Sonoma Sojourn

Sonoma Valley averages 12″ of rain in January and February; as of today, we are 11″ short of that number. When I told people I was coming here for four months, from January through April, those in the know told me in polite terms that I was crazy: those months are Sonoma’s rainy season … not the best way to enjoy all that Sonoma offers. I didn’t care. I bought rain boots and fully expected to walk around town bundled in my orange (uh, coral) raincoat, huddled beneath my fashionable umbrella. Lo and behold: since I’ve arrived we’ve had three days with precipitation (one included a very exciting hail storm). Experts record total rain/hail fall as 1″.  And I know what’s coming: if the new forecasts are correct, we will experience two months of rain (the two months I have left to enjoy) — and now that I’ve been to Paris, so to speak, how will they keep me down on the farm? The weather here has been P-E-R-F-E-C-T (sunny, warm during the day, cool/cold at night); I will be happy if I never put on the rain boots while here in Paradise.

A few years ago I struggled to come to the surface and breathe as I transitioned from being married to not being married. One of the exercises I practiced every night before I fell asleep was to consciously acknowledge what I had experienced that day for which I could be grateful; it served to remind me that even when times are difficult, there is always something – no matter how seemingly inconsequential – that has been good. This week has been an up and down week for me, but today I was reminded to put that practice back into play. Here’s what I enjoyed today (besides having only 1″ of rain so far) and for which I’m grateful:

1. Hullabaloo. Remember the dance show? KQED, my local public television station, is broadcasting clips from the show as part of its fundraiser. Peter Noone (Herman’s Hermits!) is the host … right now the Lovin’ Spoonful is on with “You Didn’t Have To Be So Nice”. OMG!!!! Hullabaloo go-go is making me so-so happy! The dancing! The music! The hair-dos! The Mamas and Papas, Paul Revere and the Raiders, The Supremes, Barry McGuire, The Turtles, Wee Five, The Brothers Four, Jay and the Americans, The Zombies, Little Anthony and the Imperials, The Byrds, The Rascals, The Beau Brummels, Petula Clark, Nancy Sinatra, Trini Lopez, Sonny & Cher, Shirley Ellis (“The Name Game: Shirley! Shirley Shirley Bo-Birley…”).

2. Smokey. She is funny, cute, and even annoying when I’m trying to work … but Smokey and I went out for a bike ride today – something I might not have done if not for her. I packed her up in the wicker basket Steph and Lisa gave her two years ago on Nantucket and headed out. We had no itinerary and wove in and out of the streets of the neighborhoods between here on Oak Lane and Buena Vista Winery … that’s where we ended up, and as we paused to turn around and head back up the hill, people gathered around us to marvel (yes, marvel!) at a cat in a bicycle basket. Cameras snapped shots of Smokey; people rubbed beneath her chin; Smokey closed her eyes in appreciation … what a show! She might be the only cat in Sonoma that gets driven around in a basket on a bike … so many people do a double-take as we pedal by and they realize it’s a cat in the basket. (What were they expecting?!)

3. Fragrances. Acacia trees – brilliantly yellow frilly leaves bursting with a sweet smell that causes allergies for many, but thankfully not for me. Eucalyptus trees – originally imported from Australia in the 19th century with the hope that it would provide lumber for the West, but wood from the tree turned out to be terrible lumber – very dense, hard to cut, and with a tendency to twist. The trees are pest-resistant with shallow root systems, so they’re not the best trees to have around – but they do smell delicious. Mowed grass – one of my favorite smells, evoking memories of mowing lawns on North Avenue in Brockton while growing up and of Big Horn in Wyoming; so evocative.

4. Bank deposits and other tasks for Nashaquisset. Not a particularly glamorous task during the day, but one for which I am grateful: a lot of paperwork tackled early in the day and off my to-do list … at least until more leases come in on Monday! So much to do over these next few weeks as the count-down begins for the 2013 season. I almost panic at the thought of it all, but then I remember to take it all in small pieces – think of them as a series of manageable tasks – but there are so many tasks to manage. I pray every night that nothing falls through the cracks – or at least nothing that can’t be remedied.

5. Skype. I watched Hayes crawl around the room today as we Skyped (he particularly likes heading toward the fireplace; Graham tells him ‘no, hot!”, but it’s not hot and so what is Hayes to learn?? And Max and Mason Skyped today, too – both have been sick but will be heading to Dubai Thursday night for a long weekend getaway – Adam will continue on to Barcelona for a business meeting after that; I didn’t know Dubai was that close to Singapore! I don’t get a chance to really speak with Adam while we Skype, so maybe we can talk during the week and I can find out more about ‘why’ Dubai, etc.

6. Sonoma. Just because.

Likely there are many more things that took place today that I am grateful for, but right now I’m mostly grateful for being tired and grateful for a wonderfully comfortable bed here in my little home away from home. Hope you enjoyed a day full of things to be grateful for, too – sometimes they’re not obvious, but they’re there.