San Lorenzo Valley Post January 2021 by San Lorenzo Valley Post

SAN LORENZO VALLEY POST

Welcoming 2021

QUAIL HOLLOW PARK

POST-FIRE

COMMUNITY CALENDAR 11 WINTER GARDENING

JANUARY 2021 VOL. 2 ISSUE 1

SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS NEWS & EVENTS

welcome Opportunity By Julie Horner

he year in retrospect and now to the future in the turn of the season is about making use of “stay-at-home” time. Unfinished projects that have been idle for years are now complete or well on their way. Fences are rebuilt, decks replaced, renovations begun, collections of books have finally been read, and those who play music or make art have studied their craft with renewed intent in this space of time unexpectedly given. Compelled into eye contact where all else is veiled and avoidant has opened a world of

ways to meet neighbors and co-workers and strike up conversations - albeit somewhat muffled - that wouldn’t normally have occurred. New voices, fresh ideas, and renewed opportunity. Pressed to introspect instead of needing to be places, in the time ahead we are granted a do-over of epic proportions. “Until today, I wasn’t sure of just how much I could endure. But now I’ve found with thanks to you, I’m stronger than I ever knew.” — The Oak Tree by Johnny Ray Ryder, Jr A most auspicious new year to one and all! mountain

Publisher San Lorenzo Valley Post, LLC Co-founders & co-editors: Mary Andersen mary@slvpost.com Julie Horner julie@slvpost.com Copy Editor Chris Finnie Graphic Design Laura Testa-Reyes

Photos of the month

Columnists Jayme Ackemann Randall Brown Catie Cadge Mike De Smidt M.C. Dwyer Jennie Dusheck Chris Finnie Marielle Martin Melinda McNutt Michele Murphy Jen Padgett Lisa Robinson Greg Roe Uncle Skip Advertising Contact mary@slvpost.com 831-335-6500 Donate: www.gofundme.com/ san-lorenzo-valley-post-newspaper Subscription $50 yearly, prepaid.

PHOTOS BY JULIE HORNER

Oaks at Quail Hollow Ranch Park 2 San Lorenzo Valley Post January 2021

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PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY THE SANTA CRUZ VOLUNTEER CENTER

outdoors Meet the Quail Hollow Trail Crew Contributed by the Santa Cruz Volunteer Center

s our community has faced so many challenges these past few months, many folks have taken to hiking and strolling along our local mountain trails, such as those at Quail Hollow Ranch, to retreat and rejuvenate.

Thanks to a small group of volunteers who dedicate time each week to maintaining these trails, hikers and equestrians are able to enjoy the peaceful serenity of Quail Hollow Ranch and feel safe while doing so.

“Thanks to a small group of volunteers who dedicate time each week to maintaining these trails, hikers and equestrians are able to enjoy the peaceful serenity of Quail Hollow Ranch and feel safe while doing so.” Quail Hollow Ranch County Park has more than 5 miles of hiking and equestrian trails. These trails take you through redwoods, chaparral, sandhills parkland, and a variety of other habitats. The rocky and sandy earth make upkeep and construction of the trails a strenuous job. With the increased volume of visitors, the trails at the park need more maintenance to make sure that all visitors are safe. This group of essential volunteers is special because they take pride in their performance and operate as a team. Each Tuesday they meet at 9 o’clock at the park to work on or www.slvpost.com

scout new projects, clear brush, dig trenches, build up deteriorating parts of trails, and much more. They also act as ambassadors to the park and share knowledge with all who encounter them.

The park’s newest and most scenic trail was envisioned by Al The Quail Hollow trail crew Keuter. Al worked tirevation and nature. Tom volunteers for other lessly to cut the begingroups within Quail Hollow Ranch and his nings of the trail. He was joined later by Tim extensive knowledge of our trail system and Jolly and together the two of them did 90% bird species makes him an integral part of our of the work with nothing but hand tools. Jon trail crew. Hudson came in towards the end and helped to really finesse some of the more difficult Lee Summer was park interpreter at Quail terrain, and began to beautify and get the trail Hollow Ranch for over 15 years. Since retireready for the public. ment, she has been volunteering in a variety of different ways. Lee knows the park better than anyone and is an incredible asset to the team. Lee is an amazing naturalist and understands completely the ins and outs of volunteering for a Government organization and engaging with the public. This relationship is nuanced, and her expertise is intrinsic to the success of this team.

Meet The Crew

Al Keuter has been known as the lead for the trail crew. Al records all the hours and acts as the main liaison between the park and the trail crew. Not only does he work on the crew, but he has consulted with parks maintenance on a variety of projects throughout the years. Al has been volunteering with the county since 2002.

Jim Bahn not only works on the trail crew but takes care of projects around the park on his own as well. When Jim first began in May of 2019, he made it a priority to update the trail map and make it more user friendly. He spent solo time hiking all the trails, getting acquainted and measuring mileage and elevation gain for all our trails.

Tim Jolly is the trail “engineer” He started working with Al and the trail crew in 2007. Tim retired from a 29 year position with the Pennsylvania Department of Environment Resource. He came to the Santa Cruz area to be close to family and started as a Docent at Quail Hollow. Jon Hudson has been part of the Quail Hollow Ranch trail crew since 2014. He is gifted in plant ID and trail maintenance and engineering. Jon also stands about a head taller than the other members of the trail crew and his height advantage helps to reveal troublesome overhanging branches that others generally miss. Tom Davey is a longtime Sierra Club member with a very worthy attitude toward conser-

With the combined talents of these amazing volunteers, the trails at Quail Hollow Ranch are in good hands. GIVE YOUR TIME: Are you interested in volunteering with a County Program or Department? Learn more at scvolunteercenter.org/ programs/volunteer-initiative-program FIND YOUR CAUSE: Still trying to discover your passion? Explore volunteer opportunities at scvolunteercenter.org. mountain

San Lorenzo Valley Post

January 2021

Cmmunity News Supervisor Ryan Coonerty’s Update Covid-19

A Covid-19 testing site has opened at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium 307 Church St, downtown Santa Cruz. Schedule a test at lhi.care/covidtesting. The State of California just released CA Notify, an app that will alert you when you have been exposed to Covid-19. Download the app and learn how it works at canotify. ca.gov. With two vaccines approved for use by the FDA, and the first inoculations of health care workers last week, hope is on the horizon. That being said, our ICU beds at Dominican and Watsonville Community Hospital are at or nearing capacity on any given day, almost all are Covid-19 patients. The surge and spread of this virus in our

community is real, and we must remain vigilant.

Help Daffodils Bloom in Bonny Doon!

This winter the Bonny Doon community is organizing a fundraiser for the school that will result in hundreds of beautiful daffodils blooming in the spring. The vision is that after planting this winter, come spring, the vibrant golden blooms of hundreds of thousands of daffodils will appear amid the fire-scarred landscape of Bonny Doon. This is a wonderful way to support the Bonny Doon community still reeling from the fire and spread beauty for years to come. Last day to order bulbs is January 6 at bonnydoondaffodils.org

What I Am Reading: My Favorite Books of 2020

Felton Discovery Park

The Felton Discovery Park, adjacent to the new Felton Library, was designed to promote environmental literacy through hands-on education. Felton Library Friends has hosted workdays in the park to help with removal of invasive species. Contact feltonlibraryfriends@gmail.com to schedule your small group to volunteer. mountain

To escape the daily crises and endless screens of 2020, I found refuge in books. I thought I’d share some of my favorite books in the hope that

you will email me back with your recommendations. I loved Jess Walter’s new book, The Cold Millions, a yarn about two brothers in Spokane at the turn of the century. In terms of politics, former Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power’s book The Education of an Idealist, Maria Hinojosa’s Once I Was You, and Richard Davies’ Extreme Economies were all beautifully written accounts of humanity facing the challenges of our world. For great storytelling, I’d recommend Tana French’s The Searcher, Colson Whitehead’s The Nickel Boys, and Tom Cooper’s The Marauders.

Designing Your Life, based on his work at Stanford and with Santa Cruz’s Idea Architects.

My 9-year-old daughter and I learned a lot from A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee and The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Bradley. My 5 year old and I spent a lot of time with Elephant & Piggie. Finally, if facing an existential crisis has caused you to reevaluate your life and career, I’d recommend Santa Cruzan Dave Evans’

Supervisor Ryan Coonerty represents the 3rd District of Santa Cruz County. mountain

Education: Free Virtual Learning Resources for Parents & Students Ed.ted.com/parent - A guide for parents on using TED-Ed, sparking the curiosity of the learners in your household, and creating customized lessons for students of all ages. Parents can also use TED-Ed as a supplement to existing curricula.

Sara Shea and family at work in the Felton Discovery Park 4 San Lorenzo Valley Post January 2021

Students can go directly to Ed.ted.com/ lessons and use the search tool or directory to find topics that interest them. Khanacademy.org - Comprehensive math,

art, computer programming, history, science, economics, and much more. Homeeducator.com/freehomeschool-resources - Hundreds of free resources for lesson plans and activities. Topics include health, food safety, biology, nature, earth science, astronomy, scientific research, economics, American government, history, fine arts, plus resources for parents and educators. mountain www.slvpost.com

Commentary Important Information for Residents Looking to Rebuild in the CZU Fire Zone By Becky Steinbruner I received an update from the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) weekly free newsletter regarding action the California State Board of Forestry took on Tuesday December 22 to move forward on restricting building in the rural and urban interface areas. The matter was continued to January 19 and 20, the later being a hearing before the State Office of Administrative Law, potentially the last public opportunity for review and comment. I have copied the RCRC summary below and urge you to contact local and state representatives with your thoughts. Here is the link to the recent December 22 Board of Forestry workshop that gives instruction on how the virtual meetings are conducted and how the public can participate in January: slvpost.com/board-of-forestry-revisions Please feel free to pass this information to others. Thank you.

