No Place Like Home

We decided to hit the road this Memorial Day Weekend and head down to Southern California for a little R&R at my BFF's house this Memorial Weekend.  After a rocky trip down there and over 11 hours in the car due to a tanker explosion on the 91 FWY, we were welcomed with hugs & champagne.  You just can't beat that.  The kids played, swam and rode bikes - all the while we drank wine, sat by the pool, laughed a lot and caught up on television shows I've dearly missed (Um, I caved and had to watch the Grey's Anatomy finale and the SNL featuring Betty White!).

Hanging out with a dear friend and her family was just what the doctor ordered.  It went fast, but it was worth the long journey.  The trip home went much smoother and I'll never tire of driving up our lane, seeing our multi-colored home and outbuildings dotting the hillside and the cows roaming on the pasture behind us.  Never.  There is no place like home.

For Love of the Game

G ended his Little League season this past weekend, hitting a double and two singles and getting as many grass stains on his pants as he could.  He collected his trophy, ate pizza, performed a Pee-Wee Herman dance on first base and acquired a new nickname - Grady "The Hit Man" Hecht.  He wants to drop Salas as his middle name and asked me if that would be okay with me.  Sure, why not?  He has high hopes for the big leagues.

I'm so proud of him and how much he's learned these last few months.  It was touch-and-go there in the beginning with the short attention spans of a gaggle of seven year old boys, but they came through and I guess we'll do it all over again next Spring.

I just hope the snack bar starts selling Cadillac margaritas.

Llama Love

Part of the reason we bought this house was that there were llamas grazing in the pasture next to our potential new-to-us-home.  Seriously, this was a draw for us.  Ah, country life.  They could be seen from the room that we hoped Grady would inhabit and his mornings would be spent waking up and gazing at these wonderful creatures.  Doesn't that sound lovely?  It is.  It was.

Our sweet neighbors who own Big Tree Llama Farm have lived in Valley Ford for approximately 35 years.  They moved here when Jim (the owner) was my husband's age and Jim is now 79.  They have raised dozens of llamas over the years and every year, for the past three years, they move the llamas to our pasture on G's birthday.  Each year G forgets all about it and then he's stunned that they are back.  Last year they brought tears to his eyes upon their return and that just melted my heart.

We have many names for the llamas.  They have given names from Jim & Beulah and then they have, um, our names.  When we moved in Grady named them Grass, Farm, Black, Fur & Pete.  The names have slowly morphed over time and one, in particular, is now Hog (for her love of food), but her given name is Lotus Blossom.  She is the middle llama pictured above.

My phone rang and it was Beulah letting me know that Miss Lotus Blossom had died and she didn't want this to alarm or frighten Grady if he happened to see her body laying out in the pasture.  This news just about broke my heart.  She was 23 years old and I'm told that's a real long time for a llama.  Llamas are fierce protectors and also have this gentle presence about them.  Long and lovely eyelashes, really funky teeth and soulful eyes.  She had the alias Hog and G fed her plenty of carrots on his birthday to keep her satisfied.

We ended up picking calla lillies and putting them on the tarp that was covering her sweet little llama body (to keep the turkey vultures away, of course).  We shared memories and kind words about her, as the sun was setting on the pasture behind our house.  G pet the plastic blue tarp and asked if he could just take one last look at her face.  He told her he loved her and was sorry he called her Hog.

I'm a little haunted at the loss of life I've come to experience in my own backyard over the last few weeks.  A cow put out of its misery via one big, loud gunshot within earshot of our home; I had to kill my very injured white silkie hen named Mama (truth be told Steve had to finish that job); and now Lotus Blossom is dead.

More than ever, I am reminded of the circle of life.  We are born, we live, we die.  That's all I know for sure.  Heck, isn't that all any of us know for sure?

