News from Glen Ellen’s Sylvia Crawford

News for the New Year, courtesy of Sylvia Crawford|

Shake stalker speaks

Good news just arrived from Jim Shere: Saturday afternoon, at 2 p.m. Jan. 16, in Mayflower Hall at the Glen Ellen Community Church, a special program featuring local luminary Jim Berkland will be presented by the Glen Ellen Historical Society. Jim is famous for accurate earthquake forecasts that have shaken conventional wisdom, ever since he predicted the infamous Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989.

However, Jim is known locally for far more than his skill in seismic prognostication. He has been an active member of the community for decades, and is an observant naturalist who knows every square inch of the Valley of the Moon like the back of his hand. Raconteur and sage, he generously shares his extensive scientific knowledge along with his poetry with anyone who asks.

Postponing eternity

Never one to rush the days into inevitable eternity, I choose today, instead, to regale you, my dear reader, with a few stories from 2015. As for me, this is my first column of the Happy New Year 2016, and it seems appropriate to reflect a little on the year just passed, in many ways a good year – as most are, but in other ways, one of deep sadness – as most are. The passing of time alone can bring on wistful melancholy, well known to aging adults. Instead, today, I reflect on some few warm memories of 2015, a few of the many blessing that came my way last year. I hope you are still in the mood for reminiscing.

Leader of the pack

Tops on my list would be the help offered Sweetie and me with our beloved shaggy dog, Karhu, aka Hootie, a Pets Lifeline alumnus. During 2015 every other week or so we were summoned to Medford, Oregon to help my grieving sister through the death of her husband of many dacades and the rumbling aftershocks. Hence, we needed someone to care for our dog. Happy Joe Holiday, dog watcher extraordinnaire, was always at the ready. Many times, due to complex schedules, he had to retrieve Karhu from our house. And so he did, punctually and with great enthusiasm.

As for his part, Karhu loves his Uncle Joe. Every day, and two times a day, Joe escorts his eager menagerie of cavorting canines to one or the other of our two Valley dog parks. He stays there with them for at least an hour each trip, allowing the dogs free rein in the park, and practicing circus tricks with the more gifted and talented among them.

Then, he feeds them liberally, and they happily respond. By evening, Joe and his multiple charges are found sweetly snoring on various pieces of Joe's casual furniture.

Dogs are welcome guests on the couch, as are human visitors who don't mind a bit of doghair. Mornings arrive with treats, walks, and eventually (usually by 9 a.m.) trips to the dog park.

It's as good a life as Karhu can expect, and, in fact, better than he gets at home at Creekbottom. Sweetie and I are ever grateful to Joe Holiday and his dog's Holiday pet care.

Plus to top it off, Joe sent us our favorite photo of a happy Karhu and gave us two snazzy green coffee mugs as a Christmas gift.

Be sure to check out doggiebandb.com, and don't fail to click the Gallery link for dozens of delightful photos of delighted dogs. More photos if you click Brigitte's Dog Apparel on the home page.

Biscotti bearers

Another good neighbor gift was the delicious nutty biscotti that were baked by our good neighbors Ben and Genevieve, who live at the very end of O'Donnell Lane. Industrious workers, the couple has been busy all year fixing up a neglected structure on their property, creating a lovely little cottage for guests.

Thank you Gen and Ben for a good way to sweeten our morning coffee. We waited until the hordes of visiting relatives departed before opening your biscotti package. It lasted far longer that way, though hardly long enough. You have blessed our mornings and we appreciate you!

Elves for FISH

Then there was the elegant duo Barney and Ann Watkins, Christmas cheer elves if such characters ever existed. They were ringing the bells one evening outside the Glen Ellen Village Market, requesting donations for FISH to feed the hungry folks of our Valley. Meg Sokoloski is the Rotary member who scheduled all of the bell-ringers, including herself. I was sad to turn her down this busy year, but I just simply felt overloaded with my sister's need.

My absence paid off well for FISH, however. My guilt for this first-ever year of not ringing the bell forced me to contribute a bit larger bill than usual into the FISH bucket. Always a good cause, FISH was started some many decades ago by good folks like Evelyn Berger and her friend and neighbor Adele Harrison along with many other fine Valley folks. FISH thrives still today, thanks to the many good folks forever willing to contribute time and money. Huzzah for Megan and her Christmas bell-ringing crew.

The Folks in Glen Ellen column also appears online.

Look for my column on the Index-Tribune website sonomanews.com under the category Lifestyle. Click on my name for current columns.

Old columns can be found by entering 'Sylvia Crawford' into the paper's search box. Want to see your own name in the news? Call or write me at 707 996-5995 or P.O. Box 518, GE 95442. Or email me at creekbottom@earthlink.net. Glen Ellen chatter rarely requires timeliness; however, if your news does, please be sure to contact me at least three weeks before your desired publication date.

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