Snapshot

Fire season is over at last. This week, we’re bracing for wind, waves, rain and snow at elevation. Meteorologists predict a “bomb cyclone” as this goes to press, with four days of continuous rain. Not 40 days, notes Pierre Ratte with causal ease - after all, he filed his latest Snapshot from a Baja beach!

New England has deciduous woods. Colorado has quaking aspens. And Sonoma County has its straw hills and live oaks framing red, yellow and green vineyards. Mixed together, it's home.

Pierre reflects upon chance, perhaps in recognition of casting a vote. In times past, leaving decisions to chance was not unusual. The practice is mentioned over 85 times in the Bible. In a famous instance, Judas’ replacement was chosen by lot.

"For over 30 years, my daily pour has been a latté. Some years ago, I took a latté art class in Seattle. While it’s not every day that hearts and recognizable shapes like the one above get poured, it’s often enough that it is intriguing. What will my coffee look like this morning?" asks Pierre Ratte.

The name of the comet comes from China’s Tsuchinshan Observatory, which means “purple mountain.” It was discovered in January 2023. A month later South Africa’s ATLAS telescope observed it. Hence, two names for the comet given the close timing of discovery.

Pumpkins have been associated with Halloween since the 1800s when vegetable-carving traditions accompanied Irish immigrants to America. But pumpkin carving on Halloween stems from Celtic traditions to ward off evil spirits with figure carvings on root vegetables.

By Pierre Ratte These are just a few of the 100-plus people who came together two weeks ago at Lambert Bridge Winery to celebrate Healdsburg Forever. Healdsburg Forever? What exactly is Healdsburg Forever? It’s kind of a charity’s charity. Say, what? It’s kind of a “fund...

One-room schoolhouses were standard around the turn of the century. The Felta School was built in 1906. There were reportedly 132 other one-room schoolhouses in Sonoma County at that time.

"Look! It’s a two-eagle barn!” That’s what Dick said to Jim after passing an old barn and estimating the width of its central opening in Golden Eagle wingspans." - So begins Pierre Ratte's meander through history, philology, and ornithology in this week's 'Snapshot'...

Amazingly, lavender is in the mint family. Mint is known as a pick-me-up while lavender is a relaxant despite coming from the same botanical family: Lamiaceae.