Garden writer and happy SacValley nature lover. Fan of pinball, hand-shadow puppets, the rubber chicken and local food dipped in chocolate.
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Articles by Heather Hacking
A current flame | Sow There!
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... We live in a city with a lot of trees. If you love trees, that means there’s a lot to love. Trees might be best appreciated from a distance. Anina and I turned a corner during a recent walk, heading west in front of Kendall Hall. From a distance, the Founder’s Tree is magnificent. I know it’s the Founder’s Tree because I’ve read the plaque in front of the main doors to the administration building.
Holidays, sad and sweet | Sow There!
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Starting this week, we’re heading into the holiday season, with festive days every few weeks to keep us sane through the winter — Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day. Some of us get a paid holiday for veterans, presidents and Martin Luther King. After Saturday’s candy hangover, many people will go to the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds for the fourth annual Chico Day of the Dead (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, free of cost).
Rose show celebrates Butte County’s roses | Sow There!
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... As of just a minute ago, we saw the last of summer. I could be wrong. We could get a blast of heat that sends me to the dark corner of my closet to fetch sandals and cotton skirts. However, I think it’s safe to stop shaving my legs. I heard a loud noise Tuesday night and wondered why it sounded like someone was revving the engine of a motorcycle.
In search of sandhills | Sow There!
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Most of us who have lived in the Sacramento Valley for at least four seasons have had a few of those “magical moments” like: • Driving along a country road in winter, suddenly you spot what looks like 1,000 swans in a flooded rice field. • At Llano Seco Wildlife Refuge on a clear, cold day: so many white snow geese you can barely hear your conversation.
Searching for a new color | Sow There! Original
For weeks I’ve been waiting for fall, expecting it to be fall, wondering why it is not fall. I did not travel this summer and felt every sweltering summer day, saw heat fumes on parking lot blacktop, cursed the high price of running my air conditioner … When will it be fall? Someone explained to me that there is a difference between astrological seasons, based on the calendar and the equal amount of day and night, vs. meteorological seasons, based on temperature cycles.
Too hot for a joyride | Sow There! Original
Really? More of this? Ninety-seven degrees on Saturday? In October? I had plans and they did not include calling friends to ask if I could jump in their pool. This happens every year. We get the first taste of fall. The nights are nice. The mornings are perfect. Even the heat of the day comes and goes quickly. And then we get this blast of summer, almost as if the weather is reminding us that fall really is a season to celebrate.
Mountain magic | Sow There!
When my friends invited me to visit Lassen Peak recently, my first response was no. I have homework to do for my classes, don’t you know, and planned to spend my Sunday in the library. The follow-up invite was Saturday night, when I said yes to seeing the Bonfire storytelling event at Laxson Auditorium. “Maybe you can go home tonight and work on your homework,” one friend suggested.
The great peach giveaway | Sow There
In late July I visited a friend and returned home with too many tomatoes and bunches of basil. I felt smug later that week when I brought caprese to a potluck – tomatoes, basil and soft mozzarella cheese. Three other women the same dish, because the backyard harvest was booming. Next, I was gifted with a melon, more tomatoes and peppers. Sharing the backyard garden bounty is a good thing, but one idea is to have a coordinated growing plan among friends.
Chainsaw wielding garden hero | Sow There! Original
Warning: The following column contains graphic depictions of high intensity gardening. There she was, right on time, rumbling down my gravel driveway in her little tan pickup, wild curls bobbing from the bumpy ride. My chainsaw-wielding garden hero.
Dividing bulbs — exercise and happiness hormones | Sow There!
When you’re on a roll pulling ivy, it’s important to have a back-up green waste can. I showed up at Ladona’s house after dark and pressed the contents of three oversized black plastic garbage bags into her outgoing can. To date, I have pulled enough ivy to fill 10 bags, and offloading that garden trash gave me a dopamine rush. Yanking the obnoxious plants also counted as my exercise routine. “You should have heard me,” I bragged after exploiting my friend’s green waste can.
Spoiled cat | Sow There!
How to test your lawn for grubs and what to do if you find them
Spoiled cat | Sow There!
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Gary Chapman wrote a book about the Five Love Languages of humans. I think cats have only two love languages: food and petting. Cats may understand when you give them words of affirmation, such as “good boy,” but the sound of an aluminum food can opening is much more likely to get their attention. It has long been established that my relationship with my cat is transactional. I give him food, and he gives me love, often in the reverse order. I’m OK with that.
Ivy, a slow and steady menace | Sow There!
I let it happen. Ivy ate part of my house. No one means for this to happen. Ivy looks so lovely, don’t you know. The leaves are deep green and the vines are lush; ivy makes my little house look like an English cottage. I could pretend I preferred the overgrown look — I could say I wanted to be hidden for a while, to be tucked away within a blanket of plants, shielded. But those are lies. I was lazy and walked past the growing problem day after day.
