As we balance our desire to return to some sense of normalcy with the ongoing need to follow COVID protocols, we all need to figure out how we are handling Halloween this year. We certainly won’t be bobbing for apples, but there are plenty of other Halloween activities we can enjoy while staying safer.
 
1. Pick and carve pumpkins.
 
Picking pumpkins at a local pumpkin patch is an outdoor activity that can be enjoyed with proper social distancing and wearing a mask. Once you get your pumpkins home, you can also carve them outside, which means maybe a small group of your kids’ friends can come over for an outdoor pumpkin-carving party.
 
2. Host a backyard movie night.
 
Set up a backyard movie theater for an outdoor Halloween celebration.  Spread out some chairs or blankets, distribute individual servings of popcorn and snacks, and pick your favorite scary (or not-so-scary) movies to watch with your family or friends. If you do not have an outdoor movie screen or projector, there is still time to order one for quick delivery before Halloween.
 
3. Tell ghost stories around the fire.
 
Gather around your fire pit or patio fireplace to enjoy a socially distanced celebration filled with your favorite ghost stories.
 
4. Plan outdoor games and crafts.
 
If you are hosting a small Halloween gathering, keep it outside and plan themed games and crafts to keep both kids and adults entertained. When including crafts, make individual craft kits for each guest with everything they need to complete the project. If folks are not sharing supplies, they can more easily maintain social distancing and will not come in contact with the same surfaces as much.
 
5. Make a plan for safer trick-or-treating.
 
If you plan on taking your kids trick-or-treating this year, make it safer by having a plan and making sure everyone adheres to it. Your plan should include staying outside, social distancing, and wearing masks. You can make or buy masks to match your kids’ costumes to make this part more fun, but kids are so used to wearing masks at this point, that it probably won’t take much convincing. Keep your group small and determine a limited number of houses to go to before you head out so that your kids are not disappointed that they aren’t hitting every house on the street.
 
6. Give out candy safely.
 
If you are planning on handing out candy, take steps to keep your family and the trick-or-treaters safer. Consider making individual treat bags to set out on a bench or table and replenish throughout the evening. This is better than having little hands grab candy from a communal bowl, but if you would rather set out a bowl filled with treats, be sure to set out some hand sanitizer with a note asking folks to sanitize their hands before taking candy. Either way, you can still enjoy the parade of costumes by greeting trick-or-treaters from your door while they pick up their treat bag at the end of your porch or in your driveway.

Over the last few months, I have written about tips for starting a vegetable garden and the basics of growing peppers. This time, I thought it might be nice to expand on this a bit and talk about five other vegetables anyone can grow. So, if you have been wanting to start a garden but are intimidated by the idea of actually having to keep things alive, or if you did start a garden and have not yet had much success, this one is for you.
 
Starting with just a few easy-to-grow options allows you to build your gardening skills and confidence. It allows you to focus on really learning how to grow these few vegetables first before you expand your garden and increase the variety of food plants you grow.
 
So, let’s get started with the first five vegetables you should plant in your garden.
 
1. Bell Peppers – Most peppers are easy to grow, but to help ensure your success even more, start with bell peppers and start with seedlings from a local nursery. You can start peppers from seeds, but bell pepper seedlings are inexpensive and easy to find, so get a jumpstart on your garden with starter plants instead. Pick a sunny spot, plant them about 18 inches apart, place cages to help support them as they grow, and water frequently until established. Once established, you can back off to watering once per week in most conditions. The plant tag will let you know when they will be about ready to harvest. For a more detailed guide to growing peppers, check out my column in the May issue, which is available online.
 
2. Radishes – Radishes are, hands down, the easiest vegetable to grow. They are great for beginner gardeners or for teaching kids about growing food, since some varieties go from seed to harvest in just three weeks. Plant your seeds one-half inch deep in rows that are about four inches apart. Once you begin to see growth, thin them to about two inches apart in each row. Water once or twice a week, and simply pull them up when it is time to harvest.
 
Radishes are also great for practicing succession planting for a longer harvest.
 
3. Kale or Chard – Kale and chard are equally easy to grow, so choose whichever you like best and think you will use most. Either of these options can be grown from seed or from starter plants from a nursery. Plant your seeds or plants about one foot apart, water frequently until established, and then water once or twice a week depending on how hot and dry it is. Once the plants are producing well, you can start harvesting the outer leaves to use in soups and salads and to encourage the plant to continue producing leaves for later harvests.
 