Update on Revisions to the Board of Forestry State Fire Safe Regulations On Tuesday, the California Board of Forestry (BOF) held a public workshop to discuss its proposal to revise the State Fire Safe regulations. The draft rulemaking is set to be heard by the BOF at its January 19th meeting, and another on January 20th for submission to the Office of Administrative Law. This latest workshop was held in response to concerns expressed during the December BOF meeting at which staff initially presented the specific regulation changes. After more than eight hours of discussion, staff was directed to schedule another public workshop prior to the January board meeting in order to solicit additional feedback from both the public and attending board members.

both written and oral comments on the preceding emergency rulemaking that ultimately made more minor changes to the regulations. RCRC has formed a working group of local government partners and other interested stakeholders to provide coordinated comments on the current draft regulation. For more information, please contact Tracy Rhine at trhine@rcrcnet.org.

State and local representatives

» Representative Anna Eshoo ca18AEima@mail.house.gov » Assemblymember Mark Stone assemblymember.stone@assembly.ca.gov » 3rd District Supervisor Ryan Coonerty ryan.coonerty@santacruzcounty.us » 5th District Supervisor Bruce McPherson bruce.mcpherson@santacruzcounty.us

Website links

» California Board of Forestry bof.fire.ca.gov » Draft Rulemaking changes bit.ly/2WQxGnu » Rural County Representatives of California rcrcnet.org mountain

The State Fire Safe regulations set forth basic wildfire protection standards for development in State Responsibility Area (SRA) and, beginning July 1, 2021, the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones of the Local Responsibility Area (LRA). The changes made in the draft rulemaking, will have extraordinary impacts on housing production, not only in rural areas of the state, but also in more urbanized regions of California. For instance, the draft regulations would prohibit any future building construction on property served by a road that has not been upgraded, or that cannot be upgraded to meet current standards, such as dead-end roads. These upgrade requirements include road widening, re-surfacing, leveling grades and curves, and bridge improvements, from the property line to the nearest fire station, and apply to the building of a single residential unit or any business increasing its “service capacity.” All required upgrades would be at the expense of the property owner. RCRC staff has been in discussions with the BOF since April of this year on proposed revisions to the State Fire Safe regulations and have offered www.slvpost.com

San Lorenzo Valley Post

January 2021

Evacuations How To Prepare for Evacuation as the Rains Start By Chris Finnie

ason Hoppin, Communications Manager for Santa Cruz County, notes that the rains we've had so far this year are "beneficial rain events." This means they're enough moisture to encourage regrowth of seeds and damaged—but not destroyed—shrubs and trees, but not heavy enough to bring down our badly burned hillsides.

ing on your zone will show you whether it's "normal" and unlikely to be evacuated, or "advisory" (in blue) and considered under hazard from debris flows. Only one zone shows up in red on the map. This is for mandatory evacuation.

However, in a recent Lompico Town Hall, Steve Wiesner, Assistant Director for Transportation and Roads, noted that county roads have been pretty badly damaged. Repairs will be costly and lengthy. So, in areas like Lompico and Zayante that have few roads In conversations with Hoppins and in and out, it's important to follow Ashley Keehn, Public Information the same protocols during heavy Officer for the Santa Cruz County storms, even if you're not in a burn Sheriff's Department, we reviewed zone. As you may have noticed, how local residents should prepare the county has been working intenfor possible evacuations later in the sively throughout the mountains rainy season. to make sure ditches are clear and railings are repaired. Wiesner also Find Your Zone noted that some major evacuation Evacuation zones will primarily routes have already been repaired be west of Highway 9. You can using Measure D funds. look up your zone at community. zonehaven.com. Some people have Plan in Advance had problems with this site using Find a place to stay and several the Safari browser. So, if you have evacuation routes. As everybody another, use that. Enter your street in the mountains knows, heavy address in the search box at the top rainfall can cause slides and slileft of the map. Click on the arrow, pouts that can block roads, even in and you'll see your zone. The num- a normal year. As Keehn says, "We ber should look something like will try to give warnings as early "BOU-E010" or “FEL-E002.” Click- as we can when we see weather

Zonehaven evacuation map at community.zonehaven.com systems coming in that could meet the threshold for a mandatory evacuation. The goal is to give 24 hours notice before sending out a mandatory evacuation order." Hoppin adds, "Don't wait until mud is coming down the mountain. Leave while the roads are still dry and open."

Code Red signup at tinyurl.com/ y36azjvy

For more information, go to: www. co.santa-cruz.ca.us/FireRecovery/ DebrisFlowsMudflows.aspx

Pack Now

Hoppin also urges everybody to "be ready but not afraid." Think about what you need to take, and make an evacuation checklist. The Santa Cruz County Office of Emergency Services has several good guides for lists and plans on their "Storm Preparedness" page. Then get everything together you can. Keep a "go bag" packed that you can grab and load easily. Pack important papers and photos in advance too. Put pet carriers and food somewhere you can easily locate.

Go to the Code Red website at tinyurl.com/y36azjvy and list all your contact information. It's best to list as many ways to contact you as possible in case a storm knocks out power. Keehn notes, "You do 6 San Lorenzo Valley Post January 2021

not have to wait for a notice to leave if you sense danger. Some warning signs for debris flows include rushing water and signs of flowing mud." The county also recommends keeping track of storms yourself using press reports, social media, weather websites, and emergency radios. Let neighbors know if you hear about warnings.

Chris Finnie has lived in the Santa Cruz Mountains for 25 years. She’s worked as a marketing copywriter for more than 35 years. And has been a local, state, and national political activist for 17 years. She has contributed articles and columns to several local newspapers before happily landing at the San Lorenzo Valley Post at its inception. mountain www.slvpost.com

Debris Flow At Home When Debris Flow Strikes: There Is Hope

fter an intense heat wave, weeks of fire and smoke, hundreds displaced, and the worst pandemic in a hundred years, all of us are more than ready for recovery and healing. But many in the CZU fire zone are facing debris flows capable of carrying away or crushing buildings, vehicles, and people. Early evacuation is the safest option. County officials have held town halls to explain debris flow maps, the precision of rain forecasts, evacuation alerts, evacuation maps, and blocked roads. But what happens if, for whatever reason, you don’t evacuate? Amazingly, you can increase your chances of surviving a debris flow. Last summer, Joseph Wartman, a civil and environmental engineer, and William Pollock, a geotechnical engineer, both at the University of Washington, in Seattle, published a scientific report on how to survive a landslide. “Our findings are super straightforward and simple,” says Wartman. “They're really about educating people about the kind of proactive things that they can do before and during an event.” Pollock and Wartman first assembled a database of landslide survivals from all over the world. “We've traditionally understood that size or intensity of a landslide determines if a person will survive such an event,” says Pollock. “But in this work, we

discovered that it's human behavior more than anything else that drives mortality.” PHOTO BY JOSEPH WARTMAN, PHD

By Jennie Dusheck

For landslides under 3 feet deep, most people survived, and for landslides deeper than 16 feet, almost no one survived. But in between 3 and 16 feet, human behavior made all the difference.

First, Be Ready

As most near the CZU zone now know, where fires have incinerated vegetation and soil, heavy rain can quickly turn soil into fast-moving, exceptionally dangerous debris flows that move far too fast to outrun. If you haven’t already done so, check a local landslide risk map to see if you live in a high-risk area. Then create an evacuation plan. Next, think about where you sleep. Heavy rains are more common at night, as are debris flows, when most of us are asleep. “A lot of homes have bedrooms right at the very back of the house [facing uphill]. That’s the most dangerous part of the house,” says Wartman. If a mudslide speeds downhill towards your house in the middle of the night, mud and boulders may slam through windows and doors on the uphill side.

The 2014 Oso, Washington, landslide killed 43 people of mud and rocks until she was rescued. Small rooms are less likely to collapse. Remove furniture, which could injure you.

It’s 3 am. What’s that Sound?

Imagine waking up to the sound of branches cracking or a rumbling like a freight train. Those are the sounds of a landslide. You probably have less than 60 seconds to act. Get up high! In Pollock and Wartman’s study, those on an upper floor, attic, or roof survived 95% of the time. Just running upstairs in the last seconds before a debris flow hits your house can increase your chance of surviving by 12 times. Even if your only option is to stand on a kitchen counter, do it. Elevation is your friend.

If possible, move bedrooms upstairs or to the downhill side of the house (or both). Move beds away from exterior walls, especially in bedrooms that face uphill.

Don’t

Also, choose a small, interior, unfurnished room, such as a closet or bathroom as a refuge. One woman survived in a closet for nearly 5 hours under 16 feet

Once the landslide stops, you may be trapped. In two major landslides in Pollock and Wartman’s study, half died, 28 percent

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escaped on their own, and 20 percent were rescued by others. Of those rescued, 77 percent were first found by neighbors. Neighbors are close by and can call for more help. If you are trapped, you may have severe injuries and you may be at risk of suffocating, either from something heavy on your chest or limited air in a small space. Wave objects and make noise to attract attention so someone notices you. Shout, whistle, or bang on debris. Don’t give up.

Don’t go outside, open a door out of curiosity, or take cover by a piano or a large piece of furniture; it could crush you.

Trapped

Jennie Dusheck is an awardwinning author and editor. She is a freelance science journalist with an interest in climate change and health. mountain

San Lorenzo Valley Post

January 2021

Libraries Local Treasures Preserved Update on the Boulder Creek Library Renovation

enovation at the Boulder Creek Library is underway. The library temporarily closed in March, 2020 for a much needed upgrade using Measure S funds, but the project was stalled by contractor bidding issues, the pandemic, and then the fire. Santa Cruz Public Libraries Regional Manager, Laura Whaley, said, “It took so long to get to this point.”

dios, each depicting a variety of authors and musicians and nods to film and floppy disks. Fellow ceramic artist and partner Laurie Hennig said, “Our piece was kind of dat- Mosaic by artists Laurie and Dan Hennig ed, but it gave a sense of history.”

