Daily Republic Community Voices

Botanical Blog: Flowers are a reminder of treasured pet

By Sharon Leos

When we first moved to Fairfield, there was a house down the block from ours that, from spring through late summer, had a beautiful border of pink flowers along the sidewalk.

Although we never noticed them giving off any fragrance, our chocolate Labrador retriever (his name was Moose) liked to rummage through the knee high bed and sniff whatever it is dogs enjoy sniffing.

He would emerge from the flower patch with yellow pollen clinging to his face. From then on, we referred to the flowers as Moose poppies because the flowers had several large lobed petals and a papery texture and appearance similar (to my amateur eye) to Iceland poppies (Papaver nudicaule).

I could have knocked on the door and asked exactly what they were, but I was happy to call them Moose poppies.

Time passed on, as did Moose. Three years ago I noticed the Moose poppies had escaped their yard and were growing in the landscape strip next to the street.

I knew they would not be there long because the landscape maintenance company in our neighborhood is very efficient at either digging out or spraying herbicide on anything that does not look like plants that are supposed to be growing in the strip.

So I dug a few small plants out and brought them home to our garden as a memorial to our faithful friend. It was during the heat of summer and I kept the transplants well watered but they did not look like they were going to survive the move.

I forgot about them until the early spring of the next year when what I thought were weeds popped up where the transplants had been planted.

I was about to pull them when I realized the it was the Moose poppies. New growth was emerging from the soil and a few weeks later, several beautiful pink flowers opened.

I have since learned the true identity of the Moose poppies is oenothera speciosa, also known by several common names including: Mexican evening primrose, pink evening primrose, sundrops, and pink ladies.

The evening primrose is a naturally occurring wildflower in the southwestern United States and Mexico. It is not a California native, but was introduced here and has naturalized in the wild. While not officially listed as an invasive plant species in California, if left unchecked the evening primrose can rapidly spread in the garden by rhizome runners and seed.

The Sunset Western Garden Book describes members of the genus oenothera as being able to succeed in tough, rough places. This explains why it does so well next to the concrete sidewalk in our clay soil and also endures the hot summer weather.

Although they are called evening primroses, flowers of O. speciosa open in the morning. Two inch diameter, four petaled flowers emerge along stems that are roughly 18 inches tall.

The common flower color is light pink with a yellow center, but all white varieties are also available. The plants grow to about three feet wide in a shrub-like shape and do best in areas that receive full sun but will tolerate partial shade.

Once established, they are drought tolerant plants that require moderate to little water. A perennial, the evening primrose will die back in the winter and emerge again in the spring. Plants started from seed usually do not bloom until the second spring.

Many sources list the evening primrose as virtually pest and disease free and I have found this to be accurate. While the aphids are busy trying to feast on the plants surrounding them, the evening primroses in our garden remain clear.

Slugs and snails pose a hazard to tender new growth, but can be controlled by handpicking or baiting if necessary. If you decide to use bait, choose one that contains iron phosphate as the active ingredient (it is safer around pets, children, and wildlife) and read and follow all of the manufacturers instructions.

This year we have a beautiful mound of dozens of Moose poppies that are a daily reminder of the wonderful dog we once had. I read somewhere that nostalgia is the thief of time, but I think a little nostalgia in the garden helps keep me grounded in a wild world.

Sharon Leos is a Master Gardener with the University of California Cooperative Extension office in Fairfield. If you have gardening questions, you can call the Master Gardeners office at 784-1322.

Shhh... Don't say the P word

By Kelvin 'Byg Datty' Wade 

I’m convinced that my 7 year old dogs are Peagles, part pig and part Beagle. 

How else to explain Theo’s ginormous appetite? Or the fact that he snorts like a pig when he’s foraging for food, a sound that even came as a surprise to our vet. 

To be fair, Theo is on medication that happens to stimulate the appetite. In fact, he’s on two. 

But his porcine eating habits were on display well before he was on the medication. I never worried about the medication stimulating his appetite because I genuinely didn’t believe it was possible for him to get any hungrier. 

I stand corrected. 

I’m just lucky they don’t have opposable thumbs or I’d have to padlock the fridge. I’d come home and Theo would have all four burners going on the stove cooking up everything in the house while Tyson would be seated at the table, knife and fork in his paws. 

