Southern Sonoma Country Life

Petaluma Reader's Theatre Present Two Holiday Classics at the Polly Klass Perfornming Arts Center: A Christmas Memory and A Child's Christmas in Wales Dec 15, 16 & 17, 2023

Kick off your holiday season with a Petaluma tradition: Capote and Thomas. I'm a fan of Petaluma Reader's Theatre, such a lovely escape for a couple of hours. 

Dylan Thomas's prose poem, A Child's Christmas in Wales, is a lush description of a Welsh Christmas. It's a beautiful and poignant work from simpler times. "Bring out the tall tales now that we told by the fire as the gaslight bubbled like a diver. . . ."

Then, enjoy this delightful interpretation of Truman Capote's early work. In his 1956 story, A Christmas Memory, Capote remembers when he was 10 years old and it was "fruitcake weather." His holiday rituals are painted with loving and nostalgic strokes, becoming a truly memorable experience for all ages.

Featuring:
Jeff Savage
Judy Abbott
Rob Neidel
John Mills

December 15 & 16 at 7pm

December 17 at 2pm

Polly Klaas Community Theater
417 Western Avenue
Petaluma

Click here for tickets

Pump or Bust: A New Mama’s Guide to Office Politics, Breast Health, and Pumping on the Road! by Sonoma County Debut Author Karlee Vincent

One of the things I've enjoyed best about attending the San Francisco Writer's Conference over the past couple of years is meeting fellow authors and aspiring authors — especially writers from the North Bay.

Author/Working Mom/Advocate Karlee Vincent shared an elevator with me at the Hyatt Embarcadero at the 2022 conference and we chatted about what we were working on. We were delighted to find out that we both live in Petaluma!

Karlee and I have kept in touch as I've released another novel and she's been working tirelessly to complete and release her first book: Pump or Bust: A New Mama's Guide to Office Politics, Breast Health and Pumping on the Road! Karlee's book publishes on Dec 1st. I'll add in a link once it's live, but I have to say I'm happy to see these kinds of books emerging in the marketplace. I raised three sons whilst working full or part time and it is an incredibly nuanced juggling act. 

Ask my husband and he'll tell you about a memorable big meeting that I couldn't miss for my work and that I drove down to Marin County for when our second son, Luc was about six weeks old. He simply was not interested in taking a bottle, never mind that the milk had been pumped nice and fresh that morning. His lungs had a solid workout as he screamed for a good three hours until I made it home. Somehow we figured it out and I was working from home during his first few months so that helped. That was 28-years ago and it still stresses me out thinking about it. But for working mom's like Karlee, who travel frequently with their job, breastfeeding, pumping and keeping a new born fed and happy takes considerable steel and determination. As does writing and publishing a book. Bravo Karlee! 

Here's what people are saying in the previews:

“Pump or Bust offers a candid and captivating perspective on the journey of new motherhood. Karlee’s relatable experiences resonate deeply, reminding us that as new parents, we navigate not only the arrival of a precious baby but also a transformative evolution of ourselves.” —Stephanie Hack, MD, MPH, Ob/Gyn and Founder of Lady Parts Doctor

“This book is a great resource for any new parent navigating the workplace while nourishing their baby, a must-read for the breastfeeding parent and the community that needs to support them.” —Sascha Mayer, Cofounder and Chief Experience Officer, Mamava


Congratulations mama, you birthed a tiny human! Soon, if not already, you’ll become an expert on the basics of napping, spit up, and diaper rash. But new moms also need to learn how to return to work empowered. Employers, coworkers, friends—even family—aren’t always supportive when it comes to breastfeeding and pumping in the workplace. Pump or Bust offers wise and often humorous guidance to help you advocate for yourself at work and while traveling for work.

In Pump or Bust, you’ll find everything you need, including:

• Conversation starters to ease your transition back into the office.
• Strategies to gain support from coworkers, managers, and HR.
• Game-changing self-care practices for nursing mothers.
• Tips and tricks to pump like a boss at work and while traveling for work.
• Essential checklists for moms, dads, caregivers, family members, and employers.
• The spilled milk: Inspiring stories and advice from other mamas about their breastfeeding and traveling experiences.
• Voices from leading industry experts addressing every stage of the back-to-work pumping journey.