PHOTOS BY JULIE HORNER

By Julie Horner

Area residents had been purposefully Former District Supervisor Joe Cucchiara orig- brought into the deinally paved the way for the library to be built sign planning process. on 1.3 acres on West Park Drive in Boulder “It was a really big Creek in the early 80s. The library received an deal to have a new architectural prize for its community fueled library for our town,” design brought to fruition by architect Jeff Dan said. “Our old Oberdorfer. The 4,678 square foot building library was that little was dedicated on March 1, 1985 with artwork annex building where from San Lorenzo Valley artists integral from the Sheriff offices are inception. now. The whole com- Bonnie Chancellor bronze, woman reading to children munity felt like they Linda Skeff, and Sheila De Lany with support Whaley began advocating for necessary uphad a part in creating the design.” Laurie not- of the Valley Women’s Club (VWC), collabgrades as branch manager back in the early ed, “A lot of artists contributed. It was fun to orated to save these unique pieces of art and two-thousands. “It’s a beautiful building, go to the meetings and talk about how things keep them in Boulder Creek. “The contractor but our infrastructure was very 1984.” The are going to get laid out. It was a very open agreed to do everything he could to preserve renovation solves a host of issues. The main process.” the art.” Mackie’s masks and the Hennig entrance, circulation desk, and restrooms are being upgraded to comply with accessibility Ceramic artist Julie Mackie created the whim- mosaic were carefully cut from the places they had occupied for nearly 40 years and were set mandates. The children’s area, reading room, sical masks that were installed in the tile enaside. “I don’t think anyone really envisioned and community meeting room will be more closure around the wood stove. The faces are user friendly. Outdated plumbing and insuffi- artistic representations of people she observed that the art would be removed,” Whaley said. cient electrical infrastructure is being upgrad- in Boulder Creek and Ben Lomond, and she Skeff next contacted Hallie Greene at the ed to bring the library to current standards. studied the architectural plans to determine Boulder Creek Recreation and Parks District Whaley says the library will be more flexible their location in the alcove. to ask if they’d like to take the pieces at the and open. Bear Creek Community Center. Greene acThe Hennig and Mackie pieces have been cepted them into storage at Bear Creek. Laurie Preserving the Hennig mosaic and the removed. Artwork that will remain includes Hennig said of the mosaic, “I think it would the cast bronze sculpture in the front yard by Mackie masks be fun out in the garden.” Bonnie Chancellor of the mountain woman The library featured artist installations that reading to children, and the stained glass win- With an all-natives landscape project also in were embedded in the original interior harddow above the circulation desk designed by scape. Because of the interior redesign, some progress facilitated by AmeriCorps and sponof the art has been uninstalled and moved out Virginia Fordice in memory of her son, Gunsored by the VWC, Whaley said the Boulder nar Erik Fordice. of the library. Boulder Creek ceramic artist, Creek Library is expected to reopen in OctoDan Hennig said, “Just as you walk in, on the floor in the center there, that was our art.” The large round mosaic is composed of ceramic tiles hand-shaped and fired at Hennig stu-

8 San Lorenzo Valley Post January 2021

From one beloved organization to another When construction began in July, Whaley,

ber, 2021, “fingers crossed.”

Boulder Creek Branch Library, 13390 West Park Ave. mountain www.slvpost.com

Infrasturcture By Jayme Ackemann

e’ve spent most of 2020 thinking about personal safety, the safety of those we love, and whether our community is safe. In March, we were all told to ‘stay home to save lives.’ But we weren’t assured of safety at home. The CZU Lightning Complex Fires set off by an August thunderstorm drove us from our houses. For our safety we evacuated to campsites, shelters, hotels, and to friends and family. Hundreds of our neighbors are still displaced from homes they lost during that disaster. As we finish out this slog of a year, safety is again under discussion. Anyone who passes through the intersection of Graham Hill and Mt. Hermon roads is reminded by digital signage that debris flows could lead to more hazards. As the winter storm season gets underway, debris flowing off firescarred hillsides could present new flooding and water quality threats throughout the San Lorenzo Valley (SLV) watershed. In December, the SLV Water District Board of Directors sent a clear message about its priorities as they appointed Mark Smolley to replace outgoing board member Stephen Swan. One of the reasons all four board members pointed to for Smolley’s selection was his extensive background in construction management as they address the water system’s backlog of capital needs and post-fire recovery.

rationale for appointment to the seat. Infrastructure investment will play a critical role in our community’s ongoing recovery from this summer’s wildfires and for the long-term health and safety of our neighborhoods. The American Society of Civil Engineers gives our nation’s infrastructure a D+. The fact that everything from roads to reservoirs are in a state of disrepair will be a problem for the next presidential administration to address. The incoming Biden administration is already emphasizing its goals to support infrastructure investment by nominating South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg as Secretary of Transportation. Buttigieg caught the President-Elect’s attention by proposing an ambitious $1 billion infrastructure package as part of his earlier presidential bid. I’ve spent nearly two decades working in public transportation, and water industry operations and planning. Understanding the health of these systems, their interconnectedness to the quality of our individual lives, and how we can more effectively organize to maximize our local tax dollars and pay for these investments has been the focus of my career. SLV has some impediments to attracting infrastructure investment. We’re a large unincorporated, geographically isolated, independent mountain community. In the exurban mountains, we don’t have new development revenue streams to invest in upgrading and improving our outdated pipelines and water-treatment facilities. This means we must be more creative and strategic about the investments we do make.

Smolley cited his experience overseeing the installation of water pipeline projects as part of his www.slvpost.com

PHOTO BY SLV WATER DISTRICT

Are We Safe?

SLV Water District

We also have to make more noise. As an unincorporated community, we lack visibility in our region. We don’t have as many elected representatives networking and advocating on our behalf. Instead, it will take all our voices to bring attention to our needs.

What’s Next for Water and Transportation?

The SLV Water District has assessed wildfire repair costs in excess of $2 million. The District will work with its state and federal partners to recover as much of that as possible through federal emergency management programs. But time and labor aren’t infinite resources, other capital investment needs will be delayed. Pipes, like roads, have an expiration date. When I worked at San Jose Water we estimated that a thousand feet of new pipe cost about $1 million. Pipes in the best conditions can last about 100 years but then they start to break down, leak, and erode. Already aging, delays to water infrastructure investments have implications for our ability to conserve water and maintain water quality, maintenance costs, and eventually customers’ rates. This means delays and barriers to upgrading our system could actually cost us more in the long term. Meanwhile, the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commis-

sion also held a special meeting in December to discuss its proposed ‘Complete Streets’ investments between Graham Hill Road and the SLV tri-campus. Measure D promised to invest $10 million in Highway 9 corridor improvements that include new crosswalks, bicycle infrastructure, roadway improvements, and other work that is ultimately about making us safer. Going forward, this column will bring attention to local water, transportation, and energy infrastructure projects, and needs; and the policies and leaders who are responsible for safeguarding these assets. Our safety relies on the decisions they make.

Jayme Ackemann is a public affairs consultant and freelance writer. During her career, Ackemann has worked on major capital investments including BART to Silicon Valley, Caltrain electrification, and San Jose Water’s billion-dollar water infrastructure capital construction program. Jayme has been a resident of Ben Lomond for more than 15 years. mountain

San Lorenzo Valley Post

January 2021

Fire Recovery Fire Families Not Forgotten

small hand-drawn sign marks the corner of Deerwood and Bear Creek Road in Boulder Creek, near where the devastating CZU Complex Fire consumed 86,509 acres across two counties from August 16 through September 22, 2020. “BCRPD Community Relief,” the sign reads, and just around the corner, through a residential neighborhood, is the Bear Creek Community Center on Forest Hill Drive where the Boulder Creek Recreation and Parks District hosts enrichment programs for the community. Since September 26, District Manager, Hallie Greene, who lost her own home to the fire, and Kelly Prud-

en, BCRPD Events Coordinator, have thrown themselves into the relief program, which provides support for families cast adrift after losing everything.

supplies, and personal care products to distribute to CZU fire survivors.

Relationships were forged with representatives from FEMA, Angels Among Us, Dr. Marilynn Underwood from the County of Santa Cruz, Acupuncturists Without Borders, Steven Shabry’s Blue Sun Cafe, Community Foundation, Johnnie’s, Ronnie’s Meat Market, Wild Roots, and other local organizations to provide information, sustenance, and support each Saturday at the Community Center. Boulder Creek resident Sara Pichette, who had worked with Angels Among Us sheltering animals in the Camp Fire, was the conduit to bringing 47 pallets of household goods, cleaning

Help has been Community Relief teams assisting victims of the available to CZU fire assist fire famdropped off a load of 17 pallets of ilies with naviwater, which we’re now saving for gating complicated processes like the government-sponsored debris potential evacuations this winter.” removal program through CalOES And, in the case of mudflows, the Bear Creek facility will be preand CalRecycle, and tricky insurpared to open its doors to assist ance claim issues. Pruden noted, the community. “The insurance part of it is so intense. Families are voicing that The task of recovery seems insurthey’re not being helped the way mountable. But Pruden is resilient. they need to be.” As the program “I love what I do, so it doesn’t feel moves forward in the new year, like work. It’s not something I feel Pruden indicated that more effort overwhelmed with or tired.” She will be spent on these kinds of admits, “It’s going to be a long, hardships. long process. We want to be able to fill in the gaps. Having Hallie Community Relief resumes on on the team, being able to see Saturday, January 16 from 2:00 to what she needs from her per5:00 pm and consecutive Saturdays with funding to last through spective as someone who lost her home, will help.” April. “The needs aren’t going to go away, so we’ll be working on Reality is settling in for families, funding ongoing.” Pruden said. Community Relief answers who does what, who Because of Covid restrictions, to ask. “Slowly but surely we’re Community Relief has taken becoming the hub of the commuplace outdoors. One of the goals ahead includes replacing outdoor nity for fire relief.” Efforts for 2021 include engaging teams of volunstorage with sturdier options teers in community projects and against the weather. Pruden said, an adopt-a-family program. “We’re going to hold space for larger donations like furniture “Everyone who is here needs to and look into ordering commerbe here,” Pruden says. “One lady cial storage pods for families that who lost her home runs into her don’t have places to store their neighbors here. Seeing familiar things.” faces is a big part of it, too. We’re all in it together.” She recalls when valley water systems had been destroyed and Bear Creek Community Center, residents who were allowed to 15685 Forest Hill Drive, Boulder repopulate after the evacuation Creek bcrpd.org. mountain used the SLV Water District temporary water station. “The District was running out. Convoy of Hope

CZU Signs of Love Antonia Bradford’s SLV Support Group for Home Loss team created the “CZU Signs of Love” campaign to show that families who lost their homes in the Santa Cruz Mountains are not forgotten. Here is a sampling of signs.

