Laguna de Santa Rosa

After dragging poor old Ozzie up the hill in the sun yesterday, we decided today on a walk through the Laguna de Santa Rosa, a beautiful flat landscape between Santa Rosa and Sebastopol surrounded by hills. Although only a few miles from our house, the climate is quite different...One reason we decided not to live in Sebastopol was that because it is closer to the ocean, it is considerably cooler and windier, and we wanted to get away from the summer fog and cold weather in Berkeley. But if we ever feel just a slight bit homesick for cooler weather, it is only a short drive. 

Leaving Ozzie in the car in the shade, we made a quick trip to the Farmers' Market and, as always, came back with beautiful lettuces,  baby greens with flowers,  'French spinach' with leaves which are green on one side and beet colored on the other, peaches from the sale table because they had a few peck marks in them (we're used to that), cucumbers, orange cauliflower* and sausages from the sausage guy for OilMan. I don't eat much meat so when OilMan feels the need for some and I don't, a sausage makes him happy, and a sausage from Frank at the Sebastopol Farmers' Market makes him even happier!

We finished off a pleasant low key Sunday morning with a stop for coffee in The Barlow where we struck up a conversation with a couple from Santa Rosa. As still often happens, we talked about our experiences during the fire. We both evacuated from different sides of the town to Sebastopol and they, like us, have a fondness for the place. I knew we would probably never find a place like 'our' Peet's in Berkeley , walking distance from our home with an off-street courtyard and next door bakery, but this comes close. I had just been lamenting the fact that I missed the casual connections I made with people at Peets', whereas Acre is full of people who are glued to their devices and oblivious to those around them....

The role that these devices, the instant news and stalking social media that they dish out are a subject for another day's rant reflection. I won't disturb a day of impromptu conversation with strangers and reading the Sunday papers (on paper!) with it....

Julia is off to Connecticut College on Tuesday with three duffle bags and a thousand dollar Canadian winter coat. Several boxes of belongings have been shipped ahead. 
Godspeed, Julia! Here's to a wonderful year in a new environment. Savor it all....

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