S LV P O S T. C O M | H O L I D A Y S H O P P I N G 4 | M A I N S T R E E T S LV 7 | C A L E N D A R S 1 1 | H I S T O R Y 1 8
SAN LORENZO VALLEY POST
DECEMBER 2021 VOL. 2 ISSUE 12
Holiday Guide
SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS EVENTS, NEWS, AND VISITOR GUIDE
Welcome Tradition Meets Transition This Winter Season By Julie Horner and Mary Andersen
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Publisher San Lorenzo Valley Post, LLC
The familiar fragrance of the forest moist with rain is welcome and marks this time of moving toward a new year. Outdoors under crisp blue skies, afternoons are golden. It’s a perfect time for a brisk walk in a favorite sunny spot, a tasty treat out with friends and family, and to support our local shops for gift-giving treasures. Holiday markets and craft fairs abound, a hopeful sign of recovery. The iconic Felton Covered Bridge in our cover photo will be the scene of the Chamber’s December 12th Christmas Market, returning after a hiatus. View a listing
PHOTO BY SEAN MCLEAN
he winter season encourages generosity and compassion. Pulling inward as a mountain community, there is something irreplaceable and precious that links us one to the other, neighbor to neighbor, Zayante to Boulder Creek, like strands of holiday lights swirled among the eaves of storefronts downtown.
Downtown Felton aglow with holiday spirit of craft fairs and holiday markets on page 10. Home from shopping and dining, wrap up in a cozy blanket, grab a seasonal beverage, rest, restore, and dare to dream about the opportunities that lie ahead. Welcome to the Holiday edition of the Post. mountain
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With Holiday Gift Subscriptions slvpost.com/subscribe 831-335-6500 / mary@slvpost.com 2 San Lorenzo Valley Post December 2021
Founders/Editors Mary Andersen mary@slvpost.com Julie Horner julie@slvpost.com Photographers Mary Andersen Julie Horner Sean McLean Graphic Design Laura Testa-Reyes Contributors Jayme Ackemann Randall Brown Catie Cadge Larry Colen M.C. Dwyer Michele Murphy Josh Reilly Steven Robins Lisa Robinson Alison Steele Joanne Tanner Cover photo by Mary Andersen Advertising Contact mary@slvpost.com 831-335-6500 Event Notices Contact julie@slvpost.com 831-325-1974 Donate: slvpost.com/subscribe Subscription $50 yearly, prepaid. San Lorenzo Valley Post LLC PO Box 1621 Boulder Creek, CA 95006 Telephone 831-335-6500 Copyright © by San Lorenzo Valley Post LLC. All rights reserved.
www.slvpost.com
Holiday SHopping Shopping and Gathering in the Walkable Towns of the Santa Cruz Mountains By Steven Robins and Julie Horner
Felton
ALL PHOTOS BY SEAN MCLEAN
Sun-soaked and surrounded by lush forest, downtown Felton is a natural meeting place at the gateway to San Lorenzo Valley’s small town corridors. It is here residents and visitors gather to enjoy shopping and sipping local. Simpatico (home décor), Mountainside (handmade
Holiday cheer at Felton Music Hall jewelry), Tomboy Outpost (western vintage), Wild Iris (floral), Crooked Beauty (crafting), Art Services (custom framing), and others, are bringing fresh energy to the village. Visit Felton Mercantile, the makers collective in the heart of this redwood mountain town. Owner Cherme’ Wurtz curates offerings from more than 70 local independent crafters. The space is a feast of color and creativity, a crown jewel in Felton. Candi Lee Fragassi, an early trendsetter, owns Mountain Spirit, a magical rock and gift shop at the junction of the mountain roads. A must for those into the mystic, Fragassi enjoys a brisk business. Artist Selena Zontos was waitressing at the Cremer House when she saw a spot open up across the street and jumped on it for the studio/ gallery of her dreams, remembering her father’s encouragement to “live the life uncommon.” Zontos’ Skavenge Art is a wonderland looking out on the increasingly lively Felton community deck. Rose Peterson took over the beloved White Raven just before the pandemic. But Peterson and her crew have kept the coffee and chai house going in tasty style. Next door at Wylder Space, culinary academy trained chef Molly Bravo has created an intimate foodie gathering spot, weathering the times by nurturing her thriving catering business. The team at Felton Music Hall offers pub fare highlighted by their todie-for fried chicken. They’ve taken live music to the next level with world class performers. And we’re all looking forward to the SLV boys behind Humble Sea Brewing opening their new Mountain Tavern across the street in the new year. Felton’s downtown shopping district www.slvpost.com
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Holiday Shopping Shopping and Gathering in the Walkable Towns of the Santa Cruz Mountains (cont) continued from page 3 Back at Felton Mercantile, shop cats Sid and Johnny entertain delighted customers. Something fresh and vital is happening in Felton, and it’s the enterprising, imaginative merchants who are leading the way.
Ben Lomond
Unique holiday shopping opportunities await in charming Ben Lomond. The Santa Cruz Mountain Art’s Center Thomas Gallery’s holiday gift exhibit features 25 local artists this year offering paintings, pottery, journals, and jewelry. Don’t miss the vintage treasures at Valley Churches’ gift boutique where your purchase will benefit a vital year-round food pantry. Mountain Feed is a local favorite with virtually every household and garden gift imaginable. And be sure to end your shopping spree with a stop at Henflings for a brew and their famous burger and onion rings. Jackie Wright and her Adventure Gift Store in Boulder Creek
Downtown Ben Lomond shops
Boulder Creek
Like a page out of the logger’s chronicles of yore, Boulder Creek has maintained its western aura. It’s turn-of-the-century false fronts and iron hitching rings are still embedded in the sidewalks. Colorful murals depicting the area’s history and warmly lit storefronts compliment rows of twinkling lights marking the eavelines of the downtown businesses. Boulder Creek offers visitors a destination shopping experience where you can settle in for the day exploring boutique shops and family owned eateries away from the congestion of the bigger cities. Enjoy a steaming cup of freshly roasted coffee at the Tree House Cafe or Jenna Sue’s, or head to Big Basin Vineyards or Joe’s Bar to fortify before tucking into the tiny crafters emporiums and antique shops that line main street. Nip around the corner on Forest Street to find bulk teas, herbs, and cacao at Manipura Marketplace, the new apothecary, and take 4 San Lorenzo Valley Post December 2021
Valerie Campos and Manipurna Apothecary in Boulder Creek your time strolling nearby neighborhoods with their Victorian “painted lady” clapboards. By evening light, a visit to Scopazzi’s for fine dining and a cocktail by the old stone fireplace is a must; the building — and the experience — is one of the last of its kind in the Santa Cruz Mountains and a perfect way to put you in the holiday spirit. mountain www.slvpost.com
Holiday Giving Please consider giving to our SLV Nonprofits! If you are looking for a worthy cause to contribute to this Holiday Season, here are some wonderful organizations…
Support your library and park Your year-end giving makes a difference! PO Box 1245, Felton, CA 95018 feltonlibraryfriends.org/donate Boulder Creek Rec & Park Foundation............................ bcrpd.org Camp Krem.................................................... campingunlimited.org
Friends of Quail Hollow Park................. friendsofquailhollow.org
Mountain Community Resources....communitybridges.org/mcr Mountain Community Theater.................................. mctshows.org Mountain Parks Foundation.............................mountainparks.org
Reimagining Big Basin.............................. reimaginingbigbasin.org
Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center............. .mountainartcenter.org
Sidewalk Holiday Gift Shops Huge selection of quality Christmas decorations, lots of new toys, household items, jewelry and so much more! Saturdays Dec 4 and 12 from 11am to 4pm All sales benefit the VCU year-round food pantry
San Lorenzo Valley Museum....................................slvmuseum.org Santa Cruz County Parks...............................................831-454-7901 SLV Foundation for Education............................ slvfoundation.org SLV Habitat Restoration........................... slvhabitatrestoration.org
Valley Churches United .......................................................vcum.org Valley Women’s Club....................................valleywomensclub.org
www.slvpost.com
9400 Highway 9, Ben Lomond | 831-336-8258
San Lorenzo Valley Post
December 2021
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Infrastructure 2021: So Much Happened. What Got Done? By Jayme Ackemann I like the finality of a year-end wrap up. But some years can’t be wrapped up neatly with a bow. Making measurable progress means setting some goals. The last time San Lorenzo Valley did that in a formal way was during the development of Village Design Plans for the Valley’s towns back in the late 1980s and early ‘90s. To understand what progress we’ve made and how our current efforts compare, I started with the Felton, Ben Lomond, and Boulder Creek Town Plans to see how SLV residents historically categorized their needs and what the County’s vision was for achieving them. Those documents did lead to measurable improvements — Covered Bridge Park’s “tot lot” and many pedestrian safety improvements along Highway 9 are two examples. Though the more things change, the more they stay the same based on a pair of conflicting town goals for Felton in the ‘90s-era plan. “Bring tourists into town,” reads one comment. Below it the next one says,”Minimize tourists in town.” The Town Plans were prepared in accordance with the 1980 General Plan, which called for Design Plans for communities in unincorporated portions of the County. These were visions of livability for the locals — pedestrian safety improvements, underground utility districts, and community park improvements.