Mother's Day Massacre

Oreo giving me her best "you looking at me?" looks

Purdy's Welcome Home party last Summer

Well, this Mother's Day started out with a beautiful handmade card from my sweet boy, coffee delivered to me in bed by my dear husband and donuts, yogurt & granola for breakfast.  Just lovely.  Mellow, low-key and didn't even have to leave the comfort of my much-loved home.  I never seem to want to go out on Mother's Day.  I've heard from my restaurant-owning friends that it's one of their least favorite days of the year.  Lots of expectations from the moms-who-don't-feel-like-cooking-because-it's-mother's-day and a lot of stress on the staff serving her and her family of loved ones.  No. Thank. You.

When Steve left for work this morning - I followed him out and he quickly turned around and told me something horrible had happened and to get back in the house.  Two of our chickens were dead and scattered around our front yard.  Just awful news.  I quickly went to find Grady and make sure he was preoccupied in the back part of the house, so as not to encounter the dismembered hens he named Oreo and Purdy.  I did tell him what happened and the sadness immediately set in.

My husband spared me the nightmarish scene, but it didn't make it any easier to take.  Two more of my sweet little hens were dead.  The tally was up to three dead in just about a week's time.  What the eff was killing my chickens?

Grady and myself set out to make grave markers, but we didn't end up burying the two hens killed on this Sunday.  It would have been too hard for me to process on Mother's Day.  G didn't seem up for a ceremony either.  We wrote their names on smooth river rocks and then put those into the chicken run with the other living hens.  We said a few nice words and that was that.

Roamer, Oreo & Purdy are dead.  Perhaps little chicks are in our future to take their place?  I'm not so sure.  What started out as a fun little experiment to provide eggs for our family and for G to sell locally has ended up as an emotional roller coaster.  We have learned a lot about raising chickens, but I never thought I would get so attached to these crazy little hens.

I am surely going to miss them.  Rest in peace girls.

Mini Maker Faire 2010

I ran into a friend of mine Friday night who is the Director of Maker Faire.  She was kind enough to tell me about the Mini Maker Faire at Sonoma Country Day School in Santa Rosa that was taking place the very next day.  She said Grady would love it.  She was absolutely right.

I've heard of Maker Faire and Make Magazine, but I haven't had the opportunity to attend - yet.  What an amazing concept.  Makers of all kinds  (toy makers, food makers, robot makers, music makers, and on and on...) gather and show what they've got.  There are 600+ makers scheduled for this year's show in San Mateo.  It's DIY on steroids.  There is a 40 foot rocket scheduled to be on exhibit and it's all about innovation and having a damned good time while you're innovating it.  It sounds intensely smart and stimulating, as well as engaging for all ages.

At this Mini Maker Faire there were kids teaching Grady robotics, as well as a table full of computers and VCR's that he could dismantle and use the components to rebuild his very own one-of-a-kind creation (which he promptly set about to do, as pictured above).

We also attended a film (maker) festival wherein high school kids created the movies we watched.  It was fascinating and refreshing to see the potential in all of the young minds that showcased their work that day.

We left the event energized and both of us were eager to learn more about the Maker Faire coming to our neck of the woods in a few weeks.  I hope I don't find my dying DVD player reincarnated into something else.  Actually, nothing would delight me more.

M.I.A.

Well, after a full year of raising chickens one went missing today.  We were in the yard mowing & pulling weeds and our little flock of chickens were scratching the earth for bugs and following us around on a sunny, Saturday afternoon.  We got ready to go to G's game and put the girls back into their run and one was missing.  The little one pictured above, Roamer.

The white silkies are fiercely independent, like to brood and nest.  I just thought she was lost in the weeds sitting on her eggs.  I live in a fantasy world.  I came home and walked to upper field and our field, too.  No white silkie to be found.  I am hopeful that she will return to the flock.  Steve and Grady are not so sure...

Just Like That

After a month of wiggling his first loose tooth, he pulled it out tonight.  Just like that.  He was so stinkin' proud of himself.  He called the neighbors, his grandma, his dad and left messages for anyone who wasn't home.  He ran down the lane and showed the elders of Johns Street the hole in his head!  He was brimming with exuberance and could barely contain himself.  He oozed self-confidence.  He did it all by himself.