Karlee Vincent is a parenting advocate who has lived through the trifecta: traveling, working, and pumping. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, their two school-aged daughters, and a fluffy fur baby. Karlee has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, CNN, Ms., Tamron Hall, and Care.com. Her essays have appeared in Scary Mommy and Tiny Beans, and she blogs for the TODAY Parenting Team, the TODAY’s Show community for parents.

Karlee is also a member of the California Breastfeeding Coalition Board of Directors.

Say hello at: KarleeVincent.com

If you're in the area on Dec 3rd, Karlee will be signing books and celebrating mamas at Noo Noo, 429 1st St, Petalma from 2.30pm to 4pm. RSVP via Karlee's website. Share this with a new mom or soon-to-be-new mom. Karlee's book would make an excellent gift for a baby shower and someone you know who is about to be a parent.

Congrats Karlee. You rock!

Click here for more info

Escape to the Beach this Winter — A Home-from-Home in Dillon Beach Resort's Tiny Homes on the Sonoma-Marin Coast

Dillon Beach has been my go-to beach for dog walks and family beach outings since I moved to Petaluma in the 1990s. I wrote about the history of the 1880s Dillon Beach Resort in my non-fiction Fog Valley books and it features in my first novel, Big Green Country. It's a special place along the California coast, tucked away, off the beaten path of the coastal highway. To know it is to love it. Because of its remote location, it's never inundated, except for holidays and on extremely warm weekends when the folk of the central valley wake up early and move heaven and earth to spend the day in the cooler, ocean clime. 

I've been eyeing the ocean-facing upper trailer park for decades as a prime spot for a revival and sure enough, it has undergone a complete makeover with a tiny home village replacing trailers several years ago and now complete with barbecue and social patio areas. 

It's not inexpensive to stay the night, but there are several options in the tiny homes, starting in the upper $200s per night to the upper $600s for the bigger units housing six guests. The good news is if you sign up for the mailing list you can be in on any mid-week specials, which, if you are local, like me, makes an overnight or two at the coast quite appealing.

Occasionally I fantasize about buying a camper van or, when I'm thinking big, a beach cabin of my own, the perfect writer's retreat, but when I break down the costs I could stay in the big cabin at Dillon Beach with my family for numerous visits over several years for the cost of property tax alone. 

Lodging Director Kaleigh O'Rear and team are doing a wonderful job keeping the cabins spotless and inviting. I was lucky to have a quick tour this past weeked and I was super impressed with the style, design and comfort level of each unit. 

Word is out about this wonderful resort, but not so much that you can't get a booking. Weekdays and out of school vacation season is the time to book a stay if you're looking for a peaceful get-away to the beach. Bring a book, board games, listen to music, nap, walk the beach, relax. Sounds good, doesn't it? 

Guests and visitors are now able to eat at the Coastal Kitchen on-site Sunday through Thursday. The general store stocks a great selection of local foods, wine and beer, so you won't go hundry or thirsty if you arrive empty handed. The hamlet of Tomales is a ten minute drive away, with a farm stand and several good spots to enjoy takeout pizza, wood oven breads and deli foods. 

Click here to book online

Cypress Cottages - Sleeps 2 $249 per night (non-ocean view)

Sandpiper Cottages - Sleeps up to 4 $399 per night (non-ocean view)

Osprey Cottages - Sleeps 2 $399 per night (ocean view)

Sweetwater Cottages - Sleeps up to 4 $499 per night (ocean view)

Sweetwater Accessible Cottage -Sleeps 2 $399 per night (ocean View)

Coho Cottages - Sleeps up to 6 $599 per night (ocean view)

Coastal Cabins - Sleeps up to 6 $699 (ocean view)

All Cottages and Cabins Are Dog Friendly. One dog over 20 lbs or two small dogs under 20 lbs per unit with a $125 Pet Fee per stay.

Dillon Beach Resort, One Beach Avenue, Dillon Beach, CA

 
 7078783030   [email protected]

 

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Author's About Town with The House on Liberty Street — Fall Season Speaking Engagaments

It's been my great pleasure to be presenting my latst novel, The House on Liberty Street — Home of Second Chances at numerous book groups, non-profit, social and service organizations around Petaluma these past couple of weeks, with more to follow in December.

