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With the holiday season upon us I enjoy colorful plants on my tabletop and window sill. How safe are holiday plants for pets and small children?

   My refrigerator is practically empty, with only a few jars of condiments and a vegetable or two gracing its shelves.  I have created two major Christmas party menus and have spent the last few days of this month writing a long grocery list; its length, for a single person, seems a bit overwhelming. 

Finally the rain has come. Outside my window a Townsend warbler feasts on suet. It’s a rainy day and I”m enjoying the vivid colors of my late fall garden. Backlit leaves take on a whole new look. There are so many ways of combining plants in the garden. I’m taking notes so I remember my favorites to include in my own garden and future designs. 

Matt Machado, now on the job about five months as the new Director of Public Works for Santa Cruz County, gave a status report on road repair projects in the San Lorenzo Valley at a “meet and greet” event at Highlands Park on Nov. 19.  Early in his remarks, Machado said, “Thank goodness Proposition 6 failed in the election- proposing to repeal the gas tax- because that gas tax funding is our match for every one of our storm damage projects.” 

It’s a chilly November morning as Ron Trader stands outside on the deck in Felton with a cup of coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other. This is Trader’s morning ritual.

If working in the garden Thanksgiving weekend is not high on your list then you’re in luck.  Here are some reasons why along with other information you need to know.

Once upon a time when our area was under water

Santa Cruz County sent a strike team on Thursday to the Camp Fire in Butte County. Five engines were sent with a leader and an assistant leader. The agencies participating are Scotts Valley, Branciforte, Santa Cruz, Central and Aptos/La Selva. The Strike Team leader is from Central and the Assistant Leader is from Aptos/La Selva. Four people are assigned to each engine.

Throughout the year I am asked for design help and plant suggestions but especially in the fall I hear the request, “I’d love to add more grasses to my garden.” There’s no doubt that the movement and sound of ornamental grasses in the landscape adds another dimension to our experience. Many grasses and grass-like plants use less water than other plants, too.