10 San Lorenzo Valley Post January 2021

PHOTO BY EMILY POMEROY

By Julie Horner

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Community Calendar January 2021 Ease Mountain Yoga Online

Online opportunities daily - morning and evening - for yoga workshops, yoga therapy, and private yoga class series. easemountainyoga. com/class-schedule.html

Fleeing Disaster: An Interactive Writing and Sharing Presentation Tuesday, January 5 @ 7:00 pm. Free. The Genealogical Society and Santa Cruz Public Libraries present Gail Burk leading a virtual writing workshop about how recent wildfires have impacted community memberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives. What personal items did you choose to rescue in the evacuation? RSVP: staff@gcgensoc.org

Intro to Mushrooms of the Pacific Coast Tuesday, January 5 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. A crash course in mushrooming on the Pacific coast. Salish Mushrooms will cover 10 commonly foraged mushrooms, tips, tools, mapping, where to go, how to find your own spots, what to bring, what to read, and how to continue your journey. Register on the event page: facebook.com/events/689062818645216

Getting Started with Fruit Trees Wednesday, January 7, 2021 from 5:00 to 6:30 pm. Join Orin Martin, manager of the UCSC Alan Chadwick Garden and author of Fruit Trees for Every Garden, for an online presentation on how to select, plant, grow, and

manage healthy, productive deciduous trees organically. Register on the event page: facebook. com/events/741081806511193

Humbled: How Monterey Bay Escaped Industrial Ruin Thursday, January 7, 2021 @ 5:30 pm. Join authors Kathy McKenzie and Glenn Church as they detail the history of how Elkhorn Slough and Monterey Bay very nearly became home to a massive oil refinery in the 60s, "Humbled" takes a closer look at one of the earliest confrontations between industrial capitalism and a budding environmental movement. facebook. com/events/801486314032275

After Dark Online: COVID Vaccines

Thursday, January 14 @ 7:00 pm. The Exploratorium presents what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned and continue to learn about COVID and the new vaccines from leading researchers and educators. Watch the livestream on Facebook: facebook.com/exploratorium.

Mushrooms: A Winter Passion in Watercolor Monday, January 18 through Monday, February 22 from 10:00 am to noon. Santa Cruz Art League presents a 6-week course in watercolor techniques exploring the shapes and textures of mushrooms. Color theory, brush handling, traditional and alternative paint application methods. All skill levels. Register: scal.org/classes/mushrooms-a-winter-passion-in-watercolor

Look-Act-Inspire: Sustaining and Expanding the Community of Naturalists in Santa Cruz County

Mountain Community Theater By Peter Gelblum

Mountain Community Theater has donated $1,000 to each of the four local volunteer fire departments in the San Lorenzo Valley to thank firefighters for saving the entire valley from being destroyed by the CZU August Complex fires. MCT also extended generous gifts to two members of our theater family who lost their homes to try to make life a little easier for them. MCT, based at Park Hall in Ben Lomond since its founding in 1982, had to cancel its entire 2020 season due to the pandemic. We originally moved the four shows to 2021 in their same calendar slots, from March to December, but because the pandemic is still spreading, our current plan is to begin the season in the fall of 2021, with "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," followed by "Calendar Girls," "Now and Then," and "The Robber Bridegroom." We'll keep an eye on the health situation in the county and reopen only when it is safe for performers and audience members. You can learn more about MCT, the coming season, and the variety of videos we've been producing since April for our virtual Ghost Light Theater - including monologues, music, short- and full-length plays, scenes from prior shows, and six full prior productions, from 1987-2018, of our own "Miracle on 34th Street." Visit: mctshows.org Peter Gelblum is President of Mountain Community Theater. mountain

Sunday, January 24 from 3:00 to 4:00 pm. The SLV Museum is partnering with the Ken Norris Center for Natural History at UCSC to produce an exhibition about the diverse and changing faces of naturalists in Santa Cruz County. The virtual reception highlights the contributions of long-time naturalists Fred McPherson, Randall Morgan, Val Lopez, Ken Moore, and also highlights a new generation of naturalists. slvmuseum.com

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San Lorenzo Valley Post

January 2021

Entertainment Calendar shares good vibes. Livestream: facebook. com/nomadbliss

KBCZ 90.1 FM Streaming at KBCZ.org Sunday Get Up! 9:00 to 11:00 am. Join E.B.D. for Hip-hop, soul, dance-anything.

January 2021 ing KBCZ DJs bring you their version of Country music.

The Drive-Time Show with Samtheram 4:00 to 6:00 pm. Music, traffic, weather, history. The Mountain Road 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Celtic music with Julia Dream.

It’s the Way of Love: 4:00 to 5:00 pm. Rockelle and MC Hager host music, talk, laughter, science, art and activism.

Sundays Grateful Sundays Livestream 5:30 to 9:00 pm. Grateful Dead jams with Matt Hartle and Friends Hosted by Grateful Sundays at Michael’s on Main. facebook.com/ GratefulSundays

Thursdays Nomad Livestream - From My Home To Yours 5:00 to 7:00 pm. Santa Cruz Mountains singer-songwriter Dave “Nomad” Miller plays great music and

Enrique Burmano: 8:00 to 9:30 pm. Eric Burman plays bluegrass and shares the stories behind the festivals.

Other Music: 10:00 pm to 12:00 am. A journey with Scotty K through recorded sound from the curious to the bizarre.

Monday Country Co-Op 2:00 to 3:00 pm. Rotat-

Redwood Radio 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Redwood Rudy spins the latest Indie music.

Friday

Tuesday Drive-Time Show with Taylor Wolfsen 4:00 to 6:00 pm. Music of the 90s.

Telemetric Transmission: 6:30 to 8:00 pm. John Lehr hosts 60s and 70s music with psychedelic and garage bands. After Hours with Malakai Lawton: 8:30 to 10:30 pm. Mixed music and interviews with musicians.

Wednesday KBCZ Women’s Music Co-Op 2:00 to 3:00 pm. Rotating KBCZ DJs play music from any genre written and recorded by women.

The Wednesday Afternoon Rock and Roll Drive-Time Show with Scotty 4:00 to 6:00 pm. Rock, weather, and traffic. It Came from the 80s 6:30 to 7:00 pm. Generation X glam, pop, punk.

Matt’s Altered State 7:00 to 8:00 pm. Matt Slayershoes hosts 90s grunge to modern alternative, including bands like Tool, Primus, Alice in Chains. The Hardrock for the Humpday Show 8:00 to 9:00 pm. The Ozzy Freak of Boulder Creek plays tunes based on a mix of new releases, deep cuts, and hard rock legends.

Pixels to Plastic 9:00 to 11:00 pm. Playing bitesize dance music from the last 50 years with your host Taylor Wolfson.

Thursday Be Squared with Stir Fry 10:00 to 11:30 am. DJ Stirfry takes you on a tour of world music and feel-good inspiration.

12 San Lorenzo Valley Post January 2021

The Drive-Time Show with Feltopia 4:00 to 6:00 pm. Laurie and Kevco playing 20th century Americana with an edge.

Earth Church 9:00 to 11:00 pm. Smiley Green plays World, Reggae, R&B, Soul, Beats, Blues and the American soundtrack.

The Uncle Jeffro Sunday Show 12:00 to 2:00 pm. Jeffro (Jeff Smith) plays all kinds of great music!

The Sunday Show: 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Fannie plays all your favorite jam bands. Phish, The Grateful Dead, Umphrey’s McGee, more.

Mountain Grass Bluegrass with Julia Dream 1:00 to 3:00 pm. Bluegrass, old time, mountain music.

The Friday Morning Show with MouseCat Gabbs 10:00 to 12:00 pm. Playing a wide variety of pop tunes from around the world and around the corner. The Audio Files 2:00 to 4:00 pm. Jazz with the Randyman.

The Reggae-Soul Power Hour Drive-Time Show 4:00 to 6:00 pm. Reggae and the Pintly Perspective with Big Bri.

The Underground Rock Show 8:00 to 10:00 pm. Hard Rock, Stoner Rock, Heavy Psych, Space Rock, Doom Metal, 70’s Fuzz, Sludge, Desert Rock. Metal from the Mountains 10:00 to 12:00 am. The Ozzy Freak of Boulder Creek strives to play some neck snappin’ tunes.

Saturday The Jazz Report with PK 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Jaco Pastorius, Miles Davis, John Coltrane. Mi Ruca 12:00 to 1:00 pm. Lowrider music by Mr. Reyna.