This novel is set between Christmas Eve afternoon and Christmas Day evening, so it's hitting its stride in its first year. Local readers are enthusiastic about the new audiobook, read by professional actor, fellow Petaluman Jennifer March, of Jen's Voices. Jennifer and I have been teaming up for some of these presentations. Local illustrator, fellow Brit, Gail Foulkes has a terrific slideshow of the images she made around town while we were working on the cover selection for the novel. It's super fun for me to have oneor two of these wonderful collaborators along with me when out and about.

The above photo is Jennifer and me at Brooks Note Winery in Petaluma, where we presented and read for the Petaluma Ladies Salon Du Vin wine group. WHat a pleasure to pair local literature with local fine wine. Click here to check out Brooks Note. It's a gem. Owner/winemaker of this small, family winery specializing in cool climate Pinot Noir (my fav), Garry Brooks is a delight as are his wines and tasting room. 

You don't have to have a reservation to taste, but it's a good idea during holiday season and on weekends. Wines are available by the glass in this warm and welcoming tasting room also. I must get back in there and taste the Pinot flight. 

 

Thank you Petaluma Rotary Club for a festive program and lunch in which Gail and I shared The House on Liberty Street slideshow of Gail's gorgeous images. I spoke about the writing process and read a passage from the book. It's always such a pleasure to read for Rotary. 

Thank you Cindy and Janice for inviting Jennifer and me to talk and read on Inside Petaluma radio show on our local KPCA comunity station Friday morning at 11am. Radio is my favorite! I enjoy podcasts but radio is the best and we're lucky to have such a great, local station with so many volunteer presenters. I'll share the link to the recording when I have it. I brought along fresh biscotti from Della Fattoria, to share. We all agreed it was delicious. Not too crunchy. Adamaria from The House on Liberty Street would approve!

And we talked about my book being paired with Italian herbs and spices in Sonoma Spice Queen, which I'd like to remind everyone about before Small Business Saturday. Don't forget to support our local shopkeepers. 

The House on Liberty Street is available in print, ebook and Audiobook. The Audiobook, narrated by Jennifer, is a terrific download for holiday travels and for listening to by the fireside on a rainy weekend or dark winter evenings. Please do consider a download - makes a great gift, as does the book which is available online and in local bookstores at in the Spice Squeen store. If your favorite bookseller doesn't have a copy in store, please ask them to order from Ingram Distribution. If you'd like a bulk order of signed books for holiday gifts, send me a message and I will get some to you. 

Audiobook is available at AMPlify Audio (best platform for author royalties), Barnes & Noble, Spotify, Audible and most other platforms. 

Happy Thanksgiving 2023

“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.”

W.T Purkiser

Each Thankgiving I search for a quote that encapsulates how I'm feeling about the year that is drawing to a close. I'm not qualified to ramble on about the tangled web and state of the world in any one arena, currently, so I will simply say that I'm grateful to stay in touch with you, via this blog which I've been writing for well over a decade. Some of you are new subscribers, many have been with me since I first started sharing my stories on Southern Sonoma Country Life. 

Social media comes and goes. It swallows us up at times. Platforms fall in and out of favor and for good reason. When I'm fully engulfed in the novel writing process, which I have been, working on my third, these past months, I find it hard to switch into short form and keep my blog posts publishing on a regular basis. This week I've posted in a flurry of activity, which tends to happen when I'm readying for a full house at home and lots of baking and cooking. It's a reminder to me of how this blog has stood the test of time. 

I've been trying to keep my posts timed for Tuesday delivery so that I don't pepper your inbox with too many emails. It's good to know that readers can pick and choose which posts they're interested in. 

This November I'm not taking anything for granted. Maintaining a positive spirit and sharing with community, family and friends, whatever talents, joys and bounty is available to us is the best way, in my opinion, to celebrate the holidays. I'll continue to channel my Southern Sonoma Country Life into my writing this winter, be it my fiction, articles or blog posts and I hope it continues to foster a connectiveness that is so essential these days. We care about the land, its resources and people in these parts. It's my greatest hope, as I am sure it is yours, that there is peace on the horizon in this extended world of ours in the coming year. 

From my house to yours, whether you are taking the day off for a hike in the hills, sharing an alternative meal for friendsgiving or cooking the whole nine yards, have a Happy Thanksgiving. 

