Harvest Season

We are now headed into what Sonoma County refers to our Harvest Season. This is when the vintners begin to test the sugars in the grapes on the vine, the tomatoes are in full swing and the strawberries are at their sweetest.

I personally look forward to the tomatoes..It reminds me of when I grew up on a tomato farm. This is when your forearms turned green from harvesting tomatoes of all colors and sizes. It is a grown up easter egg hunt. The beautiful leaves leave the most wonderful smell on your arms and the sweet succulent tomato popping into your mouth when the sun has kissed it with a warm glow. It also creates a craving of fresh mozzarella and basil. Luckily I am always prepared in the Harvest season for these such occasions and have basil and mozz on hand at all times. I would hate to miss such an occasion by bad planning on my part. Off to the fields...

Summer and Fall when does one start and another begin

Since when does school start in the middle of August? Isn't August designed to be the hottest month for outdoor swimming and beach fun? I always thought when school started that was the beginning of fall and the end of Summer.

Living in California our Summer usually goes all the way through September and sometimes October. Out on the Coast the best time to visit are the outlying months of all seasons....early spring and late summer are so beautiful and still hold all of the beauty of the actual meat of the season with less traffic and people to navigate. I love the Northern California Coast because it feels like I am part of an exclusive group that few are invited to be a part of. I know that once the smell of salty air and a cool breeze hits my face that Summer is very much still here and there is no end in sight.

Camping

When you are planning a camping trip what are you most looking forward to? Is it the campfire, the time spent with your friends and family or is it the packing and unpacking of your car and food stuffs?

I like to think that it is the shared experience with family and friends. Spending uninterrupted time with the people we care about. Plus getting to go kayaking or hiking is also a favorite past time. Well when you stay on the Sonoma Coast at the Sea Ranch Lodge you get the best of both worlds. Uninterrupted fun with family and friends without the hassle of setting up a tent or making your own breakfast.

Whales

Today was an exciting day. 2 Pods of whales were passing by the property and they were close enough for all on the property to see. No Binoculars needed. They jumped, splashed, waved a tail or two and spouted water for all of us on the shore to watch in amazement. It was 15 minutes of pure bliss. I was in awe and then looked into the eyes of our guests and realized that we are all lucky today to get such an amazing opportunity.

Vacation

What does vacation mean to you? Is it getting away from work? Is it spending quality time with your family or friends?

Whatever a vacation is to you I think it should include a little bit of relaxing time without distractions. The distractions include, phone, email, internet, work..etc. Just some time to really take a deep breath long enough to enjoy the exhale. Hear your heart beat and ponder the next years tasks. Most days we get to caught up in what's next and not enough of really enjoying the moment.

I relax and listen to the waves crash as I wonder if this is really a body double for Heaven.

Body Double for Heaven

Recently I was at a seminar and heard someone refer to Sonoma County as the body double for Heaven. Boy did that get me thinking.

I think she was right. Why would we want to be any where else? We have it all and it is all relatively close to the next amazing place.

Driving through the vineyards and then the dairy farms on your way to Sea Ranch Lodge just helps remind me of the amazing place we call home. It also gets me thinking about the Slow-Food Movement and the farmers that are helping our chefs deliver such great items.

Not only are we the Body Double for Heaven but we are also the Caterers for Heaven with our abundance of amazing fruit and vegetables, fresh cheeses, grass fed meats and fresh local seafood.

I think I will like Heaven!

Sonoma County has such an amazing variety of adventures and things to see and do. Yes we have the best "Wine Country" but there is so much more to the county than just wine. We have winding rivers, beautiful white sand beaches, breathtaking cliffs with panoramic views, mountains, valleys, hiking, biking, you name it Sonoma County has it. Out on the coast we have all of the things that make Sonoma County great. Adults, children and dogs can all find something that they love out on the Sonoma Coast and will yearn to rediscover for all of their years.