I’m a born-and-bred Californian. I’ve been fortunate to have lived in every compass point of this state. The Salinas Valley, though, is without question my favorite spot. It has it all — a small town …

The Monarchs have returned to Pacific Grove. They do that about this time every year. They’ve become such a part of the town they have their own neighborhood, the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary. It’s a b…

“Lend me the stone strength of the past and I will lend you The wings of the future, for I have them. — Robinson Jeffers, To the Rock that Will be a Cornerstone — I took a tour of Tor House and Hawk T…

A couple of years ago, I hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back with my guy. It was in late June. It was hot. Really hot. At one point, the temperature gauge at the bottom read 146 degrees (…

O garlic, how aromatic, a bouquet that inspires — O garlic, how healthy, your cloves we admire — O garlic, how pungent, ward off those vampires — O garlic, how festive, our weekend desire!…

I’m a gardener. In fact, the University of California Cooperative Extension Program certificate I have states that I’m a Master Gardener. As much of an accomplishment as that might be, I know that mas…

You never know what you mind find hiding in the crevices in the tide pools along our rocky shore. Native residents include chitons, barnacles, periwinkles, turban snails, limpets and crabs. Look but d…

On July 14 in 1771, the San Antonio de Padua Mission was founded as the third in a string of missions that began in San Diego and ended in San Francisco. Located on Fort Hunter Liggett Military Reserv…

When my kids were little, they loved to be read to. My son was a dinosaur fanatic. I read him every book that came out – fiction and nonfiction. He could identify a pachycephalosaurus or an ichthyosau…

In 1986, the student body of University of California, Santa Cruz organized an election to vote for either the banana slug or sea lion as the official mascot. By an overwhelming majority, a 15 to 1 ra…