Donna Banta
@donnabanta.bsky.social
Author of the mysteries, OPEN HOUSE, SEER STONE, and more. Left Coast liberal and exmormon. I live, write and garden in Sonoma, California.
Ours is not a spa bath. But these houseplants do contribute an air of tranquility. 🌱 #GardensHour
November 10, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Ours is not a spa bath. But these houseplants do contribute an air of tranquility. 🌱 #GardensHour
Ten years on. Has anything changed?
mainstreetplaza.com/2025/11/05/a...
mainstreetplaza.com/2025/11/05/a...
A pox on the PoX policy, ten years on – Main Street Plaza
mainstreetplaza.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Ten years on. Has anything changed?
mainstreetplaza.com/2025/11/05/a...
mainstreetplaza.com/2025/11/05/a...
Looking forward to fall lettuces! 🌱 #GardensHour
November 3, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Looking forward to fall lettuces! 🌱 #GardensHour
One of this year's final blooms on my "Just Joey" rose and pomegranates from a neighbor's tree. 🌱 #GardensHour
October 27, 2025 at 9:38 PM
One of this year's final blooms on my "Just Joey" rose and pomegranates from a neighbor's tree. 🌱 #GardensHour
Wine country hacks: grapevine clippings reused as plant stakes and half-barrels as planters. In other news, it's a glorious fall day in my garden! 🌱 #GardensHour
October 20, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Wine country hacks: grapevine clippings reused as plant stakes and half-barrels as planters. In other news, it's a glorious fall day in my garden! 🌱 #GardensHour
Fall blooms on Souvenir de la Malmaison and Oklahoma roses. 🌱 #GardensHour
October 13, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Fall blooms on Souvenir de la Malmaison and Oklahoma roses. 🌱 #GardensHour
Sasanqua camelia is blooming! #GardensHour 🌱
October 6, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Sasanqua camelia is blooming! #GardensHour 🌱
No bulbs. But this is the last of my hydrangeas. Still gorgeous. 🌱 #GardensHour
September 22, 2025 at 8:07 PM
No bulbs. But this is the last of my hydrangeas. Still gorgeous. 🌱 #GardensHour
Last gasps of pink on my hydrangea and coral zinnia. #GardensHour #SixWeeksOfColour 🌱
September 1, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Last gasps of pink on my hydrangea and coral zinnia. #GardensHour #SixWeeksOfColour 🌱
Yellow and orange! Peace rose from my garden and sunflowers from Cottage Garden nursery in Petaluma, California. #GardensHour #SixWeeksOfColour 🌱
August 25, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Yellow and orange! Peace rose from my garden and sunflowers from Cottage Garden nursery in Petaluma, California. #GardensHour #SixWeeksOfColour 🌱
Creamy white potatoes newly harvested! #GardensHour #SixWeeksOfColour 🌱
August 11, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Creamy white potatoes newly harvested! #GardensHour #SixWeeksOfColour 🌱
Seed pod on clematis vine. #GardensHour 🌱
August 4, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Seed pod on clematis vine. #GardensHour 🌱
Blue salvia, lobelia, violas, and, of course lavender. #GardensHour 🌱
July 28, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Blue salvia, lobelia, violas, and, of course lavender. #GardensHour 🌱
Just under the wire. Hydrangeas! #GardensHour 🌱
July 21, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Just under the wire. Hydrangeas! #GardensHour 🌱
Johnny Townsend's latest in the L.A. Progressive:
www.laprogressive.com/progressive-...
www.laprogressive.com/progressive-...
Yes, We Can Demonize Publicans
Even Hitler was nice to his secretary. (Really, there’s a documentary about it.)
www.laprogressive.com
June 30, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Johnny Townsend's latest in the L.A. Progressive:
www.laprogressive.com/progressive-...
www.laprogressive.com/progressive-...
My single word for June: Sunny!
#GardensHour 🌱
#GardensHour 🌱
June 30, 2025 at 8:05 PM
My single word for June: Sunny!
#GardensHour 🌱
#GardensHour 🌱
Gypsy peppers and cherry tomatoes will hopefully ripen soon. #GardensHour 🌱
June 23, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Gypsy peppers and cherry tomatoes will hopefully ripen soon. #GardensHour 🌱
Cheerful sunflowers and creamy white gardenia. #GardensHour 🌱
June 16, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Cheerful sunflowers and creamy white gardenia. #GardensHour 🌱
This has brought joy this week! #GardensHour 🌱 @gardenshour.bsky.social
June 9, 2025 at 8:40 PM
This has brought joy this week! #GardensHour 🌱 @gardenshour.bsky.social
Enjoying veronica and the first bloom on my echinacea. 🌱
#GardensHour
#GardensHour
June 2, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Enjoying veronica and the first bloom on my echinacea. 🌱
#GardensHour
#GardensHour
Johnny Townsend's latest in the LA Progressive:
www.laprogressive.com/lgbtq/christ...
www.laprogressive.com/lgbtq/christ...
Community Fights Back Against Christian Nationalist Anti-Trans Hate Rally
The counter protesters themselves numbered around 500. They chanted and picketed, shouted, booed, jeered, and played music so loudly that one counter protester walked around handing out free earplugs.
www.laprogressive.com
May 27, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Johnny Townsend's latest in the LA Progressive:
www.laprogressive.com/lgbtq/christ...
www.laprogressive.com/lgbtq/christ...
Shades of blue this week. Salvia, cornflower and delphinium! #GardensHour 🌱
May 26, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Shades of blue this week. Salvia, cornflower and delphinium! #GardensHour 🌱
Another 5 stars for Open House!
www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Lailey's review of Open House
5/5: From the summary alone, Open House sounds like a sharp, darkly funny look at suburbia unraveling. With eccentric neighbors, social tension, and a touch of chaos, it seems to blend humor with deep...
www.goodreads.com
May 26, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Another 5 stars for Open House!
www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Fancy yellow peony! 🌱
May 14, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Fancy yellow peony! 🌱
This is our third year of gardening in this location. So far peppers, cherry tomatoes, potatoes and basil have been winners. Citrus does well, too. We've yet to get any figs, and the plum espaliered against the fence has 3 tiny plums on it. Trial and error! 🌱 #GardensHour
May 12, 2025 at 8:20 PM
This is our third year of gardening in this location. So far peppers, cherry tomatoes, potatoes and basil have been winners. Citrus does well, too. We've yet to get any figs, and the plum espaliered against the fence has 3 tiny plums on it. Trial and error! 🌱 #GardensHour