Arborsculpture, the art of twisted trees | Sow There!
Most of us know about the art of topiary and have seen examples or images of carefully trimmed plants at Disneyland and famous gardens including Versailles. If you happen to be in downtown Columbus, Ohio, you can visit Topiary Park, which includes all of the scenes from Seurat’s “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte,” with all of the people and places in the form of topiary. Another art form through the torturing of trees is arborsculpture.
Introductions to our hearts desires | Sow There!
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Greek olives, travel, listening to nature … I count these among the things that I love. But it could have easily gone any other way. I’ve noticed that there are many things in life that are introduced and then an appreciation follows — sometimes after repeated exposure. I love museums and art galleries, and I don’t think this has much to do with my innate personality. My parents may or may not have loved museums, but they brought me to them.
Introductions to our hearts desires | Sow There!
Greek olives, travel, listening to nature … I count these among the things that I love. But it could have easily gone any other way. I’ve noticed that there are many things in life that are introduced and then an appreciation follows — sometimes after repeated exposure. I love museums and art galleries, and I don’t think this has much to do with my innate personality. My parents may or may not have loved museums, but they brought me to them.
Saying yes to new adventures | Sow There!
Once upon a whenever, my younger sister and I made vague plans about getting together when my work slowed. We said I would drive down, spend a night or two, then drive again to the Sierra foothills to visit my stepmom Lynda. My last visit was during the winter holiday, but when the time came to travel I was tired. I can work or walk or study for days on end, covering up fatigue with dangerous amounts of caffeine.
Words are worth keeping | Sow There!
I’m pretending like I’m moving. I’m not moving. I’m just pretending like I need to get rid of things so I can move. The longer you live, the more thoughtful birthday and Christmas gifts you receive. We buy things when we travel. Our family members decide to get rid of things but they want to keep those things in the family. Those things end up in my living room. The house doesn’t get any bigger and any empty space disappears.
A hot, humid, historic moment | Sow There!
I’ve lived a long time, but I can now count two times when I was present at a historic event. In 1989 my boyfriend and I arrived in Paris on a late flight. We had no reference point on the number of people in Paris on any given day, but we noticed it was really, really crowded. At dusk the next day, we saw the Eiffel tower lit with colors and saw lights projected on a building across the Seine.
EU Pay Transparency Directive 2026: no EU-level delay and no time for employers to wait
For multinational employers, the question is no longer whether pay transparency will arrive, but how quickly national rules will take effect and whether existing pay structures, recruitment processes and reporting systems are ready. In practical terms, the Directive marks a shift from reactive equal pay claims towards proactive transparency, reporting and remediation.
When Crisis Hits: Practical Readiness Tips For Global Employers
LS Lewis Silkin More We have two things at our core: people – both ours and yours - and a focus on creativity, technology and innovation. Whether you are a fast growth start up or a large multinational business, we help you realise the potential in your people and navigate your strategic HR and legal issues, both nationally and internationally.
practical readiness tips for global employers
This article distils practical guidance on effective crisis response, cross-border people management and organisational preparedness in high-risk scenarios. Those that navigate crises most successfully are the ones that invest early in their people, partnerships and planning.
Hot with a capital H | Sow There!
Hot. Blistering. Sweltering. Steaming, scorching. The Great Incineration. Sweatbox. Sauna. All of these words describe summer in Chico. If you’ve lived in town for more than a few years, you’ve learned to live with it. When it gets hot, really, really hot, the fewer syllables the better. Hot. You can say it flat or factual, or with emphasis as you’re fanning your forehead with a free hand. The word “hot” jumps out of your throat efficiently.
Finding keys | Sow There!
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Mom sometimes said her children were “running around like a chicken with its head cut off.” She was not very many generations removed from farmers, and likely her parents had chickens in the backyard — for eggs. When I was clumsy as a kid (dropped an entire stack of plates when unloading the dishwasher) she might say “get in your body.” Maybe she thought I was sleepwalking or I had mentally traveled while leaving my arms and legs to fend for themselves.
Finding keys | Sow There!
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Garden enthusiast Heather Hacking loves when you share what’s growing on. Reach out at sowtheregardencolumn@gmail.com, and snail mail, P.O. Box 5166, Chico CA 95927. Already have an account Log In This article is only available to subscribers Offer valid for non-subscribers only RevContent Feed
Star light, star bright | Sow There!
