HAERR TRIPPIN': May 2021

Tannery Creek Reserve...

Hiking with my daughter-in-law and her mom is always a magical time because they live in the redwoods and just around the corner is this exceptional trail.

This 187 acre parcel of redwoods, fir, oak and bay trees has been protected as “forever wild” within the Bodega Land Trust since 2011.

Interestingly, the Tannery Creek Reserve is private property. Permission to walk on the property is gladly given when a completed membership form and liability waiver have been submitted. In order to help protect the property owner who grants the hiking privileges, the neighborhood association pays for an annual liability insurance policy . While membership is free, they request an annual donation ($50 suggested) to pay the policy premium. Cool system!

What a surprise to see a fox in the woods. I believe it was a first for me.

Another first was being show this unique wildflower... the bleeding heart plant (Lamprocapnos spectabilis).

We spent the week here, to bond with our family and to just be in the woods. Our goals were exceeded.

“And into the forest I go,

to lose my mind

and find my soul.”

– John Muir

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Back to Bodega Bay for the Farmers' Market

From Memorial Day until the end of October the open-air Farmers' Market thrives behind the Bodega Bay Community Center at the north end of town. How fun to be there on Opening Day.

From the website, "We offer the freshest, locally grown produce specializing in organic, heirloom and gourmet varieties of fruits and vegetables, beef, goat, duck, pork, poultry and fish. Also available are eggs, (duck and chicken), artisan breads, olive oils, premium goat and cow cheeses. Try the honeys, salsa, hummus, jams and jellies and organic skin care products. A different Food Truck offers hot food each week…Croquettes and small plates, Japanese, Mexican, BBQ…different offerings to tickle your palette."

I have to admit I came for the baked goods, the coffee and the people watching!

"We always have live music with picnic tables for hanging out listening to the band, a large space for dancing if your happy feet need to move and, if you brought the kids, a large field for just playing, flying kites or throwing the Frisbee for the dog."

The Poyntlyss Sistars were incredibly entertaining and the warmth of a small town was certainly felt. What a great way to spend a Sunday morning. Wow.

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Grove of the Old Trees...

When one looks up "Things to do in Occidental", this 48-acre sanctuary, a true hidden gem, is on the top of the list.

Grove of the Old Trees is a healthy, old-growth stand of Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens). It is the first, and now one of only two, privately owned preserves in Sonoma County that is publicly accessible and free to all.

The Grove is located on the original homeland of the Southern Pomo and Coast Miwok people. For years, it was owned by two families, the Colemans and the Van Alstynes. These families operated sawmills in the area, but reserved the redwoods here as a family gathering place.

Unfortunately, in the 1990s, the grand redwoods were slated to be cut down as part of a timber harvest plan (you can actually see blue stripes painted on certain trees that were in line to be removed). A group of county residents launched the long campaign to protect the remaining stands of redwoods. Thanks to the tireless work of neighbors and environmental activists, the blue stripes are a reminder of a fate averted.

I can't quote many movies, but I have always loved Robin Williams' line in Man of the Year (2006), "I'm not a tree hugger, I'm an air breather!" Okay, so in reality, I'm a tree hugger, too! I 💚 this grove!

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Friday Night Farmers' Market Fun

Besides the fact that everyone was wearing a mask, this night out in Occidental felt as close to "normal" as normal has been in a very long time.

"Bellies and baskets full of nutritious, delicious goods… feet and voices happily exhausted from dancing and chatting with friends… kids sticky with bee pollen and mushroom jerky. A joyful exuberance of the seasonal rhythms of the Occidental community - celebrating and relishing in the abundant offerings of the cycles."

I love Farmers' Markets for their colors, scents, aliveness and people watching!

Music that makes you feel joyous is a big plus, too!

“When tillage begins, other arts follow.

The farmers, therefore, are the founders of human civilization.”

– Daniel Webster

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On to Occidental...

Our younger son and his family live amongst the Redwoods and a morning stroll revealed great delights.

The most delight came from the profusion of blooming Rhododendrons.

Rhododendrons light up the spring landscape with showy, colorful blooms. They're some of the most gorgeous shrubs around, producing big branches covered in flowers in a wide range of colors.

Nature put on quite a show.

Don't get me wrong, the dense forest of beautiful redwoods delighted as well. It is always magical to meandered through these giants.

We eventually found ourselves in the Community Garden.

This particular flower caught my eye. When I was a kid, I always loved dried flower arrangements (I was weird). This flower was always a favorite part. I don't think I've ever seen one growing. What a memory evoker.

Being with family, hanging out in nature... these are the simple things that give life pleasure. I'm one happy camper.

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A Little About Bodega Bay...

This quaint fishing town is named in honor of Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra, a Spanish naval officer who explored the west coast of North America, as far north as Alaska, during multiple voyages of discovery in the late 1700s.

In 1853, the ranch owned by Captain Smith (an American turned Mexican to get a land grant) was renamed Bodega Corners, present day Bodega Bay. Smith developed the ranch as a harbor. The coastal roads met at the harbor, and the New England style town became the center of several coastal valleys. Bodega Bay had several periods of interest and decline. In the 1870s, it was the largest town that included three stores, one hotel, and three lodges. St. Theresa's Church, built by Yankee shipbuilders, served many local Irish. The Potter School, once the "finest in the county," had dances, social gatherings, and a Dramatic Society formed in 1874. The town flourished with agriculture, lumber, and particularly potatoes. Eventual silting of the harbor curtailed further commercial expansion.

Sportsmen, and later tourists, took advantage of the area opened by the railroads. A triangular route from San Francisco meant a trip could be made in one day to the Russian River from San Francisco. By 1900, wealthy residents of Santa Rosa bought summer homes in Bodega Bay. The tourist industry flourished after construction of roads, like State Highway 1, were built in the 1920s. In the 1930s, the Russian River area was popular, offering big bands and summer camps. Fishing was a year round business, and local fishermen would visit for the day. Bodega Bay was dredged in 1943, opening the bay for pleasure boats and commercial fishing. The fishing industry grew rapidly, and Bodega Bay became a fishing village. The tourist industry boomed after World War II and is today a major activity along the entire length of the Sonoma County coast.

This Commercial Fisherman Memorial is located at Spud Harbor. The statue pays tribute to the commercial fisherman lost at sea after sailing from Bodega Bay. These include those fishing for salmon, crab, abalone, and rockfish over the past two centuries.