The Beagle Brothers’ favorite food is, without a doubt, pancakes. There’s something about those hot buttermilk discs that sends them into a frenzy. They’re like doggy catnip. 

My dogs are carbaholics. I have no doubt that if I laid a big fat juicy ribeye and a stack of pancakes on the floor side by side that my dogs would be all over the pancakes and only eat the steak as an afterthought.

 It’s gotten so bad that we can’t even use the word “pancake” in their presence. It’ll set them off. We have to say “flapjack.” But even now when we say flapjack, I can see Theo cocking his head to the side trying to figure it out. It’s only a matter of time before he adds it to his vocabulary. 

If I’m eating pancakes, I have four eyes on me at all times. They carefully study the movement of my fork. They watch to see if I might accidentally drop a piece. They’re bodies are taut, ready to spring into pancake gulping action. Sometimes with the crazed look in Theo’s eyes, I fear he’s employing some kind of doggie Jedi mind trick to will me to fork over the hotcakes. 

I once made the mistake of leaving the dining room momentarily while half eaten pancakes rested on a plate on the table. I came back to a skewed tablecloth, a plate that had been licked clean and the butter missing as well. Who knew they liked butter with their griddlecakes? 

I angrily stalked them and found them hiding behind my chair in the living room, Tyson laying on his back submitting and Theo lying flat trying to bury his face in his paws. They crawled around on their bellies, doing their best to nonverbally apologize for the pancake raid. They have what my mom used to call, ‘the can’t-help-its.’ 

I’m not going to lie. I thought of punishments that would’ve made PETA cringe. I wished I had access to Wile E. Coyote’s ACME catalog to order an anvil or two to drop on their heads or maybe a portable hole to drop on the floor and nudge them into. 

But despite their breakfast pilfering and the other things they do that give me gray hairs, I love them. What am I going to do?

Party Platform Pandering (5 times fast)

               “Ap⋅pease [uh-peez] - to yield or concede to the belligerent demands of (a nation, group, person, etc.) in a conciliatory effort, sometimes at the expense of justice or other principles.” Not exactly a headlining chapter in the Book of Virtues, am I right? I didn’t hear many presidential candidates proclaiming their support for appeasement, of any kind, during the 2008 debates. I didn’t see Barack Obama using that as his catch phrase (although, it was the overwhelming theme) during his European Victory Tour. Even the most inexperienced politicians, like our sitting president, must know that letting the word appeasement slip out of your mouth is the first step toward trading in your paid government position for a “Political Analyst” title on cable news.

                In the America I know and love, we value our principles and respect those who uphold those principles. Or, at least, I do. Those who are willing to compromise their own beliefs and/or values, for some political or situational gain, are vilified as “sell-outs” or “panderers.” And, rightfully so. So, why are Democrats, Independents, Libertarians, and Republicans alike, asking the Republican party to do that very thing?

                It seems the nation wants Republicans to alter their platform principles to accommodate more people and create more diverse base. Essentially, they would prefer that the GOP work harder to appease the current majority, or become more Democrat-like. This strategy would make perfect sense if this were a junior high school popularity contest. But, for a political system based on differing ideology, this makes no sense at all. While it’s true that Republicans are down, they are not out. They’re presence is known, and very necessary. A one-party government, on either end of the spectrum, is bad for everyone. Our government is built upon checks and balances of power, and a pluralist struggle between groups. If Republicans simply abandon their core principles to appease the majority, they create a one-party system. This could be devastating for both parties and the country, as a whole. 

It’s not a question of whether or not the Republicans are at a low point. They are. No one doubts that. But, it also has nothing to do with a conservative ideology. The general public likes to say (and often) that Republicans have gone too conservative for the rest of the country, and that is why they see dwindling numbers. However, history shows that Republicans have enjoyed their greatest successes when true conservatism reigns supreme in the party. Just take at the Reagan years. Ronald Reagan continues to be the man atop the conservative trophy, a prototype for every true conservativepolitician. Not only did he set voting records, he grabbed the support of Democrats for years thereafter. So, how is conservatism a recipe for limited political audience? Obviously, the conservative platforms, when articulated correctly (and sometimes aided by a wide-brimmed cowboy hat), appeal to a wide range of Americans.