But under-investing in infrastructure continued to be a theme in Santa Cruz County — as it has in most of the country. When the SLV Water District Board (of which I am a current member) sold land in Waterman’s Gap to the Sempervirens Fund in 2000, it might have used the revenue to make capital improvements. It didn’t and those subsequently languished.
So what happened in 2021?
» PG&E shut off our power — a lot. The Public Safety Power Shutoffs in the Santa Cruz Mountains hit a crescendo of public outrage earlier this fall when the utility suddenly “flipped the switch” on a new safety shutoff program that seeks to reduce the risk of wildfire during high risk periods. Since a well-attended townhall, PG&E has taken steps to reduce the inspection time once a shutoff occurs to restore power as quickly as possible. Residents continue to request solutions that include putting power lines in the ground in our forested mountain communities including the undergrounding of utilities. » Fire families are now well into their second year post-fire. The numbers of homes permitted to be rebuilt are still just a fraction of the 911 lost. Much has been written about the steps the County has taken to try to streamline their fire recovery process with limited success. But the decision to allow fire families who may be living in temporary housing
6 San Lorenzo Valley Post December 2021
Felton’s Town Plan to more quickly get back onto their property by building accessory dwelling units (ADUs) offers hope for families losing insurance rental benefits in the coming months. Community Bridges, the nonprofit I work for, through Mountain Community Resources in Felton continues working with fire families to help them navigate challenges through legal resources, case management, advocacy, and grants. » There hasn’t been a major surface water supply project in SLV since the San Lorenzo River Watershed Management Plan in 2001. In that plan, the county acknowledged, “Although Citizens Utilities and SLV Water District have upgraded their stream diversions, there have been no major surface water supply projects since the construction of the Felton Diversion Dam by the Santa Cruz City Water Department in 1976.” For context, the last major water supply project was done the year I was born. My oldest daughter — an SLV graduate — is now getting her masters.
SLV’s water district has the funding to complete fire recovery thanks to a recent surcharge. But the additional funding needed to complete decades of future capital work still have to be identified. At the same time, the District is taking on mergers with heavily damaged smaller water systems in Boulder Creek. That will mean more strain on the District’s limited staff resources regardless of whether the state provides funding to restore those systems. The pace of progress has been slow in SLV. It will take a unified effort to bring more visibility and resources to the Valley’s needs in the coming years. It shouldn’t be another 30 years before we create our next Valley Plan. Jayme Ackemann is a public affairs consultant and freelance writer. She has worked on major capital investments and water infrastructure construction projects in the Bay Area. Jayme is a resident of Ben Lomond. mountain
www.slvpost.com
Main Street SLV Rainbow Rose Tattoo and Art Gallery
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PHOTO BY JULIE HORNER
elf-taught artist and Boulder Creek resident, Jesse James Cole has opened Rainbow Rose Tattoo, a studio in Boulder Creek at the south edge of town.
Cole applied his first tattoo when he was 14. Specializing in the neo traditional style, Cole’s pieces use natural imagery such as florals, animals, and other motifs embellished with lush decorative details using a broad color palette. Equipped with the latest protective gear and a cordless, wi-fi operated hand-held tattoo machine that uses sanitized disposable needle cartridges, Cole can move effortlessly around his canvas. “All my equipment is brand new. My machine is completely wireless. There’s no power supply,
no clip cords, and I love it.” Cole is building his team with artist and tattoo apprentice Jessica Wing Daniel. Wing is also a beloved mixologist at Joe’s Bar. Miguel Torres, who specializes in Chicano, Mayan, and Aztec art also joins the team in December. The skull and rainbow logo for Rainbow Rose Tattoo has meaning, Cole said. “A rose in the tattoo industry represents life, the skull represents death. What we do in between that is what defines us as human beings.” 12615 Highway 9 in Boulder Creek jessejames@rainbowrosetattoos.com
Check out Felton Feed’s beautiful new facade after a car crashed through the front wall back in May. The shop has stayed open via their back entrance since then. Stop by and say hello to shop owners Chantal Vaughan and Myshka Everett. 6221 Highway 9 in Felton Facebook @FeltonFeed www.slvpost.com
PHOTO BY JULIE HORNER
Felton Feed’s Storefront Reopens
PHOTO BY MARY ANDERSEN
Loch Dog Printing Services Open for Business
Ebin Warner at Loch Dog Business Center in Boulder Creek Celebrating ten years serving SLV, Loch Dog Business Center has opened a new storefront in downtown Boulder Creek, right next to Joe’s Bar. “I’m back to my roots,” proprietor Ebin Warner said, surveying the modern, well lit space that offers vinyl and paper printing, fax, and public notary services. “This is how I started.” Downtown storefronts aren’t easy to come by, so when this space became vacant at the end of the summer, he jumped on the opportunity. Warner is soft-launching by appointment
and with limited hours while setting up shop and will be fully open in the new year. He can create custom banners, stickers, labels, and signs, design logos and graphic art, print flyers, posters, stationery, and business cards. No longer offering shipping services, he does carry basic office supplies and has a nice selection of guitar strings. 13120 Highway 9 in Boulder Creek print@lochdog.com
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Main Street SLV The New Boulder Creek Brewery Beloved Community Hub to be Rebuilt By Julie Horner
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he Boulder Creek Brewery building has been sold. Musician and craft beer enthusiast Joseph Wolff plans to resurrect the cherished gathering place, bringing back to life a hub with a pulse that has been lacking in the historic downtown district since the building was gutted by an electrical fire in March 2015.
This is Wolff’s third attempt to purchase the remaining four walls, floor, and basement. Wolff intends to be closely involved with the design and build-out of the structure, hiring directly and locally as owner-builder. “It’s hands-on. I’m going to be there working on it myself,” he said. Wolff’s plan is to create a modern brewpub aesthetic with bare concrete interior walls, perhaps with a rustic brick treatment. “There’s even a certain amount of character to leaving and finishing the graffiti that’s in there now,” Wolff said. There’s definitely a vibe to the inside of the building as it stands. Under a ceiling of brilliant blue sky, plywood subflooring extends plainly, an open canvas scattered with many seasons of fall leaves and a few shallow puddles. Panning the approximately 4,000 square foot interior, there are no remnants of the old brewery’s former turn-of-the-century coziness. An eager California black walnut pokes playfully into one of the empty sockets that was once a small clerestory window high up
Interior of the former Boulder Creek Brewery: four walls and open sky on the north wall. At the far end, down a tight jag of uneven stairs into the dark maw of the basement, stainless brewing tanks sit dusty. Particles dance in the occasional shaft of daylight. There is work to be done. The drive is to revive the pub as a “destination” with full kitchen and the reprise of live music to go with your handcrafted libation. Wolff said, “I first visited in 1989 or 1990, long before I even moved here to the Bay Area. We sat outside on the side deck on a sunny afternoon...it was great!” Joe and his son, Aaron, also a musician, spent many hours enjoying local bluegrass, Americana, folk, and other genres of music together in the mid-2000s. “My son loved the place, loves the idea of doing this,” Wolff said. The old brewery had a dropped ceiling, which concealed the true height of the space. With a new roof in place, Wolff intends to leave the ceiling open with its ductwork exposed. “It’s going to have a huge, spacious feel to it and good acoustics for performances,” Wolff said. His plans for outdoors include rebuilding the deck that used to front E. Lomond Street, and he’s looking for local artists to create colorful murals on the walls, inside and out. Groundwork has already begun, and he’s accepting bids from local roofers, electricians, plumbers, arborists, and landscapers. There are partnership opportunities available for investors, brewers, and restaurateurs. A community treasure restored, a dream come to fruition.