Warmly,

Frances 

 

Treat the Cooks in Your Life to a Sonoma Spice Queen & The House on Liberty Street Italian American Holiday Gift Box

Back Cover Image - Gail Foulkes 

I'm so excited to be collaborating with downtown Petaluma's Sonoma Spice Queen store this holiday season, pairing my Petaluma, Sonoma County-set novel The House on Liberty Street — Home of Second Chances with a hand-selected range of Italian-inspired herbs, spices and treats. It's an invitation to recreate the wonderful meals made by the book's main character, Adamaria, the Italian American matriarch of a rambling Victorian home and its busy kitchen.

Sonoma Spice Queen is one of my favorite local purveyors and friends. Owner, Wind McAllister works tirelessly to bring us the best hand crafted organic, small-batch herbs, spices and innovative, top quality rubs. Through her love of cooking and cultural exploration, the world is at our fingertips with a tantalizing range that exceeds anything you can buy in the supermarket. 

Adamaria cooks up a storm for an old-fashioned family Christmas for herself, her daughter, Gracie and Gracie's two little girls. The family is making ends meet but the festive season is honored in traditional Italian American culinary style, with fresh crab meat, homemade biscotti, cannelloni, a roast leg of lamb, tiramisu and other favorites. 

The story starts with Adamaria's granddaughters Izzie and Rosa playing a game of festive make believe on the afternoon of Christmas Eve:

"A rich scent of stovetop onion, garlic, celery and carrots sauteed in olive oil had snaked its way upwards, despite an absence of heat, into the confines of the second floor. A diffusion of odor particles had infused the crumbling insulation with the warming notes of Adamaria's bubbling, stovetop Ragu. This comforting aroma registered in Izzie's mouth before it hit her nose, coating the tiny taste buds inside her tongue, her throat, the roof of her mouth."

Located at 9 Fourth Street in Petaluma's historic iron front boutique shopping district, Sonoma Spice Queen uses only non irradiated ingredients with no gluten, MSG, salt, sugar or other fillers found in many mass produced herbs and spices. All, attractive packaging is produced in USA and is 100% recyclable. If you're not in Sonoma County, Sonoma Spice Queen is happy to ship from online orders. A selection for the cooks in your life makes a wonderful gift during the holidays or anytime of the year. 

This special, seasonal Sonoma Spice Queen & The House on Liberty Street Gift Box is available in the store and costs $95. It includes a copy of the book, Sonoma Spice Queen's Italian Herb and Garlic Mix, Bodega Bay Seafood Mix , Sonoma Herb and Garlic Salt, Vanilla Bean Hot Chocolate, and a cute handmade, holiday chocolate and toffee stocking.

There are lots more items in store to add to this gift if you're going all-out. Local olive oils and vinegars, baking spices, dishtowels, salts and spreads . . . 

The audiobook version of The House on Liberty Street — Home of Second Chances is available wherever you buy your audiobooks. Narrated by fellow Petaluman, Jennifer March, of Jen's Voices, the audio version is a fantastic way to soak in this unforgettable story, set between December 24th and 25th, 2019. I like to tell people to put another log on the fire, make a pot of tea and settle in for an immersive holiday read, or listen, but the addition of the audiobook lends itself perfectly for those long, holiday journeys. 

Here are links to the audiobook on Audible and AMPlify (best platform for author royalties) and Audiobooks.com and Barnes and Noble.  Also find it on Spotify, Googlebooks and elsewhere. 

If you choose to buy a print copy of the book at Sonoma Spice Queen, know you'll be supporting local women in small business. Copperfields has copies or will order if out and its widely available in print online. Message me if you have a bulk order for holiday gifting. 

The following image I took a photo of in a tiny Italian restaurant in the countryside several years ago. I found it after I had written this book and it is Adamaria and her late husband Aldo all over, back in the day before her hair went white!

Click here for some of Adamaria's recipes on my author website.

 

Mendocino on My Mind — A Writer's Solo Retreat

Point Cabrillo Light Station, part of the California state park system as Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park, had been on my to-visit-list for a while. Its location, on a spectacular headland on the Mendocino Coast between Mendocino Village and Fort Bragg is about 100 miles from my house in Petaluma, in neighboring Sonoma County. Close by some standards, far by others. For anyone familiar with this stretch of the coast, you'll know that 100 miles of winding roads through the meandering, hilly Anderson Valley and Navarro-riverside redwood forest is a three-and-a-half-hour minimum journey and requires at least two to three nights to make it worth the driving time. 

