All the news of the Glen Ellen Village Fair

Kids Alley is the great attraction youngsters toddler age through middle school. The favorite attraction there is always the bouncie house, sponsored by Jim and Brenda Hill and the good folks from our Glen Ellen Community Church.

Join the parade

Trina and Oliver Norman are in charge of the parade this year, and if you haven’t yet signed up I urge you to call them today at 935-9030 so they save you space. Of course, lots of unregistered folks join in at the tail end of the parade, but it does help the Normans if they known whom to expect.

Parade official this year is our own Lisa Hardy, vice president of the Glen Ellen Village Fair Association and local firefighter, who will serve as our fair announcer. Her judging team includes Melanie Blake, Dunbar School principal; Frank Crook, Glen Ellen Village Market manager; and Kip Fogarty, Glen Ellen’s much beloved and former postmaster.

Love our town, slow down

How frightfully fast the year rolls around. Before we can even catch our breath after these languid autumn days of October, November and December rush in fast on the heels of October. We prefer the “Oh, hushed October morning mild,” to any of the storms and excitement of December. The manic pace begins in November as the holiday of gluttony arises to break all diets.

But, for now, silently, and quietly, let us revel in these days that Frost, yes Robert, that is, described thus: “O hushed October morning mild, / Begin the hours of this day slow. / Make the day seem to us less brief.”

Start out slow, and then ease up

On that second rainy day of September, I took a day of leisure and respite, setting out to accomplish nothing and meeting that goal with pleasure. The morning started slow with Sweetie arriving with our requisite peanut butter toast, orange slices and hot coffee. We both enjoyed that in bed, reading from Tolstoy’s own favorite book, his calendar. A little philosophy, a little direction and some good words to begin the day. That sleepy Sunday, the poet suggested we meditate on what was good and gentle in our world. Easy to do when Glen Ellen is your village.

After that, I dressed enough to sit by our fake fire (which I’d christened the “Liberace fireplace”) to read a bit. My book club has assigned “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” and though it’s my third round of that novel, I’m enjoying it thoroughly. Midway through my reading hour, a call came from Debby Votek. On her way to fetch lunch for her sweetie Joe and his workers, hard at work at harvest, she asked if she could pop in. Of course, Debby and her folk are always welcome at Creekbottom.

Within minutes, Debby was knocking at the door, rushing in with a gust of autumn wind, faintly fragrant with maple and oak. Debby arrived with two CDs from Julia Holter’s “Loud City Song,” which isn’t loud, at all. That, and another CD recorded at San Francisco’s great American Music Hall. Accompanied by Glen Ellen local Chris Votek, Debbie and Joe’s son, the music is autumn mysterious, plaintive and moving. An excellent Sunday gift. Partly classic, partly indie rock, it settles in just fine with a lazy Sunday afternoon. Debbie’s other gift was two perfectly ripe, golden pears straight from her tree. She warned, “They are ready now, don’t save them, and don’t be afraid, they may have a few bug holes.” So, we didn’t save them, nor did we discover varmint bites. The pears, with a little smear of blue cheese and more coffee, became our excellent luncheon repast. Perfect, with autumnal aromas mixed with the tongue sizzling sweetness of summer. Pears seem more than a bit like pure magic – at least Debby’s offering was just that.

After more reading and music listening, we dozed off into an easy slumber waking just in early afternoon, in time to enjoy the pleasant slant of autumn sun peeking through the trees.

Floating apparitions

With the changing colors of the season, including the grey, golden grass of summer fading to silver, and trees beginning their fade from blazing chlorophyll green to more mellow tints of gold and crimson, the afternoon light was enchanting. This is, in fact, the time of year, in late afternoon, to chase the will-o-the-wisps through the Glen Ellen Sonoma Regional Park. These floating apparitions advance through the forest just ahead of you. It’s never possible to catch up with them, but following them through the oak woodlands is always an adventure. I’m just careful to repeatedly recite the little ditty, “Leaflets three, let it be.”

Please remember

Oct. 13, Sunday at noon: I’ll see you at the Glen Ellen Village Fair. Please say a “howdy-do” and introduce yourself. Until then.

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Want to see your own name in the news? Share your stories with friends and neighbors in Glen Ellen. Call or write me at 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 two weeks before you hope to see it in the paper.