PHOTOS BY JULIE HORNER
Contact: joe@bouldercreekbrewing.com mountain
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The former Boulder Creek Brewery today 8 San Lorenzo Valley Post December 2021
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Music Concertino Strings Boulder Creek’s Orchestra in Residence By Joanne Tanner and Julie Horner
Boulder Creek violinist Joanne Tanner takes the role of “concertmaster” rather than conductor, playing with the orchestra to communicate key features of the music instead of using a baton. “I have led many string quartets and chamber groups that way,” she said.
“There is a wonderful group spirit of enthusiasm and persistence that has developed, and everyone really is into it.” Tanner said her adult students approached her in early 2021 asking her to initiate a symphony orchestra in the absence of any live performing orchestral group at Cabrillo College until 2022. “Many Santa Cruz County musicians have been participating in Cabrillo groups for years, and there are no other orchestras in the county for skilled amateur classical instrumentalists,” Tanner said. “Since Covid, some have been gathering in garages and on decks to form small chamber groups, quartets, and trios. But an orchestra!” At first a daunting concept, once word got out, it wasn’t long before they had a full orchestration of violins, violas, cellos, and a bass. There were 12 performers for the first concert in late May, which was held outdoors in her “carport concert hall” not far from the church. The first rehearsal was at the end of April and they have been playing weekly ever since, gathering more participants and hosting two more concerts, one in July and the other in September. Their final www.slvpost.com
PHOTO BY JULIE HORNER
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he Boulder Creek United Methodist Church was welcoming on a rainy Wednesday morning in October. Classical music enthusiasts of all ages settled into their pews and the overflow audience stilled to an anticipatory hush. Stained glass windows cast muted colors, the soft patter of the season’s first moisture the only sound through an open door. With verve, the The Concertino Strings orchestra filled the sanctuary of the 120-year old gathering place with the melodious warmth of Vivaldi’s Concerto in A minor for Two Violins, Op. 3, No. 8, RV 522. Allegro molto, andante, allegro. Hearts soared. A pause, then the second half of the program: Grieg’s Holberg Suite, Sarabande and Gavotte.
Joanne Tanner and The Concertino Strings concert of the year will be on Wednesday, December 8 at 11:30 am at Boulder Creek United Methodist, 12855 Boulder Street. The program will feature Corelli Christmas Concerto; Ralph Vaughan-Williams’ Fantasy on Greensleeves, and a Renaissance advent anthem by Orlando Gibbons with chorus and string quartet. About half the current group of 15 regular members lives in the San Lorenzo Valley and Santa Cruz Mountains, and the other half commute from all over the county as far as Aptos and Corralitos. Rehearsals occur outdoors in Tanner’s ample carport with a varied audience of dog-walkers, families with strollers, skateboarders, and curious crows. Tanner compiles the scores, multiple pages that she pastes onto cardboard “because I can’t play and turn pages at the same time.” A typical music selection for each concert program is a complete Baroque work in its original orchestration, and then several movements from a more modern or romantic work. Tanner said, “There is a wonderful group spirit of enthusiasm and persistence that has developed, and everyone really is into it.” Tanner’s life partner Michael Fisher does a lot of the heavy lifting as harpsichord and vehicle mover, publicist, greeter, and video taker. The two also have an old time quartet called The Open Heartstrings featuring banjo, fiddle, guitar, and bass. The name is in homage to the surgeries each band member has had. Concertino Strings has hired a professional cellist, Renata Bratt, to assist Tanner as coach and player, and the group is replete with a harpsichord, played by Roy Stegman; elemental for an authentic and historically correct Handel Concerto Grosso. The Concertino Strings fills the classical music niche in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and the sweetness of the music can bring tears of joy to the eye. (831) 588-0134 | gorilvr@cruzio.com | bcumc.com mountain San Lorenzo Valley Post
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Holiday Markets & Craft Fairs December 2021 First Friday Art Walk Boulder Creek + 3 Wise Girls Mercantile
Hallcrest Holiday Market
Friday, December 3 from 2:00 to 8:00 pm. Lille Aeske Arthouse, 13160 Highway 9, Boulder Creek. Hot Chocolate and Chai, Desserts by Dianne, handcrafted gifts, seaglass, Santa, and more!
Sunday, December 5 from 11:30 am to 5:00 pm. Hallcrest Vineyards, 379 Felton Empire Road, Felton. Dreams come true with over 30 vendors and delicious wine and cider at this winery tucked into the foothills of Felton. Coffee, wine, brunch, Santa. Free. hallcrestvineyards.com
Mount Hermon Craft Sale
Zayante Glass Holiday Pop up at The Live Oak Grange
Weekends December 3-5 and December 10-12 from 1:30 to 3:00 pm. 17 Conference Drive, Felton. Information: claychalet.timmer@gmail.com
Sunday, December 5 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. 1900 17th Ave, Santa Cruz. Fabulous hand-blown glass ornaments for the tree, unique paperweights, other home décor items, drinking vessels, and more!
Winter Boutique
Saturday, December 11 from 2:00 to 8:00 pm. Boulder Creek Recreation and Parks, 13333 Middleton Ave, Boulder Creek. Holiday vendor market, food truck, raffle, photos with Santa 3:00-4:00, again at 6:45-8:00. Rain or shine.
17th Annual Native American Christmas Market Saturday and Sunday, December 11 and 12 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Spreckels Memorial Building, 90 Llano Ave, Salinas. Sterling silver, beadwork, t-shirts, arts and crafts, Indian tacos and fry bread.
Winter Art Market at Tannery Arts Center
Saturday, December 4 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. 1010-1070 River Street, Santa Cruz. Find the perfect holiday gift as you peruse one-of-akind creations by local artists. Enjoy live music and food truck dinner as you explore the Small Works show at Radius Gallery, art demonstrations, and over 15 open artist studios. Find everything from ceramics, jewelry, and sculpture to painting, prints, and apparel. Tanneryartscenter.org
Christmas Market at Felton Covered Bridge
Sunday, December 12 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Traditional Holiday Market on the historic bridge on Graham Hill Road, Felton. Arts & crafts, tasty food, mulled wine and hot chocolate, live music from the Sada Springs Jug Band, holiday lights and festivities. Great opportunity for last minute gifts from over 30 local artisan vendors and to mingle with your neighbors. Event is hosted by the San Lorenzo Valley Chamber of Commerce and County Parks. slvchamber.org
Holiday Pop-Up Market at Davenport Roadhouse
Tuesday, December 21 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. 1 Davenport Ave, Hwy 1. Local arts and crafts, wine and food, live music. @roadhousemercantile 10 San Lorenzo Valley Post December 2021
www.slvpost.com
Community Calendar December 2021 Holidays Horsing Around
10th Annual Santa Claus SUP at the Santa Cruz Harbor
Saturday, December 18 from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. Zayante Hollow Ranch, 8240 E.Zayante Road, Felton. Bounce house, face painting, horse rides, petting zoo, vendors, food, crafts, photos with Santa. @tailsofRedwoodTrails
Saturday, December 4 from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm. Raises funds for Second Harvest Food Bank.
Holiday Living History at Wilder Ranch Saturday, December 11 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Wilder Ranch, 1401 Coast Road, Santa Cruz. A family-friendly day at the historic ranch with old-fashioned holiday activities, crafts, and living history demonstrations. @WilderRanchStatePark
Birding Walk at Quail Hollow Ranch County Park
Holiday Sing & Play-Along Thursday, December 16 from 5:45 to 7:15 pm. Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, 705 Front Street. The Ukulele and Other Instrument Club of Santa Cruz and The Trolley Drops host their annual Holiday Sing & PlayAlong at the MAH. Oldies, Folk, Classic Rock and Jazz Standards with an Xmas Twist. Sing and laugh and play along. Song sheets with chords and lyrics available to borrow or buy. Everyone is welcome. It’s fun and free! santacruzmah.org
Tomáseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas
Saturday, December 11 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. Liberty Bank, 13233 Highway 9, downtown Boulder Creek. Lively Celtic music in Charles Dickens ‘A Christmas Carol’ fashion, hot cocoa, Santa arrives on a fire truck, and countdown to the lighting of the town tree. A classic Santa Cruz Mountains small town tradition for the holidays. Tree lighting at 6:30 pm.
