Columns

Fire season is over at last. This week, we’re bracing for wind, waves, rain and snow at elevation. Meteorologists predict a “bomb cyclone” as this goes to press, with four days of continuous rain. Not 40 days, notes Pierre Ratte with causal ease - after all, he filed his latest Snapshot from a Baja beach!

It’s hard to imagine what public health would look like around here without the Healthcare Foundation of Northern Sonoma County.

A not-so-funny thing happened last week that detoured our whole nation away from what was supposed to be “Infrastructure Week,” where the president was to unveil a set of plans to fix our ailing roads, rail, aviation, water pipes and electric grid.

We are anxious for our next generation to get here and take over what’s left of this world. Some of us older folks are trying to reverse our global climate emergency and we are trying to get our elected leaders and giant corporations to pay attention to us. But we are mostly failing. As members of this older, tiring generation, we pray that the youngest among us may take our places in time to make real differences.

Rain

I grew up listening to music by the Beach Boys, and wanted so much to join them and become a Surfer Girl. A drawback:  I lived in Chicago. But I could channel surf on the TV, couch surf as I got older when visiting with friends in other cities and also web surf when shopping for the holidays. Now, looking forward to the new year it appears that our library invites us all to Adventure Surf! It does not matter when or where you live in Sonoma County, opportunities to experience joy and accomplishment are offered to all ages. Check out the events listed below, and get on board. And you don’t have to worry about sharks!

For years our beautiful and majestic dogwood tree stood silent. When we first bought the farm 20 years ago, it was like clockwork, and every spring our dogwood would bloom gorgeous white flowers, right in the front of the house. Cars stopped on Yoakim Bridge to photograph it. I think it is the most beautiful tree on our property, and maybe even in the Dry Creek Valley, though others would argue that. Perfect is the shape, shocking white is the bloom. Every spring we would marvel at this gem, and it was always a trigger, for when the dogwood blooms, we know we need to begin thinning our peach trees. 

High school graduation ceremonies are when our young scholars get pinned down to hear lofty and last minute advice on what to do as they go forth into the adult world. Some of the guidance is more wise and sage than others. Face it,...

Looking for a lost pet or a new four-legged friend? See the list of incoming strays and the selection of cats and dogs available for adoption from the Healdsburg Center for Animals.