quite rare in the Santa Cruz Mountains — hope you succeed. Mr. Barack, we're on your side. Might I add, good luck, because your plate is full. I'm grateful that you're our president.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here. The community trees are lit, homes and businesses are brightly decorated and Mother Nature is soaking up that much-appreciated rainfall. Santa is looking at the list you secretly keep, and if you've been good, you can probably add one more request. There's still time to get natives in the ground, so add some of these plants to your Christmas list.
If there is a more culturally confusing time in the United States than the month of December, I have no idea what it is. Along with Christmas as practiced by different Christian traditions (not to mention Santa Claus), there is Hanukkah, and more recently Kwanzaa. There may be other observances also of which I am not aware.
Last weekend, something remarkable happened. Debra Collins, a 58-year-old woman from Felton, was found in Fall Creek after spending six nights, shivering and weak, sheltered under a fallen tree. Collins’ discovery by Joachim Deguara and his 7-year-old son, Dylan, was the result of a fairly remarkable chain of events that could only happen in a small town where neighbors care about each other.
Active snow-skiers and boarders are in the driver’s seat for the next few months. While they ramp up for what is projected to be a good year for snow-related fun, however, the rest of us typically alter and reduce our recreational activity in the winter months.