Akerke and I cruised across town after a late-night run to the grocery store. It was that night when the wind caught us off-guard and I had a sudden hankering to sit in the concrete star-gazing bowl in the park. Hankerings are easy to act upon when I have a visitor from Kazakhstan. We drove past the tall lights at Wildwood Park and followed the curves into the darkness of upper Bidwell Park. The weather app on my phone said there would be only a sliver of a moon and moonrise in the wee hours.
And the livin’ is easy | Sow There!
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Garden enthusiast Heather Hacking loves when you share what’s growing on. Reach out at sowtheregardencolumn@gmail.com, and snail mail, P.O. Box 5166, Chico CA 95927. Already have an account Log In This article is only available to subscribers Offer valid for non-subscribers only RevContent Feed
And the livin’ is easy | Sow There!
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... The campus and student neighborhoods were abuzz last week, typical of this time of year. Families walked along Warner Street in the warm of the afternoon, carrying flowers for graduates. When I left my office in early evening I heard the names of graduates being read over the loudspeaker. There were lines down the block at popular drinking spots including the Bear and Riley’s and mattresses and bedding piled up alongside metal trash containers.
The path of the short-lived | Sow There! Original
As much as I like to “mix it up” in my life, for some reason I am not adventurous when I walk in the park. I’ll sometimes walk alone in my neighborhood, but never alone in the park. “Meet me at the bridge at Sycamore Pool,” I will say to a friend, because this is an easy spot for us to find each other. In upper park I will usually say “the parking lot at Monkey Face” or “the lot at the bottom of Rim Trail.” This week Ladona and I headed for the park in my car.
Lose that loose change | Sow There!
Goodbye pennies. It’s been a good run. I generally dislike change, but I agree with the powers-that-be that it’s time to lose the coin with almost zero purchasing power. I generally bend down to pick up a penny from the sidewalk, but some days I don’t stoop to scoop up the good luck. Even when pennies were issued in 1793, they weren’t worth much — the equivalent of 33 cents today, tinyurl.com/4dyfssjy.
the Council of State’s opinion and guidance on pay structures
It also questions the proposed deviation from the Pay Transparency Directive’s transposition timeline and raises concern that enforcement by the Labour Inspectorate is expected to be primarily administrative rather than an assessment of report accuracy. Alongside the Council’s opinion, new guidance has also been published on how employers should design fair, gender-neutral pay structures in practice.
Trade-offs of penny-pinching | Sow There!
We live in America. I get it. It’s a capitalist society. To grease the wheels of our economy, most people need to earn money and we need to keep that money in circulation. The good thing is that Americans are good at spending money. And everyone wants your money. I feel like I’m too young to say things like “in the good, old days.” However, I am getting older every day (with another birthday at the end of the month).
You say smile, I say cheese | Sow There!
The world — near and far — is worth a long, leisurely look. A common theme among my hobbies is that I like to look around. An observer, one might say. Mountains and my river, people, museums, public art and all of those things in between. Travel provides the ultimate opportunity to look around. When I’m on a journey, I don’t mind reasonably long lay-overs. Watching new people in a new place is like watching a slow movie. And if the airport layover is longer than reasonable, I can always read a book.
Bike riding | Sow There!
“I like Chico,” Assel said as we pedaled along Petersen Memorial Drive, the road from Sycamore Pool along the creek. I walk in the park frequently with friends. However, I’ve only ridden my bike through the park maybe a dozen times. This time of year is glorious. The leaves on the trees are still the “new green” of spring before a layer of dust settles on the canopy. The water in the creek is fast and high.
Global Mobility In 2026: Four Trends Redefining Strategy, Risk And Resilience
Ius Laboris are most popular: within Technology, Wealth Management, Government and Public Sector topic(s) with Senior Company Executives, HR and Inhouse Counsel in Europe with readers working within the Technology industries Global mobility is entering a new phase in 2026, shaped by digital border systems, heightened tax and social security scrutiny, the return of high-volume business travel under tighter regulation, and the need for greater geopolitical and operational resilience in mobility...
Spring is in the air | Sow There!
Officially spring. Or is it early summer? Let’s not bother to think too much. The point is to enjoy today, and the next day and any day when it feels like this day. There will be plenty of time to complain when the weather turns triple digits. This week it was so nice I rode my bike to work. I should make this a habit, but it’s too easy to find reasons to drive my car. I know I’m enjoying the week, the days and the minutes because I have more time. This is the slow time at my work.
Not quite back to normal | Sow There!
Our most recent group of international teachers had a recurring inside joke. “Wait!” Any time the teachers needed to say the word, they imitated the authoritative male voice of the talking crosswalk signals downtown. I was there the first few times they pressed the button. The voice from the light post does make you jump back, and certainly reminds you to “Wait!” For the teachers from across the globe, this was a new thing, until it became a familiar thing.
