Columns

You’ve heard this message many times, but it bears repeating. A dollar spent at a local business ricochets around the community much more powerfully than a dollar spent online. Amazon.com does not buy tickets to your kids’ school fundraiser. Walmart.com doesn’t buy tickets to your local Kiwanis or Rotary events. Target.com doesn’t sponsor a youth soccer team. Most of them don’t donate to your community food pantry.

It goes without saying that plants are some of the most beautiful and important organisms we have on our planet. As a child I was always interested in the world of plants. A world seemingly so familiar yet so estranged from common understanding. As kids we run barefoot and play on the soft grass, take refuge under the shade a tree provides amidst a hot California day, and take a deep breath of the fresh air the leaves so selflessly gift to us. All while the plants remain sessile, unassuming and ask nothing of us. 

100 years ago – December 6, 1920

Of all years, this would be a good one for us to find, resurrect and share as many Christmas and holiday season miracles as we can. Together, we have the power to make true miracles happen. We need both faith and determination but we can brighten this holiday season with practical acts of giving, sharing, being joyful and guarding our health.

As the holiday season is upon us and the end to the rather horrible 2020 approaches, I can’t help but reflect on what we have all been through as a community. While I’m sure we agree “good riddance” to 2020 and have hope for a much better 2021, I realize there are a number of lessons we will carry with us for years to come.

100 years ago – December 2, 1920

Once upon a time, back in the 1990s, I was asked an unusual question. A nice fellow named Ben used to dress up in a red suit every year and play the role of a cultural icon. He was the star of an annual parade and he handed out candy canes to hundreds of good little girls and boys.

Hello market friends. I missed my deadline for the column this month, because I was so focused on making sure word got out that we were extending the dates for Saturday market. Yes, for those of you who haven’t kept up with the latest news (in Healdsburg, that is), it’s true. The Healdsburg Farmers’ Market is continuing into December; staying open through the 19th of the month. Not only will we be open three extra weeks, we’re extending the hours slightly as well: staying open until 12:30 p.m. in December, just to catch those of you longing for an extra half hour under the covers. We’ll still be in the West Plaza Parking Lot, where we are all year, so it’ll be easy to find your favorites.

We don’t understand all the fuss about distance learning during the pandemic where almost all the schools are forced to remain closed. We should be taking advantage of this unfortunate viral invasion and start making all these school closings permanent. We don’t need schools any more.

This Thanksgiving we find ourselves living under very stern public health warnings not to travel or gather in large groups due to the continuing spread of coronavirus cases here and almost everywhere across the continent. It looks like there will be no big table gathering at grandma’s house this year. We’ll be in our own homes, trying to make the best of things, adding stuffing a turkey to our other shelter-in-place routines like distance learning, working at home and watching too much TV.