4. Carrots – Carrots are just as easy to grow as radishes; they just take longer to go from seed to harvest. Plant seeds a few inches apart in rows about four inches apart – or, to make it even easier, lightly scatter the seeds in the area where you want your carrots to grow, and then thin them out to about three inches apart once they start growing. Water frequently at first, and then once or twice per week once they are growing well. The seed packet will tell you about how many days it will be from the time you plant them until it is time to harvest. When it is time to harvest, gently pull them out of the ground.
 
This is another crop that is ideal for succession planting, so consider planting one row per week over several weeks to enjoy fresh carrots from your garden longer.
 
5. Green Onions – Green onions are easy to grow in containers, in raised garden beds, or in the ground. You can even grow them from the scraps of old green onions in a jar of water in your kitchen. If starting form seeds, plant the seeds about one-half inch deep and about one-inch apart. If you are starting from onion sets from a nursery, plant them about two inches apart. When planted in the ground or raised beds, you will usually need to water them once or twice per week. When it is particularly hot or dry, you will need to water them more often. You will also need to water them more often if you grow them in containers. They will be ready to harvest when the greens are about eight inches tall.  

Escape to the serenity of a secluded retreat tucked away in Wheeler Canyon and surrounded by beautiful mountain and canyon views.

Enjoy sprawling, single-story living on more than 33 acres where you can collect eggs from the chicken coop, harvest fruit from your own trees, grow vegetables and herbs in raised garden beds, and take your morning coffee by your private pond.

Here, you can also view abundant wildlife, entertain guests in multiple outdoor living areas, pick wildflowers in the spring, and curl up in front of the stone fireplace.

Interior features include Wolf range, Thermador double ovens, terra cotta tile flooring, multi-room owner’s suite with a walk-in closet and jetted soaking tub, built-in cabinets and shelves, and vaulted, exposed-beam ceilings.

Additional outside features include a two-car garage, two two-car carports, two dog runs, private well and water storage tanks, stone pumphouse, rose garden, and separate meditation studio or writer’s retreat. 

​Visit the property information page for more photos and information. 

​To schedule a showing, contact Nora today! 

This four-bedroom home for rent in Ojai features two offices, two fireplaces, outdoor kitchen, tennis court, expansive balcony for entertaining, and amazing mountain views. 

Learn more about the Ojai rental here or contact Nora to schedule a showing. 

Fall brings colder evenings and chilly mornings, so if you plan on continuing to enjoy your outdoor living areas once the days start getting shorter, you may need to make a few adjustments to keep you and your guests comfortable.
 
Here are five tips to help you prepare for outdoor entertaining this fall.
 
1. Clear the Summer Clutter
 
Sure, folks lucky enough to live in SoCal can enjoy swimming pools and summer activities any month of the year. However, now that the kids are back in school, you probably won't be hosting quite as many pool parties in your backyard. This means you can go ahead and put away the pool toys and other summer clutter to make way for grown-up gatherings.
 
2. Prepare for Inclement Weather
 
Fall festivities can quickly become much less festive if rain, wind or chilly weather forces you to take the party inside. It might be time to finally get that canopy you have been considering or invest in covering your patio, particularly since it sounds like we are in for some serious storms this year. If you do not yet have a fire feature, it is definitely time to consider installing a fire pit or patio fireplace, either of which can significantly increase your ability to enjoy your outdoor living areas. If you are not quite ready for a fire feature, you might want to at least look into inexpensive patio heaters to keep your guests warm. If you already have a heater, fireplace or fire pit, now is a good time to give it a good cleaning, check for safety concerns  and stock up on fuel.
 
3. Check Your Landscape Lighting
 
As the days grow shorter, gatherings are more likely to take place after the sun goes down. So it is definitely time to check your landscape lighting for bulbs that need replacing or fixtures that need repair. A little maintenance now will pay off later when you are not rushing around trying to fix your lighting before your next party. If your lighting is a bit lackluster, this is also a good time to finally install those pathway lights or hang some festive string lights.
 
4. Refresh Your Patio
 
Make your outdoor living areas more inviting with new textiles to bring color, texture and warmth to the space. Cozy cushions and comfy throw blankets will make your patio a particularly welcoming spot for hanging out on chilly nights. Look for end-of-summer sales on deck boxes and outdoor cabinets to ensure you have a storage option to keep your cushions, pillows and blankets clean and dry when not in use.
 
5. Stock Up on Seasonal Party Supplies
 
Make party planning more convenient and less time consuming by stocking up on the supplies you are sure to need throughout the season. Depending on the type of soiree you like to throw, this might include apple cider and cinnamon sticks, kids' craft projects and natural charcoal, festive harvest decor, or your favorite wine or beer. 

Open House Details: 

Date: Sunday, August 29
Time: 1:00 - 4:00
Location: 1114 Alviria Drive (corner of Alviria Drive and Rice Road)

This upgraded Oak West Estates home has a lot to offer and is one you must see in person.

