July and Blackberries

When I was a kid our entire back fence in Mill Valley was covered with blackberries. My Dad and I would pick every summer and Mom would turn them into jams, jellies and pies.

Our Back Fence Bonanza

I haven't made jam for years, but the extended rains this spring have created a bumper crop of huge berries. I pick every couple of days, lay the berries out on trays in the freezer until they are hard and then slip them into gallon baggies until I have enough for an afternoon jamathon. This July has been really cold and foggy, what do you want to bet the day I decide to spend working over the stove it will be hot? No matter, the middle of this winter I'll have homemade jam for toast, waffles, presents and pancakes. It doesn't get much better than that!

Conversations

I picked up one of my old journals this afternoon and decided I'd share whatever was on the page it opened to. The entry was from October 31, 1975. This is a song I wrote during one of those stages in a relationship when you're questioning why you aren't moving on. A friend put it to music and it was amazing to hear my words brought to life. Because of his sweet gesture I've harbored a lifelong fantasy of hearing it sung by Bonnie Raitt. But, hey a girl can dream!

Conversation

Baby do you ever disagree with what I'm sayin'

Are your thoughts different than mine

Do you know me so well that you're not tryin'

Or can we share more than just the time

I sometimes wonder what you're thinkin'

Questions I have never asked

Are there things being left unspoken

Should I speak or let it pass

Just don't start feeling guilty

For what it is you're thinkin'

If love can't listen to what's inside

Then love's only a ship that's sinkin'

Man is but a mirror

To what it is he feels

He can live his life in fantasy

Or share the thoughts that keep it real

Tuesday's Discovery

I was exploring Etsy Forums this morning and stumbled upon a thumbnail that intrigued me. I clicked on the link and discovered the amazing work of Carole Andreen-Harris.

I found laughter

contemplation

and the HEART of the matter

This print is from an original painting of a horse rescued by HEART of Tucson, an equine rescue based in Tucson, Arizona (www.heartoftucson.org). HEART takes in and cares for horses at risk, the abandoned, abused, neglected and unwanted. With proper nutrition, medical care, shoeing and interaction these horses are true Cinderella stories! A portion of proceeds from sales of these prints goes to HEART. This is Bella, an older Arabian mare who was found abandoned in the desert very thin, without food, water or shelter. Check out Carole's work at http://www.etsy.com/shop/andreenharrisart

Down Time

Today is July 3rd. My husband, the chef, left for work at 5am and when his day was done he headed to Santa Rosa to watch his friend Michael’s grandsons play baseball this afternoon. I went to work out this morning, came home and tossed a load of laundry in the washer that could be hung out to dry. It's about 80 degrees and breezy. I’ve decided this is a no promises to keep day: time out, game over, no shouldas, just stop and smell the roses, or in our case honeysuckle.

The Cherry Plums are Ready

I’m out in the back yard flopped in a camp chair with my laptop, lunch, water, and a book of poetry and prose given to me this morning by a fellow gym mate. The breeze is whispering through the Redwoods and Monterey pines. The neighbors’ terrier, Ruby, is stalking gophers over the back fence. Two red squirrels are playing tag in our oak tree and I’m watching a hawk ride thermal currents looking for meal. Closing my eyes I can hear a dozen different songbirds commenting on the day.
 

How often do we let the petty of our every days overshadow the beauty in our lives? Stop what you are doing, back away from the computer, put down the dust rag and go outside for an hour or two; find a place in the shade and just observe and listen, I guarantee you’ll be glad you did. Have a safe and happy 4th of July. I am posting this and doing as ordered!

You Just Never Know

I was my checking my email a couple of mornings ago and noticed a communique from Etsy. The event chair for the Greater SW Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation in Arizona wanted to know if I'd be interested in donating my new salad serving set "Galaxy" to their annual silent auction and fundraiser for their juvenile arthritis programs. 

My grandmother Hazel Hobson Bagg and my mother-in-law Marjorie Helvey lived with arthritis for most of their lives and were brave beyond words to endure the constant pain. This seemed like a perfect opportunity for me to pay it forward in some small way. You're wondering why Arizona, when I live in California? Well my parents retired to Sedona in the early 1970's, my grandfather John Sherman Bagg discovered the Catherine gold mine (in western Arizona) in 1900 and his father, my great grandfather Stanley Chipman Bagg, lived in Arizona in the late 1880's. So you could say I have some Arizona connections.