Grateful AF 1:00 to 2:00 pm. Grateful Dead Aficionado, Mr. Reyna takes us on a journey to see what a long trip it’s been. The Mike D Show 3:00 to 4:30 pm. “Playing…whatever!” Unburied Treasure 5:00 to 7:00 pm. The Randyman plays B-sides, D-sides, unheard gems. Electronic Tonic 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Tim Huxley plays a mix of electronic music of all genres.

The Tower of Babel 10:00 pm to 12:00 am. DJ Do presents disjointed soliloquies and disparate musical genres from around the world. For additional programming visit KBCZ.org. mountain

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Music What a Long Strange Trip Bonny Doon Resident Keeps a Community Dancing By Michele Murphy

hat a Long Strange Trip it’s been For Michael Harrison, proprietor of Michaels on Main, affectionately referred to by grateful patrons as MoM. Michael, along with his wife and partner Colleen, agreed to purchase the Soquel dining establishment and music venue in the summer of 2016, by mid-December they took over operations and a transformation that no one could have imagined began. On his early vision: “When we originally bought the restaurant, my intention was to create a community gathering place for live music, weddings, birthdays, and fundraisers, while operating as a restaurant and pub.” The menu, Harrison said, “is what I like to think of as ‘Americana’ cuisine, which I interpret as anything that has washed up on American shores.” Just as our citizenry is a melting pot of cultures and flavors, so is the menu at MoM. His initial vision grew over time, conservative at first, considering tastes of the local demographic… but then recognizing that he had this remarkable facility where he could fulfill a dream he had nurtured since he was young; to create a communal space reflecting who he really was, that could potentially be embraced by the community. Realizing he might be among few restaurateurs that actually followed the Grateful Dead, he imagined he could indulge, and share, his passion for the band by offering live Grateful Dead music to the local Deadhead community. ”Come hear Uncle John’s Band by the riverside” Shortly after taking over, Michael met with well-known guitar player Matthew Hartle, and the two developed the idea for a ‘Grateful www.slvpost.com

Sundays Concert Series’ with special guests, to be held Sundays from 6-9pm with no cover charge. Attracting some of the best musicians in the Bay Area, Grateful Sundays exploded into a phenomenon that has had jam band music fans flocking to the venue from far and wide while delighting lucky locals who truly appreciate what has been created in this space. Hippies twirl under the stars on one of two lovely heated patios, or on the main dance floor in the bar area, which is adorned with Harrison’s fantastical collection of counter culture art. Others relax in the pub or main dining room, which are quiet enough for a chat with friends, but within earshot of sweet music. “One man gathers what another man spills” After the first year of doing the music bookings himself, Michael procured the services of Tom Miller when another local venue changed hands. A veteran booking agent with decades of experience and connections with high quality national touring acts, Tom was able to add an exciting dimension to the variety of shows the venue could attract. Regular free events include local bands on Friday and Wednesday happy hours from 5-7pm in the pub. Tuesday night Open-Mic Acoustic Jams were becoming hugely popular; there aspiring and established players sign up to perform with prominent local musicians.

Michael Harrison, proprietor of Michaels on Main They lived in their RV in the parking lot at MoM for just over a month. Grateful to have not lost their home, they remain hopeful that they will be able to save their business, which is so much more than a business. “Such a long long time to be gone, and a short time to be there” For Michael, Colleen, and their amazing staff, this has been financially devastating, and the future is uncertain with new restrictions in place for the foreseeable future. Numerous measures were taken to operate safely and they are ready to offer outdoor seating as soon as it’s deemed safe. The easiest way to support MoM now is to order take-out! Online menu: michaelsonmain. info/take_out_1.html

“Just when life looks like easy street there is danger at your door”

*Italicized lyrics in quotes are the prolific words of Robert Hunter

On March 15th 2020, the decision was made to close in order to protect the employees and customers due to the pandemic, reopening three months later with restrictions, now closed down again in late December.

Michele Murphy is a writer, and singersongwriter who has lived in Santa Cruz County since 2005 when she migrated West from Buffalo NY to the beautiful San Lorenzo Valley, never looking back. An avid music lover, she is entrenched in the local music scene both as a performer and a fan, with her finger on the pulse of what is happening musically in our area. mountain

Their resilience has been astounding. When the CZU complex fires tore through the Santa Cruz mountains, Michael and Colleen were evacuated from their home in Bonny Doon. San Lorenzo Valley Post

January 2021

Mountain Fermenter Sowans, Scotland’s Fermented Porridge By Mike De Smidt and Greg Roe

“Wi’ merry sangs, and friendly cracks, I wat they didna weary; And unco tales, and funny jokes, Their sports were cheap and cheery; Till buttered so’ns (sowans) wi fragrant lunt, Set a’ their gabs a-steerin; Syne wi’ a social glass o’strunt, They parted off Careerin’ Fu’ blythe that night” –Excerpt from the Robert Burns poem, “Halloween.” The San Lorenzo Valley has a rich history of imigration from Scotland. The town of Ben Lomond and our local reservoir, Loch Lomond, were named after prominent locations in Scotland by immigrants who carried their love of homeland to these shores. In Scottish Gaelic, Beinn Laomainn, “beacon mountain” and Loch Laomainn, “lake of the elms’’ are named after the mountain and the lake (the largest in Scotland) on the boundary between the lowlands and highlands. The area has a wealth of history, song, and poetry very much worth a read. Both Bonny Doon and Ben Lomond are credited to have been named by Scottish logger John Burns (no relation to the famous Scots poet Robert Burns mentioned above) who settled in the Santa Cruz Mountains in the mid-19th century. Winter has come, and one warming morning comfort food is porridge. Specifically, fermented porridge. In Russia, they have Kissel, in Kenya they have Uji, in Scotland there is sowans. Sowans date back to at least the 1690s, when Scottish journalist George Ridpath wrote that sowans were a great food “both for body and soul.”

Sowans are traditionally made from sids, the inner husk of oat grains. The sids are soaked and fermented for several days, then run through a sieve or cheesecloth. The sids are tossed to the chickens, while the liquid is left for another day. The starchy sediments, the sowans, will drop to the bottom, with a liquid, the swats, sitting on top. The clear liquid and some of the sediment is then poured off and cooked with a dash of salt for a bit until it thickens. What you’re left with is a nutritious, tart porridge. As actual sids are very hard to come by these days, we’re sharing a recipe using one part rolled oats to two parts oat bran to simulate sids. With a little time and patience, you’ll be enjoying a steaming bowl of sowans, which perhaps some of the valley’s original Scottish settlers might have eaten on a cold winter morning.

Ingredients

Rolled oats, oat bran, water, salt

Method

1. Mostly fill a glass jar (such as a hinged lid or clamp jar) with ⅓ rolled oats and ⅔ oat bran. 2. Add a few dashes of salt and cover oats with warm water and let sit for a bit, making sure all grains stay covered with the water. (Note, you can also use whey here instead of water, which will kick start the fermentation.)

PHOTOS BY GREG ROE

COPY-EDITING NEWSLETTERS PRESS RELEASES Mountain Echo Publishing 831-325-1974 leap2three@gmail.com

14 San Lorenzo Valley Post January 2021

Fermentation process at work in a Fido style jar with a rubber gasket.

Sowans in process through the cheese cloth 3. Close the jar but DO NOT seal (you don’t want the jar to explode). If you use a Fido jar, you can remove the rubber gasket and still lock the lid. 4. Let it ferment for 4 to 7 days. The longer the ferment, the more tartness. 5. Open it up and smell. It should not smell really off. If it does, something else took hold before the fermentation got going. Toss it and return to step one. 6. Line a colander or strainer with cheesecloth and set in a large bowl. 7. Dump the contents of the jar into the bowl, gather up the cheese cloth and squeeze to get all the sowans out of the cheese cloth. Rinse with a little extra water if need be. 8. Return the liquid you squeezed out to the jar and let it sit for another day or two. The sowans will settle to the bottom. (Note: The contents of the cheese cloth can be tossed into the compost or fed to chickens.) 9. Pour off the liquid, the swats, into a glass. You’ve got a probiotic drink (or use in step 10 instead of all water). The pasty part is the sowans. 10. To prepare the sowans, add about a half cup of sowans per person to a pot with ½ to 1 cup of water per person. Add a pinch of salt. Boil for about 10 minutes, until it resembles a very thick cream. Enjoy with honey, fruit, chia seeds, nut butter, or anything else you can think of. Ben Lomond local, Mike De Smidt has been home brewing for 12 years and is a BJCP Certified Beer Judge. Greg Roe is a Felton local who has been a home brewer for 20 years and is a self-proclaimed Fermentation Geek. mountain www.slvpost.com

Food Laksa By Marielle Martin

aksa is a spicy Southeast Asian noodle soup. Its bold flavors were influenced by exploration, trade, and migration in the region dating back to at least the 15th century. Delicious variations of the dish exist throughout Indonesia and the Malay Peninsula. The soup base of fish, chicken, or vegetable stock can be flavored with curry and coconut milk (spicy, creamy) or tamarind (sour) or both combined. Rice noodles, seasonal vegetables, choice of protein, and garnishes round out the recipe. CNN Travel named Penang Asam Laksa, a fish and tamarind version of the soup, and Singapore’s Curry Laksa two of the world’s most delicious foods. The late chef Anthony Bourdain helped to popularize laksa in the US by highlighting variations of the soup in his food shows ‘No Reservations’ and ‘Parts Unknown.’ Bourdain said, “If you like noodles and spicy stuff that comes in a bowl… you would really like this.” Darwin, capital city of Australia’s Northern Territory, hosts the annual Darwin International Laksa Festival. And it did take place in November 2020 as an outdoor event. Visit darwinlaksafestival.com.au to read in more detail about that event and the many different regional versions of laksa. The dish is versatile. It’s easy to swap out ingredients with what you might have in your pantry. A variety of noodles and proteins will work. Vegetables are best when selected at season’s peak. The key to the soup’s flavor is laksa paste. You can purchase it online (I recommend Por Kwan Laksa Paste) or use a substitute found readily at local grocery stores such as Thai red or green curry paste. Or try your hand at a homemade batch.

