On May 20, 2020, Facebook Messenger alerted me to a new note from my college sweetheart, Peter. He and I had met in Southern California circa 1991 at a collegiate Speech & Debate tournament (where I trounced him in the category of Speech to Entertain), and we have remained friends. Peter sent me a link to a stunning home that he had found on Zillow. “Is this in your neighborhood?” he asked. I responded in the affirmative, and asked how a guy living in Oceanside could happen upon a house for sale in Felton, of all places. He and his family were looking for an investment property in Northern California, he said, and this one caught his eye. Was it the stunning interior? The wrap-around deck? The stand-alone cottage that adorned the property? Nope. “There’s a picture of Bigfoot in the backyard, and that’s a first,” said Peter. Daniel Oster is the realtor who put the home on Hillside Drive on the market, and although the house featured five beds, three baths and plenty of room to roam, Oster felt it needed…a hook. Oster decided that this was the property where Bigfoot would make his debut, and sure enough, the hook worked. “We had over 800,000 views on Zillow...one of the top 3 in Zillow’s history,” Oster said. “Bigfoot was seen making the best of the shelter-in-place…reading, baking, exercising, gardening, working in the home shop…” In the end, the property had multiple offers and sold for $101,000 above list price (sorry, Peter). Read on to learn about Oster’s advantage with his innovative Sasquatch placement. Press Banner: When did you start using the Bigfoot costume in conjunction with your business?Daniel Oster: This was the first, and perhaps, the only time Bigfoot made an appearance at one of my listings. The response was overwhelming, so perhaps he'll show up again in the future. PB: How did you come up with the concept?DO: I was inspired by a listing that made the real estate news that featured an inflatable T-Rex... Bigfoot seemed more relevant to the house I was marketing at the time. It was set in a beautiful stand of redwood trees in Felton. PB: Are you in any way affiliated with the Bigfoot museum in Felton?DO: No affiliation, but they are certainly a landmark. PB: Do you hear directly from clients that you were selected as their realtor based upon that fun element of your business?DO:Bigfoot was a conversation starter, but people primarily value working with me for local expertise with a combination of responsiveness and creative problem solving. I did connect with quite a few new clients as a result of this going viral, but my business is almost entirely repeat and referral clients. I always try to have fun along the way, so the silliness factor of Bigfoot certainly resonated with my core group of clientele.  PB: What’s the best story you can share regarding your wearing of the costume?DO: We wanted to bring attention to the property, but we were also trying to bring a bit of levity to folks in the real estate market. The pandemic is stressful for all of us, and we are all trying to make the best of it. I received calls from people all over the country just to let me know that this made them smile. That was the best. PB: How do dogs react to you?DO: The seller's dog, Max, was a bit curious, but I was surprised he wasn't frightened by the costume. PB: What is the best lesson you've learned from your cross-over of Bigfoot and real estate sales?DO: This is really twofold: 1. No matter what is happening in the world, our community is bigger than we realize. Each of us has the ability to impact others in profound ways. 2. Take action. If you have an idea, or inspiration, act on it. We are surrounded by opportunity, but it takes action and follow-through.  PB: And the question we all want to ask you: Do you believe in Bigfoot?DO: I did not believe in Bigfoot before this, and now, I'm sure there's no real Bigfoot. I'm still cleaning hair from my car and office. If Bigfoot was real, there'd be hair all over the forest! 