His wheels were turning and trying to figure out this Tooth Fairy thing.  I told him to put his sweet little tooth in a small container and put it under his pillow.  He found a small Altoids tin and did just that.  He was hoping for money or a toy.  Toy?  When did that start?  Anyhow, he did receive a big fat one dollar bill and that is only because it was his first tooth.

Oh, turns out Steve is the tooth fairy.  Who knew?

Vintage Love

Before:  $3 Harmony House Dresser from the 1960's - missing middle drawer.

After:  $70 worth of supplies is what it took to rehab this dresser, along with my husband's elbow grease.  Sanding, staining, sanding some more, waxing and creating custom screen covers for the lower drawers took him a few weeks of late-night stints in his shop.

The bottom "drawers" are actually just screened covers that hide the components.  Pretty awesome, huh?  He also tacked up all of the wires to the back of this unit, so that they don't show.  I absolutely love it.  Now the hunt continues for a large sideboard for the kitchen...

Another little bit of vintage goodness was the present Steve recently gave Grady for his seventh birthday.  He has been saving this present since Grady was born and knew he would be ready for it when he turned the ripe old age of seven.  Perfect timing (no pun intended!).  The Mickey Mouse watch from Steve's childhood was thoughtfully given to our son on his seventh birthday, along with a typed up history of the watch and the significance of it to my husband.  Grady was delighted and they shared a big smack-a-roo and sweet hug to seal this father-son deal.

Old is new in our house this week.  Thanks husband.

Happy Birthday Eve Grady!

Earth Day

My guys planted a Maple Tree in honor of Earth Day this year.  My dad used to plant a tree, shrub, flowers - something on Arbor Day (back in the day before Earth Day!).  When Steve came home with this little sapling, it made me think of what a great steward of the earth my dad was.

My dad used to light kerosene lamps and use them in the house during one of his "save electricity" phases (note: huge safety issue).  We had a rooster and a garden that he tended after working long 12-hour days in Los Angeles.  It seemed to relax him.  He was concerned about the environment before it became trendy.  He walked-the-walk you could say.  Never wasteful and very resourceful.  Always recycled cans, glass and motor oil.  Went out of his way to conserve energy in the most comical of ways (as mentioned above).  He, rather my mother, hung his clothes to dry on our back porch for years and years.

I rebelled against all of that when I left home.  Silly me.  Now that I have a child and live in a place where beauty is everywhere, I fully understand my responsibility on this planet and my responsibility to teach my son the same and be an example for him.  What will he remember?  Here are a few things I hope make the list:

• never accepting plastic bags for any reason, from any store
• our weekly pilgrimage to Taylor Maid Coffee Outlet to refill our coffee cans with fair-trade coffee
• thrifting for the things we want - even if it takes awhile to get what we need
• plastic water bottles, capri suns & juice boxes have disappeared from our home and have not been missed
• knowing the farmer who grows our vegetables - thank you Farmer George & Anna
• our bi-weekly trips to the library to check out books and movies, rather than buy new
• saving our yogurt containers and glass food jars to reuse and regift with
• composting
• saying goodbye to disposable plates, cups & napkins
• our flock of laying hens and all the shenanigans that go along with them!
• frequenting our local, small businesses and avoiding large chain stores whenever possible
• no new toys from China (this has become a funny game with us)
• the nightly ritual of setting the table with cloth napkins 
• vintage bed sheets will always = tablecloths & beach blankets
• line-drying our clothes in the warm months on our front deck

We're not perfect and surely we make exceptions, but our rules have changed.  Being mindful about how we spend our money, time and resources is at the top of our priority list.  

How did you celebrate Earth Day?

Bodega Bay Fisherman's Festival 2010

Our annual Fisherman's Festival was this weekend and it was a rip-roaring success.  It is a 100% volunteer supported gig.  I helped with a few things this year and was able to see it from start-fo-finish.  The proceeds from this event go to local non-profit organizations within our fire district zone.  I worked on behalf of the Tomales Elementary School PTA and the Bodega Bay Fireworks Committee.