It starts with a large corner lot that allows room for two gated parking areas, a two-car garage, workshop, rock garden with fountain, and a large, covered outdoor entertaining area with a patio kitchen with two grills and a range.

Plus, there is still plenty of space to expand the vegetable garden or plant more fruit trees.

Step inside to find upgraded windows, laundry room, built-ins for extra storage, and a remodeled kitchen with granite counters, breakfast bar, and walk-in pantry with room for a second fridge.

The large master suite features a walk-in closet and a step-in closet, as well as an en suite bath with dual-sink vanity, ample counter space, and lots of storage.

A large flex space with a separate entrance could be a family room, office, or separate guest area.

All of this is minutes from Lake Casitas, hiking trails, and the Ojai Valley Trail, and just a short drive to downtown Ojai.

Visit the property information page for more photos and information. 

If mandatory water use restrictions looming yet again are not enough to convince you we all need to be conserving water, all you need to do is take a drive around Lake Casitas to see just how serious the situation is.  Many folks in Ojai have already taken significant steps to save water, such as replacing lawns with drought-tolerant landscaping options, installing rain barrels to catch our infrequent rain, and choosing high-efficiency appliances.
 
If you would like to continue to grow food for your family but are looking for ways to save water in your vegetable garden, you might consider growing low-water vegetables and herbs. While deciding what to plant, consider this list of drought-tolerant herbs for inspiration.
 
1. Rosemary: This versatile herb is best known for its culinary and medicinal qualities and is often grown as a hedge in Southern California. It is also a great topiary option, a good addition to your container garden, an effective privacy screen, and a natural way to keep snails and slugs out of your vegetable garden.
 
2. Feverfew: Feverfew is probably best known for its use as a headache and migraine remedy, but throughout history it has been used for a variety of medicinal purposes. This drought-tolerant herb with white flowers reminiscent of tiny daisies has been used to treat anemia, allergies, fever, arthritis, and the common cold.
 
3. Oregano: This popular herb garden option is generally grown for culinary purposes, but oregano also has medicinal qualities and can be grown as an ornamental plant. Oregano can thrive with little water grown in the ground or in containers and can be particularly appealing for its ability to repel a variety of insects when planted around your outdoor living areas.
 
4. Echinacea: Echinacea is a member of the daisy family and can be found in all sorts of herbal and over-the-counter remedies for preventing and treating the flu and the common cold. It can be grown in your garden for use in making home remedies and teas or can simply be used as an ornamental plant. Pink flowers are the most common, but you can also find Echinacea with red, white, or orange blooms.
 
5. Thyme: Thyme is available in taller varieties that can be grown for culinary and medicinal use and low-growing varieties that can be used as a low-water ground cover. Ground cover varieties can handle foot traffic, so you can even grow them between stepping stones in walkways. Historically, thyme grown for medicinal purposes has been used to treat sore throat, bronchitis, fatigue, muscle pain, anxiety, parasites, and several other ailments.
 
Herbs, in particular, can also be grown as a low-water border along a walkway or patio or can be used as a ground cover for larger areas. You can see examples of this with the varieties of lavender and sage commonly found in Ojai landscapes, but there are lots of other options from which to choose as well. 

This upgraded Oak West Estates home has a lot to offer and is one you must see in person.

It starts with a large corner lot that allows room for two gated parking areas, a two-car garage, workshop, rock garden with fountain, and a large, covered outdoor entertaining area with a patio kitchen with two grills and a range.

Plus, there is still plenty of space to expand the vegetable garden or plant more fruit trees.

Step inside to find upgraded windows, laundry room, built-ins for extra storage, and a remodeled kitchen with granite counters, breakfast bar, and walk-in pantry with room for a second fridge.

The large master suite features a walk-in closet and a step-in closet, as well as an en suite bath with dual-sink vanity, ample counter space, and lots of storage.

A large flex space with a separate entrance could be a family room, office, or separate guest area.

All of this is minutes from Lake Casitas, hiking trails, and the Ojai Valley Trail, and just a short drive to downtown Ojai.

Features include: 

Three bedrooms + office
Remodeled kitchen with granite counters
Breakfast bar
Laundry room
Walk-in pantry
Dual-sink vanity in main bathroom
Crown molding
Custom paint
Built-in cabinetry
Two closets in main bedroom
Ceiling fans
Corner lot
Two gated parking areas
Detached, two-car garage
Separate workshop
Covered storage or additional work area
Large, covered patio
Outdoor kitchen with two grills and range
Low-water landscaping
Fruit trees
Two fountains
Mountain views

Visit the property information page for more photos and information about this Ojai home for sale. 