 Famous for fox-hunting and polo, the Meadow Brook country club had also earned a place in golf history.            According to one account, the “old and exciting Scotch game” caught on in America in 1892, after a young lady brought a full set of clubs with her on a visit from the Old World and began teaching her hosts.  “Golf promises to become a formidable rival to lawn tennis and other outdoor sports in this country,” predicted the New York Sun.  From the earnestness with which the Long Islanders have taken hold of the game there is ground for belief that it will spread rapidly to other portions of the United States.”             The members of the Meadow Brook club laid out a course on their grounds in the spring of 1895.   One of the club’s first events was a competition between the women members for a silver powder puff, “beautifully engraved.”  That fall, the club was the scene of the first national women’s championship tournament.            When not practicing polo, Marion Hollins spent time on the Meadow Brook links.  Team captain Louise Hitchcock, who had been a spectator at the inaugural tournament, was also an expert golfer.  The nine-hole course was “of an undulating character,” featuring a wide variety of hazards—quite unlike the one Marion had practically grown up on.  Stretching over two miles of countryside, it favored golfers with strong tee shots—her specialty.            The Westbrook Country Club, also established in 1895, had been carved out of the private estates of a Wall Street banker and one of the Vanderbilt heirs.  “The ground is perfectly level,” noted one sports columnist, “and devoid of natural features favorable to golf, but it is nevertheless very picturesque.”             Marion’s parents, Harry B. and Evelina Knapp Hollins, were among the founding members of the Westbrook club.  When Thomas Hitchcock offered a silver chafing dish as a prize for the best score posted in October, Mr. Hollins finished a close second.            Golf was the favorite sport of the Hollins youngsters—four boys and Marion, the baby of the family.  The oldest son, Harry Jr., showed off considerable skills as a teenager.  Competing in an open competition in 1896, he bested a field of older rivals.  Among the losers was his father, “who protested that thereafter his identity was gone and he must resign himself to be known as the father of a golf player.”             Harry Jr. attended Harvard, where he continued to excel as a member of the college team.  Younger brothers Gerald Vanderbilt and McKim were also considered top-notch amateurs.  The fourth brother, however, preferred tennis.            In May 1912, Marion decided to try her hand at tournament play.  One of the most important events on the women’s golf calendar was the championship of the Women’s Metropolitan Golf Association, featuring several national champions.  Moving ahead in an elimination competition at a New Jersey country club, the “forceful young player” bested several veteran players.  In a hard-fought semi-final match, her clutch performance impressed observers.   “When Miss Hollins found it was do or die, she developed great steadiness and made the contest a seesaw affair till the home green was reached.  There she won by a carefulness and poise of play that greatly pleased her friends.”            Facing a local favorite in the finals, it became apparent the “Miss Hollins was not playing her usual brilliant game.”  Although her drives carried well, she had trouble sinking putts.  It turned out that she was suffering from a peculiar accident—a blade of grass had lodged in her throat, preventing her from sleeping.  Playing despite intense pain, “she showed flashes of her usual form, but she was beaten.”  In spite of the outcome it had been a successful debut and the sporting press predicted “a bright golf future for her.”(To be continued.)  

For years I dreaded cooking rice and when Uncle Ben produced instant rice in a plastic pouch, I was elated.  And then I met Maroque.

While many of us has sought out the bright side of this COVID storm by slowing down and taking a much-needed break, it seems like the San Lorenzo Valley Water District doesn’t know how to rest.  But, that’s the price of providing a vital resource constantly to every home, business, and building within our valley.  Over the past few months, SLVWD has made many improvements to their facilities. Rick Rogers, the District Manager, Nate Gillespie, the Water Treatment and Systems Supervisor, and Carly Blanchard, the Environmental Planner, were eager to reveal their newest acquisitions and accomplishments.  

On August 7th, the Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County (HRCSCC) announced that the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has finally approved their Syringe Services Program application.  The decision has been long awaited, as authorization for the program was expected back in early March.  Understandably, with COVID-19, the CDPH had to delay the decision for several months.  For more background on their application process, check out my December 10th article, Homelessness and Syringe Use in Santa Cruz County on our website.