EU Pay Transparency Directive 2026: No EU-level Delay And No Time For Employers To Wait
LS Lewis Silkin More We have two things at our core: people – both ours and yours - and a focus on creativity, technology and innovation. Whether you are a fast growth start up or a large multinational business, we help you realise the potential in your people and navigate your strategic HR and legal issues, both nationally and internationally.
Word of the week: hysteranthous | Sow There!
Posted by Heather Hacking on March 6, 2026 Tags: Categories: California News Garden enthusiast Heather Hacking loves when you share what’s growing on. Reach out at [email protected], and snail mail, P.O. Box 5166, Chico CA 95927. Chico Enterprise-Record
Word of the week: hysteranthous | Sow There!
Hysteranthous. The word refers to plants that produce flowers before the leaves emerge in the spring. We’re seeing a lot of this these days and now that I know there’s a word for this phenomenon, I’m going to overuse it until it rolls off my tongue naturally. On Valentine’s Day some of our friends of International Training Programs visited the almond orchards with a group of Fulbright teachers. This was a glorious day, with hysteranthy on full display.
Unwelcome at the duck pond | Sow There!
Posted by Heather Hacking on February 27, 2026 Tags: Categories: California News Garden enthusiast Heather Hacking loves when you share what’s growing on. Reach out at [email protected], and snail mail, P.O. Box 5166, Chico CA 95927. Chico Enterprise-Record
Unwelcome at the duck pond | Sow There!
I love birds. Yet, I prefer the more elusive birds in sky or bush, the kind of creatures that innocently go about their business. These birds are relaxing to watch and help us imagine what life would be like if we had fewer cares in this world. I can watch finches for hours, flitting about a hanging mesh bag, nibbling on tiny seeds. These small birds live in a rhythm that could easily be matched with music.
And then there was yellow | Sow There!
Posted by Heather Hacking on February 20, 2026 Tags: Categories: California News My favorite color this week is “daffodil yellow.” Not saffron. Not corn yellow. Not brass or gold or amber. Daffodil yellow. More specifically, the yellow of the flowers in front of the health center on campus, and on Warner Street near Whitney Hall. Chico Enterprise-Record
And then there was yellow | Sow There!
My favorite color this week is “daffodil yellow.” Not saffron. Not corn yellow. Not brass or gold or amber. Daffodil yellow. More specifically, the yellow of the flowers in front of the health center on campus, and on Warner Street near Whitney Hall. I was so inspired, I found the yellow sheets and put them on my bed. Maybe yellow will remain my favored color for a while, until I decide that purple is the best color on the planet. One of these colors has been my favorite for the majority of my life.
A day of giving | Sow There!
Posted by Heather Hacking on February 13, 2026 Tags: Categories: California News Garden enthusiast Heather Hacking loves when you share what’s growing on. Reach out at [email protected], and snail mail, P.O. Box 5166, Chico CA 95927. Chico Enterprise-Record
A day of giving | Sow There!
Valentine’s Day. I’m busy and don’t have a significant other, so I had not thought about the holiday. This is surprising because Americans are trained from childhood to be good Valentine’s Day consumers. I can’t remember the age when we started bringing store-bought paper Valentines to class. Maybe it was age five, but I knew about them earlier from my older sister.
On words unspoken | Sow There!
Posted by Heather Hacking on February 6, 2026 Tags: Categories: California News Garden enthusiast Heather Hacking loves when you share what’s growing on. Reach out at [email protected], and snail mail, P.O. Box 5166, Chico CA 95927. Chico Enterprise-Record
On words unspoken | Sow There!
“Early spring does not announce itself with trumpets. It arrives quietly, almost shyly, as if unsure whether it is truly welcome yet.” I didn’t write those words, but they sure do sound like me. This was artificial intelligence, prompted to try to copy “my voice.” The result was eerie. I’ve avoided AI for a variety of reasons, and recently thought I should learn a little lest I be left idle on the onramp to the almighty AI superhighway.
Cyprus Moves Ahead With Pay Transparency Directive Implementation: Some Surprises In Draft Bill
David Lorimer’s articles from Lewis Silkin are most popular: within Employment and HR topic(s) with Senior Company Executives, HR and Inhouse Counsel in European Union in European Union in European Union in European Union in European Union in European Union in European Union in European Union in European Union with readers working within the Accounting & Consultancy, Technology and Construction & Engineering industries Cyprus has published a draft bill to implement the EU Pay Transparency...
some surprises in draft bill
The draft was released in November 2025 with a short consultation window to 4 December 2025, and with the government aiming for full transposition by 7 June 2026. While the text is likely to be further refined before being finalised, the current draft provides a clear view of the direction of travel and where Cyprus may go further than the Directive in places.
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