The COVID-19 pandemic has made life difficult for everyone, especially society’s most vulnerable, and that’s why a local supporter of Penticton’s Salvation Army Food Bank is asking local residents to come forward to help grow food.

Local news can be a great antidote to world events as the issues tend to be within our control. A great example would be the proposed composting facility on Campbell Mountain.

During these unprecedented times of social distancing, isolation and unknowns, it may be challenging to stay positive and optimistic.

Fifty years ago, on April 22, 1970, millions of people took to the streets in cities and towns across the United States, giving voice to an emerging consciousness of humanity’s impact on Earth. Protesters shut down 5th Avenue in New York City, students in Boston staged a “die-in” at Logan ai…

A unique low-waste, low-health- risk market supplying locally-grown, high-quality groceries will be opening soon in Penticton.

Solar costs have dropped 70% in the last 10 years

Dear Debbie: Is it worth the trouble to paint a ceiling? My partner thinks it will look great and I am afraid it will pull the ceiling lower. Help.

Streetlights could be dimmed in a part of Peachand to make the neighbourhood more hospitable to bats.

Family, friends and admirers of the late Laurel Burnham came out today to The Leir House for a five-hour celebration of life.

The hot topic these days is banning single-use plastic bags, but how is everyone disposing of their Dog’s Poop? And why isn’t anyone talking about it?

Native plants are a great landscaping option as they are low maintenance, require less water and attract local birds and insects.

Two immediate, fairly significant problems confront Pinder Dhaliwal, newly-elected president of the B.C. Fruit Growers Association.

This past weekend, many people took a moment to contemplate what they are thankful for. So I’d like to take this opportunity to give thanks to everyone who has helped to make a difference to our regional program this year.

Happiness cannot be travelled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.

In an earlier article I wrote about how the spring flooding will allow some invasive plants in our region to thrive.

Life in the country teaches one that the really stimulating things are the quiet, natural things, and the really wearisome things are the noisy, unnatural things. It is more exciting to stand still than to dance. Silence is more eloquent than speech. Water is more stimulating than wine. Fres…

While it may seem repetitive to my regular readers, I would be seriously remiss if I didn’t write an article on the spiny annuals we love to hate.

According to Idaho Botanical Garden: “There are not enough fire engines to be at every wildfire. Firewise landscaping and building materials may be the only defense for your home.”

The Penticton and District Garden Club recently held their Festival of Flowers awards night and summer social at the beautiful Linden Gardens in Kaleden hosted by owners Margaret and Ken Hayter, honorary members of the club.

Competitive. Aggressive. Tenacious. These are all words commonly associated with invasive species. In today’s article however, I am going to speak about opportunity.

An exciting new pilot project entitled Garden Artisans: Fresh food in the kitchen for children and youth began on Monday, July 17 at Shatford Centre involving vegetable growing and cooking with young people and elders.

As the floodwaters around the Okanagan are finally receding and the cool days of a long wet spring are seemingly behind us, it’s time to think about the next stage of the season.

When children work in the Learning Garden, they reap what they sow and then some.

DANDY-LIONS

The Okanagan Community Bat Program is seeking volunteers and bat colonies for the Annual Bat Count. This citizen-science initiative encourages residents to count bats at local roost sites. “Bat counts are a wonderful way for residents to get involved in collecting important scientific inform…

Recently a landscape architect friend told me about a great gardening book entitled “Planting in the Post-Wild World” written by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West.

When you work with invasive plants on a regular basis as I do, there is a fairly high expectation that your own property will be devoid of unwanted invaders.

BC Nature has announced the opening of a new public viewing facility (bird blind) at Vaseux Lake Wildlife Refuge. This three-storey, architect-designed structure, situated at the end of the trail and boardwalk leading from the parking lot, replaces one built in the 1990s.

There was a special four-footed guest in Penticton last week. Hilo is a black lab cross golden retriever who works for the Alberta government as part of the Conservation K-9 Unit.

Happy spring! It’s great to be back writing about invasive issues in the Okanagan-Similkameen. These articles will run every second week and I am always open to hearing from readers about what topics you would like to learn more about.

Last week I attended a fascinating symposium hosted by UBCO entitled Pollination Science and Stewardship.