Conservatism is not dead, just in temporary hibernation. The political opinion of the moment is, of course, liberalism. Republicans know this, but would do themselves a disservice in the long-term if they abandon their principles for a short-term gain. Though Democrats and the current public majority would be excited to see the shedding of the Republican label, no one would respect the move. How can any American, regardless of their views, truly respect a party that lacks consistency and values? I know that I have respect for people, groups, and parties that know what they believe and why the believe it. I may not agree with them, but I respect them. It is absurd to think that Republicans should defy their own values to appease the ever-changing majority opinion. Differing opinions and alternating political momentum is what makes this government functional and effectively limited. Instead of looking to eliminate or alter the minority, we should embrace and openly debate the differences. That makes for a great democracy.

Read more of this blog at http://dailyrepublic.typepad.com/literalinterpretation. 

                In the America I know and love, we value our principles and respect those who uphold those principles. Or, at least, I do. Those who are willing to compromise their own beliefs and/or values, for some political or situational gain, are vilified as “sell-outs” or “panderers.” And, rightfully so. So, why are Democrats, Independents, Libertarians, and Republicans alike, asking the Republican party to do that very thing?

                It seems the nation wants Republicans to alter their platform principles to accommodate more people and create more diverse base. Essentially, they would prefer that the GOP work harder to appease the current majority, or become more Democrat-like. This strategy would make perfect sense if this were a junior high school popularity contest. But, for a political system based on differing ideology, this makes no sense at all. While it’s true that Republicans are down, they are not out. They’re presence is known, and very necessary. A one-party government, on either end of the spectrum, is bad for everyone. Our government is built upon checks and balances of power, and a pluralist struggle between groups. If Republicans simply abandon their core principles to appease the majority, they create a one-party system. This could be devastating for both parties and the country, as a whole. 

It’s not a question of whether or not the Republicans are at a low point. They are. No one doubts that. But, it also has nothing to do with a conservative ideology. The general public likes to say (and often) that Republicans have gone too conservative for the rest of the country, and that is why they see dwindling numbers. However, history shows that Republicans have enjoyed their greatest successes when true conservatism reigns supreme in the party. Just take at the Reagan years. Ronald Reagan continues to be the man atop the conservative trophy, a prototype for every true conservativepolitician. Not only did he set voting records, he grabbed the support of Democrats for years thereafter. So, how is conservatism a recipe for limited political audience? Obviously, the conservative platforms, when articulated correctly (and sometimes aided by a wide-brimmed cowboy hat), appeal to a wide range of Americans.

Conservatism is not dead, just in temporary hibernation. The political opinion of the moment is, of course, liberalism. Republicans know this, but would do themselves a disservice in the long-term if they abandon their principles for a short-term gain. Though Democrats and the current public majority would be excited to see the shedding of the Republican label, no one would respect the move. How can any American, regardless of their views, truly respect a party that lacks consistency and values? I know that I have respect for people, groups, and parties that know what they believe and why the believe it. I may not agree with them, but I respect them. It is absurd to think that Republicans should defy their own values to appease the ever-changing majority opinion. Differing opinions and alternating political momentum is what makes this government functional and effectively limited. Instead of looking to eliminate or alter the minority, we should embrace and openly debate the differences. That makes for a great democracy.

Read more of this blog at http://dailyrepublic.typepad.com/literalinterpretation. 

Over The Hill Twice: Here comes the heat

I am seven. It has been gently raining for a few hours. “Mom, can I put my bathing suit on and go out to wade in the ditch?”

I pulled my green cotton suit out of a drawer in the kitchen. No stripes or decorations. Just a plain cotton coverup, easy to get into. Mom said, “You can go out just in front of our house. Watch for cars.”

Suited and barefoot I streaked out of the house. The ditch by the road in front of our house and on down the street was filled with maybe six inched of water. How great to run through it splashing every way. In a few minutes Julie Anne, who lived next door, came running out to join me.

We splashed each other.....playing.....it was a lot of fun. We were good friends, so there was no meanness between us. We shared toys, puzzles, coloring books, about everything we had....except my skates and her tricycle. Those were our bargaining chips.

We lived next door to each other for several years. Her father was the minister at the Methodist Church..... our family church, too. Every Sunday when Grandmother Hanna was living with us, she took me to Sunday School and Church. That was a given.