Anyway, if you'd like more information about the fundraiser and programs here is the link:
http://www.arthritis.org/chapters/greater-southwest/salute.php

Just a Thought Series ~ June 1975 Update

Strolling through the pages of some of my old journals I found an entry from a June, 1975. I had recently traded my old VW bus in on a Datsun 240Z and was ready for a road trip. Off to Aspen to spend a week with my old roommate Patti. She lived in a small cottage with a very large boulder in the living room. We spent every day hiking and exploring and then would head out in the evening to hear live music.

Maroon Bells at Sunrise (unknown photographer)

On the trail around the lake someone carved these words on an aspen tree. One wonders if they are still there?  I just found the photo I took on that hike. Perhaps it's time for another road trip to Aspen to see if the tree is still there along the trail.

"If you can't find it here, you can't find it" 

I met musician and songwriter Chris Cox one evening and we talked about his love of music and some of his feelings on the subject. His words stuck with me.

What is true

Is that when you get down

To why you are doing something

~

Not for the money

Or the ego satisfaction

Not for the expectations

Or the promises

~

But for the shear love

Of what you are doing

There exist no droughts

No dried up wells

Thirty five years later I look at a creative life well spent and still growing and understand exactly what he meant. It never ceases to amaze me how random and serendipitous conversations can be so prophetic.

Thoughts for Fathers Day

 

 My Dad and Me Nov 1945

My dad was a quiet force in my life. He taught me how to observe and listen and to take responsibility for my actions. I have always been a tomboy and on annual summer camping trips we'd spend countless hours checking out woods, creeks and rivers. He taught me how to build things when I was a kid and helped me turn my VW bus into a camper when I was in college. He was my mom's true love and a total romantic. I was looking through an old cook book of my mom's (the kind that has an envelope in each section for the recipes you cut out) and found this note under the sandwiches section.

Sweetheart,

This is the best g.. da.. tuna I ever et

so help me, the celery was an inspiration.

I love you, love you, love you, Grif

We rarely think about our parents in their stages of life: as kids or teenagers, first loves, marriage, raising children, retiring and then gaining elder status. My husband and I were talking on the porch last night and realized there are many parallels between my parents and us. They were both artists and happiest outdoors in the garden or on the road. They were total romantics and free spirited soul mates. And like us, even in their 60's, were mischievous and still 27 on the inside.

A salute to Dads everywhere who work hard to get it right even without a guidebook or users manual.

The West Coast

Just a few more photos from our excellent adventure that took us from the Redwood Empire to Oregon's northwest corner.

The Dragon at Bullard's Beach, Bandon, OR

Spencer Creek at Beverly Beach State Park, OR

Yaquina River at Newport, OR

The trail to the beach at Fort Stevens, OR

Roadside picnic on the cliffs at Oswald West State Park

Honorary Oregonian

My husband is an Oregon boy and I'm a California girl. Truth be told I'm a bit of a weather wimp.  If I’m bundled up and water proof I’m good to go, but I often get chilled with the least drop in temperature. When the thermostat says 68 on a summer night it seems much warmer that when it says 68 on a winter's night. 

 Along the Oregon Coast in Oswald West State Park 

north of Cannon Beach

It’s been an extraordinarily wet winter and spring in the West.  It was raining when we left home and continued as we headed north on Hwy 101. On our 4th day in Marion County we had 2” in one afternoon. The weatherman said they expect a warm rain from the tropical environs in January (sometimes called the Pineapple Express), but not on the first week of June.  Even old time Oregonians were saying it was a little unusual.

 Spencer Creek at Beverly Beach Campground

Rod has always teased me that a light rain is only Oregon Sunshine and he has no qualms about being outside without rain gear. The past few days there’s been a lot of rain and light showers. When we first got to his Pop’s place I was in multiple layers. It's day four and I'm trotting around outside barefooted in shorts and a tank top. Think I’ve finally passed the moisture challenge and can now qualify as an honorary Oregonian. 

 One of several farms we passed with acres of white flowers.

Do you know what the crop might be?

We've traveled up Hwy 101 through Oregon every year, in all seasons, for 30 years and never get tired of views. This spring's trip was spectacular, with every shade of green you could imagine, wild rhododendrons in bloom along the corridor and wildflowers down to the road edge. Maybe it's time for you to take a road trip?

