I am pagan at heart, and I love the echoes of the old traditions during this time of year. The history of Christmas is a tapestry woven from different cultural threads. Long before Christianity, many cultures celebrated festivals during the Winter Solstice. During the holiday season, take time to reconnect with the ancient links between this time of year and nature, and rediscover the real spirit of Christmas.

Global warming is a major issue, and each of us can help solve it. My aha moment for switching to reusable shopping bags came when I saw my friend’s collection of bags used to bring in groceries, stacked by the door, ready to return to the car for reuse. Now it feels natural to me.

Several liquid amber trees grow on the route of my morning dog walk, and I always take a moment to appreciate the useless beauty of the colorful, fallen leaves. While it’s tempting to rake them up, one of the most valuable things you can do to support pollinators and other invertebrates is to provide them with the shelter they need to survive winter.

Get ready for another year of fascinating speakers covering topics from roses to mushrooms, dried flowers to fresh herbs. Also,learn about inspiring conservation projects from Ed Almanza, who is working to protect the Aliso Creek Estuary, and Dr. Jana Johnson, who nearly single-handedly saved the Palos Verde blue butterfly from the brink of extinction.