Peggy Day & The Gypsy Knights - NEW CD

January 9 - CD Release Party

Peggy Day & The Gypsy Knights
at the Performing Arts Center
16374 4th St - Downtown Guerneville

Peggy Day & The Gypsy Knights will be performing live on KGGV-LP The Bridge 95.1 We will be celebrating the release of our new CD "IT'S ABOUT LOVE" Pot luck Appetizers, wine and original gypsy rock music. Most of the proceeds go to the performing arts center.

$5.00 min. donation, most proceeds go to the center


Live stream, if you can't make it, tune in on line @ http://www.kggvfm.org/

Our new CD will be on sale at our show for $10.00 or can be purchased on line @ www.peggyday.com

Please bring potluck finger foods to share.... let's make this a party to remember.

Please be there by 5:45 so everyone is settled in before we go on the radio!

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FORUM: The Myths of Monotheism

Got a Point of View? An Opinion on a subject? Feel like getting on your Soap Box? This is the place. Please send your thoughts to vesta@sonic.net. This FORUM submission is on Monotheism from the perspective of an Atheist. Enjoy!

The Myths of Monotheism

By Tony Adler

Friday, December 26, 2008 Boxing Day

From my point of view as an Atheist and somewhat of a historian, I feel it incumbent upon my self to offer others a modicum of truth and thereby give them the opportunity to understand and see religious myth for what it is. Those of the faith often ask with astonishment, “Don’t you believe in God?” The question is an oxymoron, since in reality there is not a god to believe in or not.

As an historian I much prefer polytheism to monotheism. It has been shown that Gods and Goddesses do not have to exist in reality in order to do good or perpetrate murder and mayhem, for that matter. My own favorite deities were the Egyptian, Greek and Roman in that order. Of course to understand the Judea Christian story one must journey deep into the mists of time to Mesopotamia and Babylon and look at the myth of Gilgamesh which gave birth to the book of Geneses. Of course Abraham came from this area and brought with him the worship of Shamech, the Sun God and the story of the great flood from the Babylonian history. There is Archeological evidence that in Neolithic times the area between the two rivers did suffer a devastating flood that changed the topography and eliminated two other rivers.

Since the Israelites Came out of Egypt and spent generations in Babylon one has to look at how they and their religion grew out of these influences. The Babylonian God of the sun Shamech was the name given to the eternal light, Nur Tamid which burned in the Jewish temple. The Egyptian name for this God was Aton Re, and in past cultures was part of Isis the Mother Deity of Egypt known to the Greeks as Aphrodite and the Romans as Venus.

Venus is the morning star known astrologically as Virgo or Lucifer the bringer of enlightenment i.e. knowledge. In Neolithic Mesopotamia she was Inanna the snake god of love and fertility, or Enki the god of earth and water Enlightenment was anathema to the early Christians consequently knowledge was of the Devil. It still is.

Ancient Hebrews known as Hyksos or Haribari meaning Shepard Kings frequently attacked Egypt around the Delta and eventually took over that era and ruled Lower Egypt for 108 years, their 15th dynasty having six kings. They introduced Egypt to the horse and chariot and the compound bow. These people were monotheists, practiced circumcision and eschewed pork. They were eventually defeated and driven out, though many were egyptianized and remained keeping their own god.

If we can jump ahead to the 18th Dynasty in 1353 and to the Pharaoh Amenophis III and his correspondences with Tushratta, the king of Mitanni We must look at the preserved Amarna letters, which are available to read to this day in cuneiform on clay tablets. These are in the Berlin Museum of Egyptology together with the bust of Nefertiri who looms largely in this history and as you will see she became the actual founder of the present day Christian monotheism.

King Tushratta had a fifteen year-old daughter of great beauty whose name was Tadu Heba. King Tushratta proposed this girl for wife to the 43 year-old Pharaoh Amenophis III. She was accepted and journeyed into Egypt taking with her great wealth and servants, and her sun god Shamesh. Her marriage to the Pharaoh lasted until his death eleven years later after which she married his son Amenophis IV aged eleven. Because of her great beauty the Egyptians gave the Queen the name Nefertiri which means, “She who walks in beauty.” Nefertiri introduced her religion of the Sun God Shamesh who in Egypt was a minor god Aton to her young husband, and upon adulthood and under her influence the young Pharaoh changed his name to Akhenaton and decreed that this was to be the one god of Egypt and that Amun and all other gods were to be deposed. He created a capitol city dedicated to Aton and plunged Egypt into a bloody civil war to enforce his new religion.

As history shows this monotheism brought on a plague of intolerance and violence under which our planet suffers to this very day. The remaining Hyksos and Haribari took to this religion, but went underground when it was stamped out by Horemheb after the death of Akhenaton and his follower Tutankhamen

Monotheism festered in Egypt until in the 19th. Dynasty in 1269 when their mobs robbed the Egyptians and set off into the desert crossing the sea of reeds into Canaan. They had changed the name of their god from Aton to Adon meaning Lord or in Hebrew Adonoi meaning our lord. The followers of Adon under Moses became violent killers and sacked the land of Canaan murdering men, women, and children and all their animals. From this religion spread out a long history of war and bloodshed until the Romans lead by Pompeii conquered the land in 63 BCE. In Roman times the legend of Jesus arose, though there is no historical proof that he ever existed. He is not mentioned by Josephus in his history of the period.

Christianism became a cult that flourished in Rome, and became violently opposed to Roman Mithraism, smashing their temples and destroying their artifacts. Purges were instituted against this violent monotheistic cult, but it survived, later to be imposed on Rome by Constantine who actually founded the Catholic Church and laid down its dogma in the fourth century C.E. in Nicia.

In the 6th century Islam also sprang from this root. From this time on these two monotheistic religions have split into various cults and continued brutal warfare against all and sundry and especially against the Jews who were their founders, The first Crusade was instigated in the 12th century by Pope Urban II when he ordered his armies to wipe out the Cathars an intellectual and advanced religious group in the South of France. They were all burned alive, and their goddess was Isis. Later the Knights Templar were also murdered for their treasure The Crusades and the inquisition made the whole world run with blood and permanently drove a wedge between Islam and Christianity.

Freemasonry sprang from the Templars, and in fact founded our constitution remaining true to Isis or Virgo if you like and trying to keep religious influences out of our politics. However the Monotheistic religions are still to this day murdering millions in the name of their various cults. These cults are responsible for the overpopulating of our planet, for the subjugation of women today and throughout the ages, for slavery, pedophilia in the Catholic Church, and Protestant puritanical attitudes toward sex contraception abortion and even stem cell research. In my estimation dogmatic religion is a curse on the world which thrives in ignorance and darkness, and in my view the only way to survive it is through a diligent search for knowledge through free and comprehensive education based on historical truth with the goal of total enlightenment. Lucifer i.e. Knowledge can never be evil.

Tony Adler
Cotati

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ViewPoint Inspired - Advice on Eating Habits

Mitch Darnell offers advice on personal matters to readers. Contact Mitch with your questions via e-mail at foreverinspired@surewest.net.

Dear Mitch,

Recently I've been spending way too much time thinking about my eating habits. I would say that, in general, I'm a pretty healthy eater. I don't eat fast food, drink soda, or consume sugar or (much) artificial sweetener. I keep my portions under control and try to stay away from any fried or processed food while sticking mostly to fish, salads, sushi, etc. The only negative things I can pinpoint about my diet are that I often have to pass on breakfast (I'm ALWAYS running late) and I often work till midnight or later at my job so I either don't eat dinner or eat really late.