There are two paths to the station on arrival. It's a little bit of a trek. A dirt path begins at the north end of the parking lot off Cabrillo Drive and takes you through introduced grassland and coastal prairie. A paved access road, which I took in the afternoon drizzle, is an easier, half-mile walk. 

The lighthouse was built in 1909 when this stretch of the Pacific coastline was a major maritime freeway for boats transporting massive amounts of redwood from Mendocino and Fort Bragg to San Francisco. It was perilous navigation and sailing this rocky coastline in rough weather. Several ships wrecked in the waters a mile or two north of Mendocino. There was a big gap between the lighthouses at Point Arena and Point Reyes before the U.S. Lighthouse Service recommended the addition of Point Cabrillo. It is surrounded by 270 acres of undeveloped coastal bluffs. This State Park occupies the headland tht extends out into the Pacific.

Consider staying overnight at the Light Station if you're into authentic experiences. Check out the lighthouse keeper rental units. Some units are pet friendly. I didn't stay there overnight, but I walked through the Keeper house that has been turned into a museum. Its easy to imagine life in the early 1900s and how hard the family of the keepers, especially the women, worked to keep to rigid and robust routines. There are three restored Lightkeeper homes; the first house is the  period museum of a lightkeeper’s house in the 1930s; the other two houses are comfortable vacation rental homes. The Lighthouse was restored in 2002 and is operated by the Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers Association, a non-profit that was formed to maintain this remarkable landmark within the State Parks system.

Currently, the still operational Lighthouse is open to visitors from 11am-4pm every day, as well as the Assistant Lightkeeper’s House Museum and Marine Science Exhibit .Click here for more of its history. 

The keeper's houses are well preserved and attractive. I could imagine a fun few days turning back the clock with a 1920s, 30s or 40s house party! 

My current work-in-progress is set in a beach house within a cliff erosion scenario on the Sonoma Coast, so it was interesting to read about the work taking place to minimise erosion along parts of the California coast. 

I'm especially interested in the sights, sounds, smells, wildlife and weather along the coast when I'm on one of my writer's jaunts. As soon as I hit the redwood approach to Mendocino coast I feel the melancholy in the atmosphere of the land and ocean. This was utopia for thousands of years for the Pomo people and other tribes of the redwood region. The discovery of the redwoods during the Gold Rush as a resource and a fortune devastated the first people's way of life. Paradise was destroyed on so many levels. And yet the tireless work of the parks, conservationists and preservationists more recently in these storied parts is palpable and some consolation for what we did as European settlers in devouring the west. 

Traversing the oceanside village of Mendocino, Northern California feels like a New England seaport community in design, yet its Pacific Ocean and Mendocino Headlands State Park surrounds are distinctly north, wild-west coast. This isolated and protected, historic district is a unique, 19th-century architectural treasure, populated by charismatic characters running small stores, galleries, the Mendocino Art Center, museum homes and eclectic inns, nestled amidst breathtakingly beautiful natural settings of grassy headlands, rocky shores and redwood forests. 

Salt box cottages and Victorian homes with distinctive water towers and white picket fences are home to third, fourth generation families and more relative newcomers, drawn by an unspoiled lifestyle which remains financially viable as long as intrepid travelers venture this far out west.  

I like this quote in the LA Times which explains the New England likeness: "They came, in the 1800s, for the whaling and the timber: the Kelleys, the Kastens, the MacCallums, the Hills, the Fords. They brought with them a powerful love of the sea and the tenacity to create new lives on the harsh and beautiful Northern California coast.

The homes they built and the village that grew up around them were mirror images of those they left behind in New England."

I left my phone charging in my car while I pottered around town, unlike me not to snap photos of the 1854 Ford House and the 1861 Kelley House Museum across the street. It was a treat to talk to the volunteers on duty that day, all of whom are snowbirders living in their trailers and giving their time at remote state park museums in return for a place to park up for an extended stay. 

Gallery Bookshop in Mendocino is everything a bookshop should be and I spent a long time browsing a fantastic selection in multiple rooms, nooks and crannies. An emphasis on local books and books about Mendocino is a delight to see. Promoting local writers and artists should be the essence of a community bookstore in my humble opinion, but it doesn't always translate. Gallery Bookshop thinks out of the box with offers all kinds of fun activites, subscriptions and events. It's evident this is an area that places major emphasis on the enduring power of the arts. Any reader, young or old who has the chance to browse this particular bookstore can't help but be entranced.