Friday, December 17 at 7:30 pm. Rio Theater, 1205 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz. Now in its 25th season of touring nationally, Tomáseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas recreates the joy and innocence of a night before Christmas in a remote farmhouse in his native parish of Teampall an Ghleanntáin in the west of Ireland – in the 1950s – when the neighboring families gather around the fire to grace the wintry night with traditional Irish Christmas carols and to raise the rafters with traditional music, dances, and stories. celticsociety.org
Toy Trains at Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History
Anthony Arya’s Home for the Holidays
Santa Comes to Town and Tree Lighting in Boulder Creek
Sunday, December 12 - Sunday, December 26 starting at 12:00 noon. 705 Front Street, Santa Cruz. Members of the Golden State Toy Train Operators share their amazing collection of toy trains at the MAH. Select dates and times. santacruzmah.org/events/2021/12
www.slvpost.com
Saturday, December 18 at 7:30. Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar Street. Santa Cruz. A special night of holiday tunes with Santa Cruz’ rising star of the stage, Anthony Arya. kuumbwajazz.org
Sunday, December 19 from 9:00 to 11:00 am. 800 Quail Hollow Road, Felton. Meet in the parking lot for a very easy stroll with senior birding guide Dylan McManus. Open to all birding levels, especially beginners.
Holiday Tree Walk at Roaring Camp
Weekends through December 19 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton. Get in the holiday spirit by bringing the family to ride the Redwood Forest Steam Train through the wintry redwoods to Bear Mountain. Sip hot cocoa while greeting Santa Claus. roaringcamp.com
Holiday Lights Train at Roaring Camp
Weekends through December 23 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton. A seasonal tradition returns to Santa Cruz. Vintage excursion cars, adorned with thousands of colorful lights, roll through city streets past homes of Santa Cruz. roaringcamp.com
Winter Wonderland at the Boardwalk Weekends through January 2, 2022 from 12:00 to 5:00 pm. Rides, games, arcades, holiday lights and a 3-story tall Christmas tree, photos with Santa, treats, fire pit and s’mores. beachboardwalk.com/winter-wonderland mountain
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Entertainment Calendar SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS Davenport Roadhouse 1 Davenport Avenue, Davenport. (831) 426-8801 davenportroadhouse.com
December 2021
Brett Dennen’s “See The World Tour” w/ Sophia Boro
The Shady Rest Band
SUN | DEC 5 | 8:00
Serious Condition
The Dharma Wheel Tour 2021 Howlin Rain
FRI | DEC 17 | 8:00
THURS | DEC 9 | 8:00
SAT | DEC 18 | 8:00
Pokey LaFarge
SAT | DEC 11 | 8:00
Identity Problem Christmas Eve
Nicole Wilson Quartet
FRI | DEC 10 | 8:00
FRI | DEC 3 | 6:00 TO 9:00
Bartees Strange w/ Harmless & Life Size Models
Christmas Day
SAT | DEC 11 | 8:00
New Year’s Eve w/ Edge of the West
Soul Shake SAT | DEC 4 | 1:00 TO 4:00
Dave “Nomad” Miller
FRI | DEC 24 | 8:00
SAT | DEC 4 | 6:00 TO 9:00
Avi Zev Band w/ Mission Santa Cruz & Benny Bassett
Lauren Wahl
SUN | DEC 12 | 8:00
SUN | DEC 5 | 1:00 TO 4:00
Fuzz
Robert Elmond Stone
THURS | DEC 16 | 7:00
FRI | DEC 10 | 6:00 TO 9:00
The English Beat
Redwood Express
FRI | DEC 17 | 8:00
SAT | DEC 11 | 1:00 TO 4:00
Rainbow Girls & Special Guests
Ripatti & Rose
SAT | DEC 18 | 8:00
SAT | DEC 11 | 6:00 TO 9:00
The California Honeydrops (Night 1)
Star La’Moan & Les Petite Kitchenettes
WED | DEC 29 | 8:00
SUN | DEC 12 | 1:00 TO 4:00
The California Honeydrops (Night 2)
Simon Santiago
THURS | DEC 30 | 8:00
FRI | DEC 17 | 6:00 TO 9:00
New Year’s Eve w/ Jackie Greene
Swirly Girls
FRI | DEC 31 | 8:00
Henflings of Ben Lomond
SAT | DEC 18 | 6:00 TO 9:00
Felton Music Hall
WEDNESDAYS AT 8:00
Pool Tournament THURSDAYS AT 8:00
One Country FRI | DEC 3 | 8:30
Blue Ocean Rockers
Gary Blackburn Trio
WEDNESDAYS AT 7:30 THURSDAYS AT 8:00
Sunday Jam Band
FRI | DEC 3 | 8:00
SAT | DEC 4 | 8:00
Neighborhood Night
Flingo
THURS | DEC 2 | 8:00
Jerry’s Middle Finger (Night 2)
TUESDAYS AT 8:00
Kindred Soul
SUNDAYS AT 5:00
FRI | DEC 3 | 8:00
Karaoke
9450 Highway 9, Ben Lomond. (831) 586-0606 henflingsbar.com
Cordovas w/ Moonsville Collective and The Charities Jerry’s Middle Finger (Night 1)
13118 Highway 9, Boulder Creek. (831) 338-9417 facebook.com/joesbouldercreek
FRI | DEC 10 | 8:30
Karaoke 6275 Highway 9, Felton. (831) 704-7113 feltonmusichall.com
Joe’s Bar
SAT | DEC 4 | 8:30
Irish Twins
SUN | DEC 19 | 1:00 TO 4:00
FRI | DEC 31 | 9:00
The Next Blues Band
SAT | DEC 18 | 1:00 TO 4:00
T-Bone Mojo
SAT | DEC 25 AT 8:00
Third Bowl Lil’ Pea & the 3rd Degree SAT | DEC 4 | 8:00
Aardvark
SAT | DEC 11 | 8:30 FRI | DEC 17 | 8:30
Cougar Unleashed SAT | DEC 18 | 8:30
Christmas Eve FRI | DEC 24 | 8:30
Closed for Christmas SAT | DEC 25
New Year’s Eve w/ Quinn and the Spacemen FRI | DEC 31 | 8:30
FRI | DEC 10 | 8:00
12 San Lorenzo Valley Post December 2021
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Entertainment Calendar Steel Bonnet Brewing Company 20 Victor Square, Scotts Valley. (831) 454-8429 steelbon.net
Trivia On Tap THURS | DEC 2 & 16 | 6:30
Brian Fitzgerald Trio (Jazz) WED | DEC 1 | 5:30
Preacher Boy
December 2021
Redwood Road SUN | DEC 5 | 5:00
Ted Welty Hump Day w/ The Waddells & Bob O’Neil
Shahya & Noah Jazz Duo
WED | DEC 8 | 5:00
THURS | DEC 9 | 5:00
Redwood Express
The Frontstreet Men
THURS | DEC 9 | 5:00
SAT | DEC 11 | 6:00
Backyard Birds “Dinner & A Show”
5-Year Anniversary w/ Button Shy Babies, Ancestree, Familia De La Calle
FRI | DEC 10 | 6:30
SAT | DEC 18 | ALL DAY
SAT | DEC 11 | 6:00
Paul Dynamite
FRI | DEC 3 | 5:30
Ted Welty Hump Day w/ Fuse
THURS | DEC 23 | 5:00
Ryan Price
Doctor Randy Baker Benefit
WED | DEC 15 | 5:00
A Frank Sinatra Christmas w/ John Michael
FRI | DEC 10 | 5:30
Vinny Johnson
THURS | DEC 16 | 8:00
MID COUNTY
SAT | DEC 11 | 5:30
Peppino D’Agostino “Dinner & A Show”
Rhythm Deluxe Duo
FRI | DEC 17 | 6:30
SUN | DEC 12 | 5:30
Captiola Wine Bar
Nomad
Locomotive Breath SAT | DEC 18 | 7:30
FRI | DEC 17 | 5:30 SAT | DEC 18 | 5:30
115 San Jose Ave, Capitola. (831) 476-2282 capitolawinebar.com
Brian Fitzgerald Trio (Holiday Jazz)
THURS | DEC 2 & DEC 16 | 6:30 TO 8:00
Joe Kaplow
WED | DEC 22 | 5:30
New Year’s Eve w/ Jenny & the Bets FRI | DEC 31 | 5:30
Buffalo Blues Trio THURS | DEC 23 | 5:00
Thirsty Thursday Trivia
Big Bad Wolf Plays Creedence THURS | DEC 30 | 5:00
Johnny Niri SAT | DEC 4 | 6:00 TO 9:00
Kip Kip SAT | DEC 10 | 6:00 TO 9:00
The Joe Leonard Trio Holiday Party
SANTA CRUZ Shanty Shack Brewing Company
SAT | DEC 11 | 6:00 TO 9:00
Nomad SAT | DEC 18 | 6:00 TO 9:00
Michael’s on Main
138 Fern Street, Santa Cruz. (831) 316-0800 shantyshackbrewing.com
Salsa Hotspot WED | DEC 1, DEC 15, & DEC 29 | 5:00
Rare Faction THURS | DEC 2 | 5:00
Whiskey West Duo + Mike Hellman FRI | DEC 3 | 6:00
Static Tilt SAT | DEC 4 | 6:00
www.slvpost.com
New Year’s Eve with the China Cats Friday, December 31 from 8:30 to midnight. Michael’s on Main, 2591 Main St, Soquel. Dance in the New Year to music of the Grateful Dead. michaelsonmain.info
2591 S Main St, Soquel. (831) 479-9777 michaelsonmainmusic.com
Aardvark THURS | DEC 2 | 5:00
New Year’s Eve with The Coffis Brothers and AJ Lee & Blue Summit
Wonder Still FRI | DEC 3 | 5:00
Lyin’ I’s Eagles Tribute Band “Dinner & A Show” SAT | DEC 4 | 6:30
Friday, December 31 from 9:00 to midnight. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. Swing in the New Year with home grown Americana and bluegrass music. moesalley.com
San Lorenzo Valley Post
December 2021
13
Music Tom Miller and the Gift of Music By Michele Murphy
T
he gift of music, and a legacy of legendary performances, that’s what SLV local Tom Miller says the Santa Cruz community has given to him over the past four decades, during which he has lovingly curated an astonishing array of musical acts at some of the area’s most beloved music venues.