Lately, I've been feeling really guilty every time I eat. I know that I'm trying to eat as healthy as I can, but I just get this unexplainable guilt that's telling me that I'm eating too much even when I know I'm not. I start to feel like I'm going to gain weight, and at times feel like I have gained weight (when in reality I haven't). I live a very active lifestyle, work out pretty regularly, and am in good shape so WHY am I feeling like this all the time? Is this normal and or healthy, and if not how can I change my attitude?

Good ‘N Guilty
Granite Bay
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Hey Good,

“Don't let love interfere with your appetite. It never does with mine!” – Anthony Trollope

The fact that you’re reaching out to get information says to me you’re a pretty healthy person! Meanwhile, MANY of us have conflicting relationships with food!!

I’m not a food issues specialist. Meanwhile, I certainly can relate to the many stories we all hear and repeat about food, like: “eating too much” or “too little”… “dieting”… and, well, about 10,000 other narratives…

To be honest, your story sounds like a pretty “normal” person dealing with life’s stress and challenges. In the meantime…

º If’s there’s any possibility of this being a serious, health and/or life-threatening issue, definitely contact your doctor immediately. For examples, if…

∙ Those who love you have expressed relevant genuine concern - the key being “genuine
concern”. Many people declare “concerns” which are really fear-based thoughts that may have
no bearing on your own reality and/or are truly expressions of other agendas (such as a need to
criticize others, or to be a caretaker, or….).

∙ Your weight “yo-yos” or has taken an extreme loss or increase – Note: A doctor can tell you what is “extreme” – of concern.

∙ You have eating-related habits which concern you or loving family or friends.

These are all situations which should be brought to your doctor’s attention. If she/he sees a need to provide you with direction and/or resources for “help”, perhaps you’re on track to gain some control over something that’s not working well for you.

Meanwhile, your doctor is a trained professional with his/her own subjective opinion. He/she can be a good resource, but you’re best advocate is your own self. Research is very easy today via the internet. Just know that no two persons’ experiences are the same. What may sound like “my situation” may really be a projection of another’s challenges!

Your question is about guilt feelings “every time (you) eat”. That’s a bummer… And your answer(s) may come from a variety of areas…

º Some people experience symptoms of childhood-based messages. These messages may
subside in our subconscious for years, suddenly revealing themselves in response to unknown
triggers. Common “triggers” may include:

¤ Reaching a certain age – such as the age at which a parent experienced something
apparently relevant to food, eating, lifestyle habits…

¤ Entering a specific life stage – such as the age at which a parent experienced… (like the
age item, above)…

¤ Experiencing a “normal” biological or psychological activity or challenge – you know,
like a child moving, job change, aging, injury, someone’s pregnancy, winning a
drawing… It’s amazing how many otherwise innocuous, or seemingly unrelated
experiences can be psychosomatically connected to eating symptoms.

¤ Experiencing life’s increasing stressors! Your lifestyle sounds like almost everyone
nowadays… Trying to “keep up” just to “maintain”. Our hyper data-overload lives
(24/7 bombardment from the internet & cellphones) are commanding our resources,
leaving most of us with little or no feelings of control over our lifestyle behaviors and
choices.

∞ SPECIAL NOTE: The fact that, “…almost 70% of our corn, 90% of our soy and 75% of our processed food now contain neurotoxins, novel proteins and allergens” can mean psycho-emotional responses could result from these facts! What we eat dramatically affects our entire being!
(Quote source: www.americanchronicle.com/articles/57824)

You sound like someone who strives to be responsible… probably are handling an ever-increasing load of responsibilities… and might be a bit overwhelmed?!... Possibly even feeling a bit “out of touch” with your own self! Mix in a dose of guilt for being imperfect, and the myriad of conflicting stories about what’s “good” and “bad” to eat…

Anyone out there who never feels inadequate and ineffective sometimes?! If so, you are a guru!

◊ Your life is a marathon. Consider the possibility that you can maintain an awareness
which allows you to define your current lifestyle as a “stage” … And that you can set goals
for your next stage(s) which honor how you’d like to live your life overall during this
marathon!

◊ Some good habits (like daily deep breathing and drinking lots of water) can reduce some
of the consequences of stress and/or poor life habits.

◊ How would you feel if one of your friends or family members were saying exactly what
you’re declaring. What might you tell him or her… particularly about their value as a
human being?

◊ As Mr. Trollope said, “ Don't let love interfere with your appetite”. While that’s a
humorous proclamation, there is a nugget there. How does your search for love
and/or acceptance relate to food? Any connection with your deeper desires and needs?

¤ Perhaps it’s time to develop a new relationship with eating and food. Some options…

◊ www.americanchronicle.com/articles/57824 - “Our Intimate Relationship With
Food” – great articles.

◊ Dr. Jim Donoghue, a uniquely integrous, empowering Chiropractor here in
Sacramento is always a great resource! Contact him: 916/486.2663. His Clinic
(“Advantage Chirocare”) is at: 2410 Fair Oaks Blvd., #226, Sacto., 95825!

◊ Summit Eating Disorders & Outreach Program: http://www.sedop.org/

Using any illicit drugs is almost a sure ticket to mind-body-spirit problems. Concurrently, over-the-counter or prescription drugs can trigger uncomfortable or even dangerous emotions and/or physical symptoms .

As I noted earlier, do your research and know that no one will care for yourself as well as you can... As long as you allow yourself to be imperfect, appreciate the stress load you’re carrying in life, and love yourself for being one of God’s children… as you are.

Namasté ~
Mitch

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

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POEM - A grandmother's Love and Touch

Jenny Orvino, poet and grandmother, writes a love poem to her 8 week old grandson.

Physical Therapy at 8 Weeks (working title)

I stood by with a palm-full of baby lotion
the therapist dipped out to massage your back and chest.
You slumped over her hand like a miniature old man
gone soft and flabby, only you are at the beginning
of your long life. Placing you on your back
she nudges you at the hip until you flop over
trapping your arm beneath your body, and we--
cooing at the mattress edge--start to cheer
"Go Theo!" as you get mad, cry, use that energy
to free your arm. Grandmother, mother, father all applaud
as you soft scramble toward us, bracing your feet
on the therapist's palm, and leaving trails of drool
on the white expanse of sheet.

The night before, I cut off the sleeves of your
zero-to-3-month onesie to sew a "muscle shirt,"
the better to stretch your arm, the better to see and name
latissimus dorsi, trapezius, deltoids, the better to push yourself up
during "tummy time" on your plump left arm and its dimpled
two-inch forearm with five vestigal fingers
curving in a smile in place of your hand.

Baby's first words may well be:
"This is a Manhattan-bound Q train, next stop Prospect Park."
Every 20 minutes I hear the subway (in this part of Brooklyn
above ground) announce its destination.
The clack-clack, clack-clack, clack-clack, clack as it rolls out
has become white noise, but the female voice is something new
and keeps me awake more than midnight feedings.

I gave you a bottle of breast milk
to let my daughter rest a bit; you fell asleep on my lap,
nestled on the faded flannel of my grannie jammies.
Holding you like that, I clicked up my email
for Christmas morning messages and answered them,
typing with one hand and no shift key,
in truncated text language of which I usually disapprove.
How many years from now,
will the five fingers of your right hand,
skim over a keyboard like this, fast as ten?

January 1, 2009
Jennie Orvino

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Movie Reviews: Milk and Frost/Nixon

History repeats itself 30 years later and two films, Milk & Frost/Nixon, capture the lessons we should be learning. This time, we need to get it right.

