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").

 In response to Santa Cruz County’s ongoing Shelter in Place Orders, Cabrillo College Extension has moved many of its popular workshops and summer camps to a virtual format with live instruction. Classes in creative arts, culinary, health & wellness, home & garden, as well as Extension’s summer youth camps are offered via live instruction that can be enjoyed from home. Students can interact with instructors and fellow students to complete projects and learn new skills, and classes are full of instructor-led demonstrations, social interaction, and expert guidance.

St. Philip the Apostle announces the Call of Rev. Katherine B. Doar as their Priest-in -Charge.  Katherine’s first day of ministry was Tuesday 9th June and she led her first worship service during St. Philip’s virtual service on Sunday 14th June.

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!   

Assistant District Attorney Alex Byers knows a thing or two about the criminal justice system. Byers was a public defender in Kern County office for 6.5 years, beginning in 2002. “I wanted to help people,” Byers told me. When Byers decided to move his family to Santa Cruz, then-District Attorney Bob Lee gave Byers some professional guidance: “You can help far more people as a prosecutor.” Byers took the advice, and he’s been working to apply justice to cases ever since. In 2013, Byers was recognized for his efforts in affecting change; the California Office of Traffic Safety, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and the Monterey/San Benito/Santa Cruz County AVOID Campaign presented him with an award for prosecuting impaired drivers. The symbolism of that recognition has no doubt loomed large for Byers as he has worked to prosecute Jeremy Shreves, 49, in the death of Felton resident Josh Howard. When Jeremy Shreves crossed over the white line on Highway 9 in February of 2019, striking and killing Howard as he walked along the roadway, Shreves wasn’t drunk or high or stoned. He was administered a Field Sobriety Test (FST) immediately after the accident, and the determination was that he was sober. Sober? Yes. Responsible for Howard’s death? Yes. As a result, the sentence handed down to Shreves felt breathtakingly insufficient to those who have little interaction with the justice system. “A charge of vehicular manslaughter forces us to look at the conduct of the criminal: the frustration is that Josh is dead, and the sentence is minimal. The underlying factor is that there was no intent to kill, unlike murder. We’re talking about negligent conduct, and it’s defined as disregarding a foreseeable risk,” said Byers. The tough thing about the Howard/Shreves case was determining the level of impairment caused by the use of methamphetamines. “One thing that wasn’t clear in the instance where Josh was struck and killed was that while Shreves had meth in his system, he was not impaired by it. The ability to determine impairment for alcohol comes as a known measurement: with a blood alcohol reading of .08, the jury can presume someone is impaired. Other drugs, like meth, require the presence of the substance with a FST. After the collision, the CHP put him through a FST and determined that Shreves was not impaired.” Byers says there are different levels of negligence: falling asleep, driving impaired, running red lights. With a substance like meth, though, it’s difficult to measure its impact on an individual since there is no quantifiable test to gauge the level of impairment it provides. Ultimately, Shreves pled to a charge of felony reckless driving causing injury. “The charge will mean that Shreves will get the supervision he needs,” said Byers, and he wants the public to know that the sentence included a multitude of penalties beyond the jail sentence (which Shreves has already completed due to time served and time off for good behavior). “He has to pay restitution, which I think is important. In addition, he is required to undergo a psych evaluation; if it’s determined that he needs counseling or meds, he’ll get them. He’s getting a substance abuse evaluation—might be inpatient or outpatient treatment, depending on his needs. His driver’s license is restricted. He will have to undergo random drug testing, and he may be searched at any time without cause. He has to attend DUI school—it’s essentially an alcohol awareness school.” I comment that all of this seems minimal for an accident that took Josh’s life, and Byers quickly jumps in. “This was not an accident. He was intentionally distracted. We have to assume that drugs and alcohol have consequences beyond their immediate use. You mentioned the “meth-addled brain” in your first article,” says Byers, and he admits there’s something to that. We discuss how discouraged Kelley Howard was with Shreves’ sentence, and Byers is compassionate. “I totally agree with Kelley, but as a lawyer and prosecutor, I’m required to look at the evidence and apply the law that was violated. Shreves pled to a felony and subsequent DUI,” says Byers. That’s the most aggressive charge that could be summoned.                                                  ________________________________ DESIGN – we need a BREAKER here – a red line or some deisgn to separate “We knew it was going to be a problem,” said Byers. He’s talking about the passage of Proposition 64—The Control, Regulate, and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act. “The proposition passed prior to having tests to determine what an impaired driver looks like,” he said. “We keep passing laws that interfere with victim’s rights, and it’s frustrating. I try to help the victims manage their expectations versus reality.” And the three-strikes law? “Very few people qualify for prosecution under the three-strikes law. The passage of Proposition 47, also known as the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, decriminalized drug possession and use, and reduced drug crimes to misdemeanors. Prop 36 affected the teeth of three-strikes, because the law was way ahead of measuring impairment for marijuana use.” Byers says the hits will keep on coming. “In the fall, California residents will vote on a no-cash bail proposal. Criminals will go steal, and we need to be able to slow them down and get them into the services they need. There’s no balance in California,” Byers laments. “We don’t have all the power in sentencing—there are other parties in the room and other considerations,” said Byers. “We don’t win every time we go to court, but we can shape what can happen.” Part of the restraints on the process come from the Department of Justice (DOJ). “Drug test results are sent to the DOJ, and they are tremendously backlogged. It takes too much time to get the results, which can impact our ability to charge the defendant. When filing criminal charges, we still need to know all the facts, so with drug DUIs, we don’t necessarily file immediately. I’ve prosecuted the cases for three years, and I’ve been in the business for 20. We want to get the DOJ on the case ASAP, and we have to stay on them to get them to respond in time. The statute of limitations for a misdemeanor is one year; felonies are longer.” But what about the jail credits for good behavior that cut Shreves’ time by half? “Jail credits are the law,” says Byers. “It used to be (those incarcerated) earned fewer credits, but with overcrowding and the change of laws to give (incarcerated individuals) more credits in county jail, the result is more outrageous in terms of prison sentences. We’re releasing 6,000-8,000 criminals early—they’re the type of individuals that benefit from these policies. I’ve talked to family members like Kelley,” Byers continues, “and when I explain the law and consequences, they are shocked. In the last 5-7 years, our laws have continuously changed to undermine victim’s rights.” So how do we fix this? “Step one: we have to get convictions. Our office has to prove to a jury that the conduct is reflective of the charges. Once we have a conviction, we can begin a discussion about the risk to public safety and victims’ rights in light of the law. The judge and the probation department agreed that the Shreves sentence was appropriate because of the net we’ve created around him. He will be back in court next week so we can make sure he’s doing those things in his sentence. In the court system, it’s frustrating, but we have to work within the system.” Byers wants to clarify an inaccuracy from last week’s article: Shreves has never been charged with armed robbery. He has one prior felony conviction—a string of commercial burglaries in Santa Cruz in 1995. “He’s what I call a misdemeanant [a person guilty of misdemeanors or misconduct]. The most serious charges are around drugs and theft, and he has a conviction for vandalism. Some people have no restraints on hurting people, but not this guy,” says Byers. “When someone is sentenced, we consider his history, and Shreves has a history of not hurting people. For his probation sentence, he got the maximum time. If he violates probation, he can be sentenced to the balance of the term, which is up to three years.” And in the meantime? What can we expect? “Well, we hope that [the threat of] jail time will motivate people, and in Shreves’ case, he’ll be motivated to restructure his life so that he’s no longer a danger to society. He expressed remorse in court and at the scene. We always hope people follow directions and get back on their feet—after all, they’re members of our community—but if he gets another DUI, he’ll go to prison. The problem with prison is it just warehouses people; by being on probation, we’ve asked him to do what he needs to do for his own benefit.” As the Howard family continues to manage the impacts of Josh’s death, Kelley will be appearing on Rosemary Chalmers’ program on KSCO. By giving her grief a voice, her hope is that change may follow for those victims who find themselves at odds with the justice system.  

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.