Redwoodcoast’s Weblog

I love words. I love learning about cool stuff … take trebuchets, for instance. Some of my friends know that like reading the dictionary or curling up with a volume from the Britannica that my folks bought for us girls back in the 60’s. When the Information Superhighway first opened up to regular folk I remember telling someone how fantastic it was going to be to have access to historical records in the Library of Congress! Can you imagine?? I was so stoked! 

Fifteen years or more down that Highway, I still haven’t been able to navigate to the dusty piles of important items from the Founding Fathers. Instead, I seem to be stuck between off-ramps, jammed in the midst of a bottleneck of what is known as a wealth of information.

That’s got me thinking about what is wealth. Does abundance equal prosperity? I remember a silly conversation at an old job where we were discussing affluence, and what made us feel affluent. Each had a different idea, and Jean’s was having a good supply of pecans in her freezer! I think mine was having just finished laundry day with all the newly washed and folded piles still warm and ready to put away.

We are inundated–literally! with rip tides of headlines and sound bites and banners and animated whatevers all ripping and tearing as they rush by. Yes, the sheer volume of it all qualifies as an abundance, but are we wealthier in any way now compared to the pre-Internet Dark Ages of the late 20th century?

When do you know you are prosperous? What makes you feel affluent? When can you finally sit back and say, “Now, I am wealthy.”

Perhaps only on the Redwood Coast would such a beloved tradition spark flare-ups that are being fanned by the Coastal Commission and fueled by local concerns over wildlife preservation. 

This is democracy in action, with a patriotic observance that is sponsored by one citizen group being challenged by other citizens, while each party benefits from the freedoms the fireworks have come to symbolize.

So, at this point we’re not certain whether we’ll have the 3rd annual fireworks display right here in Gualala, BUT! We can be sure of the long-established celebration that takes place just up the road in Point Arena. The fireworks show which is shot off the Pt. Arena pier is spectacular! It’s extensive, creative, exciting, and puts the perfect exclamation point at the end of a day full of festivities.

Stay tuned! The decisions are expected to be handed down within the next couple weeks. Regardless of the outcome, it’s a good thing to live in a place where this kind of disagreement and expression can take place openly and without fear. Now THAT’S something to celebrate!

The Redwood Coast abounds with natural and cultivated produce, and the Gualala Farmers Market offers it all every Saturday morning from 10 to 12:30. You have to be there on time to get the best selection, but there is always something that will make you smile!

A brief list of typical items includes gorgeous floral bouquets; local real seaweed in various forms, from the rocks off-shore; eggs; handmade breads, pastries, jams, cheeses; orchard and farm-fresh fruits and veggies each according to its season; and sometimes even acoustic music.  All items are local, fresh, and of very good quality.

One word of warning: Although the Market site enjoys a gorgeous view of the river and ocean, it can be blustery in this open-air field just above the bluff.  So dress warmly and bring cash…you’re certain to find something you can’t resist!

If I was baking cookies, the difference between 330F and 350F might not be too significant. But when you are sitting in your car and the temperature on the road is 80 or 90 (or more!), then 20 degrees cooler starts to sound like a huge difference. A difference you could really go for!

Guess what! The redwood coast region can average 20 degrees cooler than our inland valleys when they really warm up. We call it our air conditioning.  The air here is not only cooler, it’s moister, has a tremendously fresh fragrance (hey, we’re the first ones to breathe it in off the ocean!) and it has a curiously restorative effect.

Keep that in mind when you’re wilting. Or, if you don’t have your “summer legs” yet and would rather not have to rush into wearing shorts in public, just spend a few days at the coast where we can still get away with long pants… and even a sweater sometimes!

We’ve got lots of vacancies and can usually host you on short notice, so give us a call…and chill out!

I use one of those dry-erase planning calendars in my office. The kind where you have to fill in each month with its dates, and then keep it updated.

Today it was time to fill in May and June. As I was erasing March and April, I had flashes of association with some of the dates I saw disappearing under my cloth. I remembered an event or an appointment…or something I need to follow up on! 

Oh my! how the days are just wiped away. Two months. GONE, just like that. Three or four months ago, March and April were still in front of us, with all the promise of spring, and holidays and plenty of time to do things before they arrived. Now it’s May and June already!

The Redwood coast is an amazing place, but even here, time flies. If you can make a break in your own busy calendar, we’d love to have you join us here for some of those brief moments. Browse our vacation homes link and sometime soon maybe we’ll be helping you with a reservation! Don’t put it off.

As the whales near the end of their northward procession, we are met with springtimey winds. The best part about the breezes is they keep any hint of fog out on the horizon where we like it. On the way home yesterday evening I had a great view of a melon-ball sun blazing all neon as it glowed good bye, then I noticed a grey fox trotting comfortably across the highway right in front of me. He crossed at an intersection, so as he continued west, I decided to turn in and see if I could spy out his route. Busy peering into the underbrush below the cypresses, I almost ran into a young doe who was beginning her evening meal on the far end of the hedgerow. The fox was lost to the dusk and I decided to leave the doe and her party to their meal. The sun was taken by the fog bank before it could make a final touchdown, so no green flash this time.  These secret times make life in Gualala so precious!