Flip the calendar a few years ahead...9, 10, 11. Now to swim, splash, “bombs away” from a rope on the limb of a big maple tree, basking in the sun until we were chased away by the “big” boys. We weren't supposed to know they were skinny-dipping, but we stole a peek once in a while. Wouldn't you?

The swimming hole was in Torrey's Pasture. Later on, it was the site of Wiener Roasts with games like Spin the Bottle.. If the bottle pointed to you, you went behind a tree and were supposed to kiss the boy who was there waiting. The whole circle ooohed and aaawed, hooted and hollered. No one knew what happened behind the tree. A mystery!

Everyone shared the hot dogs, buns, and marshmallows to roast. There always seemed to be enough to go around. We built a small fire surrounded by rocks to do the roasting and toasting. It was a lot of fun for us “town kids.”

Moving right along.....families often went to Canadotha Lake for picnics. I remember jumping off a raft and scrambling to come up for air. I wasn't a good diver, but I could swim.

Then to Edinboro College where I passed all of the Red Cross Swimming Classes.....to Life Saving. For some reason, I never felt that I could save anyone's life. However, one night my friends and I were swimming in the Lake. Jeanne got tangled in the reeds. We pulled her out and then high-tailed it out of there. Yipes!

My last summer in college I worked at Lee's Restaurant down by the lake. We rented boats and bikes the use of which was part of our salary. I loved taking a rowboat out to the inlet to watch the sun come up and the water lillies open their blooms to the warmth. I worked in the kitchen prepping orders. I did not enjoy waiting on tables. During the week, friends of the boss would catch frogs. On Friday nights, the cook would prepare the legs for the staff and a few special diners. They really did taste like chicken.

That was my best summer. The restaurant was owned by my Master Teacher, who had seen me through my Student Teaching. Midway through that ordeal, I managed to fall down the stairs at Perry House where I lived. My forehead was split and I was in the College Infirmary for two or three days. When I got back on my feet, I finished my student teaching with a bandage on my head that I tried to cover with bangs. In my whole life, I have never done anything the “easy” way.

90+ DEGREES. How did I get from there to here?.....and this is only half the story.

April,09

Botanical Blog: Heavenly blossoms are the star

HEAVENLY BLOSSOMS               

 

One of my favorite shrubs/small trees is the star magnolia.  I have two in my backyard and they are in their glory right now.  Both are loaded with white strappy-leafed white blossoms.  We have them up-lighted so they stand out at night.

 

The star magnolia or Magnolia stellata is a hardy, slow-growing, deciduous plant.  Magnolias are native toJapan and readily adaptable to our area.  The star magnolia makes an elegant specimen tree although the bloom period is less then a month long.   Unlike some other flowering trees, magnolias flower when young.

 

The stellata will eventually grow to fifteen to twenty feet in height.  The spread of the branches is generally ten to fifteen feet.  I like it’s widely spaced branching habit as it makes the shrub look light and airy.  It can do well with full sun to part shade, but it does not do well in an especially windy spot.  My two are situated on my little hillside and are in full sun with little protection from our windy locale.  They have both done well, although long periods of intense heat tend to brown the edges of the delicate leaves.  I’d have to say that if you have considered a Japanese maple, but are concerned about our wind desiccating the leaves, you may consider the stellata as a good second choice.

 

I live in Vacaville and therefore am blessed with clay soil.  You may be blessed in the same way.  The star magnolia likes moist, well-drained soil.  Although my soil would not normally qualify as well-drained, my magnolias don’t seem to mind.

 

The shrub is generally considered pest free and I’ve got to admit that I’ve never found aphids or scale to be an issue.   I’ve never found it necessary to apply any insecticide, fungicide, or fertilizer.  They are truly happy, healthy plants.  They appreciate regular watering.

 

Plant a star magnolia in a hole three times the width of the root ball.  If you want to add compost, the best way would be to amend the whole area and not just the planting hole.  This avoids creating a situation that acts as a “pot” in the ground where roots won’t travel beyond the hole.  The crown should be slightly above soil level.  The shrub is a surface rooter, so don’t use a hoe or rake vigorously beneath the tree.  Mulch will help retain moisture.