Movie Reviews: Milk & Frost/Nixon

By Vesta Copestakes

It’s not common for me to watch movies, but two films drew me to the theater this holiday season because they both received reviews that made me believe they were bringing important parts of our history to film: Milk & Frost/Nixon. I didn’t put the 2 & 2s together until I saw both films that these movies are about the same era in history, 30 years ago, and that they are also both about history repeating itself.

Even though I was young and aware in the mid to late seventies, I don’t think I was as aware as I believed I was at the time. In the case of Milk, I can see that being straight and middle class white, my awareness of profound discrimination against homosexuals was more an abstract injustice. I had experienced racial prejudice and it’s negative impact, but hadn’t seen too much homophobia, mostly because I lived in a very straight world.

Discrimination of any kind has always offended me, but this kind didn’t touch my life. Now that I am older and have many gay friends, I know from experience the profound impact of homophobia. What knocks me over is how the worst offenders are people of Christian faith. I am convinced that Jesus would never approve. My impression of the teachings of Jesus is that he taught us not to judge, but to love all people the way his father had taught Him. How can these righteous people stray so far from the path they insist they are following?

What I saw in Milk was the same battle we just fought over Proposition 8, but then it was Proposition 6 and far more reaching in its discrimination. It was a hate movement designed to segregate a huge part of our population using the tools of fear.

Our Prop 8 is about marriage. That Prop 6 was about every aspect of life where a homosexual would come into contact with the heterosexual world. Ultimately, Prop 6 failed. It was a huge celebration of life and acceptance for so many that lead us to believe much of the battle was over, especially here in Northern California where we thrive on acceptance and tolerance.

Try to imagine a world without homosexuals and you lose huge contributions from the work force, from our economy and from the benefits of their participation in our mutual life. What blew me away the most was the massive support from black churches. I simply have yet to understand how a huge part of our population which has suffered immensely from discrimination, could support discrimination toward another group. Hypocrisy is not strong enough a word. I can’t make sense of that one.

So we became complacent as we grew to see that there are no differences in the love between a man and a woman from the love between a man and a man or a woman and a woman. The Gay Rights movement had become so used to a higher level of acceptance, they didn’t seem to see the battle raging as strongly as it really was. We have much work to do. This one needs to go to the Supreme Court and be challenged as a basic human right in our country. We are the land of equality and justice for all. There are no exceptions to the word ALL

And in the case of Frost/Nixon I was simply elated at the time that Nixon was out of office, bummed that he got off Scott free, but the bottom line was that the war in Vietnam came to an end over time and the draft that so plagued my generation was put to rest. It was the Draft that brought us to the streets in protest of the wrong war. Not that there ever really is a right war. But our war took every young man and pulled him into service whether he believed in the cause or not. Females were free to live. Males were prisoners of the system.

The Gulf and Afghanistan/Iraq wars distinguish themselves as being fought by all volunteer forces, so it’s hard to complain. These young men and women believe in what they are doing and volunteer to do it. But these modern wars are still as wrong as the Vietnam War, and clearly illustrated in the movie, the bombing of Cambodia by Nixon was just as power hungry and based upon a lie as the invasion of Iraq. The very same abuse of power we have witnessed in the Bush administration was the violation of our power structure and government system of which the Nixon administration was guilty.

Nixon got to retire in wealth and comfort rather than die in prison where he belonged. He betrayed our trust, he broke our laws and he was guilty of crimes against humanity. The Bush administration is just as guilty and they, too, will play golf, lecture, live in luxury, etc. until the day they die. At least with Nixon, he had his moment of truth in the famous interview with David Frost. We can only hope the same will be true with Bush, Cheney and the gang. The future will become the present and we’ll find out.

Ultimately, I was impressed with both the quality of these two films and how they portrayed the repetition of history. Sometimes we need to re-live a lesson to learn it. Hopefully, we’ll get it right this time. Two steps forward, one step back, but forward movement none-the-less.

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Images of Sonoma County Coast

Here are a few images to inspire you to take a drive out to our stunning Sonoma County Coast. I have the privilege of visiting the Coast every month when I deliver newspapers to our coastal communities. - Enjoy!

Kayakers in Jenner heading toward the mouth of the Russian River

Lucas Wharf fishing boats & “watchbird”.

Biologist coming to shore in Bodega Bay

All Photos © Vesta Copestakes 2008

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Writers Forum proudly presents Teresa LeYung Ryan

Circle of Sharing for Writers

Teresa LeYung Ryan will lead a fun brainstorming session to take our writing careers three steps closer to our big goals.

Writers Forum proudly presents Teresa LeYung Ryan
Thursday, February 19, 2009 - 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Petaluma Community Center, 320 No. McDowell Blvd. Petaluma
$15 at the door

"Writers SWAP MEET & Sharing"

Teresa LeYung Ryan will lead a fun brainstorming session to take our writing careers three steps closer to our big goals. "YOU, talented writers, hold the golden keys to success," says Teresa, who believes we can make our dreams come true with the help of friends, colleagues, and mentors.

Choose two items from the following list and bring them to the Forum on February 19th:

· From the Association of Authors' Representatives, Inc.'s website www.aar-online.org, look at their database of agents and print out a few pages;
· Submission guidelines from 3 agents (usually on their websites);
· List of clients from 3 agents (also usually on their websites);
· Home page of 3 publishers;
· A magazine or newspaper that accepts “first person” type stories (WCG is one of these!);
· Submission guidelines from 3 magazines or 3 literary journals;
· Home page of an on-line publication that pays contributing writers;
· Name and contact info of a writers‚ colony;
· Submission guidelines to a local and national writing contest;
· Bio and list of events of a living author you most admire (usually on their websites);
· Date and location (and focus) of a writers‚ conference that you've been dreaming of attending http://writing.shawguides.com;
· Name of your favorite bookstore and their calendar of events;
· Your local library's list of events;
· Your community calendar of events (newspapers, on-line calendars, your city's website, and city's cable channel as well).

Teresa LeYung Ryan is a manuscript consultant and career coach for writers. She helps her clients identify their themes and polish their manuscripts, market themselves to agents and publishers, and map out their careers.


Teresa's mother-daughter novel, Love Made of Heart, is archived at the San Francisco History Center, recommended by the California School Library Association, and is used in Sociology classes and Advanced Composition/English-as-a-Second-Language classes.

Website: www.LoveMadeOfHeart.com
PHOTO of Teresa by Cheri Elpin

Writer's Forum - Petaluma
Presented by Marlene McCullen
www.thewritespot.us

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Marin County Homeless Youth on KRCB-TV

Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity

Locally produced documentary highlights youth homelessness in Marin, featuring the local non-profit group “Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity” on KRCB Television 22, Sunday January 4, 2009 at 11:00pm.

Peter Coyote narrates Youth Homelessness… A Growing Trend, a story of the challenges youth face while trying to raise themselves on the streets. They share the problems they experience with existing services and real solutions that need to be implemented.

“We want to continue to spread the word about youth homelessness, because Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity believes that early intervention with this age group can prevent the formation of destructive and costly life-long patterns,” according to Zara Babitzke, AHO Founder.

Babitzke, formerly homeless herself, is founder and director of Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity, a Mill Valley nonprofit devoted to helping Marin's homeless young adults through services, community awareness and political action. "These young people are bright, articulate, creative -- they are not the perception that people have of the homeless," said Babitzke. Ambassadors for Hope assists young people in 11 cities in Marin County, including San Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley and Sausalito.

The young adults you see in Youth Homelessness… A Growing Trend are youth who have turned their lives around from a life of homelessness. These young people are now community leaders paving the way toward change both locally and statewide.

