Page 44 - Sonoma County Gazette July 2018

The Bodega Big Event!
Springtime on the coast can’t be beat. It is sunny and bright, not too hot and not cold. This is the premier time to see the area. The wonderful Art at the Source in June gave us an excellent reason to visit homes/art studios that you normally would not have access to. In some sites (like at Jan Elmore’s) we were lucky enough to see an artist actually painting. Ms. Elmore is famous for her wonderful watercolors. Speaking of artists, John Hershey is just the best photographer around. He is busy shooting pictures of Faces of Bodega Bay. He goes to great lengths to put his subjects en situ and reflects the personalities of his subjects by the way he sets up the locations. I thoroughly enjoyed his last book and will look forward to this new one when it comes out.
There will be an important meeting Tuesday, July 10 at the Grange, entitled Bodega Bay Town Hall Meeting. This follows the Sonoma Coast MAC meeting in Jenner on June 26th. Apparently our Supervisor , Linda Hopkins, wants us to be part of a Sonoma Coast MAC. Most of the locals I have talked to think that a group which ranges from Sea Ranch to Valley Ford is just too diverse to serve Bodega Bay well.
If you wonder whether Bodega Bay is a unique community you should volunteer to be an election day judge. It is fascinating to see how many fill out their ballot by mail, but want to come down to the election site to personally post their ballot. We have a small but very intense group of voters and they make a point of coming to the Grange to vote, even if they may have to stand in line. The increased number must be partly a factor of so many voting sites being closed down. We had people from towns all around (even from Sea Ranch) coming in just to post their ballot in person. (Maybe it’s the little red, white and blue sticker “I have voted” that we hand out.)
It is time to cull your books and bring them to the PTA sale, profiting Bodega Bay School. Bring your books to the school and tell them they are for the sale. Shirley Hughes is doing a great job of reminding all of us that this used book sale is one of the best sources of income for our little school.
Absent owners and more temporary renters: The Harbour is intently trying to deal with the issue of non-owner residents. They are faced with having more absent owners and more temporary renters than the rest of the town (although that is changing.) They have problems with too many cars; too much noise, and with general lack of concern for neighbors that comes with temporary rentals like AirB&B. It is not just that there are valid questions about whether the temporary residents carry their share of TOTaxes (supporting local fire and law enforcement.) This this is a complicated issue that many localities are struggling with.
The farmer’s market is open again. Go by Sunday afternoons and see your friends and buy some good local produce. It is interesting to see how both the kids and the dogs have grown up in just a few months between markets.
Personally I had a grandson graduate from Claremont; a granddaughter graduate from University of Washington and several from High School. Last year it was Davis, Alaska and Granite Bay. The common denominater is: they all intend to keep on going to school, whether medical school, law school, advanced degrees at their own schools, or spending some time traveling. We can all just wish them Godspeed.
Let’s get ready for Sonoma County’s “shortest parade” right here in Bodega. It starts at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday August 19th. If you want to participate in the parade, please visit bodegafire.org and apply for a (float) spot or to be a craft vendor. If simply attending, be prepared for flying sweet morsels.
Bodega’s annual Big Event is in its 38th year with FREE fun, entry and parking. You can find places to park on Bodega Lane and Salmon Creek Road. It goes from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. You will not want to miss out on the entertaining times with great people. Open to all Sonoma County friends!
We have an eclectic little town full of interesting people. I encourage everyone to listen to others’ stories, share yours and make new collective memories. Nobody can overestimate the value of community, especially in a small rural town like ours. We should be able to value our neighbors and count on them like family. What better way to get to know each other better than
big community events? There’s nothing like some fun in the sun to bring us together.
During the dry season, fire fighters remind us to protect ourselves and
our neighbors by cutting back high weeds and keeping property clear of dry brush and other fire dangers. Make sure water is easily accessible and consider installing a sprinkler hose on your roof to further protect it in times of high heat and potential flames. Better safe than sorry.
The Bodega Volunteer Fire Department is an immeasurable asset to our community and I suggest we jump at every opportunity to support them
so they can keep returning the favor and helping us stay safe. As the name implies, this event is the biggest fundraiser of the year. So bring friends and family, and make sure to pack healthy appetites and thirst along with a desire to have fun.
Many of us have had grandkids graduate this last month.
You can look forward to next month’s activities with
excitement and hunger. There will be a tri-tip and chicken BBQ with beer, wine and bloody marys for sale. You should expect games for all ages, various raffle prizes, a silent auction and local craft vendors. There’s something for everyone.
We will enjoy live music from a couple local bands. The Used Goods is
a local rock n’ roll band specializing in Classic Rock, similar to the Rolling Stones, Beatles, Chuck Berry and others. The Highway Poets is another popular rock group combined with genres of RnB, pop, Folk/Country and classic west coast southern rock soul. Come get your groove on and dance with us.
This month I bid adieu to Kansas. We traveled back to close down and sell my mother’s house. She has been dead a few years, but we have hired housekeepers and kept the family home. It is a nostalgic time to sleep for the last time in a bed you spent the first fifteen years of your life in. The little town in western Kansas keeps losing population, but the town strongly supports its schools and tries to remind the younger generation of the effort and commitment their ancestors shared.
I love any excuse to meet with other people in my community and I hope y’all feel the same. It’s going to be a great time to enjoy time with old and
new friends alike. Bodega has so much enjoyment packed in such a compact population. Events such as this can be one of the year’s big highlights and you will not want to miss it.
In California we are used to population growth and increased value of real estate. There the opposite is true. Perfectly good houses sell for less than $40,000. Everywhere farmers are finding it tough to make a living. Equipment is so expensive; water is so scarce. California farmers share those concerns, although on a different pay scale.
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And so ends my life in Kansas. Good people; wide open spaces and beautiful (but careless) deer. It was a good saga.