Deciding where to stay in Mendocino isn't an easy choice as there are so many historic inns to choose from. Everyone has their favorite. I've stayed at the same inn several times over the past couple of decades and I was ready for something different since I hadn't been up to the town of Mendocino since before the pandemic. As with inland Mendocino, times are a changing with regards to inn and business ownership in the county. 

Victorian inns and vacation rentals enjoyed a distinctive charm of yesteryear for so long, the region's slow growth and no-growth within the preservation area was part-and-parcel of a trip back in time. The last visit I made pre-2019 the town was bustling with vans and vehicles, growers and trimmers from the bouyant Cannabis industry that had bolstered the economy throughout the Emerald Triange (Mendocino, Humboldt and Trinity Counties). Big cash flowed for quite a few years until legislation brought Cannabis prices down to record new lows. Not much evidence of the Green Rush in view today. 

Then COVID hit and the hospitality industry was forced to shut its doors, independently owned inns and restaurants in Mendocino and surrounds were amongst the most impacted of any place along the California coast. This has led to a gradual reimagining of what today's visitors are looking for and expecting when traveling far up the coast from the Bay Area and beyond. A more modern approach to rustic, heritage hospitality has emerged. 

Mendocino Inn and Farm bed and breakfast came highly recommended by a close friend who had stayed there more recently and was a frequent visitor before the sprawling 1867 inn was bought by Soul Communuty Planet group. She liked what the new owners have done to the place and so I decided to give it a try for a couple of nights. I was not disappointed. It was especially good to stay somewhere with low key, friendly staff and no fuss digs as I was traveling solo and looking to find some peaceful, quiet spot to write after my daily expeditions.

There are several buildings on site in which to stay, I enjoyed the garret in the original farmhouse. The whole place has been given a modern refresh, no fuddy-duddy bedding or funky old bathrooms. It's definitely the new Mendocino, as everything else felt original and authentic and suited to the times we live in. 

I really liked the chickens and llamas and the breakfast basket delivered to my room. Common spaces in each part of the inn work well for groups of family or friends in which to congregate for a glass of wine or games in the evenings. The company's Every Stay Does Good Program is encouraging when paying the going rate for coastal accommodation these days. It's always more affordable to stay during weekdays. 

SCP group has recently bought The Albion River Inn to the south. I'd like to try that spot next time as it looks directly over the ocean and hosts one of the best restaurants in the Mendocino area. 

I took the coastal bluff hike north from the Mendocino Inn and Farm and headed back via William Kent's 1860 Pioneer Barn. It struck me that the change in guard in ownership of many of the inns in the area is not unlike the end of the era of dairy and cattle farms that studded the coastal pastures for over one hundred years. Once the lumber industry declined and the population of Mendocino and Fort Bragg dropped dramatically, there would've been a massive drop in demand for dairy goods locally. The advent of the highway delivering dairy and other products to regional markets was equally impactful. 

It's our good fortune that many of these former farm houses have been restored and preserved as places to stay. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top Pick for Holiday Shopping — Spring Hill Market Holiday Market Craft Fair — Sunday Nov 26th 2023 — Petaluma Woman's Club — Free Admission

I've picked up some real treasures for gifts and home at Spring Hill Open Air Market over the past couple of years. This upcoming holiday season the market moves indoors to the historic Petaluma Woman's Club on B St in town. The market is free to enter and open 10 am to 3 pm. 

We are spoiled for choice with holiday maker's markets in Petaluma. If you're around on the Sunday after Thanksgiving (Nov 26th) then don't miss this one. I like to take cash to our local markets, so much easier for the vendors to deal with and if I set a budget for gift-buying for the day then I am more inclined to support more artists and makers while I'm out and about. 

The quality of art and jewelry, pottery and all kinds of beautiful, handmade items never disappoints with so many talented people in our part of the world. Buying local and from the source is more important and impactful than ever these days. 

Dried Pressed Flower Pumpkin Decorating at Dutcher Crossing Winery

Dutcher Crossing Winery, Sonoma County's hidden gem with award-winning wines, has a festive, fall “add on” to tasting reservations: mod podge pumpkin decorating!

