Columns Archives

Valentine’s Treat: Dark Chocolate Canvases

February 13, 2022June 13, 2023 slvpost.com1 Comment

By Alison Steele When I peek into the pantry, I try to imagine ways to use the stockpiles of dried fruits, jams, chutneys, and other delicacies preserved from summer’s bounty. The dried fruits seem to disappear first as they need no enticing off the pantry shelves. These little works of art require no fork or plate and instantly satiate the… Read More

Column: Josh Reilly Columns Gardening

Love Never Fades in February’s Garden

February 12, 2022June 7, 2023 slvpost.comgardening0 comment

By Josh Reilly February, the month of love and of Saint Valentine. We know little of Valentine, except that he lived in the 2nd century CE and lost his head after insisting on performing Christian rites in then pagan Rome. For his trouble (and accounts are gruesome), he was sainted about 300 years later, possibly on February 14. Valentine’s story… Read More

Column: MC Dwyer Columns Real Estate

SLV Home Sales in an Evolving Market

February 10, 2022September 28, 2023 slvpost.com0 comment

By M.C. Dwyer The California Association of REALTORS® just presented their 2022 economic outlook, expecting home prices to appreciate around 5%. It’s possible California peaked in August 2021 with a median home price of $830,000. 20% of homes for sale in SLV & SV have dropped their asking prices – but 80% of those price reductions occurred on homes in… Read More

Astrology Columns

February Skies Celebrate Bonds of Friendship and Love

February 4, 2022February 12, 2022 slvpost.com0 comment

By Catie Cadge, PhD February is the time of the year we turn to Venus; love, romance, and relationship are on the table for many. Of course, February this year is not all roses and chocolate! We wrestle with the ongoing pandemic, winter cold, and now this year even a wildfire in Big Sur. So much happening as America as… Read More

Column Alison Steele Columns Food & Drink

Winter Sunshine Tea

January 22, 2022June 13, 2023 slvpost.com0 comment

By Alison Steele After a month of rich, sweet and savory holiday cooking, our ovens (and bodies!) may be needing a break. Introducing a daily herbal infusion in place of an afternoon bake is an easy way to bring our bodies back into balance. January is the month when the bright green of most tea herbs are peeking out from… Read More

Columns Food & Drink

Winter Warmers: Origins of Bock Beer

January 14, 2022January 22, 2022 slvpost.com0 comment

By Mike De Smidt and Greg Roe Once upon a time in a wintery wonderland in northern Germany, in a bustling town called Einbeck, a beer was born. Commonly thought of as a Bavarian beer, the name of bock beer is believed to derive from an abbreviation of Einbeck, pronounced “Einbock” in the Bavarian dialect, to “bock,” noting its place… Read More

Column: Josh Reilly Columns Farms Gardening

While the Winter Garden Naps: Growing Community with the Homeless Garden Project

January 7, 2022June 7, 2023 slvpost.comgardening0 comment

By Josh Reilly I know, I know. Last month I chided you for thinking you could spend the Winter curled up on the couch with a glass of wine and a stack of garden catalogs, planning your Spring garden. Now, here we are, several days into a glorious extended rainstorm and, well, there is little else to do. Too wet… Read More

Column: MC Dwyer Columns Real Estate

Real Estate: 2022 Outlook

January 7, 2022September 28, 2023 slvpost.com0 comment

By M.C. Dwyer Santa Cruz County attracts home buyers from the greater San Francisco Bay Area, as our prices are relatively lower while our lifestyle is arguably better. The premium paid over asking price dropped overall from about 5.5% to about 2.75% in Santa Cruz County, but remains at about 7% in Santa Clara County. The time it took for… Read More

Column Alison Steele Columns Food & Drink

Quince Simple Syrup and the Boulder Creek Sour

December 31, 2021June 13, 2023 slvpost.com0 comment

Recipes from a Mountain Garden By Alison Steele 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… Read More

Columns Local History

Streetwise: George Fetherston and the Felton Heritage Tree

December 31, 2021January 7, 2022 slvpost.comfelton, history0 comment

By Lisa Robinson Have you ever thought about how the street where you live got its name? In the Streetwise column, we look at street names in the San Lorenzo Valley and explore the history hidden in their names. Fetherston Way just off Felton Empire Road is named for George Arthur Fetherston. His father was William John Fetherstonhaugh an Irishman… Read More