Page 34 - Sonoma County Gazette Juy 2019

No one needs to be told that the heat is on here in Geyserville, with deep-summer temperatures hitting us a bit early. But Geyservillians are tough and a few degrees Fahrenheit doesn’t keep the community from busines—and fun—as usual.
One method of beating the heat here at Isis Oasis is my favorite restorative ice tea—a mixture of ginseng tea and mint tea. I first came up with this blend many years ago when both types of herbal tea were offered very inexpensively at Trader Joe’s. I still get the mint tea there, but the ginseng takes a little hunting down and I get it where I can, finding it most recently in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Generally, I use a ratio of about one-third Ginseng tea bags to two-thirds peppermint tea bags. The result is refreshing and reviving, either straight or with your (natural) sweetener of choice, sometimes further enhanced with a very small amount of salt.
We need more kindness, more compassion, more joy, more laughter. I definitely want to contribute to that.—Ellen DeGeneres
We are going to start with a short trip back in history. Painting on rocks
has been passed down through the ages, beginning as humans moved from Africa into Europe and beyond. The oldest non-figurative art (a hand) painted on a rock, in this case a cave wall, is located in an Iberian cave in Spain dated around 64,000 BCE. This hand was painted by a Neanderthal (an older human species).
Leap forward to 40,000 BCE and paintings appear in Europe, East and Southeast Asia, India, Southern Africa, South America, and Australia. The oldest figurative painting (a bull) is found in Borneo from 40,000 years ago.
We have more recent paintings on rocks in our southwest, compliments of the Pueblo and Navajo Native Americans. All of this art on rock was painted using red and yellow ochre, hematite, manganese oxide and charcoal.
What does all this have to do with Cloverdale?
Painting on rocks and rock art has not disappeared over these thousands of years. You go into Reece’s home and look around, finding painted rocks—a car, a person, animal, scene and just a stack of painted rocks that she and her partner painted with their niece 10 years ago.
But, even better walk around Cloverdale today and look for
painted rocks left by an artist for you to find.
Beat the Heat - Restorative Beverages
Another restorative summer drink I first had on a stony beach on the island of Crete where an enterprising local had set up a booth to quench the thirsts of the sunbathing tourists. It requires a little advance preparation, but once you have the basics, it’s also easy to make and a wonderful addition to any hot day.
Make a simple syrup by boiling together one part sugar and one part water, stirring constantly, and then add into it a tablespoon of ground cinnamon along with a dash or two of Tabasco or another watery hot sauce. Since I am a great believer in the powers of turmeric, I like to use it wherever I can and so I slip in about a half-teaspoon of powerdered turmeric as well, a sprinkle of black pepper to activate the turmeric, and a tiny amount of salt.
Wonderful works of art—an owl, a ninja, a cat on a fence, or a simple color with the greeting, “Hi!”. Generosity of spirit, beauty, goodness, kindness, and talent all waiting on the ground for you.
And if you’d like to try the fresh root instead of the powdered form, I’ve sometimes found it available in the produce section at both Big John’s Market and even the Safeway in Healdsburg.
These rocks are just that—a means of saying “Hi”—a way of communicating visually and reaching out to neighbors and friends. We seem to be going through “rocky” times right now. What better way to make some one feel good in uncertain times than through sharing creativity, a rock you have painted – a rock you have left in Cloverdale to be found.
Finally, don’t overlook the power of a good glass of lemonade, though the slightly diuretic powers of the lemon can actually make severe dehydration worse if it’s the only thing you are drinkjing on a hot day. Even with something as routine as lemonade, I like to add a secret ingredient—a few threads of the saffron that we grow here at Isis Oasis. Mixed in warm water to develop the vivid yellow color, it adds a golden glow to the resulting lemonade and allegedly confers health benefits as well. I also add some of the zest from the lemons to release more of the fragrance from the essential oils exuded by the pores in the skin of the lemon. Since in aromatherapy practice the scent of lemon is said to stimulate the mind, this may offer an extra lift when you’re outdoors trying to work in high heat.
And, better yet, when you find a rock, paint one of your own, leave it for someone else to find, passing on the good feelings. 64,000 years isn’t a long time! We still paint rocks for others to see and enjoy as we take pleasure in expressing our own feelings!
Foodie Fridays
Sbragia Family Vineyards at 9990 Dry Creek Road is offering a mid- day Foodie Friday the next Friday. The event runs from 11:00am to 3:30pm. Tickets are $15-20 and include a glass of wine. Their Foodie Fridays run through the summer and you can get more information by email at info@ sbragia.com or by calling (707) 473-2992 and selecting extension 109. They
note that they do invariably sell out, so come early to make sure you are not disappointed. If you haven’t been out to Sbragia, it’s a splendid location with a wonderful view of Dry Creek Valley.
Good feelings are not just limited to painting rocks.
Last Friday night (Friday Night Live street fair and live music on the Plaza) I was sitting down by the plaza eating a corn dog, watching people as they strolled by. I love watching people! They are each so different and yet the same. But what was fascinating me was the joy and laughter that was spilling from each of them. People were laughing and talking with each other, actually interacting with other people. Very few phones in sight. They weren’t needed to feel close to someone.
PHOTO: Sbragia Family Vineyards © Taste of the Wine Country
34 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 7/19
As the night progressed, music was floated out over the crowds driving people to rock in time to it. And the smells of food drifting through the air were making it hard to decide what to have for dinner. The interchange of joy did not stop with friends. Carried by the smells of the food and the melodies of the songs, strangers were talking with the strangers sitting next to them, smiles on their faces, sharing, and intermittently chuckling, chortling, and cackling.
Babies held in their mother’s and father’s arms were smiling at the people around them often becoming the conduit for the connection of their parents to new people. Even more fun to watch was the babies themselves, talking with strangers—their eyes wide, sparkling, laughing supplemented by their gurgling. Laughter, happiness and fun bubbling over—babies, toddlers, kids, teens, adults and seniors. It seems to always be this way. Only joy and relaxation!