Tom planned to migrate to California from the east coast where he grew up, and after reading about the Haight Ashbury scene while studying at Penn State, he felt drawn to Northern California. Music informed his decision where to land. After reading in Rolling Stone that Neil Young’s band (The Ducks) would play in Santa Cruz, Tom made a mental note that “Santa Cruz must be a pretty hip place,” finding his way to this area and to a career filled with colorful characters and interesting exchanges.
“We needed to become a venue for the entire community.” This philosophy has been his roadmap to success. Already a thriving music community when he arrived, Tom immersed himself in the scene, and with experience tending bar, it wasn’t long before he found his way into O.T. Price’s Music Hall. Within a year he was helping to promote shows and find acts, eventually diversifying the talent pool from country western bands to all types of music. Miller said, “We needed to become a venue for the entire community.” This philosophy has been his roadmap to success. Hosting every kind of musical group imaginable, from Sonic Youth to legendary artists like Willie Dixon, Doc Watson, Albert King, John Lee Hooker, The Red-Hot Chili Peppers, Hot Tuna, Koko Taylor, O.T. Price’s became the hottest live music spot in town. Working for Lovelight concerts and Backbeat Productions booking large events, Tom also spent time at another famous venue called Palookaville, before migrating up to Henfling’s in Ben Lomond where he spent over a decade booking acts from around the world. From there he went to the legendary Don Quixote’s Music Hall where he continued to book world class acts that packed the venue night after night.
PHOTO BY MICHELE MURPHY
Currently booking musical talent at Michael’s on Main, Tom began his career not far from there in the mid 70s, found his way up to the SLV for a long stretch, and has now come full circle, back to MOM, doing what he does best and fostering fantastic memories along the way, for local music fans, and for himself.
Tom Miller books musical talent at Michael’s on Main most unique in the world, which made it possible for him to present all kinds of music from everywhere, whether it was throat singers from Tuva, a Celtic band from Ireland, or a rock opera, people come out. He credits club owners, who have devoted their efforts and energy into running music venues, for providing space for live music to occur. He points out that we live in a college town that’s always had great radio stations that support local bands and touring artists alike, giving them the exposure they need to become beloved favorites that people come out to see over and over again. Tom Miller didn’t choose this career, it chose him; he’s a music lover from way back. He says that the most important skill to being a successful booking agent is simply loving what he does; he lights up when he talks about all the artists he’s booked and the exciting things he’s doing now. He says the hardest part about his job is seeing a great band have a slow night, and the best thing is when people really love a band that they didn’t know anything about before going to see them. Looking back, he says the Santa Cruz music scene hasn’t changed much since his early days, it was inclusive and diverse then, as it is now, and continues to give him the gift of folks reveling in great music. Michele Murphy is a singer-songwriter who has lived in the Santa Cruz area since 2005 when she migrated West from Buffalo NY to the beautiful San Lorenzo Valley. An avid music lover, she is entrenched in the local music scene both as a performer and a fan. mountain
Tom insists the live music community in Santa Cruz is one of the 14 San Lorenzo Valley Post December 2021
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Recipes from a Mountain Garden Quince Simple Syrup and the Boulder Creek Sour
I
adore simple syrups. Strawberry rhubarb, lemon balm, feijoa, and now quince are some of my favorites, adding sweet, tart, and herbal flavor celebrations to the palate in the form of food or drink! Easy and versatile, use them to sweeten lemonade and iced tea in the summer, hot herbal teas in the winter, drizzle over Saturday morning pancakes or fresh chevre on a cheese plate. Here’s a tart cocktail for the holidays!
Quince Simple Syrup
» 5 pounds of ripe quince, washed and quartered » Just enough water to cover the fruit
» 1 c of fair-trade sugar (or ½ c lightly-colored honey) to each cup of liquid you make. This will be determined after straining the cooked fruit. » Zest and juice of two lemons Place quince in a heavy bottomed stock pot, and fill with just enough water to cover. This ensures a flavor-packed syrup! Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the quince pieces are soft, about 35 minutes. The juice will turn a lovely shade of pink if the quinces are ripe! After the fruit juice has cooled, place a colander lined with butter muslin over a large bowl to catch the juice. Pour the pulp and juice into the colander with the bowl
PHOTOS BY ALISON STEELE
By Alison Steele
Quince Simple Syrup and the Boulder Creek Sour underneath. Tie the corners of the muslin together and hang from a cabinet knob over the bowl for a few hours to collect the juice. For a crystal clear syrup, resist the urge to squeeze the bag. Measure the juice and add equal amounts of sugar, along with the lemon juice and zest, into the heavy bottomed stock pot you used to cook the fruit. If you like it tart, reduce the sugar to ½ c sweetener per 1 c juice. Bring to a boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce to a lively simmer cook for another 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Quince Simple Syrup www.slvpost.com
While the syrup cooks down, sterilize a pack of 4 oz mason jars in boiling water on a canning rack for 10 minutes so that the water covers the jars by an inch or so. Wash the lids and rings in hot soapy water, rinse, and return to a
bowl of hot water. When ready, ladle hot syrup into hot jars ⅝ inch from the top, wipe the rim clean, tighten lids, and set back into the hot water to keep the jars warm. A cool jar added to hot water will crack. Repeat until all the syrup is used. Make sure the lids are covered by at least an inch of water, return to a boil, and process for 10 minutes. When finished, set the hot jars onto a dish towel on top of a cutting board and let cool. If you have hard water, wipe the lids dry so the jars won’t have a chalky appearance when they dry. After hearing the lids pop, use a finger to push the lid on the cooled jars. If it doesn’t bounce up and down you’ve gotten a good seal. These colorful little jars will last on the pantry shelf for a year until the
San Lorenzo Valley Post
continues on page 16 December 2021
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Recipes from a Mountain Garden Quince Simple Syrup and the Boulder Creek Sour (cont) continued from page 15 fruit comes back into season and it’s time to do it all over again!
Add Whiskey
Our friends over at The Bourbon Blog just sent us a box of their newly reviewed Whistlepig Straight Rye Whiskey from distillers Emily Harrison and Meghan Ireland, hand bottled at their farm in Vermont. I needed a special drink to showcase this smooth spirit along with the fresh citrus hitting the Farmer’s Markets, the sweet quince from my neighbor, and the tart floral feijoas that are dropping in the garden. After much research, I traced the New York Sour back to its origins in 1880s Chicago. Stolen and popularized by New Yorkers, they grabbed on and wouldn’t let go of this Whiskey Sour with a float of red wine. Here’s my take on this timeless drink.