Homemade Laksa Paste

» 7 dried red chilis » 1 onion or 2 shallots chopped www.slvpost.com

» » » » » » » » » » » »

3 cloves garlic 1 tsp paprika 1 lemongrass stalk 1 tbsp galangal or fresh ginger sliced ½ tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground turmeric 3 tbsp peanuts or cashews chopped 2 tsp shrimp paste, fish sauce, or oyster sauce 3 kaffir or makrut lime leaves, or 1 bay leaf and 1 tbsp lime zest ½ cup fresh cilantro ½ tsp light brown sugar 3 tbsp oil

Pulse the ingredients, except the oil, together in a food processor. Slowly add the oil until the paste acquires a smooth consistency. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Laksa Noodle Soup

» » » » » » » » »

2 tbsp oil 1 package firm tofu ½ cup laksa paste 1 lb or 4 chicken boneless chicken thighs, sliced 2 cups fish, vegetable, or chicken stock 1 13 oz can coconut milk, unsweetened 12 prawns, or choice of seafood Rice noodles Garnishes: Bean sprouts, cilantro, fried shallots, green onions, lime wedges, boiled or fried egg, sliced red chili, peanuts or cashews, sesame seeds

Add oil to hot pan or wok, heat and add tofu. Fry until golden. Set aside on a paper towel. In the same pan, add laksa paste stirring until fragrant – about 1 minute. Stir chicken thighs into the paste, cook until done. Add stock and coconut milk, bring to boil then reduce to simmer.

Laksa Noodle Soup Divide noodles into boils, top with tofu, chicken, and prawns. Garnish with your favorite combination of bean sprouts, cilantro, fried shallots, green onions, lime wedges, boiled or fried egg, and sliced red chili, nuts, sesame seeds Marielle Martin is a food, gardening, and travel writer. She lives in Felton. mountain

WELCOME

2021!

happy new year! MAY THIS HEALTH,

YEAR BRING

PROSPERITY,

YOU

AND

JOY!

from the SLV POST team

Boil noodles in separate pot, drain well. Add prawns to soup pan, cook until just done. San Lorenzo Valley Post

January 2021

Ben Lomond Gardener Nip and Tuck for the New Year

n December 21, the Winter Solstice, we rounded the corner at the wintery end of the year’s ellipse. After this most sacred of all garden holy days, the hours of sunlight begin to increase again, as the Northern Hemisphere starts tilting back towards the sun. Meanwhile, the winter garden is a cool, calm, relaxing place. The bones (roots, branches and stones) are in full view, even more so once pruning is done. It’s like seeing the sheet music for a piece you’ve learned by ear. Beautiful in pattern, as much as in detail. Bamboos in winter are thick with sharp green foliage against golden, green, or striated culms (shoots). Almost everything deciduous is bare, so the bamboos stand out, but not entirely alone. Manzanita, its wine-red limbs “stark and shiny in the breeze” (Grateful Dead, R. Hunter, 1968), rests before pushing white flower buds. Silk tassel (Garrya elliptica)

is filling up with soft, dangling, dusty-brown tufted clusters. Several varieties of rosemary are flowering right now, oblivious to low light and nightly frost. Roses and apples require your attention in December and January. I do not advocate spraying anything besides OMRI-certified products, however, I do strongly advocate using those this month or next for protection against plant diseases and insect pests. I use dormant oil (mineral oil) and copper diammonium. Copper sulfate is a good alternative. On apples, apply three times each winter; at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day, roughly. You can stray slightly from this schedule, but dormant spray will wash off with winter rains, so plan treatments accordingly. I only spray roses once per year. Dormant oil plus copper diammonium in January, just after pruning. Pruning is one of the bigger winter tasks. I have a full-sized, old-school Granny Smith apple tree that was pruned in an erratic, if not barbaric manner by the

16 San Lorenzo Valley Post January 2021

PHOTO BY FELIP

By Uncle Skip

Winter apple tree previous occupants. They seem to have assaulted the poor tree with a chainsaw every three or four years, at random and without beneficial effect. With focus and patience, however, even this kind of butchery can be reversed (took me 20 years). I heartily recommend Orin Martin’s classes and book “Fruit Trees for Every Garden” (10 Speed Press, 2019). Herewith, a few simple pointers. If you remember nothing else, prune for light and air. Light for even growth and fruit ripening; air for circulation and protection against disease microbes. Second, remove dead, damaged, diseased, and crowded wood. You can remove (thin) as much as one third of the fruit wood on apples, either by directly pruning fruiting spurs or by removing older laterals on which they grow (check photos of fruit and foliar buds to learn the difference). I’ve trained my Granny Smith into an ”open center” form; with several large scaffolding branches extending out around the trunk more or less in balanced weight and volume. The “central leader” form is more common on dwarf and semidwarf trees. Use “heading” cuts to stimulate growth. On twoyear-old wood, cut back to lower,

outward-facing bud to stimulate new growth. Head back easy, just above a bud near the top of the stem to keep the stem at its present size and encourage foliage and fruit spur growth below. I have three kinds of roses that benefit from moderate to hard winter pruning: floribunda, shrub, and English. These roses blossom on this year’s wood. Remove older, gnarled shoots and replace with younger, thick, fast-growing ones over time. On a mature floribunda rose, cut back to four to six main stems growing from the base of the plant. What remains looks like an inverted hand, fingers open part way and extended skyward. Shrub roses will respond well to similar treatment, but you can leave more wood and longer stems in place. English roses also respond well to a lighter touch, however, I have been quite ruthless with my Graham Thomas, removing 50% of the shoots every year. I still get a magnificent head of rich, yellow blooms over the arbor. Uncle Skip writes about seasonal gardening from his home in beautiful Ben Lomond, California. mountain

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THe New Year Barefoot on the Crooked Path By Melinda McNutt November asked us to find grateful hearts, December lit the way for Hope, now January challenges us to push through the frozen darkness and grow. We dance between the dark and the light during Winter’s turning of the wheel. We spend time in silent, cold places—often in reflection of ourselves—while the merry and bright is just beyond our reach. Winter offers us subtle lessons about surfaces and depths. Lessons that drop us beneath our frozen layers, make us uncomfortable, finally creating the opportunity for us to break through and thrive. These reflections are useful “as most of the factors that shape human awareness are not immediately accessible to the conscious mind; they operate at levels below the one where our ordinary thinking, feeling, and willing take place. The mystery schools have long taught that consciousness has a surface and a depth. The surface is accessible to each of us, but the depth is not. To cause lasting changes in consciousness that can have magickal effects on one’s own life and that of others, the depth must be reached, and to reach down past the surface, ordinary thinking and willing are not enough.” (J. M. Greer, Mystery Teachings from the Living Earth, Weiser Books, 2012, pg. 88) Will is on many minds right now, with all those New Year’s resolutions still fresh and full of promise. Surface will is what we invoke to tip the ball into the basket when

we’re spectators cheering for our team; we “push” with our thoughts. For my adult life, the call to a “resolution” has been a yearly surface ritual of beating myself up, shaking my head, and moving forward in committed shame. The standard New Year’s resolution to get fit, thin, and healthy is mostly about the thin bit, which doesn’t dive below the surface into the depths; thus not allowing for the consciousness to travel to the depths necessary to facilitate real change. I’ve made other worthy resolutions through the years: to do more, try harder, achieve something. Still the essence of “resolutions” is reminding myself that I’m not really good enough as I am. Assessments from the surface receive surface will.

“No diets, no surface skimming. I’m a work in progress, and I accept that.” Will at depth feels much different. We’ve all “been in the zone,” when whatever we’re doing absorbs our attention; time collapses as hours feel like minutes. Holding an intention clearly, without conflict, allows action to line up and follow it. Granny taught me not to “will” something to happen, rather to act as a gateway. She taught me to open a way for

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PHOTO BY J MAUGHN

Winter Will

Moonlight at Quail Hollow Park energy to flow as effectively as possible, without distraction or second guessing. When intentions flow from the center of who we are, they come smoothly, what the Dao De Jing call Wu Wei or “no strain,” almost as if there is no barrier—we and the action are simply parts of the same thing in motion.

every magickian must learn is that magick sometimes fails.” As Granny used to tell me, “We do our best and still there are times the yeast just doesn’t rise.” Still, we are magick. Remember that as you seek your resolution for this season of growth. Be willing to dive. You may find surprising and heartening depths beneath your surfaces.