Some honked their horns. Some waved and shared a thumbs up. Others flashed their lights and peace signs, and still others yelled obscenities that can’t be printed in this newspaper. Standing on all corners of Highway 9 and Graham Hill Road in Felton on July 31, nearly 20 supporters of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement heard from motorists as they held their handwritten signs aloft in the warm evening air. “My Life Matters.” “Breath For All.” But the most impactful sign was held by eight-year old Eli Elliott: “Will I Be Next?” Eli and his five-year old brother, Alex, are homeschooled through the San Lorenzo Valley Charter Program under the tutelage of their mom, Clara, a former English teacher. The presence of COVID-19 in Santa Cruz County didn’t impact their school year, but the killing of George Floyd rocked their world. For the last six weeks, Clara, her husband Kevin, and their two young sons have been protesting in Felton; the impact of Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis has rippled around the world, and the San Lorenzo Valley is no exception. This is Alex’ first protest. This bright-eyed kid who wants to be a firefighter may not fully understand the complexity of systemic racism or what a chokehold means to a young black man, but his parents do, and so does his big brother. This is Eli’s third protest. When asked how long he’s been protesting, he says, “A long time.” Eli’s first protest was at the age of three in San Jose. That one was in support of BLM, but he’s also been to the Women’s March in San Jose the day after Trump’s inauguration, and another protest in Oakland. For Kevin, a software engineer with Apple, this is his first time. “I’ve never protested a thing in my life, so I’m here for my kids. If we don’t do something,” he says through tears, “I don’t know that they’re going to live. There’s a window of time here where things have to change. If we keep this up, maybe we can make this different.” He looks at his sons with a combination of sorrow and affection. “What happens when they’re not cute anymore?” Clara keeps her voice raised on behalf of her family. She’s a member of the San Lorenzo Valley/Scotts Valley Coalition Against Racism on Facebook, and has worked closely with other members to determine ways to stop racism locally. “Racism is a systemic problem in our country, and we’re going to need a lot of big changes. I hope that people see that my sons’ lives are worth standing up for. We want to work with local legislators and law enforcement to put some structures in place that will help bring racism to an end, but it’s just so overwhelming.” Ariel Young is also a member of that Facebook group, and was part of a book study group in mid-2019 led by the Ben Lomond Quaker Center that focused on white privilege and anti-racism education. “That was my first step into being anti-racist.” Based on what Young has experienced while standing with other BLM protesters in Felton, it sounds like others in the area could benefit from that type of education. “I’ve heard people yell, ‘Go home,’ and ‘White Power,’ and I’ve been flipped off many, many times. I worry about the safety of my friends who live locally and are people of color. It’s really troubling.” Paul Machlis has been there since the beginning. With communities standing up against racism all over the country, the soft-spoken man points out, “It’s an awareness thing. As a country, we haven’t been conscious enough about how racism is baked into the system, and I hope that awareness on our part will help bring about change. Part of why I stand here is to be part of a community that cares about this issue, and also to be an example to young people. There are kids that pass by in cars with their parents, and I wonder what kind of discussion our protest generates amongst them. We’ve had plenty of kids out here too, and they’re learning about free speech and standing up for what you believe, and that’s a valuable lesson too.” Want to join the movement? The Felton BLM protests happen every Tuesday and Friday beginning at 4:45pm at the intersection of Highway 9 and Graham Hill Road.

There are creative cooks who pair fresh herbs with their produce and other dishes and then there’s me who needs all the inspiration I can get to up my game in the kitchen. I have the basic herbs growing - Italian parsley, rosemary, basil, thyme and oregano - but I want to learn more uses for common herbs. I have used Italian parsley for lemon butter to drizzle on rosemary chicken. The oregano and basil goes well on a stuffed baked potatoes and poached salmon with mushrooms, marjoram, lemon thyme and a touch of mint is delicious, too. I forgot, I have lemon verbena which goes well with carrots, beets, corn, tomatoes and all types of fruit. I need to get some sage. It would pair well with beans, apples, tomatoes, cauliflower or potatoes. Other herbs that I need to add are cilantro, summer savory and tarragon. When shopping for herbs it's a good idea to snip a leaf and crush it between your fingers. Smell the essential oil. You'd be amazed how different herbs can smell and taste depending on the source of the plant. Thyme can smell like caraway, pine, camphor, lavender or turpentine. Rosemary plants can vary widely in taste depending on the source of the stock. You don't want to ruin chicken dinner by using the crushed leaves of one that tastes of pine or turpentine. Trim your herbs often to keep them bushy and productive. Fresh herbs are at their finest in summer as they peak in flavor and essential oils. Most herb stems can be cut and kept in a jar of water, out of direct sunlight, for a few days of use. I've even had basil send out roots in water.  Nearly all herbs are perennial and can be grown from seed. Anise, coriander (also known as cilantro), dill and fennel should be sown directly in the garden as they do not transplant well. Parsley lives for 2 years then flowers and goes to seed. The flowers attract beneficial insects to your garden so leave them to do their work and start new plants to eat. The herbs that are annuals and need to be planted from starts or seed every year include basil, coriander, dill and summer savory.  Although rust infects mints, very few diseases or insects attack herbs. Occasionally, spider mites may be found on low growing herb plants in hot, dry weather and aphids may attack anise, caraway, dill and fennel. Washing the foliage off early in the day helps in controlling mites and aphids. Here are some growing tips:Most herbs like 6-8 hours of full sun. Well drained soil is essential. If drainage is poor, work in plenty of organic matter or grow in raised beds or containers. Water regularly until the plants are growing steadily. Then most will need only occasional watering. Exceptions are basil, chives, mint and parsley which prefer evenly moist soil. Many herbs attract beneficial insects if they are allowed to flower.   Fresh herbs are the most flavorful. The stuff in spice jars that you get in the store is often tasteless when compared to the real thing. When cooking with herbs, there is a general rule of thumb to keep in mind regarding the ratio of fresh to dry. Because  dried herbs are often more potent and concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less. That means the correct ratio is one tablespoon of fresh herbs to one teaspoon of dried. Herb plants make beautiful ornamental additions to perennial beds and borders, too. Next week I’ll talk about how to harvest, dry and preserve herbs.