KRCB Public Television broadcasts from studios in Rohnert Park, CA, on Channel 22 and is seen over the air in Sonoma, Marin, Napa, and parts of Lake and Mendocino counties. KRCB is also seen on Channel 22 via Comcast Cable, and Dish and DirecTV satellite services across the entire San Francisco Bay Area. Streaming at krcb.org

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Gardening in Sonoma County - Winter Gardens

Wake Up Your Winter Garden

Greetings Sonoma County Gardeners! I am Gail Fanning, your new garden columnist at the Gazette: I am so happy to be writing this column for you and Vesta; I hope it will be a long and lasting association. I have been a gardener all my life, inspired by my grandmother, a passionate gardener with a wonderful bamboo jungle irresistible to me as a child. I have lived and gardened in Sebastopol for twenty-five years.

As a professional garden designer, I specialize in helping the “do-it-yourself” homeowner develop practical, economical plans for their personal outdoor spaces. I believe that we can all have beautiful, pleasing outdoor spaces, even on a limited budget. I hope to inspire you to enjoy the your garden more: time spent in the garden is a restorative for the soul and spirit, as well as good exercise.

Today I would like to talk about the process of developing a garden which is beautiful year round. Here in coastal California, unlike much of the world, we are blessed with the possibility of a garden which is alive and changing right through the winter. I delight in designing gardens full of interest, color and structure in all four seasons. In a well planned garden, you will be able to walk out any day of the year and pick a lovely bouquet. My Thanksgiving table featured bright pyracantha and cotoneaster berries, golden yellow buddleja blooms, the glowing reddish-orange foliage of leucadendron ‘Safari Sunset’, glossy green ceanothus leaves, and the final buds of one of my favorite roses ‘Hot Cocoa’.

So, if you are looking out your windows over a bare and boring ‘winter’ garden, don’t despair: here are a few tips for energizing your landscape. Grab your Sunset Western Garden Book (a book that no gardener should be without) and turn to the page on Shrubs, then look for the section titled “Winter, Evergreen”. This is an excellent starting point for developing a list of plants for your garden that are beautiful year-round, and also bloom during this dreary time of year.

Old garden favorites on this list include camellias and daphne; I also love the Australian grevillea ‘Noelli’, the viburnums (Viburnum tinus ‘Spring Bouquet’ is my favorite), and the heaths (my Erica canaliculata is covered in pink at this moment). All of these do well in our area with proper care (see your Sunset for specific needs).

Now that cooler weather has come and the rain is starting, California natives are coming out of their summer dormancy: my Ceanothus ‘Joyce Coulter’ is already covered with gorgeous blue blossoms! The coyote brush (Baccharis) is blooming, the cleveland sage (Salvia clevelandii) is producing loads of glowing silver leaves, and the berries on the toyon are spectacular now. All of these native shrubs will add winter interest to your garden; just be sure to give them well-drained soil in full sun (if you have heavy clay try them in a raised bed).

As you consider these possibilities for creating a winter beautiful garden, be sure to keep in mind the micro-climate in your garden: is it sunny or shady, windy or protected, wet or dry, clay or sand, in the area where you will be planting? How much space do you have: can you use a toyon that will grow to 15 feet, or would a low mounding salvia be better? Aim to put the right plant in the right place so that both you and the plant will be happy!

Are you inspired to add a few shrubs to your garden now? Take your list in hand, read the plant details in your Sunset book, then head out to the nurseries to see the real thing. Or, if you’re feeling overwhelmed with the choices, call me for a consultation!

Join me on Saturday mornings at 10:30am for free gardening classes at Bassignani’s Nursery in Sebastopol. The next class is Saturday January 10: I will teach about selecting and pruning roses. If you have a topic or question you would like to see addressed in this column, e-mail me at bluehilldesign9@aol.com: I hope to hear from you!

Check out Gails's web site at www.bluehilldesign.shorturl.com

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Volunteers Needed to Plant Redwood Trees

Volunteers are needed to help plant on beautiful Sonoma County
lands on January 9th & 10th

This January, Forest Unlimited will be planting approximately 1,500 two-year old bare root redwood seedlings for reforestation and erosion control at Sunset Beach Regional Park, Steelhead Beach Regional Park, Shone Farm (the agricultural educational facility of SRJC), and St. Dorothy's Rest above Camp Meeker. The only thing we are in short supply of are volunteers to help plant the trees. Supervised children are welcome.

The planting dates are on Friday, January 9th and Saturday, January 10th. On each day, we will rendezvous at 8:30 a.m. The morning session will end at around 12:30 and the afternoon session will end around 4:30 p.m. We could use your help, even if you can plant for only half of one day. All equipment and a free indoor lunch, including drinks and snacks, will be provided. Vegetarian food will also be available.

The seedlings average about 18-inches in height and are not difficult to plant.
These trees will be “forever protected.”

To sign up and/or to ask any questions:
Carl Wahl, Project Manager, at 874-9268 or mcwahl@poetworld.net,
Bob Nelson at 874-1740 or at ebnelson@sonic.net,
Rick Coates, Forest Unlimited Executive Director, at 632-6070 or rcoates@sonic.net, and
Larry Hanson, Forest Unlimited Board President, at 887-7433 or kimlarry2@comcast.net.

For further information regarding rendezvous locations, appropriate attire, etc., please read the “Supplemental Volunteer Information” sheet below.

Thank you - and please pass this message along to anyone interested in helping. This is an excellent educational experience as well as a great opportunity to be part of the envoironmental solution for generations to come.

Town Hall Coalition
6741 Sebastopol Ave. Suite 140
Sebastopol, CA 95472
707-824-4371
www.townhallcoalition.org


Forest Unlimited is a 13-year old 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation headquartered in Cazadero. Its mission is to protect, enhance, and restore the forests and watersheds of Sonoma County. Please visit our website at www.forestunlimited.org.
Please tell your friends, and thanks.

Redwood Seedling Reforestation Project
Supplemental Volunteer Information

On behalf of Forest Unlimited, thank you so much for volunteering to help with this season’s redwood seedling planting event.

We will be planting on two dates—Friday, January 9th and Saturday, January 10th. If you have not yet done so, please contact either Carl at mcwahl@poetworld.net or 874-9268 or Bob at ebnelson@sonic.net or 874-1740 with your date preference(s).

On Friday, we will rendezvous in the parking lot in front of the Union Hotel restaurant in Occidental at 8:30 a.m. We’ll explain the day’s itinerary, form car pools, and depart for the day’s planting site near Camp Meeker by around 9:15. We will have lunch in the dining hall at St. Dorothy’s Rest.

On Saturday, we will rendezvous just inside the entry gate to Shone Farm (located about 1-mile north of River Road at the intersection of East Side Road and Trenton Healdsburg Road) at 8:30 a.m. We will then divide into two groups with one group going to the nearby county parks on the Russian River and the other to the campground area at Shone Farm. We will all meet at the Dutton Pavilion at Shone Farm for lunch.

Please dress for the occasion. The county parks will have considerable exposure. Dress warm, consider layered clothing, use sunscreen, bring a cap, and wear comfortable boots. Waterproof boots (or slipover boots) will probably be a plus. Due to unpredictable weather, prepare to bring raingear. Consider bringing an additional pair shoes to wear in your car. Disposable latex gloves will be available. Bring work gloves if you prefer not using latex gloves.

Narrow trenching shovels and plastic buckets will be available. Most people will work in teams of two, and each team will be issued a kneeling pad. The terrain on Friday will, in general, be moderately sloped. The terrain on Saturday will be flat to slightly sloped.

In addition to improving the environment, we want you to have a good time. Preparation and proper attire are the keys to an enjoyable and rewarding experience—especially when planting in January.

