Page 40 - Sonoma County Gazette - January 2018

Hello, and Happy New Year ya’ll!
Holidays are a time of celebration, and of chaos. One way to avoid the crowds is to shop locally as much as possible. My tried and true X3
is now the property of my college age kids and is o to Montana. My new car is wonderful, but it never seems quite nished. Nevertheless,
GOALS: I have made a couple of New Year resolutions for 2018, get back in the habit of bike riding and get more involved in charity work. I have found
in my own experience that setting attainable goals and creating a routine that incorporates them are good pathways to success when setting resolutions. If you want to accomplish whatever you have resolved to do, don’t be vague with your goal setting and don’t just assume that once your goal is set your actions will come.
we are glad that we stayed local and bought our new car here instead of giving in to the promised lower prices online. We have been pleased with Hansel Subaru. We especially appreciate the e orts of Corey McGoldrick and Dillon Riverras who took the time to deliver our car out here on the coast.
My way of achieving that for this year is to sign up for Climate Ride California 2018. Between May 20th and 24th I will be part of a 150 person group riding our bicycles from Eureka to San Francisco to raise awareness and funds for charities that are involved in e orts to combat climate change, and do good work around our county, state and world.
An interesting problem we have discovered: The car is duly garaged, but the local mice vastly prefer the warm garage (and the warmed up car) to the big outdoors. We are open to suggestions. We don’t want to put out poison because as much as we resent the raccoons feasting on our garbage (even removing
All participants agree to raise at least $3,000 – my personal fund-raising goal is $3,900 as I will be turning 39 on January 29th (shout-out to all the Aquarians out there). Please help me to reach (and surpass) my goal by visiting support. climateride.org/participant/5996 and making a tax-deductible donation, I and the planet (and some very worth causes) thank you.
the bungee cords) we do not want to poison any animals – maybe mice are becoming an exception. One garage owner recommended a ring of peppermint around the car. We are willing to try.
I am very excited to get back on the bicycle and getting into better shape riding our beautiful Sonoma County roads and trails. If anyone reading this is looking for a riding buddy (road or trail) please contact me. When it comes time for the ride, I am looking forward to riding the Avenue of the Giants, the Mendocino coast and across the Golden Gate Bridge which will all be rsts.
This week was the time for singing. The community Christmas carol sing-along has nearly sixty people with a most welcome delegation of young members from the Bodega Bay Church, many of whom speak Spanish and helped immensely with Nino Lindo (sung in both Spanish and English). We especially love it when some of our neighbors dress up like old English carolers. Peter and Carolyn, we thank you for your participation.
One of the great aspects of the fund-raising for Climate Ride is that each individual gets to choose (from a long list of options) which charities he/
she wants their funds to go to. I have chosen Ceres Community Project, Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition, Center for Climate Protection, Sierra Club California and The Nature Conservancy.
We are gifted by the participation of Maggie (who puts all the words up on the screen) and the beautiful voice of Naomi as she soars to the high G in The Christmas Carol. Her beautiful solo was so warmly received that she received
a standing ovation. The Sing Along was a bit shorter than usual, but very well received. The cookies contributed by the Fisherman’s Chapel women were wonderful; and the contribution of raw vegetables by one of the church members was a real hit. It still surprises me (delightfully) when healthy, young people forego the wonderful cookies in favor of the celery sticks and carrots.
HOME for the Holidays: The 32nd annual Occidental Crafts Faire was a wonderful experience as always. Thanks to all who made it happen, from volunteers to vendors, soup preparers to cookie bakers, even Mother Nature pitched in with some perfect weather for the weekend! Thank you to all the local businesses that made contributions to our raffle, your generosity is greatly appreciated.
POTHOLES: It would be hard to imagine a worse access than the road into Whaleship Road. The potholes have been full of water until this week. It is now possible to see what huge holes impair access/egress from Bay at road. The neighbors have improvised and cut a weaving path around the huge holes. This works as long as we don’t have more rain and the alternative path will be ooded. We have decided to all call our local Supervisor. As responsive as she is, she might have some pull with the county and get our road repaired. Even the PUD workers complain. Now we should get letters from propane providers and PG&E to make the county realize what a true problem we have.
Fisherman’s Chapel is looking for a substitute pianist to accompany our congregation that really likes to sing. Whenever I had to be absent, Carol Morgan stepped in, but now she has unfortunately moved away. If anyone is interested, please contact me. It is a very pleasant job (there is a small stipend) and a good way to feel useful in your community.
One absence this year – no little tree. For the last few years the Coast Guard Auxiliary has put up a little electric tree at the end of the breakwater. We would all be willing to help if they would get this going again. Various boats put up small groups of lights, but as far as I can see there is no community Christmas tree this year. We miss it. It marks the end of one year and the beginning of another. Good traditions are a pity to lose.
We still hold our breath at Gleason Beach; we pray for those in Southern California who are now experiencing the re like we su ered. We continue to pray for Peace in Israel and Palestine, and throughout the world. Christmas is a time to share; to enjoy family and friends, to enjoy the Bodega School children’s paintings in the posto ce and to take time to thank God
that we live in the US. We still have hope that our government will recognize the power of a democracy and that Judges should have tried at least one case before they are appointed for life. For those of us who have tried many and taken so many depositions we no longer count them, we urge the Senate to keep denying any Judge candidate who has not. Experience breeds competence, especially in Courts.
“Recognize that Peace starts at home and we can make our little corner of the world more just and Peaceful.” BE KIND.
The Occidental Community Council (who puts on the Craft Faire) would love to have more community involvement, whether you come to meetings regularly to be part of the group, or have a speci c idea/need for town that you think is worth bringing to the groups attention and possibly receive funding for. We meet on the third Saturday of every month at the Community Center at 10:30am, next meeting is January 20th.
Art Classes: Speaking of the Community Center here’s a great resource for adults of any age with Tuesday mornings free. Our area is full of artists, but what about the rest of us who might enjoy playing with art in a non-judgmental atmosphere and nding new depths of concentration, self-expression, and camraderie?
Occidental has recently started such a class thanks to the Older Adults program of the SRJC and it is open to adults of all ages and led by a former Camp Meeker resident. There is no enrollment fee... you can simply show up and ll out a registration form at any time during the semester. Participants come and go as it ts their other obligations in life.
Dotty Joos (my source of in on this) attended almost every class and has gotten so much personal value out of it, even though she has no intention to be...”an artist.” Classes are at the Community Center on Tuesday mornings from 10- 12:30, and start again on January 23. Put it on your calendar and try it out, no obligation. Thanks for sending in the info Dotty.
Anyone else out there who has community information they would like to possibly be included in the column, please don’t hesitate to e-mail and let me know. This could be event information or just something on your mind. Our deadline for submittal is generally mid-month to make it into the following months paper.
Some things we individually can’t change, but we keep trying. At least there is one thing we can all do and that is,
I will sign off in the hopes that 2018 brings good things. How about some rain please!
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