The B&B on the Hill

On May 31st, Memorial Day, we headed to Hillsboro to spend the night with some old friends. They live high up on a wooded hillside with an incredible view of the Tualatin Valley. On a clear day you can see Mts. Hood, Adams, Jefferson, Rainer and St. Helens. We got a brief glimpse of Mt. Hood this trip but clouds were the order of the day.

Art and Deb are avid and accomplished gardeners. When they lived here in Sonoma County their dahlias won numerous awards. Here they've found new passions. We are usually in Oregon in the winter and now that it was high spring I couldn't wait to see the gardens.

As we came up the drive we were astonished by the blast of color from the rhododendrons and bearded iris in bloom around the yard.

They’re a lot like us in that they don’t venture off their hill unless it’s time for errands, a workout or a concert. When friends show up they're treated like royalty. Deb is an accomplished chef and we were delighted to sit down to a formal table for meals. We are all rabid cribbage players so the annual smackdown continued with much laughter.

By morning the rain let up a bit so we took a long walk down the driveway and pulled up all the scotch broom starts (Cytisus scoparius) we could find. Its bright yellow blossoms are pretty along the highways and hillsides during the grey of spring, but it’s a nasty and aggressive introduced species that's taking over terrain at an alarming rate on the entire West Coast.

We headed back to Sublimity in the late afternoon. Deb sent us home with the rest of her homemade blueberry pie for Rod’s pop. He was quite pleased to see us when we stepped through the door. Needless to say, we are going to plan a longer stay on the next trip!

The Oregon Coast and the Door to Where?

May 26, 2010

Looking inland from Bullards Beach, Bandon, OR

Our first night in Oregon was spent just north of Bandon at Bullard's Beach State Park, one of our favorites spots in southern Oregon. Got our site set up and took a four mile walk on the beach to work out the kinks.

On the way back we came across a rope in the sand. I pulled really hard but it was definitely attached to some large and immovable object. Got me to thinking of all the stories I'd read with secret doors and passages and how the mind sets to wandering when you stumble upon the unexplanable. Once back from our adventure we set up the camp chairs and enjoyed the first sun we'd see in days; reading while chicken and potatoes roasted on the campfire. There is nothing quite like falling asleep to the sound of waves breaking on the beach.

ROAD TRIP!

We're headed for the Oregon Coast at o'dark thirty tomorrow morning for a little time out from the real world and to do some camping and exploring in the Northwest. No promises to keep until our return on June 12th.

We've never been ones to plan a trip, we work more along the lines of 

"shall we turn right or left today"

This approach has never disappointed and we've discovered some amazing and special places on our adventures.

I hope to be posting notes and pictures along the way if we can find an occasional wifi sweet spot, so check back now and then for an update.

29 Years Ago Today

So have you ever thought about the serendipitous chain of events that led you to your partner in life? My husband Rod and I met 29 years ago today at a music festival in Cazadero, CA but the path started long before that.

Rod and Hazel May 1981

In 1967, my senior year at UCSB, I shared a cabin with a friend named Deanne. Through a friend of hers I met John Madison, an occasional travelling partner and gentle soul wise beyond his years. He taught me alot about myself in the time we shared.

We were on a road trip in the mid 70's and spent a couple of days with a friend of his in Crested Butte, CO. Sharon had grown up in Berkeley and when she found out I was from Sonoma County she told me I had to check out the Fort Ross Volunteer Fire Department Picnic in Cazadero. I filed the information in the back of my brain and didn't give it a second thought until 5 years later when my neighbors in Sebastopol mentioned the gathering was the following week. On a whim I decided to go.

The music and weather were amazing. I didn't know anyone there so I just decided to get up and dance by myself. The next thing you know there is this handsome, ponytailed hippie boy dancing next to me. Three hours later we were still dancing, and 29 years later we continue to dance.

The funny thing is we always remembered the date as being May 26th and celebrated that date for 25 years until I found my ticket to the event a few years ago. So now we celebrate the 23rd and the 26th!

Life is short, don't hesitate when adventures call.

Remembering

Happy Birthday Bonkie - We Miss Your Laughter

We lost a special friend last September. Her name was Diane and she was a smart, beautiful, and funny woman.  She had a special take on the world and wasn't shy about just living out loud. Everyone that knew her has stories to tell. Ducks Aloud girlfriend, you are in our thoughts.