As I have aged, I’ve become more conscious of the ways in which I Slán agus beannachtaí (goodbye beat myself up. I’ve learned the and blessings). rather important truth that negative statements don’t work. “I will get thin” is a negative surface statement. “I will lead a healthier lifestyle,” is a positive dive below the surface statement. Positive affirmations encourage warm thoughts about ourselves as we dive deep. Plus, few of us benefit from having a stick to beat ourselves up with. Hold that in your thoughts as you contemplate your own resolutions. Positive, self-validating, deep-diving, resolutions then. No diets, no surface skimming. I’m a work in progress, and I accept that. You might want to try that tactic as well. As Greer reminds us, “One of the essential lessons

Melinda McNutt (McNaughton) is an artist and owner of Wicked Goods, peculiar oddities for the hearth and self located within Air and Fire, A Mystical Bazaar in Boulder Creek. mountain

San Lorenzo Valley Post

January 2021

Local HIstory Streetwise Downtown Felton

ave you ever thought about how the street where you live got its name? In these articles, we will look at street names in the San Lorenzo Valley and explore the history hidden in their names. The street names of downtown Felton have changed over time. Some have disappeared completely. Let’s look at some of the changes. The town of Felton was laid out in 1868 by Edward Stanley. Stanley, a lawyer, had been hired by Isaac Graham to defend his ownership of the Zayante Ranch. On his sudden death, Graham owed Stanley money and Stanley was the recipient of the land in payment for debts due. The land for the new town, which promised to be the terminus of the new Santa Cruz-Felton railroad, was surveyed by Thomas Wright. The advertisement in the Weekly Sentinel cited Horace Gushee

(Gushee Street) as the agent for the purchase of lots. Stanley transferred one of the lots to Horace Gushee and Joseph Boston (Boston Street), as trustees, for a Protestant Episcopal Church site. Boston Street ran one block to the west and parallel to Gushee, and no longer exists. It is likely that when the streets of Felton were paved in 1929, it was realized that Boston Street was not actually necessary since all the properties on that street could be accessed from another. In some ways, the names on the original map of Felton read like a list of members of the Society of California Pioneers of Santa Cruz County, and many of their biographies can be found in Santa Cruz County History Journal Number Four published by the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History. In 1871, the land was bought by George Treat who owned the first steam powered lumber mill in the San Lorenzo Valley at the confluence of Gold Gulch and the San Lorenzo River. Treat had some financial woes and sold the land to Charles McLaughlin with an option that would allow George Treat to repurchase at the same price within a certain time. In 1884, that time was almost up and to help Treat out, Fredrick Augustus Hihn stepped in to purchase the ranch. On the 1889 Hatch Map, a map compiled by Andrew Jackson Hatch depicting land ownership in rural Santa Cruz County, there are also five inserts depicting sub-divisions owned by entrepreneur F. A.

18 San Lorenzo Valley Post January 2021

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY LISA ROBINSON

By Lisa Robinson

Hihn, including the town of Felton, pictured here. Streets such as Gushee and Boston do not appear on the map. Neither do they appear on the 1895 Sanborn Fire Insurance maps. Baldwin (now Highway 9), Cooper, and Wright crossed Bennett Street (now Felton Empire). Baldwin was the maiden name of Edward Stanley’s wife Cornelia. Cooper was likely named for Walter Cooper, who was one of the first to construct business buildings in the town. Ashley for Santa Cruz County pioneer Otis Ashley. The first Felton schoolhouse was located on Ashley’s land; his lumber mill was on Fall Creek. Bennett was named for Eben Bennett of the Bennett Lime Kilns on Bennett Creek. Originally, Kirby Street, named for tanner Richard Kirby, husband of reformer and suffragist Georgiana Bruce Kirby, ended at Boston Street, which no longer exists. From Boston, there was a street named Donneel on the original map (now Kirby) but named Donnell on Hatch’s map likely for the superintendent of the Page, Donnell, and Lee sawmill.

On this map, Hihn Street is named Maple Street, but Hihn Street predates the map. And to add to the confusion, the Sanborn maps show a street named Oak, implying it is between Kirby and Hihn. In the words of historian Sandy Lydon: “Place names… represent the code to unlocking Santa Cruz County’s rich and varied history… names are always in a state of flux; spellings change, names fall out of favor, places move around on the map, and finally, the reasons for some of the names are forgotten entirely.”

Lisa Robinson is the Collections and Exhibitions Curator at the San Lorenzo Valley Museum. mountain www.slvpost.com

Local HIstory Graham’s Green Gift

dmire him or not, Isaac Graham played a major role in early California history. Famous in his time, the San Lorenzo Valley pioneer is remembered here as the namesake of Graham Hill Road, an updated version of the route he used to transport lumber from Rancho Zayante to the beach in Santa Cruz. There is also an uncredited legacy—the earliest preservation of our local redwoods. In 1841, after being freed from a Mexican prison, Graham settled down with old friends from his mountain man days on the Zayante Rancho. His arrival coincided with the completion of an ambitious project—California’s first water-powered sawmill, which Graham soon took over. As he studied the Rancho’s timber resources, the pioneer came across an unusually tall tree near the San Lorenzo River and decided to leave it be. Prior to the Mexican War, as increasing numbers of immigrants crossed the Sierras into California in spite of official disapproval,

Graham welcomed the newcomers, providing a safe haven at Zayante. On a rainy February day in 1846, John C. Fremont, accompanied by Kit Carson, visited the Rancho. “During his stay,” one member of the expedition later recalled, “they visited the Big Tree, and Graham named it the Fremont Tree and cut the letter “F” deeply in the bark.” After the conquest of California, newspapers throughout the nation printed accounts of Fremont’s activities, including a description of the giant redwood. The report inspired curiosity in the Eastern states and, during the Gold Rush, travelers visited Zayante to verify it. “Most splendid timber on Graham’s place,” noted diarist O. P. Sutton in May 1849. “Saw the big tree Fremont speaks of and saw where a man had lived in one.” Two years later, a New York Herald article about the prodigious growth of California produce singled out “one redwood tree in the valley, known as Fremont’s tree.” The San Lorenzo grove also drew the attention of Santa Cruz residents seeking recreation. In the summer of 1856, a reporter for the Pacific Sentinel “took a pleasant ride into the country” to see “the great redwood tree.” “It is surrounded by many other trees of great height— this place forms the resort of frequent picnic parties.” Although Graham clearly enjoyed showing off the tree, his ownership of it was very much in question. The boundary between Zayante and the adjacent Rincon Rancho had been disputed since the Mexican era, but a recent decision confirming ownership of the latter property had included the Fremont Tree within its boundaries. Equally distressing was that “Gold Gulch” was also located within the officially approved Rincon tract. In 1853, small amounts of the precious metal had been taken from the bed of the abovenamed creek. Although the initial excitement had died down when yields proved minimal, a new, more serious rush ensued two years later when stories of the discovery of a “highly auriferous” bed of quartz on land Graham believed

Fremont Tree www.slvpost.com

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY RANDALL BROWN

By Randall Brown

Issac Graham was his. It was estimated that the “gold boulder,” contained $25,000 worth of ore.

Fortunately, the owners of the Rincon Rancho were absentee landlords with little interest in developing the property. Graham approached the interested parties with a deal. In exchange for a deed covering the roughly 2000 formerly disputed acres, he agreed to share the prospective wealth. An 1856 document in the county recorder’s office documents an “Agreement made under the belief that gold and silver mineral exists upon one or both of said Ranchos. All gold or silver shall be their joint and common property.” When the land acquired in the transaction was mapped out, it not only included Gold Gulch, but also the grove containing the Fremont tree. Throughout Graham’s life, its popularity as a resort continued to grow. After his death in 1863, the Zayante property, including the acreage taken from the Rincon Rancho, wound up in the hands of lawyer Edward Stanly as compensation for his unpaid fees. In 1867, Joseph and Anna Welch, his friends from San Francisco, aware that the grove was threatened by a nearby sawmill, bought it. Picnic parties and curious tourists were still welcome. For the next 60 years, the Welch family kept the trees safe from harm and accessible to the public. For more on Isaac Graham check out “Evergreen Cemetery of Santa Cruz” by Traci Bliss with Randall Brown. Additional details at tracibliss.com Randall Brown is an author and historian. He lives in Boulder Creek and works in Felton. mountain

San Lorenzo Valley Post

January 2021

Astrology Mountain Stargazer By Catie Cadge

elcome to the Santa Cruz Cosmic Weather Report – Evolutionary Astrology of the moment, your moment in time, our collective moment of change! Wow! We dive into a New Year with plenty of hopes and dreams for 2021, a year to recover and restore our balance and our sanity, a time to rejoice as the Covid tunnel of darkness seems to open onto new horizons. There is still plenty of Saturn hard work ahead, but a bright light of Jupiter leads us

“Time to roar through self-expression and let the dreams and hard work shine!” forward into a fresh beginning, a new dawn. Last month’s big conjunction at 0˚ Aquarius – the now famous “Christmas star” – of Jupiter and Saturn continues into January as the two planets are still together by orb (a 3-degree range) through mid-January. Jupiter, the King of the gods, planet of expansion, growth, vitality, and confidence, meets Saturn, the great task-master, the planet of self-discipline and effort. Jupiter is a faster moving planet than Saturn. By January

15th, Jupiter is at 6˚Aquarius, while Saturn will only be at 3˚. Look to see if you have planets, angles, or critical points in your birthchart in early Aquarius. You might also consider the early degrees of fixed signs: Taurus, Leo, and Scorpio, as well as early degrees of the air signs, as the planets will form a trine, 120˚. Two very different archetypes coming together represent a powerful opportunity to take hold of potential for real and substantial growth in some part of your life, represented by the natal house location in your chart of the conjunction. But this chance requires a mature response, a claiming of one’s fate or destiny. A strong response to this conjunction is seizing the moment by not falling victim to limitations that block us. Strive ahead and do not let depression or defeat win the day. Saturn is very strong in Aquarius, one of two signs the planet rules. Something about this conjunction suggests novelty and innovation of an Aquarian revolutionary and rebel nature; perhaps we envision new technology, new ways of engaging our minds with genius insight, new modes of building a more inclusive and just community. Co-ruler of Aquarius is Uranus, who enters the picture strongly this month as well. The energy of the big conjunction will be made all the more evident, because both planets form a square to Uranus in Taurus after the New Year, Jupiter exactly at 6˚, Aquarius the third week of January. Uranus is at 6˚ Taurus the whole month due to retrograde motion. Many people are familiar with the concept of retrogradation, due to the

