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While preparing the dressing for the Shrimp Salad whose recipe I have included here, my mind wandered from the food I was preparing to another type of food. 

Those of you who read my column regularly might have noticed I often write about plants that are valuable to the birds and the bees as well as butterflies and wildlife in the general. I have 10 bird feeders around my house. Four for the hummingbirds and the other six have black oil sunflower seed and hulled chips. At this time of year when there are so many young the extra food is much appreciated. I provide water and nectar plants for the bees and butterflies as well. If I had to choose one plant to grow that would provide the most benefit for all the critters it would be ceanothus. Hands down, it’s the best and here are some of my favorite varieties.

Linda Skeff is on a mission- to eradicate invasive species and restore native plant habitat up and down the San Lorenzo Valley. After three years of leading teams of AmeriCorps Volunteers to “pull out the invasive and restore the natives”, Skeff has her sights on a nearer term goal than the whole valley, but no less ambitious.

Next month, several participants will run the trails through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park marking the 50th anniversary of Felton’s oldest long-distance race.

While the housing affordability crisis has given rise to calls for tenant protections and rent control across the state, one of the last strongholds of affordable home ownership – mobile homes- now has a bill in the state assembly aimed at providing more protection and legal recourse to those who own their own home, but rent the space their home occupies from the owner of the mobile home park.  

Bringing flowers indoors, whether displayed in a simple mason jar or a crystal vase, brightens my day. I wish I had more flowers growing in my own landscape.

Now that you have an assortment of herbs growing nicely in your garden what do you do with them? Mine seem to be growing more exuberantly than I anticipated and if I don’t keep up with snipping them often some will go to seed or get leggy and unproductive. Then what would I do when I’m putting together my favorite nectarine-caprese salad with fresh basil and mint leaves?

I'd like to discuss tick bite and signs and symptoms of Lyme disease.