 

For  $30 per person, each guest will be supplied with a pumpkin, pressed dried flowers and the space to create their masterpiece to bring home. Dutcher Crossing is one of my favorite wineries and I love the idea of having something fun and creative to do while tasting excellent wines here in the north of the home county. 

 

Get yourself up there with family and friends before Halloween. 

Dream Big – Exploring the Boundaries of Creativity — A Warm Community Welcome to World Class Scultpure, Huru — Petaluma River Park's Mark di Suvero Installation, Sonoma County, Northern California

What an incredible example of art as a collective endeavor of passion and collaboration. The power of art connecting us was demonstrated during a poignant sunset gathering celebrating all the people who made the installation of breathtaking Huru, by internationally renowed American sculptor, Mark di Suvero possible, at the fledgling Petaluma River Park on the McNear Peninsula, in the heart of Petaluma, Sonoma County, this October (2023).

Seeing majestic and graceful Huru (An Australian Aboriginal word for hello and goodbye) extend its monumental arms ever-so-slowly in the evening light as a welcome to the River Park and Petaluma is a moving experience in itself. I was captivated and pleased to learn that this 38-foot-tall, 12,000 pound tower of public art is capable of withstanding the most powerful wind gusts and a Magnitude 10 earthquake — so firmly is it anchored to its indefinite home at the gateway to Sonoma County. 

Its generous loan by the McKegney Family, in remembrance of the late & much loved Lowell McKegney, studio director and longtime friend of lauded sculptor, di Suvero, is a full-circle moment in the anchoring of ties that interconnect our community here in Petaluma. Lowell, who passed away in 2011, was gifted the giant, steel structure by the sculptor during his longtime career traveling the world on installations, most notably, locally, in San Francisco, in a Crissy Field Exhibit of eight structures that stood in view of the Golden Gate Bridge from May 2013 too 2014. 

Di Suvero's west coast yard has been discreetly located in Petaluma for decades. In more recent years, locals have become accustomed to all kinds of weird and wonderful, large-scale Burning Man art structures popping up in storage yards around town, a continuation of the large-scale expressions of art that have been created in di Suvero's tucked-away corner of the community, for so long now. 

Carol and family have been searching for the perfect spot for Huru since the Chrissy Field exhibit wrapped in 2014. The McKegneys were my neighbors in the late 1990s and our families have remained close ever since. I picture Lowell as I write, unassuming and gentle, undoubtedly pleased by Huru's placement and his family's loving dedication to his legacy and memory.

Petaluma River Park is a 24 acre natural refuge within the city. Non-profit, Petaluma River Park Foundation is on a mission to restore our riverfront habitat and transform it into a vibrant, welcoming public park that unifies our community for generations to come. While the park is already open daily with a rudimentary pathway and picnic tables for all to enjoy, the non-profit is working tirelessly to transform this rare space into a vibrant and healthy riverfront park. With support from the CA State Coastal Conservancy, the non-profit and its hard working and visionary volunteers are working with our community to develop the final park plan with a goal of completion by 2028.

The Petaluma River Park Foundation has assembled a stellar Board of Directors, drawing on local talent in the arts, ecology, place-making, community engagement, strategic planning, fundraising, and operations. Seair Lorentz has been Executive Director of the Petaluma River Park Foundation since 2021. She was born and raised in Petaluma and is one of the original founders, visionaries, and volunteer developers of the project to purchase McNear Peninsula and transform it into a community park. Her husband, Sean Paul Lorentz is di Suvero's current Studio Manager, following in the footsteps of Lowell McKegney and is a founder and board member of the river park, completing the circle with overseeing Huru's return. 

A six-person team expected the installation to last for days, but, remarkably, it proved surprisingly straight forward , despite its magnitude, as if it was waiting to come home. Funds for hauling Huru to the park, assembly by professional welders and putting it back together with the help of a 70-ton crane were donated entirely by community members and grants from Creative Sonoma and The National Endowment for the Arts.

Looking around the crowd at the evening gathering, it was wonderful to witness the interconnectdness of Petalumans, coupled with the energy infusion of art and open space lovers who are relative newcomers to the city. 

I can't wait to see and be a part of the future development of the park over the next few years. Under Huru's mighty watch, we're in good hands.