The Boulder Creek Sour
¼ c Whistlepig Straight Rye Whiskey Juice of ½ a lemon, about 2 T 2 T quince simple syrup 1 fresh egg white* (optional) 3 T elderberry wine Feijoa slice & lemon zest for garnish
Pour whiskey, lemon juice, and egg white into a 16 oz. mason jar with ice, screw the lid on tight and shake hard until well-chilled and frothy. Strain into a fresh glass leaving room for the quince syrup. Slowly, pour the syrup down the inside of the glass. Follow with the wine. Garnish with a feijoa twig, a slice of the fruit, and lemon zest. Stir sweet and sour flavors together before sipping. Savor with friends and family! Don’t have elderberry wine? Margins’ Wine maker, Megan Bell, craft-
WHERE THE WINES MEET THE WAVES Wine, Beer, Food and Fun! Live Music is Back! www.CapitolaWineBar.com G E T A FR E E R E G U LA R MA N I- P EDI O N U S T O DA Y
16 San Lorenzo Valley Post December 2021
PHOTOS BY ALISON STEELE
» » » » » »
The Boulder Creek Sour with Whistlepig Straight Rye Whisky ed a 2020 Santa Clara Valley Mourvedre with hints of guava, cassis, and feijoa that would mingle perfectly with the sweet floral notes of quince and pineapple guavas! Don’t indulge? Simply use a strong rooibos tea in place of the whiskey, add to a shaker with ice along with lemon juice and egg white. Strain into a glass over fresh ice. Add soda water instead of wine, then slowly pour the syrup down the side of the glass. Drizzle elderberry syrup over the frothy head and garnish. *It’s worth mentioning that we use eggs raised here for recipes containing raw eggs. Not only are they super fresh, but they’re raised in a sunny, healthy environment. If you’re worried about it, feel free to skip the egg white. A native of Virginia, Alison Steele lives with her husband, two children, and cat in Boulder Creek where she raises quail, chickens, fruit trees, vegetables, and herbs. Alison plays banjo and sings in Sugar by the Pound. mountain
www.slvpost.com
Ben Lomond Gardener Bare Root Roses By Josh Reilly
W
hat are “bare root” plants? These are plants raised to maturity in soil for the retail nursery trade. Harvested during the Winter dormant season, the roots are cleaned of all soil, packed in wood shavings, paper or other absorbent material, and shipped in paper or plastic. They are displayed thus packaged at the nursery or in beds of sand. Bare root plants don’t look like much, so nurseries usually include photos and descriptive blurbs where they are displayed. Several plants are available in bare root form in Winter, including roses, certain fruit trees and berry plants, Japanese anemones, and some types of phlox. We’ll focus on roses here.
Most nursery folk will tell you to plant bare root if you can. Bare root plants are already mature. They have already survived the hazards of “youth,” disease, accident, or pest damage, for example. The fully developed roots are less likely to experience trauma when transplanting, than the young roots in a potted plant (or plug). Planted in dormancy, in Winter, bare root plants will develop and produce (young) mature foliage and flowers in the first year in the ground. Planting bare root roses is easy, but if it was in sand at the nursery, plant it the same day you bought it. If it’s in wood shavings or paper and you can’t plant it the same day, keep it moist, in shade and protected from frost. Better just to get the thing in the ground And don’t put a $30 bare root rose in a “$5 dollar hole.” Leave room for the roots to spread. A hole 2 feet wide at the top and 18 inches deep is recommended. Consider gopher protection in the SLV. They own the place. We just live here. A large gopher basket will probably work, but I put my 3 bare root roses in a raised bed, 4 ft by 8 ft and 12 inches deep. So far, so good. Deer protection is also absolutely required. Amazing how deer can simply tear through the thorniest roses and gnash them down, as if they were soft, fresh lettuce. Mine are in the backyard, behind a 6 ft fence. Caveat emptor. When planting, spread the roots to fill the bottom of the hole. Adding soil amendments is controversial. Plants should start to adjust immediately to the native soil, otherwise roots may not spread properly. Trees and shrubs with poorly developed roots tend to topple in high winds. Still, I normally mix a shovelful of my homemade compost in with a digging fork, for good measure. Finish planting by piling the www.slvpost.com
PHOTO BY JOSH REILLY
And don’t put a $30 bare root rose in a “$5 dollar hole.” Leave room for the roots to spread. Grandiflora roses in bloom after bare root planting in winter soil back up to, but not over, the crown of the plant, where the above ground plant begins. This is crucial. Think of the crown as the neck and avoid strangling. Firm the soil down and water in. I use a dilute Vitamin B “rooting solution” (available through Mountain Feed and Farm Supply and Scotts Valley Scarborough Garden Center). Finally, if you apply mulch around the plant, don’t pile it up right under the plant. Mulch will control weeds, but will also hold water. Water around the plant’s crown will promote plant disease.
Tale a little time to select the bare root rose(s) you want. Remember that you will have to prune your roses for shape and flowering. Some are “ramblers” and want to climb. Others are very thorny, and still others (old Garden Roses and some shrub roses) will only flower once per year in Spring. Hybrid teas, Floribundas, and Grandifloras will almost always flower twice a year (for our lucky, flatlander neighbors in the “banana belt” areas of Santa Cruz, some of these roses pretty much flower all year long). All these roses have their place, but is it your garden? Regarding spraying roses: I use OMRI certified dormant oil and copper sulphate, once a year in early January, after pruning (why spray what you are going to remove?). Josh Reilly, aka Uncle Skip, writes about seasonal gardening from his home in beautiful Ben Lomond. mountain San Lorenzo Valley Post
December 2021
17
Big Basin Water Company and the SLV Water District—Part 1 By Randall Brown
W
hen his aunt Alice died in 1938, Harold Hilton inherited the Longley Ranch, several hundred logged acres above Boulder Creek on the road to Big Basin. The proprietor of a successful tractor dealership in Modesto, Hilton quickly undertook several improvement projects.
within the company’s boundaries.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY SLV MUSEUM
Local History Meanwhile, the recently established San Lorenzo Valley County Water District had pre- George Brothers begins to spin the propeller on a plane piloted by George pared a master plan. Alfano at Harold Hilton’s airport, now Boulder Creek Country Club. A number of dams on the San Lorenzo and its private systems are to be bought.” tributaries—including Boulder Creek—would It was, as the Sentinel noted, a “Heated Camprovide more reliable storage. The first step paign.” The rhetoric got nasty. “Don’t be was to seek official permission to tap various His first job was providing a reliable source misled by a few selfish owners of large acrewater sources, including the ones Big Basin of water for himself and his neighbors by age and estates with their own private water Water intended to use. Hilton and his associconstructing a concrete reservoir, capable of systems,” a pro-bond ad urged. Speaking on ates successfully filed a formal protest, limitholding three million gallons of spring water. ing the district to a portion of winter overflow. the eve of the vote, Hilton denounced the To facilitate travel between his two homes, he water district directors as “radical, self-styled The directors of the SLVCWD waited until the Hitlerites.” decided to build an airport on a large open meadow, where he could land his small plane. closing months of World War II to put their The proposed bond issue was soundly defeatideas into action. The district’s engineer proOther local pilots would be welcome to use it ed. The result was seen as a mandate by the posed four dams; one near the headwaters of as well. the San Lorenzo, others on Newell Creek, Bear Tax Emergency Committee. When an election In the spring of 1941, Hilton invested in real was called to fill two seats on the water board Creek, and Boulder Creek near China Grade. estate in the vicinity of the ranch, purchasA second and equally as important part of the in March 1947, Harold Hilton and Boulder ing four large tracts from, among others, the plan was to take over the local water corpora- Creek businessman Ernie Locatelli formed an estate of Henry Middleton, founder of the opposition slate. tion, a subsidiary of Citizens Utilities CorpoBoulder Creek Water Company. When the ration, headquartered in Minneapolis. At a campaign meeting, Hilton asserted that deals were done, Hilton’s 2000 acres or so The water board asked the voters to approve a “there was sufficient water in the mountains reached from Empire Grade down Jamison $300,000 bond issue at the end of March 1945. west of Boulder Creek and Ben Lomond to Creek to the Big Basin highway. There were supply the valley for the next 50 years or more “The money,” the Sentinel reported, “will be rumors from Los Angeles and Oakland that and that the acquiring of watersheds and the used to buy the impounding and distribution he intended to subdivide the land into “villa building of dams at distant points was an system of the Public Utilities California and sites.” other water utilities in the upper San Lorenzo extravagant waste of the people’s money.” That November the pending incorporation of valley.” The directors also asserted that there Hilton and Locatelli won big, amassing twice a new business, capitalized at $100,000, was as many votes as the incumbents. would be enough left over to build the Boulannounced. Hilton, the principal stockholder der Creek dam. The measure failed to win Hilton served on the SLVCWD board for the and president, agreed to transfer title of his over the two-thirds of the electorate required next decade and steadfastly refused to supSanta Cruz Mountain land to the firm. The Big for passage. port any attempt to spend “large amounts of Basin Water Company listed ambitious goals money” on dams or takeovers. Meanwhile, In the fall of 1946 SLV district directors tried -- “producing, transmitting and selling electhe Big Basin Water Company grew slowly again. The Minnesota company had raised tric, gas, heat, light and power privileges” in but surely as houses were built on its properaddition to developing water rights. When its their asking price, so the amount of the proty. posed bond issue was set at half a million paperwork was filed with the state division of dollars. This time there was serious oppowater resources, the application was limited (To be continued) sition from a “Tax Emergency Committee.” to “diversion of unnamed springs tributary Harold Hilton, “owner of the airport and a Randall Brown is an author and historian. He to Boulder Creek.” The government decided water system” assumed a leading role. “We lives in Boulder Creek and works in Felton. mountain to grant rights on Hare and Jamison Creeks, need more facts as to cost,” he argued, “what
18 San Lorenzo Valley Post December 2021
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Local History Streetwise: Fetherston Way in Felton By Lisa Robinson
H
Fetherston Way just off Felton Empire Road is named for George Arthur Fetherston. His father was William John Fetherstonhaugh an Irishman who emigrated to Canada and became a benefactor and “one of the most successful farm owners” in his township. The “haugh” means valley and his father often dropped that portion of the name. His mother was Mary Ann Macaulay, also from Ireland, and a relative of the historian Thomas Macaulay. George’s mother died when he was six years old shortly after the birth of her eighth child and George, along with six of his older siblings, was raised by his father and a “faithful servant” Curly Kate. (The baby was adopted by Mary Ann’s sister.) His father died when he was fourteen and George left his home in Canada to come to California at the early age of 16 in 1888. George became an astute businessman, owning the Cremer Hotel, 1000 acres from Felton to Empire Grade, the Felton Water Company, and the quarry above Felton. He also developed the Felton Acres tract. When he passed away in 1947, he was remembered for fondly engaging in any sort of development program that he felt would be good for
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M.C. Dwyer, MBA, REALTOR "Superlative service..." "Exceptionally thorough, knowledgable and sensitive to her clients' issues."