 

As mentioned above, the star magnolia is a deciduous shrub/tree.  In winter the silvery gray bark is attractive.  The white or pink flowers open on the leafless branches at the end of February.  The flowers are open and the petals are wavy.  They are delicate and fragrant.  The flowers develop at the tips of the branches so if you decide to prune this shrub definitely do so right after the blossoms fall.  This way the plant has late spring, summer, and fall for new buds to develop.   The leaves follow the flowers.  The leaves are a lime green when they first appear and then generally darken.  In autumn the leave turn brownish yellow before they fall.

 

There are numerous cultivars of the star magnolia.  Some cultivars such as ‘Royal Star’ and ‘Massey Rose’ are described as rounded shrubs.  Those cultivars such as ‘Rosea’, ‘Massey Rose’, and ‘Waterlily’ have flowers that open pink and slowly fade to white.

 

By Dottie Deems

Solano County Master Gardener

 

Resources:

“Cultivation of Magnolias”, www.herbs2000.com

“Star Magnolia” www.treehelp.com

Sunset Western Garden Book

 

 

Gardeners: Get a jump on your drought planning

By Karen Metz

I hate to be a Cassandra, foretelling futures filled with doom, but I have to admit Im worried.

Our hills are only a sickly grayish-green this year. The season to date rainfall is less than one-third of expected and this is on top of two already dry years.

Sonoma and Marin counties have announced water restrictions and some Central Valley farmers are forgoing planting crops this year.

Im not the only one seeing drought and water restrictions on our horizon.

So what is a gardener to do? Most of us dont have the knowledge or equipment for cloud-seeding. I personally dont know any rain dances. Should we throw up our hands or throw in the towel?

One thing gardeners are good at, however, is planning. We plan our spring vegetable gardens as we peruse seed catalogs in the dead of winter. We plan our landscapes so groupings of color and texture will be pleasing to the eye. We can plan for this drought.

First, we need to take stock of what we have and then draw up a watering priority list. Plants that delight you, that have strong sentimental value, that feed your family, or are rare and costly have a higher priority.

The gift plant that you never really liked, or the plants that take way too much effort or that are easily replaced fall much lower on the watering priority scale.

Plants that are extremely drought tolerant, are in the ground and are well established can also be low on the water priority list as they will probably survive on their own. Frequently these are the plants that are native to this area or other areas with a Mediterranean climate.

Making this list is not easy, as gardeners, we want to keep everything alive. Putting this list into practice will be a true sacrifice for most of us. But if a critical drought happens, it will have to be done.

In a severe drought, most watering should be done by hand. We can ensure that the water goes directly to the base of the plant with minimal waste or spillage. Watering cans work well or a hose with an on-off valve at the end so we can shut off the water between plants. Watering should not be done in the heat of the day, but in the morning or evening to minimize evaporation.

There are some things we can do to help our plants hold on to the water we give them. Mulch is a very valuable tool, whether our plants are in the ground or in containers. A thick layer of mulch will minimize evaporation from the soil.

Remember though to keep the mulch several inches away from the crown of the plant to prevent crown and root rot.

If the plants are in containers, it helps to group them close to each other. They can shade each other and shield each other from drying winds.

Also the choice of container is important. In times like these, plastic pots are better because they dont dry out as quickly. If your plantings are all in terra-cotta or clay and you cant afford to switch over, dont despair. Some gardeners have tried slipping their clay container into another larger clay container and filling the space between with bark or straw. This keeps the wicking action of the clay pot to a minimum.

Weeding is critical in times of drought. Each weed is an active competitor with your plant for any available water. The weed is genetically programmed to win that battle. You can help your plants by eliminating the competition.

We can all start saving water today. I have a plastic basin in my sink to catch the water as I am waiting for it to warm up. It also catches water that I use to rinse off vegetables before I cook them. This water that used to go down the drain is now being used to water my plants.

Planning ahead can help us feel more in control in the present. Even if we get record amounts of rain during the rest of our season and restrictions do not materialize, the planning process we have done will help us be better stewards of the water we do have. It never hurts to have contingency plans.

Karen Metz is a Master Gardener with the University of California Cooperative Extension office in Fairfield. If you have gardening questions, you can call the Master Gardeners office at 784-1322.

Botanical Blog: Xeriscape gardens for less money and maintenance

By Cheryl Potts

We are living in a time where more and more people are becoming aware of the dwindling resources on our planet.

We watch the news and see the effects of global warming. We see dried up lakes. Our local pelicans are in peril.