Please contact us if there are any other questions and/or concerns. We need to keep a volunteer tally. If you cannot make the date, or wish to change dates, please let us know. Thanks again.

Sincerely yours,
Carl Wahl & Bob Nelson
Project Managers

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Adopt-a-Highway Program Needs to be Reinstated NOW!

Caltrans still has the Adopt-a-Highway program closed down.

New adoptions are not presently allowed and have not been so allowed for many months now.

For no good reason - see below.

It makes no sense for a hugely successful trash abatement program to be closed down when the state is in a fiscal crises.

Larry Stirling
San Diego

Ms. Saldana, please restart our Adopt-a-Highway Program

In 1985, the legislature enacted my Assembly Bill 2330 authorizing CALTRANS to undertake our hugely successful Adopt-A-Highway Program (AAP).

For nearly a quarter of a century, our AAP has permitted CALTRANS to “accept public donations of volunteer time, equipment, and materials for roadside maintenance and enhancement.”

“In addition to the aesthetic benefits of cleaner and more beautiful roadsides, participants prevent pollutants from entering our waterways.” recounts our highway department’s web site.

This program has been an unqualified success. Around 4,000 groups representing some 35,000 volunteers annually groom more than 12,000 roadside miles (about 65% of our highway inventory) in an attempt to stem the tide of litter that billows mostly from the backs of commercial trucks.

CALTRANS calculates that the amount of trash annually collected fills some 250,000 large plastic bags “… (E)nough bags to reach from Stockton to South Lake Tahoe or from Bakersfield to Disneyland.”

In addition to the inglorious work of schlepping up other peoples’ trash at 4,000 different locations, the AAP volunteers have also planted trees and wildflowers at 375 sites and scrubbed graffiti off of more than 300 highway walls and other structures.

CALTRANS estimates that this volunteer effort saves the taxpayers around 15 million dollars a year.

It also saves many Californian drivers from a twice-daily dose of visual blight.

Until this year, the AAP encountered very few problems as both AAP volunteers and private contractors have handled themselves remarkably well in spite of the dangerous conditions under which they work.

There was one volunteer who got bitten by a rattlesnake. But he was teasing the critter when it happened. Never wise. And a tragedy occurred when the boyfriend of a female volunteer cruised by to flirt with her. His illegally stopped car caused a tragic chain of accidents.

Otherwise, the AAP has been essentially untroubled for over two decades.

Sadly, that changed when San Diego Assembly Member Lori Saldana took umbrage at the fact that a group of men and women, who were concerned about lax border enforcement, organized themselves into a group named after our revolutionary war heroes “The Minutemen.”

In addition to augmenting the Border Patrol with their version of a “Neighborhood Watch” e.g. private citizens keeping an eye out for law breakers and reporting them to the police, the “Minutemen of San Diego” applied for and were granted a section of a local highway to clean up.

When the sign went up, Ms. Saladana led the charge among fellow legislative Hispanics to deny these volunteers the opportunity to pick up trash citing their views on illegal immigration and effectively demonizing them in the minds of CALTRANS authorities.

Duly responsive to the Hispanic legislative angst, CALTRANS bosses moved the subject sign to a less desirable location prompting a civil-rights law suit that reversed the CALTRANS decision.

Since then, mindful of Ms. Saladana’s concerns, CALTRANS has closed entry to the program until new rules and regulations could be promulgated that would satisfy Ms. Saldana and her fellow Hispanics.

And there the matter has sat for many months stalling the AAP program and robbing it of momentum by prohibiting new adoptions to replace organizations lost through attrition.

In addition, the several commercial adopt-a-highway companies, which clean up our roadsides at no public cost, constantly lose customers that they cannot replace though many are waiting. They must therefore lay off staff. It would be no surprise to learn that most such staff are Hispanic, the very people for which Ms. Saldana et. al. purport to care.

The leading case on this issue is Missouri v. Cuffley, a show-down between the State of Missouri’s AAP and a Missouri chapter of the hated KKK.

The KKK was denied an opportunity to participate in that states AAP because of their clearly stated racist views and the allegations that other KKK members had committed crimes.

The lower courts sided with the KKK (and the ACLU) pointing out that Americans citizens have a right to associate and even discriminate in their private affairs. Such is not government action and thus is not subject to the same constitutional limits. The Supreme Court agreed denying appeal without comment.

As far as I know, the Minutemen do not discriminate in admission to their membership on any ethnic or racial basis. And when it comes to crime, their situation is quite the opposite; they are militating FOR enforcing the law and against breaking it.

Whatever Ms. Saldana’s views on the fairness of our immigration laws which are much less rigorous than those of Mexico; we are still a nation of laws.

She should not let her personal pique interfere with the lawful conduct of the Minutemen nor should she continue to hinder the most successful volunteer program in the history of California.

Reinstate the AAP now!

Comments? Feedback - please e-mail Larry Sitrling at larry.stirling@sddt.com

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Environmental Awareness Promotes Water Conservation

Making the connection between the health of our environment and our water supply is essential if we, as humans, are to survive in concert with the critters. Every life form is dependent upon water. If we are to thrive, they too, must thrive.

By Vesta Copestakes
Over the years I have published this newspaper I have attended countless meetings about fresh water, wastewater, air pollution, potential developments, Timber Harvest Plans, etc. I listen to government officials, scientists & biologists, politicians and environmental enthusiasts, each with their own point of view and personal agenda. I want to be compassionate toward those whose opinions differ from mine. It’s not always easy.

I am in love with life itself and every little critter, every sunny, foggy or rainy day, the rustle of wind in trees…it all thrills my heart that I am alive and can bask in the beauty that surrounds us. I would love it if everyone who is responsible for this planet felt the same way.

Just the other day I attended a meeting where we came away feeling that we had saved something precious to us…Steelhead Beach Regional Park and the waters of the Russian River. There will be no pipeline of treated wastewater coming from Santa Rosa to dump directly into our river. Sigh of relief.

But I came home to a message that Sheephouse Creek Watershed* is about to be logged…again…and the most challenging part of the two plans proposed is that with all the budget cuts in our state government, there are no longer authorities in place to oversee the analysis of these Timber Harvest Plans. These in combination with previous harvests mean that 40% of the land in this vital watershed will have been logged.

That hurts, but what’s more important is that Sheephouse is in a vital watershed area that feeds not only the town of Jenner, but creeks in this area are where biologists are working to save endangered fish. Are the people in charge of all these projects talking with each other? Does one side know what the other side is doing? We can celebrate the acquisition of Jenner Headlands as now protected land, but what about further up stream?

After 11 years, Sonoma County has published the Biological Opinion (see WCG Extra! on westcountygazette.com for previous articles on this subject) and there is a small army of biologists studying the impact of river flow, etc. on numerous fish species. These scientists are literally out in boats on the river sampling water and counting fish.

They care for two reasons. One is because the Environmental Protection Agency has mandated that several endangered fish must be saved no matter what! And the other is because 600,000 people depend upon the water supply that works its way down the Russian River Watershed to the sea. The very water these fish depend upon for life.

When the Sonoma County Water Agency tells people they need to conserve water, they think about their lovely green lawns and how much money they have invested in landscaping. They think about their cars that need to be shiny and clean. They think about nice long, hot showers, clean laundry, etc. Fish just aren’t part of the equation to these water users.

But they are! Fish, rivers, trees, deer, birds, the very clouds in the sky…every miniscule aspect of life on planet earth depends upon water. So these biologists are out there trying to save endangered fish at the same time they are trying to preserve water for our cities and towns who depend upon this watershed when they turn on their faucets.