If you would like to schedule a tour, contact Nora today.

Open House Details: 

Dates: Saturday (8/14) and Sunday (8/15)
Time: 1:00 to 4:00 
Location: 1114 Alviria Drive (corner of Alviria Drive and Rice Road)

This upgraded Oak West Estates home has a lot to offer and is one you must see in person.

It starts with a large corner lot that allows room for two gated parking areas, a two-car garage, workshop, rock garden with fountain, and a large, covered outdoor entertaining area with a patio kitchen with two grills and a range.

Plus, there is still plenty of space to expand the vegetable garden or plant more fruit trees.

Step inside to find upgraded windows, laundry room, built-ins for extra storage, and a remodeled kitchen with granite counters, breakfast bar, and walk-in pantry with room for a second fridge.

The large master suite features a walk-in closet and a step-in closet, as well as an en suite bath with dual-sink vanity, ample counter space, and lots of storage.

A large flex space with a separate entrance could be a family room, office, or separate guest area.

All of this is minutes from Lake Casitas, hiking trails, and the Ojai Valley Trail, and just a short drive to downtown Ojai.

Visit the property information page for more information and photos of this Ojai home for sale. Or stop by this weekend to tour it in person! 

Backyard chickens have always been popular in Ojai, but even more folks got small flocks during the pandemic. Some folks finally had time to build a coop and start the flock they had always wanted. Some were looking for a fun, family-friendly, outdoor hobby with the added benefit of fresh eggs. And some set up their henhouse as part of the simpler, small-town lifestyle they sought when they fled the city to join us in our little village.
 
Your hens give you fresh eggs, help keep the insect population down, provide manure to spread in your garden, till the soil, and offer hours of entertainment. In return, it is our responsibility to take care of them the best we can and to keep them healthy, well, and comfortable. Chickens cannot handle heat well, so one of the biggest challenges you may face as steward of your flock is keeping them safe and comfortable when the temperature is regularly in the 80s and 90s -- or over 100.
 
Some of the signs that your ladies may be too hot include reduced appetite, reduced egg production, standing or laying with their wings spread out, panting with their beaks open, and signs of general stress. If you do not take measures to keep your chickens cool, things can go bad quickly. You need to know these signs, and you need to be ready to act immediately when one of your hens is in distress.
 
To try to avoid getting to that point, here are nine ways you can help your chicken beat the heat this summer.
 
1. Provide shade.
 First and foremost, your coop and run should be at least partially in the shade. If you did not build your coop under a tree, consider adding shade sails to provide plenty of shade for your girls.
 
2. Build a bigger run.
Crowding is not helpful when the temperature rises. Your hens need to be able to spread out and there needs to be plenty of airflow to help keep the run cooler. If your flock is a bit big for the run, build them a bigger one.
 
3. Bring them inside.
If you have the space, let your ladies ride out the heat in a dog crate or playpen in the house or some other climate-controlled structure on your property.
 
4. Improve ventilation.
Create a breeze by setting up a fan near the coop to keep the air moving. Be sure your fan and its cord are a safe distance from the chickens.
 
5. Make sure they always have cool water.
Cool water plays an important role in keeping chickens safe when it is hot. You can add ice cubes to their water to keep it cool longer, put a frozen water bottle in their waterer, or simply refill their waterer with cool water throughout the day.
 
6. Place frozen water bottles or jars of ice in their coop or run.
When I was younger, we filled mason jars with ice cubes to help keep chickens and rabbits cool on hot days. This is one way to provide cooling stations in their coop, but you can also just freeze water bottles or jugs and set them around the coop for them to stand or lay near.
 
7. Create puddles or get a pool.
Your girls might take advantage of a kiddie pool or a shallow pan with a couple of inches of cold water in the bottom. Some chickens are fine with wading to cool off, but others will want nothing to do with it. For those hens, you can make some puddles in their run (but don’t flood it) so that they have an option to walk in water and cool off.
 
8. Install misters.
A gentle mist of water can make a big difference in your hens’ comfort. One of my clients had their caretaker install a misting system similar to what you might see in line at an amusement park. This has been great and her hens love it. If you are not quite ready to install this type of mister, you can also use the mist setting on your hose nozzle or you can get a plastic mister that attaches to your hose. I found these at Home Depot for about $10 when I was looking for options to cool off some clients’ chickens during the first heatwave this year.
 
9. Give them frozen treats.
Just like humans, chickens love a cool treat on a hot day. Freeze chopped fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon, strawberries, peas, or corn, and keep them on hand to give your hens throughout the summer.