We wonder about the worlds oil supplies.

As gardeners, generally, we are the kind of people who really do care about this planet, Earth. We can recycle, compost, feed our bird friends, and help others to become educated about good ecological practices.

Here is a suggested step for those wanting to grow in their conservationists abilities  xeriscaping.

Xeriscape, taking the Greek word xeros, meaning dry and combining it with landscape, was originally developed for drought-afflicted areas.

The principles of xeriscape today have an ever broadening appeal. With water now considered an expensive and limited resource, all landscaping projects, residential as well as commercial, can benefit from this alternative.

What is Xeriscape? It is simply a method and/or philosophy of gardening that conserves water, saves money and requires less maintenance than conventional gardening.

The obvious benefits of such a practice are as follows:

Saves water: For most of North America, more than 50 percent of residential water used is applied to landscapes and lawns. Xeriscape can reduce landscape water use by 50 percent to 75 percent.

Less maintenance: Aside from occasional pruning and weeding, maintenance is minimal. Water requirements are low and can be met with simple irrigation systems.

No fertilizers or pesticides: Using plants native to our area will eliminate the need for chemical supplements. Sufficient nutrients are provided by healthy organic soil.

Improves property value: A good Xeriscape can raise property values and more than offset the cost of installation. Protect your landscaping investment by drought- proofing it.

Pollution free: Fossil fuel consumption from gas mowers is minimized or eliminated with minimal turf areas. Small turf areas can be maintained with an old fashioned push mower.

Provides wildlife habitat: The use of native plants, shrubs and trees offer a familiar and varied habitat for local wildlife.

To get started, it is important to understand the basic principles of Xeriscape.

First there is planning and design to consider. Learn what plants are available at your local nurseries that are drought tolerant.

Know your garden well. Where is east, west, south and north? Where is there shade a lot of time, or part of the time?

Plan out your garden with plants grouped by watering needs for the most efficient use of water. Know your little hills where water can run off. Know where you may want to retain some lawn area and make sure it will be easy to mow. (Remember, you are now going to use a push mower.)

Consider the planning of each area. Make an area for seating, walkways, visual barriers, dining and play. Large plantings such as shrubs and trees can be positioned to provide natural heating and cooling opportunities for your house.

Secondly, look at soil improvement. The ideal soil in a water-conserving landscape does two things simultaneously  it drains quickly and stores water at the same time.

This is achieved by increasing the amount of organic material in your soil and keeping it well aerated. Compost is the ideal organic additive, unless your xeriscape contains many succulents and cacti. These species prefer lean soil.

It may be worthwhile to have your soil tested, as most soils tend to be alkaline and low in phosphorous. Adding bone meal can help.

Reduce the size of your lawn or turf as much as possible. When planting new turf, or reseeding existing lawns, ask your garden center for water saving species adapted to our area.

For best results, select plants that are native to our region. Use drought-resistant plants. Select plants for their ultimate size. This reduces pruning maintenance.

Trees help to reduce evaporation by blocking wind and shading the soil. For hot, dry areas with south and west exposures, use plants which need only a minimum of water. Along north and east facing areas, slopes and walls, choose plants that like more moisture.

It is very important you do not mix plants with high-and low watering needs in the same planning area.

If compost is gold, mulch is platinum. Cover the soils surface around plants with mulch, such as leaves, course compost, or bark. This helps retain soil moisture and temperature. Organic mulch will slowly incorporate with the soil, and will need more applied from time to time.

Water conservation is the goal, so avoid overwatering. Soaker hoses and drip-irrigation systems offer the easiest and most efficient watering for xeriscape because they deliver water directly to the base of the plant.

This reduces moisture loss from evaporation. They also deliver the water at a slow rate which encourages root absorption and reduces pooling and erosion. In general, it is best to water deeply and less frequently.

Finally, low maintenance is one of the benefits of xeriscape. Keeping the weeds from growing up through the mulch may require some attention. Thickening the layer of mulch will help.

Turf areas should not be cut too short. Taller grass is natural mulch which shades the roots and helps retain moisture.

Avoid over fertilizing.

So now that you are inspired to change your ways and start a xeriscape garden, do you run outside and begin to tear out everything in sight? No.

Do not try and do it all at once. Think about your landscape in pieces. Start with easy, manageable projects.