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PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY THE SLV MUSEUM
ave you ever thought about how the street where you live got its name? In these articles, we look at street names in the San Lorenzo Valley and explore the history hidden in their names.
Downtown Felton and the Heritage Tree 1941
Felton, for his love of trees, and he was credited with “planting every tree in Felton.” Indeed, in 1923, he oversaw the planting of the trees at the Felton School, which was located where Rite Aid is today. Not satisfied with planting saplings, Fetherston acquired trees that were eight or nine feet tall so that the school would benefit from them immediately. George Fetherston is also credited with planting the Felton Village Heritage Redwood, the town’s beloved Christmas tree. The plaque on the tree was dedicated by his daughter Florence, it reads: “This Redwood Tree was planted in the early nineties by one of Felton’s early settlers, George Featherstone [sic], who knew the beauty of these trees.” In 1987, the heritage tree was described in the Sentinel as “resembling an inverted punk hairdo.” This was because for years the tree had been cropped, so as not to compromise the overhead power line that ran nearby. In 1987, the Felton Town Plan was adopted by the Board of Supervisors “to much applause and little dissent.” It included plans to underground the utility lines and allow the tree to “grow in all directions again.” In 1991, the heritage tree deck, also part of the town plan, was dedicated. Once more allowed to grow in all directions, in 2003, the Fetherston Tree won the “most improved” category in the “Light Up the Valley” contest sponsored by the Friends of the Felton Community Hall. Lisa Robinson is the Collections and Exhibitions Curator at the San Lorenzo Valley Museum. mountain San Lorenzo Valley Post
December 2021
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Astrology Holiday Blessings and the New Year Report By Catie Cadge, PhD
H
appy holidays! And many blessings on winter solstice and the coming season of light! Here is a special stellar New Year Report to honor this sacred season of darkness and our hopes and dreams for new beginnings in the year ahead. First, just a few key astrological events happening in December and then I’ll ring in 2022 with Jupiter blessings!
December opens with a rockin’ New Moon and solar eclipse at 12°22’ in Sagittarius, 11:43 PM, PST, December 3rd (in some time zones, the eclipse occurs December 4th). Eclipses are most meaningful for folks with important placements, such as Sun, Moon or ascendant, at or near that degree of mutable signs: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, or Pisces. Look to your birthchart for guidance. People who have birthdays near the eclipse may find the next six months or so an exciting time of change and maybe challenge, all part of their evolving sense of self. Eclipses also affect the six months leading up. It is a total solar eclipse so it carries some punch! A New Moon in Sagittarius says time for the centaur to shoot the arrow high, look for new paradigms and dream BIG. Winter solstice occurs when the Sun moves into Capricorn on December 21st, 7:59 AM, PST. Just a few days before, December 18th, a Full Moon in Gemini, 27°29’, 8:35 PM PST, trines Jupiter in late Aquarius. We celebrate the darkest time of the year with feasting and merriment to bless our heavens with the coming of light and renewal. Bonfire bliss! Find moments where we can cherish yule-time holiday traditions. In earlier times, people embraced the planet Saturn through Saturnalia, a holiday of revelry and joy. Capricorn, a sign ruled by Saturn, Chronos or ‘father time,’ recognizes the closing of a yearly cycle and the possibilities of ushering in new life, new beginnings. Happy New Year! We all need hope at the start of 2022. Right before Christmas, on December 23, we have the last of three squares Saturn in Aquarius makes to Uranus in Taurus in 2021. I have been writing about this square all year in the Cosmic Weather Report. Now we see a final closure of the energy. We are seeing the death blows of archaic, old stubborn ways of dealing with our home planet Earth. Hopefully, many are choosing to embrace a new Aquarian humanitarian way of living where we value what truly matters – love and kindness for each other and mother Earth. Dare I say, “Goodwill to all”? Let’s hope for a year of change and renewal for all Earth’s creatures and for the environment. On December 28th, Jupiter reenters Pisces, a sign the planet of expansion and opportunity LOVES to be in! We saw a period last spring and summer of Jupiter in the sign of the fishes, but now the planet moves head on in and quickly too! Jupiter has a twelve-year orbit, so the great gaseous giant typically spends a year in each sign, every 12 years.
