Hood Mountain Waterfall

The day dawned sunny this morning. The newspaper informed us that the "storm track" stalled over the North Bay so we got lots of rain but elsewhere in California, as close as the South Bay, there was very little rain at all. Therefore, "while it has helped Sonoma County, it has done very little to ease drought conditions for the state as a whole...." I'm sure the people who are digging out or going 45 minutes around washed out roads will appreciate that.

Weary of moving piles of paper from place to place, we declared the office reorganization finito and decided to go in search of the waterfall some people walking down our street to check on the creek told us about. We live at the foot of Hood Mountain, which is why there was considerably more rainfall at our house than in downtown Santa Rosa.

The short, steep hike down to the waterfall was gorgeous. Sunlight, filtering through the trees, dappled moss covered boulders, logs and anything else that remained on the ground long enough to grow a luxurious green coat. Many of the taller rocks also wore a crown of ferns. In fact, one of the most impressive features of this range is the collection of massive boulders tumbling down the side of the mountain. The volume of water flowing downhill had already lessened considerably this morning, but I don't think I would want to venture down the trail when the creek is in full spate. The power of water to erode everything in it's way is impressive.

We rewarded ourselves for our efforts by stopping for a glass of wine and some lunch at our favorite winery/deli, VJB. The surrounding vineyards are looking a little perkier, sporting the first sign of blooming mustard, which is traditionally planted between the vines.