Consider removing a few feet of the grass along the driveway or sidewalk. Plant some non-thirsty cover plants or small shrubs there instead.

Consider replacing the lawn on steep slopes with a rock garden, tiered wall, or low spreading evergreens. As with pavement buffer plantings, the water that runs down the slope from other parts of the yard will be captured by these plants.

Think ease and economy. Try to re-group flowers and other plants so the yard is organized into different water zones.

Use mulches between shrubs, flowers and in the vegetable garden. Research an inexpensive, labor saving drip or soaker water system for no-turf areas.

Think limits. You may have more lawn than you want. You could remove turf from narrow, hardto-water strips and replace it with pretty, drought-tolerant plants.

Take a walk in your yard. Come up with some ideas of your own. Just be realistic about time and money. Xeriscaping slowly lets you allocate both over a span of years.

Cheryl Potts is a Master Gardener with the University of California Cooperative Extension office in Fairfield. If you have gardening questions, you can call the Master Gardeners office at 784-1322.

Memories of the Great Depression

GREAT DEPRESSION

1929 ….. people remember it as "THE GREAT DEPRESSION"..... the time when bankers on Wall Street solved their problems by leaping out the windows of 13-story buildings, their losses too great to face.

My shattered memory recalls a blustery, snow-banked middle-of-the night interruption of sleep at our house. Men came pounding on the front door calling, "Arch.....Arch.....Mr. Hanna.....come..... your store is burning!"

Dad had been in bed for a day or two suffering from painful shingles. Mom scrambled to get up, had jumped into her clothes, and helped Dad. They donned heavy coats, hats, boots, scarves, and gloves. Mom draped a woolen shawl around Dad's shoulders as, together, they went out the front door.

Five-year old me was sleeping with Grandma Hanna. We were jerked awake, put blankets around our shoulders, and went to the window in Mom and Dad's room so we could see the road in front of our house. A raft of black tires were rolling down the hill into the piles of snow. People were shouting and there was a great flare in the sky from the conflagration in the middle of our small town.

We watched for a long time......there was nothing else we could do. We worried about my folks and waited for word about the devastation. Finally, Mom and Dad came home......hugely bowed by their loss. The fire had swallowed our two-story Keystone gas station, the Chevrolet auto sales and repair shop, and what had been our first home.....the upstairs apartment. The building was gutted..... everything except for a few odds and ends people had rescued was burned, exploded, or otherwise destroyed. Now what?

My three-year younger brother, Ernie, and I were shielded from Dad's feelings of desperation. I don't remember seeing his suffering.....but now I know he must have been in agony. He would pick up the pieces and go on.....but how?

When I graduated from eighth grade, Dad and Mom allowed me to order an outfit from the Spiegel catalog......a blue crepe dress with an accordion-pleated skirt, blue shoes, and a three-quarter length sky-blue soft nylon coat. It was my very first store-bought outfit and I loved it. I felt special all dressed up..... I didn't think about how Dad pinched funds to pay for it.....it wasn't mentioned.

Every spare moment I had I helped Dad at the garage he built on one-half of the original foundation. His mechanic, my Uncle Harold, repaired vehicles, but Dad no longer sold Chevrolet cars. Now he sold farm supplies mostly stored in the basement that had been dug out underneath one-half of the new garage building. We sold tires and auto parts.....and there was a candy and tobacco section..... my domain. Dad allowed a lot of people to run charge accounts.....it was my job to enter all the slips in his ledgers. I cleaned shelves and floors.....I loved just being involved in the business "with my Dad."

In 1942, I graduated from Townville High School as the Valedictorian of my class. I won an American Legion Scholarship, but it was to Universities I had never considered and did not intend to investigate. Even with the award, I knew we couldn't afford any of them.....and..... I had always planned to attend Edinboro State College.....my Mon's college.....to prepare to be a teacher. When Dad received notice of the scholarship, he brought the telegram down to the house. In the kitchen, he read the announcement to me and Mom.....it was the only time I remember him hugging me as tears ran down his cheeks.

In September, I enrolled in College. The Townville banker's daughter, Margaret, was the only student there that I knew..... and she had nothing to do with a garage-girl. When my name was put up for the Sorority, she black-balled me. After she graduated, I was invited to become a member; I did.....but I was more identified by membership in the music group.....We performed a Gilbert and Sullivan Operetta in which I was "poor little Buttercup".....my only dramatic experience at ESTC.