For Mother's Day

My Mom passed away at 72, way too young, but she made the best of the time she was given. She was a talented and free spirited soul who loved to fish, knit, paint and play the piano. She taught me to sew, drive a car, think for myself and follow my dreams.

Once retired, she and my dad spent a decade travelling around the US and Canada in their motorhome and we’d arrange to meet up somewhere a couple of times a year. This particular visit I was about 30. After dinner one night, with our feet up around a campfire, she looked me straight in the eye and said “You know what kid, you were pretty easy to raise!” Considering I grew up in the 50’s and 60’s and got into my fair share of trouble, her comment pretty much left me speechless, but delighted. On my 40th birthday she called and said “Honey”, I don’t mind being 70 years old, but it really bugs me to have a 40 year old daughter!” At that point our conversation dissolved into hysterical laughter. She was good at that.

If your mom, aunts or grandmothers are still in your life make time to talk to them, ask about their lives and history, look at old pictures and listen. What we don’t realize is that parents (moms and dads) are just regular people who have an extraordinary job to do with no owner’s manual or guide book.

Too Much Fun!

The Town Crier and His Wench

April 24, 2010

Photo by Carol Maynard Ruddick

We are usually perched on someone's retaining wall on Main Street to watch the Sebastopol Apple Blossom Parade. This year we got to participate in full costume to support the upcoming "Much Ado About Sebastopol" Renaissance Faire planned for September 18th, 2010. Our contingent included the Queen and her court, children and adults in period wear and even a knight on horseback.

My friend and neighbor, Andrea Hagan Schmitz, started doing Renaissance Faires for her classes at Brook Haven Middle School a number of years ago and the event grew to include other local schools. The students got an opportunity to step back in time and experience the Renaissance. They dressed in period costumes, joined a guild and got to participate in workshops like: piracy, sword play, chain mail and candle making.

This year Andrea has joined forces with the Sebastopol Educational Foundation to turn the Renaissance Faire into a great family oriented event and fundraiser to benefit local schools.  So put September 18, 2010 on your calendar and start thinking about your costumes. 

For more information go to http://www.muchadoaboutsebastopol.org/ Huzzah!

April 18, 1906 - The Great San Francisco Earthquake

April 18th is the anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake.  While working on my family genealogy I discovered some interesting connections to that day.

My maternal grandmother Hazel Hobson was senior at UC Berkeley in Spring 1906. The earthquake happened just weeks before graduation. Classes and finals were canceled, and it was decided that the publication of the Senior Record would be put off until their 1st reunion. Though the leather cover has started to succumb to time I have her copy.

From the Forward "It is the record of the earthquake class, a class that was shaken away from contact with books and papers and hurled unawares into the turmoil of life, and there assigned to active service. Our men and women were sent forth into the land in the hour of her sorest need. We graduated alike without final examinations and without the customary celebrations of Senior Week....As our class stands unique among the classes, so must it's Senior Book have no counterpart among college publications. It is designed to have no place in and form no part of any series: it bears no title, no volume number to link it to commonplace records. We desire it to be a unique record of a unique senior year. It's preparation has been a labor of love".

My paternal grandmother, Olive Waters, grew up in San Francisco. She and her father were in Europe when the quake hit, but the family home at 1976 California Street survived unscathed. In 2007 I sent a letter to the "current owner" at that address. He contacted me and I was delighted to find out he's a history buff. He provided me with more pieces of the puzzle about the house. He also discovered there was a photographer's studio under the name of RJ Waters listed at the address. I knew that my great grand uncle had been a photographer, but little else, so at his suggestion I did some research on the web.

RJ Waters was born in Virginia City, NV and worked out of Gold Hill, NV until his move to San Francisco. His outdoor views of Tahoe, Gold Hill, Virginia City and the Sierras ranked him among the best photographers of his time. He became well known for his photos of the SF quake and did some innovative work for the Pan Pacific Exposition in 1915 by launching a camera in a balloon contraption to get the first "aerial photos" of the exposition. 