How do we get water users to CARE about the land, the fish, the birds and trees?

Fiction writers know that the number one rule for getting readers involved in their stories is to make the reader CARE about the characters in the story. The same goes for movies. You have to love them, hate them, feel sorry for them, relate to them, etc. etc. People are easy subjects to engage in emotionally. WE are people. We relate to other’s experiences. Been there, done that…know what that feels like.

How do we get people to see the connection we have with critters who depend upon our water supply. How do we get water users to CARE so much that they change the way they live?
In studies on how people eat, researchers have discovered that children who visit farms, see and touch the plants that grow their vegetables and fruits, have a higher interest in eating these healthy foods. It’s the personal experience connection. Would more people be vegetarians if they spent time in feed lots and slaughter houses? Some yes, others no. There’s no universal truth on how to connect with a person’s heart.

Since so much about caring and empathy has to do with personal experience, any outreach is bound to capture at least a few hearts. School garden programs give children a sense of wonder about the origins of their food. Field trips to parks and wildlife refuges instill a sense of awe about nature. Taking a canoe out on a river or lake makes water experiences intimate.

So many times when we want to make major changes we look to our children as the source of those changes into the future. Right now the future is too far away. Our children are not the only ones who need to care. We adults need to pay attention to our connections with endangered fish and how water that flows from our faucets is the same water in which they live. Both us humans and the fish are depending upon the very same water source for our survival.

Recently the World Conservation Congress revealed that 25 percent of the planet’s mammal species and one out of eight birds are close to extinction. These are not exotic animals in remote places. They are rabbits, deer, cardinals and turtledoves. Critters that we take for granted. Those trees on the hills we see in the distance are our connection to our water supply as well as homes for living beings struggling to survive.

It’s not us OR the fish…it’s us AND the fish. The sooner we experience that connection, the better our chance for survival. Us…right now…our children into the future…and those critters on the brink of extinction.

The moment of extinction is generally considered to be
the death of the last individual of that species

A recent study reports that nearly 40 percent of freshwater fish species
in North America are in trouble.

The study, published by the American Fisheries Society,
found that 457 species might already be extinct.

* See other WCG Extra! stories on the Sheephouse Creek Watershed Timber Harvest Plans under the ENVIRONMENT Category.

AND - check our this Documentary on KRCB Television 22
on January 11th at 10:30pm

A looming crisis under our feet....
KRCB Television 22 presents Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure

How many times each day do you count on there being abundant, clear water?
How would your life change if water were neither abundant nor clear?

Essential to all life on earth, water is the provenance of civilization. Throughout history, thriving cities have had in common the presence of a water infrastructure. Much of the original American infrastructure is unchanged and still in use today. There are risks associated with neglecting our buried assets. Liquid Assets focuses on the natural cycle of our water supply and addresses the health and environmental hazards that our cities face when industrial and residential districts unsustainably interface with the water cycle.

This ninety-minute documentary tells the story of essential infrastructure systems: water, wastewater, and stormwater. These systems - some in the ground for more than 150 years - provide a critical public health function and are essential for economic development and growth. Largely out of sight and out of mind, these aging systems have not been maintained, and some estimates suggest this is the single largest public works endeavor in our nation's history. Exploring the history, engineering challenges, and political and economic realities in urban and rural locations, the documentary provides an understanding of the hidden assets that support our way of life.

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Global Student Embassy Promotes Peace-Sebastopol

Traveling to Promote Peace
By Jasper Oshun

The Global Student Embassy (GSE) is a project that seeks to build a cross cultural dialogue between students in Sebastopol and their counterparts in Santa Fe, Argentina, and Zurite, Peru. The project, started in September, is beginning to catch the attention of our community.

Due to the fiscal sponsorship of the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center (SCCC), and the support of local businesses and individuals, the project is beginning to achieve grassroots success. My brother Lucas and I are grateful for our community’s involvement, evidenced by a successful November 14th fundraiser at the SCCC. The support of the community is vital to making this a successful project. We thank everyone for their support, and we are excited at the prospect of hosting 6 students and two teachers from Argentina and Peru this January.

Our motivation for the project arose from two ideals. Dissatisfied ourselves with our government’s foreign policies and approaches to international relations, we were heartened by the global community’s ability to view us as fellow-global citizens, not as agents of our government. This emboldened my brother and me to seek ways in which we could build extra-governmental relations with friends and enthusiasts of the project along our travels. Providing an opportunity for our South American participants to travel is inherent to the project. Secondly, we sought some way to maintain the passion, excitement and openness of mind we were accustomed to while traveling once we returned to Sebastopol. How could we, two recent college graduates, use our creativity to share the magic of exploring the world with our hometown community? The Global Student Embassy has become our answer.

GSE has three goals, the first being to enable travel for those who would not otherwise have the means or opportunity. The majority of existing exchange programs send privileged youths to study amongst other communities of relative privilege. We want to provide young people in low-income areas an opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of our community apart from the narrow representation of American culture that is pervasive around the world. The second goal is to establish a dialogue between communities that fosters understanding and learning through a commitment to public service. Significant contributions to our respective home-towns can be made through the energy and enthusiasm of our youth. Finally, we seek to broaden the horizons of our student participants to promote peace.

To achieve these goals, we teach a cultural awareness and international relations class one day a week at Analy. We explore the values of Sebastopol, its socioeconomic status relative to our sister communities, and the potential of youth to create positive change. Outside of class, our students discuss fundraising strategies, and develop and plan community service projects via Skype with the South American students. From mid-January to mid-February, 4 students from Santa Fe, Argentina, and 2 from an Andean village outside of Cusco, Peru will stay with local families, and engage in public service projects. Our schedule will include a bilingual soccer camp, cultural presentations to students at Park Side Elementary, Spanish classes at the Sebastopol Senior Center, environmental restoration work, a collaborative project with the Graton Day Labor Center, and local tourism.

Lucas and I will continue to fundraise as we work to expand the goals of GSE to other West County high schools. This spring we are planning to explore possible future sights of GSE, both locally and abroad. The Global Student Embassy is a simple idea that utilizes the increasing interconnectedness of the world to connect small communities. Through learning cultural differences, engaging in public service and sharing positive experiences, GSE aims to build peace around the globe. This summer, Lucas will lead a group of students to Santa Fe, Argentina, while I lead a group to Zurite Peru. We invite readers to learn more by calling 829-1026, or at www.seb.org.

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Eco-Tourism in Sonoma County

Sonoma County prepares for Eco-Tourism

Several years ago a group of people in the Sonoma County tourist industry realized that they needed to do something to extend tourism year-round so that our town's economy wouldn't rise and fall with the summer season…to have jobs extend throughout the year so the local economy could be more stable. Knowing that our greatest asset is the beauty of our land and sea and that our population is ecologically conscious and concerned, they created EcoRing, to encourage Eco-Tourism as a solution to both economic needs as well as environmental concerns.

By Dawn E. Bell

One of the things that separates Sonoma County from other California counties is the endless variety of experiences that can be had in these 1,768 square miles. The ones that we are most known for – vineyards, coastline and redwoods – continue to attract attention from throngs of tourists. Among these 7.4 million annual visitors, many claim an unforgettable first impression of our environment. The first impactful view of the wild Sonoma Coastline is an awesome encounter for many. The first walk through ancient redwoods can change the way one views the world there after. And a drive through the changing colors of hillside vineyards causes more shutters to click than a herd of paparazzi faced with their favorite celebrity. We who live here are not only privileged to live with these beauties on a daily basis, but also with the responsibility to care for them.