20 San Lorenzo Valley Post December 2021
But this time, Jupiter enters Aries by mid-May, returning to Pisces in late October until next winter solstice, when he makes his final move into Aries for 2023. People born under Pisces, or with important chart degrees in the sign, need to take advantage of this coming spring. Roll the dice! Take a chance on yourself! Jupiter, “King of the Gods,” says NOW is your moment! All of us can feel a jovial joy, a love and compassion for others and a sense of re-kindling the Divine in our hearts in 2022. One warning: watch out for those we love with strong Piscean energies in their birthchart. Spring of 2022 can also bring a heightened need for escape along with misinformation and delusion. The big event of next year occurs mid-April when Jupiter meets up with Neptune, planet of spiritual consciousness, fantasy, imagination, and confusion, also very strong in Pisces. Jupiter magnifies Neptune’s spiritual and visionary gifts. Inspiration, move me brightly!! Expect some expansion of hopes and dreams and over-the-top enthusiasm in springtime! Expect something BIG! Happy Holidays everyone! Catie Cadge is a master-certified Evolutionary Astrologer and is the Dean of Instruction for the Forrest Center for Evolutionary Astrology. Read about Catie and her work at caraevolutionaryastrology.com. mountain
www.slvpost.com
Books Davenport — A Land Set Apart Alverda Orlando’s History of Davenport, California
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etired teacher and librarian Alverda Orlando started working on the idea of a book about Davenport when she was in college. Facing a two-unit deficit from graduating and not wanting to have to do too much studying, she said, she took an easy summer course where the professor asked students to write about the history of their hometown. Orlando said she’d write about Davenport, but the professor scoffed and said, “There’s no history over there, you can’t do it.” Nobody had ever written anything about Davenport, Orlando realized. “All most people saw was the dust and the fact that it looked like something out of the deep South.” So she returned
Images of America: Davenport
home to Davenport to interview her neighbors anyway. Originally from San Jose, Orlando moved to Bonny Doon at the age of 10. She was 15 when she came to Davenport. “My whole life has been spent in that area,” she said. She taught school in the 1950s, then became a librarian with the Santa Cruz Public Libraries Branciforte branch in 1961. Known as the “the unofficial historian of Davenport and the entire North Coast,” Orlando finally retired from managing the Branciforte branch in 1992. But retirement didn’t suit her, she said. So in addition to spending the next ten years as a substitute librarian in the Santa Clara County system, she also became active with the Davenport Resource Service Center and joined a group that began interviewing local seniors about what life was like in Davenport in the old days. You can find the series of oral histories from the group’s interviews in a collection at the Santa Cruz Main Library. From these interviews, and the notes she’d taken in college, a book formed in Orlando’s mind. Orlando contacted Arcadia Publishing. Then she contacted friend and associate Ed Dickie, a nature photographer based in Davenport. They had all the information; they just didn’t know how to get started. Traci Bliss suggested that they work with Sally Iverson, an author, artist, and programs coordinator with Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History. The team spent nearly a year together compiling their research. Iverson focused on the native Cotoni tribe
www.slvpost.com
PHOTOS BY JULIE HORNER
By Julie Horner
L to R: Authors Sally Iverson, Alverda Orlando, and Ed Dickie with assistance from Mark Hylkema, Supervisor of the Cultural Resources Program, Santa Cruz District, who did his thesis on the Davenport native people. She also studied John Davenport’s adventures in Monterey before he came to Davenport Landing. She and Dickie collected archival images and distilled their descriptions. Orlando, who is now 91, released her book, Davenport, part of the Arcadia Publishing “Images of America” Series, in March of 2020. The Davenport of old was a vibrant town, and the book chronicles the transitions over the generations, from the arts community to what is now the San Vicente Redwoods preserve — vast stretches of rolling hillsides and canyons north of Davenport where Swiss and Italian dairymen immigrated in the 1860s. “The dairies started near Rancho Del Oso and fanned into Davenport
Landing,” Orlando said. “Coast Dairies built the town.” There were multiple schools. “They built railroads like they were roller coasters up and down the mountains and from San Francisco,” Dickie said. Other industries included tan oak and lumber. There was whaling, and lime kilns and cement. Bootleggers and a jail. “It’s interesting,” Orlando said, “You go way back in this town and it really has a lot of history, very very rich, crazy history, really, for such a small little town.” She added, “Santa Cruz newspapers talked about it like it was a foreign country. Here’s a part of Santa Cruz that nobody ever talked about, and yet all this stuff was going on.” In this book, Orlando, Iverson, and Dickie have assembled essential information for future generations about the North Coast’s last town. Available at Bookshop Santa Cruz, local State Parks, and booksellers online. mountain
San Lorenzo Valley Post
December 2021
21
Real Estate SLV Homes News & Resources By M.C. Dwyer
Housing Affordability Declines After a decade of rising home prices, up 18% across California this year sadly, only 25% of California households can afford to buy an average home. Now, the Bay Area has two of the most expensive housing regions in the U.S.: San Francisco and San Jose, up there with New York, Los Angeles, San Diego. Home prices here cost nearly 10x the average income, and many buyers are using their stock portfolios to source their down payments. A study by Clever Real Estate showed that, since 1965 and after accounting for inflation, income and wages have only gone up about 15%. But home prices, adjusted for inflation, rose about 120%. The home price to income ratio used to be around 2x. Home ownership in California used to be much easier, and there was less imbalance between the “haves” and the “have nots.” Some are moving out of state, because the national average home price to income ratio is around 5x. Home ownership is one of the best ways to increase personal wealth and reduce your housing costs during retirement. A fixed rate loan secures your monthly mortgage payment, versus rents that keep going up: nationally, rent rose 16% this year. There are programs for moderate income home buyers in cities including Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz. This year I helped a home buyer use a low down payment loan available for rural areas. Affordability most recently peaked in 2012, when 56% of buyers could afford a home, around the bottom of the last real estate cycle. Someone who can’t qualify now could set a goal to be prepared to buy on the next dip in the real estate cycle. Building More Affordable Housing California has a housing deficit of about 3.5 million homes. Senate Bill 9 goes into effect 1/1/22 – allowing parcels zoned for single family homes in urban areas to be divided into two lots: to build an additional home and possibly an Accessory Dwelling Units on each lot, as long as each lot is at least 1200 square feet, and property owners occupy one of the housing units after splitting or adding units. It’s already become controversial in some cities that are vowing to apply the most conservative interpretation of the law. Santa Cruz County happens to have one of the highest ratios of eligibility in the state: studies show the county may have 43,000 eligible lots with 8,000 new units feasible. Considering we are the only 22 San Lorenzo Valley Post December 2021
PHOTO BY M.C. DWYER
D
efensible Space Inspections Under Assembly Bill 38, most property sellers in “High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones” must document that their property is in compliance with this new law. To find out if you are in one of those zones, you or your real estate agent can order a Natural Hazard Report. There are also required disclosures about the home’s fire prevention features. At no cost, sellers can ask their local fire department or Cal Fire for an inspection. Buyers may agree to handle the compliance for the sellers, as long as the property is in compliance within 1 year. For details, visit: slvpost.com/slv-homes-defensible-space-and-home-hardening
176 Monte Vista Ave., Boulder Creek, CA California County that does not import water from other sources, and our County is slow to permit new housing, this may get interesting. CZU Wildfire Survivors Dave Reid at County’s Office of Response, Resilience and Recovery says he has nearly completed a thorough study of the impact of the Declaration of Geologic Hazards, the recorded document to replace the previously proposed Covenant. Even though Declarations are already recorded on about 700 Santa Cruz County properties, Dave took the next steps to consult with the Department of Insurance, and United Policy Holders, who ran the Declaration by Federal National Mortgage Association, none of whom anticipate any negative repercussions. Although survivors in geologically hazardous zones feel concerned about having this document recorded on their title, when it isn’t recorded on neighbors’ homes that survived the fires, actually, when those neighbors decide to sell, a Natural Hazard Report by a 3rd party will be given to buyers, illustrating the same geologic risks. Our CZU Rebuild We hope PG&E will connect my husband’s power pole next week. Next step is to hire someone to take down several large dead and hazardous Douglas Fir trees. That’s not covered by insurance, nor are the repairs needed after Anvil’s heavy equipment damaged the steepest part of the driveway. Meanwhile, he is working with his contractor to replace the plastic water tank that melted (the metal tank for fire-fighting survived). The design/engineering team is working on his project again. Once they’ve finished, he can apply for his permit to rebuild. Curious what your home is worth? Just call or text “M.C.” to find out! “M.C.” (MaryCatherine) Dwyer, MBA, REALTOR® , CA DRE License 01468388, EXP Realty of California, Inc. mcdwyer.com mountain Sources: MLSListings.com Single Family Homes through 9/22/21, REALTOR.com, CAR.org, Mercury News, Mortgage Bankers Association. The statements and opinions contained in this article are solely those of the individual author and do not necessarily reflect the positions or opinions of eXp Realty, LLC, or its subsidiaries or affiliates (the “Company”). The Company does not assume any responsibility for, nor does it warrant the accuracy, completeness or quality of the information provided.
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photography Larry Colen
I
took my first photography class when I was 12, in Summer school in 1973 right after we moved to Felton. A few months later my dad and I set up a darkroom in our house. I continued doing photography fairly seriously through college and eventually got my first DSLR a Pentax K100D super in 2007. Overnight I went from “meaning to get back into photography” to always having a camera handy, wandering around looking for photos whenever I had a few free minutes and averaging 700-1000 frames a day. One of the fun things about photography is how I need to engage both my technical and artistic minds to get the best shot. I keep the entire process of the photo in mind so I always
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shoot in RAW to have the most information to work with in post processing. You also don’t get a great photo by putting in more good things, you get a great photo by taking out everything that isn’t great. I try to keep this in mind both when composing and editing. Most of my photography is done with one of my Pentax DSLRs - an Argus C-3, originally made in 1939. The C-3 is an incredibly simple camera more noted for its tank-like ruggedness than image quality. When collecting my best photos I realized that your camera doesn’t limit the artistic quality of the photos that you take, only what photos you can take. Since I enjoy photography that pushes the technical envelope, Pentax does deliver tre-
mendous sensor performance for the dollar. Artist’s reception at Johnny’s Harborside 493 Lake Ave, Santa Cruz December 4 at 2:30 pm, bar open Happy hour menu at 3:30 pm flickr.com/photos/ellarsee mountain
San Lorenzo Valley Post
December 2021
23
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