As usual, Grady loved visiting the local non-profits and gathered free literature about mosquitoes, how to prevent fires from the fire department, lots of data from the Marine Mammal Center and a plethora of books from the Sonoma County Free Library.  That was just on Day One!

We danced, ate, drank and were merry.  Friendships were galvanized and I feel so fortunate to live in a place where people come together (almost 500 volunteers total) and selflessly donate their time and energy to this wonderful town that we live in.

If you want to read more about the weekend's festivities, please visit Bodega Bay Life's Blog.

Spring Break: Camping in Philo

Spring break is here and we are headed to Hendy Woods State Park in Philo with another family.  We have the menus planned, bike packed, s'more fixings, adult beverages and enough junk food to make your teeth hurt.  Let Spring Break officially begin!

We had the best time.  The kids went skinny-dipping, we ate like Kings & Queens, G had a tick removed from his back (not so fun...) and he rode his bike for hours and played baseball with other camp kids.  Exactly the kind of Spring Break every little boy should have.  

This campground is featured in Sunset Magazine's May 2010 issue.  We paid $40 a night for the sweet, bare-bones cabin and it was so worth it.  Little wood stove and bunk beds in the cabin.  First-come, first-served basis for the cabin we stayed in, but you can reserve others throughout the campground.  

I'm not usually up for roughing it, but this time around I was a happy camper.  Food, shelter, good friends (and wine) helped make this a trip to remember.  

Seeds & Such

Every year my asparagus patch gives me these lovely little spears.  I do nothing to deserve it.  It just simply takes care of itself.  I weed it a bit in February and Steve takes it down to nothing in the Fall.  I really should be nicer to this patch and I will try this year with amending and adding new soil, as well as cover it with straw this Winter.  I will.  I promise.

The next round of seeds to get planted directly in the garden were Chioggia Beets and Butter Lettuce.  I'm feeling less sure about this process.  They are just outside my back door, but not under my watchful eye (like the seedlings pictured below in my kitchen window).  I've covered the rows with wire caging to help keep the chickens from scratching and clawing the seedlings right out of the ground.  I hope they survive.  

One week into this virgin gardening thing and I already have radish seedlings!  Whoo-hoo.  I read that I can plant these every two or three weeks and keep a steady supply coming my way.  Oh how I love a crisp radish, dipped in softened butter and dabbed in kosher salt.  Delish.

Lastly, these are two trays of zinnia seedlings.  It is so danged fun watching something grow from a seed.  I haven't killed anything.  Yet.

Along with this experiment, I'm also reading Second Nature by Michael Pollan.  I'm gaining a little bit of gardening knowledge and expertise from a man considered to have a green thumb.  His insights are encouraging and I realized that this is just the beginning for me in the garden.  Every year you learn something new about your garden, the land, the water runoff, frost warnings and that newfound information takes you into the next gardening year.  And so on and so on.  Research, common sense and diligence seem to be the common thread.  I'm definitely picking up more information from other recreational gardeners, books, blogs and farmers.

I'm hoping for another lovely year of growth, both personally and in the garden.

Easter Sunday

I had to wake G to start Easter Sunday.  Steve hid 24 plastic eggs (I know, I know, but I reuse them every year) around the house with marshmallows, albino chips (white chocolate chips), raisins and chocolate chips, as well as notes good for ice cream, new book, etc.  G was thrilled, as this was all he wanted:  An Egg Hunt.

The rest of the day was filled with food, lots of rain, DVD's, mimosas and a quick visit to our friend's farm for an Easter Beer Hunt.  She made the beer and also hid a few eggs for G.

He has been drawing and creating a tableau in our entryway for the last few weeks.  He totally enjoys setting a scene up for the holidays and I love that about him.  Lambs, pretty eggs, bunny drawings, as well as all of the cards he had received in the mail for this rite of passage into Spring.  He relishes putting them on display.  We talked about Easter and how it started and that it symbolizes birth, renewal and paying homage to the egg and the rabbit.  He said he knew all that.   Of course he did.