There are many organizations here whose purpose is to protect Sonoma County’s treasures. Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, Daily Acts, for example, focus on protecting and caring for our environment; offering natural docent tours, sustainable activities and education. But one organization is blending the best of stewardship with tourism and is poised to help create economic growth through ecotourism: EcoRing. “This is where the river meets the sea and where a kayaker can float up to a seal pupping area, view the great blue heron or watch an Osprey hunt for dinner in its natural habitat” said Toni Tacoma, President of EcoRing. “All of these elements lend themselves to the heart of eco-tourism: responsible travel that sustains the local population. EcoRing expects to be a big part of the ecotourism market for many years to come and to help lead Sonoma County in conservation and tourism”.

Many countries around the world have focused their tourism dollars on eco-tourism. Countries like Costa Rica, Kenya and Australia where people can enjoy any number of protected natural environments. Countries where tourists can also find activities related to the great outdoor experience through “eco-adventures”. Whether it’s free diving off the coast of Australia, going on a photo-safari in Kenya or spotting rare birds in a Costa Rican rainforest, all Eco-Adventures are designed to promote tourism while protecting the environment.

But you don’t have to go to Australia to experience an exotic EcoAdventure. To international and domestic travelers alike Sonoma County is exotic and exciting. To many travelers Sonoma County is a wild place, filled with lush growth, fine weather, rolling hills and vistas unmatched in the world. Sonoma County will become an ecotourism destination famous for its conservation practices, the warmth of its people and the variety of activity. And EcoRing is leading the way to ensure exciting and safe adventure travel and opportunities.

According to a study by The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), 70% of British and Australian travelers would willingly pay up to an additional $150 per week to stay somewhere with a “responsible environmental attitude”. The TIES study also reports ecotourism has been growing 20%-34% per year since the 1990s. TIES analysts predict there will be a boom to eco-resorts and hotels and other nature (eco) tourism businesses in the coming year. “All of this is good news for eco-tourism and therefore, great news for Sonoma County”, said Tacoma.

A big part of EcoRing’s mission is to increase ecotoursim in order to positively impact local commerce and to help create new jobs through this effort. “By marketing eco-adventures, green stays and other environmentally important aspects of travel, EcoRing is poised to bring a lot of responsible travel to Sonoma County in the coming year”, said Tacoma. By working with nearly one hundred and fifty local adventure providers (hot air balloon rides, kayak companies, horseback riding, etc.), the EcoRing website (ecoring.org) provides a way for interested eco-travelers to find and book their green vacations, find out about the region and learn practical tips to being a green tourist.

EcoRing will continue to work with its affiliates like Stewards and Daily Acts to market all types of eco adventures. EcoRing will also oversee the sale of group tours and activities through work with outside contractors like travel agents, meeting planners and other hospitality and travel related industry professionals. Through these collaborative relationships, EcoRing believes its goals will be met and that success to this already popular region will increase in the coming years with the added benefit of new and extended employment and an environment that is maintained through thoughtful visitors.


ecoring.org
daily-acts.org
stewardsofthecoastandredwoods.org

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Holidays with Children - Creating Peace

Creating Peaceful Holidays With Children
This year I want to again share with you an article written by a colleague of mine, Pam Leo, author of the book, Connection Parenting. This article is profound and addresses specific ways and actions you can take to make the pre-holiday time as well as the holidays, joyful for yourself and your children.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!


“The Gift Every Child Really Wants”
by Pam Leo

Whether we observe Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Solstice, the holidays have become more stressful for many parents and less happy for many children. By the time we add shopping, wrapping, baking, decorating, and holiday events to our already busy schedules, we have less time than ever to spend with our children. When children don’t get enough attention from the people they love, their “love cup” gets empty and they feel disconnected and unhappy.

If adults try to make children happy by buying them more presents to compensate for spending less time with them, we teach children that “things” are supposed to make them happy. When gifts become a substitute for love instead of a symbol of love, children begin to measure how much they are loved by how many gifts they receive. The more empty their “love” cup, the more “things” children ask for to try to fill the emptiness they feel.

The saying, “You can never get enough of what you don’t really need,” is especially true for children. No matter how many gifts we buy for children or how much money we spend, if their “love” cup is empty, there will never be enough gifts to make them happy. When children with an empty “love cup” have unwrapped all their gifts, they are still looking for something more. The “something more” that children are looking for is something money can’t buy.

The gift every child I really wants, is the gift of feeling connected, loved, and valued. Those feelings can’t be found in any present or in any amount of presents. Children want to be with us and to do what we do. Feeling connected, loved, and valued comes from spending time with the people they love and from doing things with and for the people they love.

One of the best gifts we can give to children is the experience of the joy of giving. We can encourage children to make an “I want to give” list as well as an “I want to get” list. Children delight in giving their own gifts. When children are allowed and invited to fully participate in the holiday making, wrapping, baking, and decorating, they become more focused on what they want to give than on what they want to get. Children who feel connected, loved, and valued don’t need lots of gifts to fill their “love cup.”

We can break the “presents instead of presence” cycle by doing the holidays with our children instead of for them. Whether our children are still very young and we have a fresh beginning to create meaningful holiday traditions and rituals or we have older children who have been accustomed to receiving lots of presents, we can put the “happy” back into the holidays by filling our children’s “love cup” with connection instead of consumerism.

The following tips are for parents who want to create a “less stress - more joy” holiday season for themselves and their children.
• Make the decision that presents will not be or will no longer be the main focus of the holidays.
• Invite children to join in creating a list of fun and meaningful holiday activities the family can do together and a list of kindnesses your family can do for others.
• Request that family and friends honor your fewer gifts decision by asking them to show their love for your children in other ways. A one-on-one “Holiday Date” is a welcome gift and a wonderful way for family members to form closer bonds with children.
• Give children the means to give a few special gifts. Take a friend’s or a relative’s child shopping or help the child make a gift for his or her parents.
• Ask your children what one gift they want most and a second choice if that one is not possible. When children with a full “love “cup get one gift they really want, they hardly notice what else they do or do not get. Receiving one gift they really want satisfies more than opening ten gifts they don’t really care about.
• Try giving children their most special gift first instead of last. The reason children tear through opening presents and keep asking for another is that they are looking for that special one they’ve been hoping for. When they get their special one first they enjoy the rest more.
• Slow down the frantic pace of the holidays and reduce post-holiday let down by spreading out family and friend gatherings throughout December into January.

Most of all, we can stop trying to “do it all.” The people who really love us will still love us no matter what gifts we do or do not give them and whether or not we send greeting cards. We can tell family and friends that we are changing how we “do” the holidays and that we have decided to spend more time connecting with our children. When we slow down the pace and stop doing and buying too much, our children are happier, we are happier, and our holidays are happier.

--------------------------
Sharon Ann Wikoff’s passion is Listening 2 Children. She is an elementary teacher, piano instructor and an EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Practitioner. EFT is an excellent way to reduce anxiety, stress and/or emotional upset for both children and adults. She may be contacted at (707) 543-6355.

Pam Leo is the author of Connection Parenting: Parenting through Connection instead of Coercion, through Love instead of Fear. You can read other articles by Pam on her website www.connectionparenting.com

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2009 Home Loan Limits - New Rules!

2009 Loan Limits - Sexy!

So……. Loan limits eh? Pretty exciting stuff Hans! Yeah well it may not be that exciting but if you are thinking about buying a home it is very important. So here’s the scoop, our loan limits in Sonoma County have gone up.

Our basic conventional loan limit for 2008 was $417,000 but Congress voted in higher loan limits for conforming and FHA loans (as high as $729,750). It was a bit of a mess. We had one set of rules for loans up to $417,000 and an entirely different set of rules (and higher rates) for loans above $417,000. The bottom line is that Congress told my industry what to do but did not tell us how to do it and so it didn’t help as many people as it could have or should have.

