Kathleen Hill: Mother’s Day adverts, Sebastiani closing and more

Back to Mother’s Day

For many women it was a happy day, a sad day or both. Same for men remembering or reaching out to their moms.

One thing I hope you didn’t do: Follow an old advertisement for “A Gift Mother will appreciate 365 days of the year. See Mother’s eyes gleam at this labor-saving gift. She’ll thank you every day of the year. The K & A is better because it can’t scratch, can’t tip over, or leave heat marks. And it’s built to last a lifetime. Add years to Mother’s life — give her the world’s best mop bucket – the K & A mop bucket, 5 years’ guarantee.”

I remember the Christmas our father gave our mother a new waffle iron – he liked waffles. Not a good move. At least it wasn’t a mop bucket. But she was pretty good at throwing heavy metal objects.

Sebastiani Winery ends production

Is this a trend?

Big corporations and investors buy Sonoma businesses and close them down?

Seems to be. Some former family businesses are even torn down, destroyed or just left vacant.

Let’s hope that doesn’t happen to Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery.

While we can’t begrudge families who have worked for generations to create and build businesses their right to sell them and make millions, the heart and soul seems to leave with them.

I first experienced this when I had, for years, primped the roses at Sebastiani Winery on Fourth Street East as a friendly volunteer. Sylvia Sebastiani used to come down the hill either walking or in her Lincoln wearing her housecoat and slippers and taught me how to take care of roses. After she passed, I continued with Mrs. Sebastiani’s roses for several years to honor her.

After Foley bought the winery in 2008 from Mary Ann Sebastiani Cuneo and her brothers Sam and Don Sebastiani, its new manager stopped me from trimming the roses one morning and then seemed unwilling to ask higher-ups if it was OK if I continued, so he told me to stop. And previously the Sonoma International Film Festival used to show important movies in the winery’s barrel room. Even under Foley the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance held fundraisers there, always only with Sebastiani wine.

Approximately 30 employees will be laid off in this consolidation.

Arnold the Tree to come back – the real story

Having suffered an untimely death much too young at the wayward hands of a tree murderer, Arnold the Tree will rise again on Arnold Drive like a Phoenix.

And life goes on.

How will this happen?

Here’s the real skinny as told by Sam Sebastiani and Jane Schneider, property owner and business manager, respectively, of La Chertosa Vineyard, where the new tree will be planted.

As was the original plan, Sonoma Mission Gardens is donating the tree. Ned Hill of La Prenda Vineyard Management, who manages La Chertosa Vineyard, will plough the field, dig the hole, set up irrigation, and plant the tree inside the vineyard fence on Arnold Drive. Very carefully, that is, after consulting with PG&E about the power and gas lines that run along the area.

Sam Sebastiani and Schneider will make sure the kind gentleman from across the road, who for years used to decorate Arnold the Tree for the holidays, will be safe and happy decorating the new tree as long as he or anyone else wants to.

The tree will be planted “in the next couple of weeks,” said Sebastiani.

Meanwhile. Sam Sebastiani is creating a wildlife wetlands inland on the property as he did at Viansa Winery, saying, “It’s in my father’s tradition.” His father, August Sebastiani, had an aviary adjacent to the family home on their part of Fourth Street East across and up a little from Sebastiani Winery.

And by the way, Sebastiani and Schneider said you may call the tree Arlene if you prefer.

MacArthur Place artist’s work

May 14 is the last day to view the work of Los Angeles based photographer, Brian Merriam, on-site as part of the hotel’s artist-in-residence program.

A Note from Oak Hill Farm

On Mother’s Day, the family of the late Oak Hill Farm-founder Anne Teller sent an email honoring their mother, despite her dislike for the holiday. Because of their farming and growing practices, they can still offer loads of flowers to honor either your mother or your father, or anyone. They’ve got Agrostemma, peonies, sweet peas, statice, bachelor buttons, and even flower arrangements. Check them out as well as their lovely vegetables at either the Friday morning farmers market at the Arnold Field parking lot or at the family’s Oak Hill Farm Red Barn on Highway 12 across from B.R. Cohn Winery.

Ceja Vineyards launches live lobster feed

Jumping ahead bravely and confidently into a healthier year, Ceja Vineyards is selling tickets this week for its Lobster Feast and “legendary fiestas,” this one to celebrate Ceja’s 10th anniversary on Aug. 14.

Ceja boasts vineyards in both Napa and Sonoma Valleys.

Guests will dine al fresco in Ceja’s chardonnay vineyard and enjoy tostadas as appetizers along with live mariachi music, a bocce tournament, and dancing under the stars to a local DJ’s music.

The meal includes fresh Maine lobster, organic white corn, artichokes, red potatoes, prawns, roasted garlic, beef Louisiana hot links, sourdough baguettes, drawn butter and spices to apply. The meal ends with It’s It ice cream sandwiches. 6 to 9:30 p.m. $200 or $175 for wine club members. Get tickets at ariel@cejavineyards.com or call 255-3954.

Saving water here and elsewhere?

As we in Sonoma County face the reality of another severe drought, let’s think about what things “cost” in water terms. While county officials have not yet recommended what we should do as residents, here are some thoughts to consider, and we welcome more ideas.

One almond requires 1.1 gallons of water to grow, and a pound of almonds takes 190 gallons of water. Growing an average size apple takes 33 gallons of water. And making one 750 milliliter bottle of wine takes 190 gallons of water. Irrigation or dry farming would, of course, affect these figures. The place that boasts of the most-dry farming in the U.S. is Oregon which, until now, has always had rain year round, so who needs to irrigate?

If you leave the water on while brushing your teeth, you might use 5 gallons of water (or water to grow five almonds). Flushing older toilets can use seven gallons per flush (seven almonds), while newer ones might only take 1.6 gallons (1.5 almonds) to flush.

What happens to those of us who have already cut our water usage in half and then the County of Sonoma decides we should cut usage in half again? Where do those of us who have been saving water in pitchers while the water heater does its thing or save previously used water, whether in a shower or pot of vegetables end up? And what about part-time neighbors whose sprinklers go on daily while keeping their lawns a deep blue-green?

One more thing you can do to save water besides turning off the tap when brushing teeth and shaving or catching shower water in buckets is to save vegetable water. If you boil any vegetables save the water to boil more vegetables, to make a broth, or pour on potted or other plants. As well, you can save water in a pitcher or pot in your basin or sink while hot water makes its way from your hot water heater to the faucet you are using.

While we were both on a fellowship in Public Affairs in San Francisco, a friend loved to drink beer and poured any excess on his house plants. They loved his leftover beer and almost took over his apartment. After official wine tastings here in Sonoma, a friend encourages invited tasters to pour their excess wine on her beautiful rose, which also seem to love a little alcohol.