20 San Lorenzo Valley Post January 2021

popularity of the now famous Mercury retrograde, a perceived backward motion of the planet. Uranus has been moving retrograde since the middle of last August. The planet slows down now, stops, and stations direct early morning January 14th, about a day after the New Moon in Capricorn. This New Moon will conjunct Pluto, at 23-24˚Capricorn, a powerful spot echoing the exact location of so many previous astrological events, obstacles, and challenges we all experienced throughout 2020. Our New Moon meditation can be for a birth of new structures, literally and figuratively, rising from the ashes of our pandemic year. Meanwhile, planets that station direct, such as Uranus now, are particularly potent as their impact is felt stronger than at other times. Mars, a quick-moving trigger, will be right there as well at 3˚ Taurus. We may see sudden changes or surprise events that can offer possibilities in our lives, challenge us to respond to our own creative impulses and our changing values. Also look to see where Uranus

moves by transit in your birthchart. We see the faster moving planet Mercury entering Aquarius on January 8th, and the Sun on January 19th. They serve as triggers, hitting the degrees of Jupiter and Saturn and helping to spark the energies already at play. When the Sun and Jupiter are conjunct at 9˚ Aquarius, on January 28th, we have a Full Moon. Moon at 9˚Leo, will oppose the Sun and Jupiter, still in a square with Mars and Uranus in Taurus – time to roar through self-expression and let the dreams and hard work shine! Wishing everyone a great month and many blessings for a fabulous 2021! Catie Cadge is an Evolutionary Astrologer and is the Dean of Instruction for the Forrest Center for Evolutionary Astrology. mountain

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Health & wellness A Time for Grace Approaching Healthy Eating and Weight

he turn of the year often means an attempt at a major reset, and that usually involves some kind of diet or cleanse. If you’ve suffered from recent weight gain, or if it is something that you’ve had a lifelong struggle with, you aren’t alone. We’ve been stretched to our absolute limits. Perhaps a more gentle approach to traditional weight management is in order. This is a time for grace. Adding stress by implementing a new major diet or exercise routine is not going to help move the scale up or down in the long run. Focus on being healthy, not on the weight. The collective American mindset around losing weight is that we can’t control ourselves, and that a calorie deficit will fix the problem.

“Honor your body and the work it does, then think about what makes you happy.” So how to shed extra weight?

Make tiny changes over time: slow and steady, easy does it. Small changes are less likely to be seen as a threat to your body, which might trigger your metabolism to rebel. Honor your body and the work it does, then think about what makes you happy. The more positive endorphins you can run through your system, the better.

Turning the narrative around

Try to approach each day with a feeling of

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abundance - your body senses when there is a feeling of lack or fear. Get out and move but don’t go all gung ho and try to run a marathon your first day. Think gentle movements with dance, yoga, or walking by the ocean. Lean toward activity that you like. Try singing or vocalizing. Burst open those throat chakras and let it all out (I love to do this in my car when I’m alone). Set Winter Remedy Tea an intention for the day: “Today I will smile at everyone I see,” or “Today natural treatment for bloating and digestion I will find one thing to enjoy.” You might also issues and is a potent anti-inflammatory. This is a wonderfully fruity and flavorful tea try putting down the electronics. Too much to sip on cold, winter days. It will lift your screen time affects body chemistry, though spirits! the full impact is not known. Combine organic marshmallow, organic ginAddress any underlying health issues and ger, organic licorice root, organic wild cherry conditions. Sleep apnea and irritable bowel and organic lemon peel. Or swing by the syndrome (IBS) affect about 20% of the population and are just two conditions that may shop to purchase a ready-made blend.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY JEN PADGETT

By Jen Padgett

have an impact on weight. If you are unsure, it might be time to start dealing with it once and for all. Visit your healthcare provider or read a book on the subject.

Directions: Pour 8 to 12 oz of simmered water (212 F) over 1 teaspoon of tea blend. Steep for 3 minutes. Enjoy!

Give yourself grace. Engage the abundance mindset and thank yourself for how many days you made positive progress rather than punishing yourself for the one day you didn’t. When your focus is on caring for yourself, each new good thing you add to your daily routine will start pushing out unhealthy behaviors.

Winter’s Remedy Tea

A warming, digestive tea blend with a delicious infusion of herbs and spices with sweet notes of licorice root and immune-boosting lemon peel - both of which are anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial. Marshmallow root and wild cherry balance the flavor profile with earthiness and fruit. Both support digestion and respiratory health. Ginger is a

Jen Padgett is the owner at Aum Herbs. Her shop is located at 125 Forest Street in Boulder Creek. mountain

San Lorenzo Valley Post

January 2021

Real Estate SLV Homes Real Estate News You Can Use By M.C. Dwyer

n Santa Cruz County, over 130 homes sold in December. Home prices rose about 20% compared to 2019, reflecting high demand from home buyers. Home buyers with jobs that survived the Covid-19 economy are anxious to take advantage of incredibly low interest rates—often less than 3%—to move into homes that suit them better now that many employees won’t have to commute as much.

We lost about 1,000 homes due to the fires: rebuilding will be more expensive than many people were insured for. Sadly, many people found out they were significantly underinsured and may have to tap other sources of money to rebuild. Call your agent for a home insurance review soon. In the chart below, you can see that homes sold faster this year than last. The limited number of homes for sale has been a problem for years and continues to drive home price appreciation. In the San Lorenzo Valley, it looks like home prices fell this December, but actually there was an anomaly: only two homes sold above one million dollars in December, 2020 compared to four last year. Figures below were calculated on 12/24/20, whereas 2019 covered a full 31 days. Knowing small groups yield less statistical accuracy than large groups, I prefer to look at three-month (quarterly) trends for our micro-markets. I’ve no reason to think that the San Lorenzo Valley or Scotts Valley are “under-performing” county, regional, or state trends.

In the next chart, November single-family-home sales prices rose by nearly 20% across the state. The Central Coast combines Santa Cruz

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22 San Lorenzo Valley Post January 2021

County with Monterey, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara counties. The San Francisco Bay Area includes Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano, and Sonoma counties. The passage of Proposition 19 may have far-ranging impact when it takes effect next year. Survivors of fires and other natural disasters have more choices: they can either use their insurance proceeds to rebuild, or, if they had no mortgage, can qualify for a purchase loan; or they can sell what’s left of their property and use their insurance money to buy elsewhere in California while keeping their current property tax basis. Seniors over 55 and the disabled also may take advantage of this “property tax portability.” Before Prop 19 passed, it was really hard for seniors to move outside their county while keeping their current property tax basis. Many people couldn’t downsize their home, unless they stayed within their county, without triggering new and higher property taxes based on the new purchase price. This new law may also help moving closer to family more affordable. It’s possible that the number of home sales may rise over time across the state. My husband and I are hanging tough! He’s an optimist and is glad to redesign his home a little bigger and a lot better. It’s warmed my heart to see new signs cropping up along the Highway 9 corridor with words of encouragement and sympathy for our community’s fire survivors. Curious about buying or selling a home? Call now to find out more! “M.C.” Dwyer, MBA, REALTOR® CA DRE License 01468388. With Century 21 Showcase REALTORs® since 2005. (831) 419-9759 E-mail: mcd@mcdwyer.com mountain

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Photography Miguel Zafra, Photographer Miguel Zafra is an Indigenous photographer from Oaxaca, Mexico, who moved to the San Lorenzo Valley 20 years ago. He documents people and nature with a charged mixture of fine art photography and photojournalism. More recently he has focused his lens on the natural wonders of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Zafra has worked as an independent photojournalist for local publications. His photographs have been featured in Franceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Geo Magazine, and on the cover of two anthropology books. Zafra has exhibited widely in California. His work was featured in an exhibit of Mexican Indigenous photography at Parc de la Villette

in Paris, France, and later in the Museo de la Ciudad, Mexico City. The U.S. Library of Congress holds two of Zafraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s photographs in their permanent collection. The beauty of SLV has always awed and inspired Zafra. More recently, he started to carry a camera on all his hikes, thus his new focus on nature photography. With all the hardships of 2020, Zafra began sharing his photographs with neighborhood social media groups, hoping to lighten the load and bring some flickers of joy to the SLV community. zafraphotography91179024.wordpress.com mountain

WIldlife and Nature in the San Lorenzo Valley

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San Lorenzo Valley Post

January 2021

Gift Cards, Online Shopping, Memberships

Capitola Wine Bar & Merchants

Wine, Beer, Food & Fun

Air and Fire, A Mystical Bazaar

Handcrafted Natural Soaps & Aromatherapy Crystals, Books, Tarot, Jewelry, Dragons, Goddesses, Local Artists AirandFire.com 831–338-7567

capitolawinebar.com/ wordpress/gift-cards-online-purchases

Santa Cruz CORE Fitness + Rehab Massage and Chiropractic santacruzcore.com 831-425-9500

Himani Silver Jewelry Pure Silver Jewelry

HimaniSilverJewelry.com

Love Apple Farms Gardening & cooking classes & workshops growbetterveggies.com

Akasha Apothecary

Gift Cards/Gift Certificates

Hilde Hauc Collection Household decor and gifts etsy.com/shop/ HildeHaucCollection

Michelle Getz, Wellness Advocate

dōTERRA CPTG Essential Oils my.doterra.com/michellegetz 831-252-4199

akashaapothecary.com

Aum Herbs

Herbal Teas, Tinctures, Salves & Gifts aum-herbs.com/products/aumherbs-gift-card

Peach

Apparel and Accessories for her, gym, work, play! Shop Online for items or gift cards: discoverpeach.com/s/JenniferY

MusicalMe, Inc.

Music Instruction for children ages birth to 8 years featuring the best Early Childhood Music

Satellite Workplace Felton

Music Together, Canta y Baila Conmigo, Rhythm Kids

Comfortable & professional coworking space to meet your individual and business needs.

musicalme.com/vlt88814.htm 831-438-3515

felton@satellitecenters.com 831222-2100

24 San Lorenzo Valley Post January 2021

Valley Women’s Club

Join the men and women of the VWC working to improve our environment, support education, and address social and political issues that affect the health and welfare of the San Lorenzo Valley and our community. valleywomensclub.org