So for 2009 the new loan limits are..... insert drum roll here……… $417,000! HUH!?! Here comes my favorite part ……. There are provisions for higher loan limits in high cost areas. We’ve always had these in Hawaii and Guam but never anywhere else. Now we have them in any area that is determined to be a high cost area. Of course there are all kinds of rules and formulas but I will make it easy for you, here is the chart:

* The limit may be lower for a specific high-cost area; use the resources below to see limits by location.

In Sonoma County, our limit is $520,950 for 1 unit. In Marin and most of the bay area, the loan limit is the new maximum of $625,500. The limits are even higher in Hawaii and Guam.
The real news here is that there is only one set of rules and one set of rates. These new loan limits apply to FHA loans as well and that is a good thing. Normally if we had the kind of market that we have had this past year, our loan limits would have gone down. So we are actually making progress and on our way to actually helping the consumer.

As I write this, rates have just come way down and are currently hovering around 5% to 5.5% for a 30 year fixed rate loan. There is talk about the treasury investing in low priced mortgage backed securities. The goal is to drive mortgage interest rates lower. The plan is not fully cooked yet and they’re not sure if they will include refinances in this new offering or not. Read between the lines people - it’s just talk at this point.

So basically it is just another normal day in my crazy business. There’s a lot of speculation, there’s a lot of movement and volatility, and no one really knows what’s going to happen from day to day because we don’t have that crystal ball. If I did, I would be on white sand beach sipping a drink with an umbrella in it (virgin because I don’t drink).

Now remember, we can get FHA loans with 3.5% down up to a $520,950 loan amount. FHA has even revived an old program called FHA Access which will allow 100% financing. So not only is it a great time to buy but it could be a great time to refinance as well.

I welcome questions about home loans and the real estate market in general. Please let me know what you want to hear about in future articles.


Hans Bruhner, CMPS is licensed in CA & HI. If you have a question, please contact Hans at (707) 887-1275 or hans@hansblog.com . First Priority Financial, Inc. is licensed by the CA DRE #00654852. www.AskTheLoanMan.com

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SHARK BAIT: Answers to Legal Questions: Falling Trees

If YOUR tree falls on your neighbor's house - are you responsible for the damage? Debra Newby educates you on the Yes & Yes and Why and What you should do about it.

DEAR READERS: Do you have a legal question that has been burning on your mind (but are hesitant to ask an attorney…cha-ching; cha-ching)? If so, please send your questions to Debra A. Newby via email (contact information below). Your name will remain confidential. Although every inquiry may not be published, we will publish as many as possible. Finally, this Q & A Legal Column is intended as a community service to discuss general legal principles and does not create an attorney-client relationship.


Q: A tree in my yard seems to be a bit “side-heavy” and is leaning toward my neighbor’s house. I was wondering whether I should take some action…or if I don’t, whether I will be responsible if the tree falls during a winter storm and crashes into their home?
Signed: Watchful Eye in Sebastopol

Dear Watchful Eye: The short answer…”Yes”….and “Yes”. Plus, you get an A+ for timing—great question, especially in light of the rainy season being upon us. Now is the time for all readers to give a “health check” to all the plant life that supports us.

First, the basics. If a tree falls and causes damage to real property, the best course is for the owner of the damaged property to file a claim through their own homeowner’s policy. Rephrased, for purposes of getting the fallen tree off the home or fence, it doesn’t matter whose tree it is. The easiest course of action is for the owner of the damaged property to file an insurance claim ASAP. Homeowner’s have a duty to mitigate damages by preventing further damage.

If the tree was rotten, leaning, or in apparent need of trimming or removal, then the insurance company who paid the claim will argue that the tree owner was “negligent”, and in turn will try to recover whatever monies are paid out. This is called subrogation. Insurance companies have entire “swat squads” of subrogation specialist who try to recoup whatever monies are paid out when someone else was at fault. They are relentless, even without their flying jetpacks and colorful helmets.

So, if your tree was noticeably neglected and it falls, causing damage, someone will be knocking on your door soon...and they will insist that you pay for the damage, either out of your own pocket, or out of your insurance company’s pocket. Be warned: claims may affect your premium at renewal.

Next, you should also understand that not all property is covered. Typically, if a tree falls, only damaged real property is covered. This means if the tree crashed through a home, fence, patio, deck, swing set, or the household’s bicycles, the damage is covered. However, if the tree causes damage to the land, such as landscaping or exotic plants, no moola for anyone--resulting in one teed-off neighbor. The neighbor still may be emotional and attached to the damaged property as “irreplaceable”, even if the damage is covered by insurance.

Finally, if there is insurance coverage for the fallen tree, the adjuster will likely adjudicate the claim in three phases: 1) evaluation of how much it costs to remove the tree and repair the damage to real property; 2) how much it cost to remove the debris; and 3) the value of the tree itself in certain conditions (typically, no coverage for the tree due to wind and hail damage).

Bottom line…we should all be good neighbors like you and me and inquire whether our surrounding trees need attention. Before a mishap occurs you can and should take key steps: i) Inspect your trees and the surrounding property; ii) Retain the services of a respected arborist, if necessary, so that the sleeping giants remain healthy and vibrant; and iii) If the tree is near or on the property line, initiate discussion with your neighbor and reach an agreement on fairly splitting the costs of the arborist and whatever work is necessary for the health of the tree and the surrounding area.

Nature renews the spirit and is a key aspect of our existence. We are inextricably intertwined …she needs to be respected and preserved. As Alexander Pope, the 18th Century English poet, elegantly intoned:

All are but parts of one stupendous whole,
Whose body Nature is, and God the soul.



Debra A. Newby is a resident of Monte Rio and has practiced law for 27 years. She is a member of the California, Texas and Sonoma County Bar Associations and currently maintains an active law office in Santa Rosa. Her law practice emphasizes personal injury law (bicycle/motorcycle/motor vehicle accidents, dog bites, trip and falls, etc.) and expungements (clearing criminal records). Debra can be reached via email (debra@newbylawoffice.com), phone (707-526-7200), fax (526-7202) or pony express
(930 Mendocino Avenue, Suite 101; Santa Rosa, 95401).

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Recycling Paper, Holiday Trees and Electronic Wastes in Sonoma County

Your Watershed: When the Holidays are Over - Recycling Paper, Holiday Trees and Electronic Wastes in Sonoma County


After the holidays, you’ll likely be left with some cleanup—wrapping
paper and packaging—not to mention the tree itself. If your gifts include new electronic devices, such as a new flatscreen TV, laptop or digital camera, you might find yourself with the challenge of properly disposing of your old equipment. Luckily, there are many opportunities in Sonoma County to easily recycle your wastes.

Wrapping paper--- Recyclable paper makes up a large portion, 27%, of what’s going into our garbage in Sonoma County. Remember to recycle all non-reusable wrapping paper, carton and cardboard packaging in your single-stream curbside recycling cart. Only foil-backed and plastic wrapping paper cannot be recycled.

Packaging---If you accumulate packing peanuts and bubble wrap over the holidays, many local packaging stores, such as UPS Stores, are glad to accept these items for reuse.

Veggie food scraps--Compost your veggies! Fruits, vegetables, peels and seeds can be composted at home or put in the curbside yard waste carts for the municipal composting program. In fact about 35% of residential garbage is food waste, totaling nearly 800 tons a week in Sonoma County--a resource that could be used instead of landfilled.

Christmas trees--- Christmas tree