Page 13 - Sonoma County Gazette 6-20
P. 13

SUMMER cont’d from page 1
How do you plan to get out and release some steam while coloring within the guidelines of the Shelter-In-Place order? Here are a few ways to have a safe and fun summer staycation here in Sonoma County.
Get outside!
  Save the Gravenstein
“Sonoma County terroir: that mysterious mix of soils, minerals, exposures, and weather that converts a simple apple seed to magic by the bushel.” ~ Paul Kolling
Support the farmer, support the family, and support The Farmer’s Wife in The Barlow shopping district in Sebastopol, CA
 Nana Mae’s Original Immunity Cocktail
uses her Organic Apple Cider Vinegar & Gravenstein Apple Juice
4 oz. water
4 oz. apple juice
1 Tblsp apple cider
vinegar
Once, more than 7,000 acres of land in Sonoma County were planted with Gravenstein apple orchards, but now just under
900 are left.
Contact the farmer for information on reserving a weekly heirloom apple box to your doorstep throughout the upcoming season.
www.nanamaes.com
  The best way to support your mental health and that of your family is to enjoy some physical activity outside. This is also a good safe way to socialize a bit. Taking a walk with 6 ft. distancing enables you to talk with a friend and enjoy our beautiful trails.
Know Before You Go by checking Recreational Parks websites (parks. sonomacounty.ca.gov) on open parks, hours, and limitations to observe.
On busy holiday weekends, avoid the top hot-spots and avoid crowds. Hold a family BBQ, stay close to home, order food in from a local restaurant. And if you are feeling anxious, remember you can always call the Sonoma County Warm Line (707) 565-2652 10am - 7pm daily) for emotional & mental support.
Get involved with volunteer efforts.
The Clean River Alliance (cleanriveralliance.org ) continues to keep our river and beaches clean with clean up days, modified for social distancing. Food Banks (refb.org has a list) need people to help with packing and delivery. Older or shut-in residents need deliveries of medicine and food as well as help with dog walking and pet support. There are neighborhood groups on Next Door and Facebook where people are asking for or volunteering assistance.
Explore your own backyard and the many wonderful small craft businesses around you. If you are someone that usually travels or heads out of town during the summer, this is a great opportunity to explore Sonoma County. Farm Trails (farmtrails.org) offers opportunities to get to know your local food producers – pick up a box of fresh, local veggies while helping local farmers stay in business.
Drop the ordering from Amazon and stop into local, independent bookshops. If they are still closed to wandering the shelves when you head out, you can order a book for curbside pick-up. They need you as much as you need them!
Although you may not think of yourself as a tourist, check out the Sonoma County Tourism (sonoma.com) or your local Chamber of Commerce for open businesses. Become responsible tourists in your own county.
Go for a RIDE...bicycle, motorcycle, car...open the windows, breathe deep and watch the scenery go by. If you have another driver in your car, switch roles so each of you gets to look out the window. Take a roa you’ve never been down before. It will lighten your mental load.
Along the way you will get hungry and thirsty. So many of Sonoma County’s restaurants offer take-out now. Go to the Gazette’s Take-Out Guide online at sonomacountygazette.com. It’s organized by TOWN to make it easyto use.
Organize an event that respect social distancing guidelines.
Organize a Drive-in Movie! Drive-In events are allowed under the latest Shelter-In-Place Health order. Have a game night! We have friends that like
to play Mexican Train dominoes. So they set up a party on Zoom where they each have their set out and they are all playing one game on multiple boards simultaneously. Super easy to do as well with popular games like Pictionary or Taboo, Risk or Monopoly.
Creating fun is still possible with a bit of creativity, technology, and planning. If you are over 21 arrange a wine, beer, or cider tasting. You can all bring in wine, beer, or cider to your own home, set up a zoom with friends who have arranged the same wine, and taste and talk wine – you can even ask the winemaker or brewmaster to join you! Many will work out a bit of winetasting talk with you on zoom.
Find a summer camp. The latest SIP has allowed summer camps to open for the purposes of child care. Many summer camps programs that you were planning on prior to the public health emergency are re-tooling their programs and plan to release new schedules. Sonoma County Regional Parks (parks. sonomacounty.ca.gov) will have its updated camps information out by the time you read this.
You will find many things that can make this an enjoyable summer.
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