By Christmas my freshman year at Edinboro, all but two young men rated 4-F had been called up for the services in World War II. The College went on a fast track to get teachers out in the field in three years. When I graduated in June, 1945, Dad had a mortgage-burning event at our house.....finally the loan he obtained from his brother-in-law, Ernest Prather, to rebuild after the 1932 fire was PAID. It was then that I realized the magnitude of his loss and how he had struggled to re-establish his business and pay for me to go to college. I knew I had to repay him by being successful in my chosen profession. I owed him.

I wonder how many parents could accomplish the same for their children now.....in this time of pinching their budgets? There aren't many people as determined as my Dad.....not many who would work eighteen hours a day – seven days a week - for their family.....not many. Today, too many expect the government to take care of them. If we are on the verge of another "GREAT DEPRESSION" can we survive?

The Loss: Watching the excitement of my granddaughter

By Arzennie Owen
Terrin has had a hard life. Probably not as hard as some. She has lived through several abusive encounters, neglect and for the most part to find for herself. The most stable person Terrin has had is a praying grandmother.
Terrin’s grandmother is filled with joy as she watches her oldest grandchild finally make it to the college door. Not only has she made it to the college door but, she opened the door and went in. There she connected with the right people and has been accepted into culinary management, a three-year program at The Art Institute in Sacramento.
She has attended some church. There is something within her that lead her to step out of her comfort zone. Without resources or transportation. She has unbelievable drive and faith that she is going to make it despite her circumstances. This young lady with odds against her, with her grandmother’s encouragement. She will make it to graduation and on to open her own business.
I write this to encourage other young people who do not have someone to encourage you. You may have no resources but you have a made-up mind along with motivation to get the job done. You will succeed. Believe in yourself and your higher power.
I am here to encourage you as you take your rites of passage in becoming a productive citizen in your community. Sometimes reaching out to those who need us means coming out of our comfort zone to help them reach their full potential. An old African proverb says “it takes a village to raise a child.” It also takes a village to help our young people reach their dreams.

It's Time: To be concerned about the election

Let’s change that to it’s time to be very concerned. The McCain campaign has opened a Pandora’s Box with the way they have handled Obama’s association with William Ayers. If you listen to McCain, the question that he raises is truth to the electorate and the way Obama thinks, I can buy that as a legitimate question to be raised. What has taken the argument to the edge of the abyss is Palin and the conservative surrogates who have talked about Obama “paling around” with terrorists and getting money and endorsements from foreign terrorists. Uniformed Police Officers are talking about Barrack Hussein Obama to incite the Florida crowds, this is too much.

I really believe that even McCain realizes this; I continue to believe that McCain wants to keep this campaign on the issues, but his strategists have realized that this isn’t a winner, because they can’t solve the economic issues and keep the conservative, laissez faire base. They also realize you can’t add government and drop taxes; they’re caught in a box. Distraction is the only way out. But this gambit is way too dangerous.

I agree that Obama starting his political career in Ayers home is a lapse in judgment. I’m leaning towards Obama, but this still bothers me. Reading Chicago papers, it seems Ayers family is Chicago elite, and Ayers has been accepted like a crazy uncle. A very dangerous, crazy uncle, but accepted, none the less. Sitting on a board with Ayers? Not so much. I’ve set on a number of boards with people that I thought had dangerous ideas, but I felt the cause was important, and I thought that it was important to have other points of view represented.

Here comes the part I am hesitant to write, but I think it needs to be said. There are people in this country who are not enlightened and are upset that an African American could become President. The McCain campaign, with Palin and surrogates, has added the assertion that Obama is also in league with the terrorists, at the least, or a terrorist himself. Add these two factors together and I fear that there may be a “patriot” out there who feels he has to save the country from itself. Who knows how that may manifest itself?

It’s time that McCain steps forward, makes a speech clarifying the issue, and making himself clear as to his beliefs regarding Obama. He also needs to tell his campaign that he has standards, even if they don’t, and he will no longer stand for this strategy being used in his name. It’s time for issues, not playing on the fears of the fringe, to be the strategy. This election is too critical, and the candidate’s stands too important, to let stuff like this go on.

GOOD LUCK