Comarostaphylis diversifolia is a species of shrub in the heath family known by the common name “Summer holly.” Native to Southern California and Northern Baja California’s coastal chaparral habitat, it grows slowly to 12 inches tall and 8 feet wide or slightly larger.

With the bosses on vacation, loafing somewhere in the High Sierras, this seemed to the rest of the staff the perfect opportunity to reveal to TC readers the true story of what the Maxwell team is really like. The advertising manager did most of the research and writing, the associate editor put in a few…