Last year, the SDCBA changed our observed holiday calendar to reflect yesterday’s day off as Indigenous Peoples’ Day (previously recognized as Columbus Day). Last Friday, President Biden issued a proclamation to observe October 11 as a way to honor Native Americans, their resilience, and their contributions to American society throughout history, even as they faced assimilation, discrimination, and genocide spanning generations. Read More

Growing up, I loved Greek mythology. I still do. One of my favorite tales is the story of Persephone, daughter of Demeter. Demeter is the goddess of fertility and bountiful harvests. As the story goes, Persephone was playing in the meadows while her mother harvested her bounty when the earth split open next to her and Hades, god of the underworld, burst forth. He brought Persephone down to his domain, where she became queen of the underworld. Demeter searched everywhere for her daughter until she found her and demanded her return. But, while Persephone was in the underworld, she ate six pomegranate seeds. It was decreed that Persephone could return to her mother for six months each year and would return to her husband for the rest, thereby creating our seasonal wheel of the year. While Persephone is with her mother, flowers and trees bloom and thrive (spring and summer). While she is with her husband, and her mother misses her, the plants display Demeter’s displeasure (fall and winter). Read More