By Linda Nunes

Candi Tovar, of 342 Palm Drive in El Dorado Estates, was chosen the Civic Pride Volunteers’ “Yard of the Month” winner for November. Candi has lived in Fillmore for 15 years, after growing up on a ranch in Newhall; her family still owns that ranch. She gathered many vintage farm implements and interesting items like wagon wheels, and old saws from her father’s barn to display on her fence and boulders, and rocks to arrange next to nine or more old roses and pots of cacti and succulents. Among the plants were scented rose geraniums, blooming epiphytes, asparagus fern, several Crassula and Kalanchoe varieties, Echeveria in bloom, and a large unusual grey cactus that we couldn’t identify. Candi expressed over and over how much she “loves her yard” and was delighted to tell the stories behind specific plants. As she talked, she touched her plants like “old friends” and was so happy to receive the $50 gift card from Otto and Sons Nursery to add to her collection. Civic Pride Volunteers appreciate the generosity of Otto & Sons Nursery which has provided the awards since the beginning of the Yard of the Month project. The next award will be for holiday decorations in December.