I also found reference to a book entitled "1906 The Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire" by Darrell Heppner. I contacted Mr. Heppner and he told me the story of how he came into possession of some of RJ Waters' photo negatives. In May 2000 he and his wife were at the Alameda flea market and discovered a vendor with black boxes containing 4"x5" glass negatives of the 1906 quake along with an old typed list of information about each negative. They purchased the lot and it became their passion to publish a book about the quake, its aftermath and the rebuilding of San Francisco. I have a signed copy of the book and Mr. Heppner gave me permission to use some of my grand uncle's photos. 

Our lives are tapestries, threads woven from generation to generation. I had no idea my grand uncle had lived and worked in Gold Hill, NV until this week. The connection? I had always wanted to be married in Nevada and a high school friend living in Reno suggested a couple of places for us to check out. With he and his wife, and two friends from home as witnesses we were married by the Justice of the Peace at the Gold Hill Hotel in 1986. Make the time to talk to your elders, ask them about old pictures, ask them about the times they lived in, record it or write it down and begin a dialog for generations. It can be a fascinating adventure.

Must Have Monday - Customer Thank You Notes

From my neighbor's garden

I read a lot of forums, features and blogs to expand my knowledge of marketing and promotion for my online shops. What I love about the artistic communities is that all are willing to share what they have learned.

A majority of these conversations support the idea of adding a thank you note to a customer's package. Some buyers appreciate the effort and some may not notice, but to me it adds a personal touch. If you have the time and talent to make your own tags or cards it's definitely worth thinking about. If you don't have that spare time (and most of us don't) consider supporting a fellow artisan.

The creations in the accompanying spotlight from http://www.byhand.me/ showcase a variety of mini gift cards and tags from Etsy artisans. They range from fine art to whimsy, from simple to sublime. Click on the thumbnail photo in the spotlight and the link will take you to the artisan's shop.

Apple Blossom Time

Sebastopol is the home of the Gravenstein apple and the 64th Apple Blossom Parade and Fair is on April 24th. This is the ultimate small town parade: including our Veteran's group, local dancers and musicians, horses and llamas, school bands, marching dog brigades, wacky floats and general silliness, antique tractors, vintage cars, fire engines, and anything that can be motorized by a Zap electric engine; from a wheelbarrow to a skateboard. What more could you ask for on a sunny Saturday morning?  

Apple Blossom on our oldest Gravenstein tree

A little background on the Gravenstein apple from http://www.slowfoodusa.org/

The heirloom Gravenstein is widely regarded as one of the best eating and baking apples. A fine balance of sweet and tart, its flavor intensifies when made into sauce, juice, cider or vinegar and it holds its shape beautifully in pies and tarts. Aficionados flock to Sebastopol during the Spring Festival and again at the Gravenstein Harvest Festival in August.

German migrants brought the apple to North America in 1790 and Russian fur traders planted the first West Coast Gravenstein orchards at their outpost in Fort Ross in 1820. It is likely that cuttings from these trees were used to start the orchards in Sebastopol. By the early 1900s thousands of Gravenstein orchards were established and the apple had become the heart of a major industry in Sonoma County. During World War II American troops were provided with applesauce and dried apples from Sebastopol Gravensteins, and this made the apple into an icon for the town.

Unfortunately suburban development and the popularity of wine production have reduced the number of apple orchards. During the past six decades, Sonoma County’s Gravenstein orchards have declined by almost 7,000 acres to about 900 acres. Most of the Sebastopol growers farm land has been in apple production for over a century.

The International Slow Food organization based in Italy designated the Gravenstein apple as one of a handful of heritage foods to be preserved in the United States and the only one in California. The Presidia program, created by the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity, organizes and funds projects to protect our heritage of agricultural biodiversity and assist groups of artisan producers, to promote and protect farmers who nurture their apples from tree to table.  

No matter where you live, support your health and local farmers by shopping locally and visit the farmers' markets.

Must Have Mondays

I often create byhand.me Spotlights as companion pieces to my blogs. Doing research I come across many talented artists who also believe that
Style, Beauty and Utility
are compatible concepts. Many of us endeavor to reflect that dynamic in our work. To introduce these artists I thought I might put together an occasional
Must Have Monday Spotlight
to showcase creations that are practical, add beauty to the everyday, speak to your senses and maybe help support an independent artisan.   

The first spotlight called "Hatitudes - Beneficial and Beautiful" a collection of fanciful sun solutions from Etsy and 1000Markets artisans. Just click on the thumbnail photo in the spotlight and the link will take you to the artisan's shop. The spotlight is also posted at http://www.byhand.me/