Fall visit to Healdsburg

We love going over to visit my baby sister and her husband in the fall. Normally we stop by on our way home from a summer in Oregon, but this year we drove over a bit later in the year. The first day we were there the guys went fishing on Lake Sonoma and caught their limit of scrumptious Steelhead, which truly made Ken a happy camper. Sorry, no pictures because they were cleaned, made into fillets, and vacuum packed before I thought to get my camera!

Making this visit a bit later in the year meant that we were just in time to gather walnuts under their giant walnut tree growing in the middle of their vineyard, which we did on the second day.

See the big walnut tree in the background . . . growing right in the middle of their vineyard which supplies luscious grapes to quality vineyards in Sonoma County.

This tree spreads fifty feet.

As I walked under the tree and looked down there was a blanket of walnuts under my feet . . . I couldn't take a step without stepping on a walnut.

Here is my sister and brother-in-law with a neighbor's dog helping collect walnuts . . . between them and Ken and I, we collected two five-gallon buckets full of walnuts.

This is adorable "Scarlett Begonia" waiting patiently while I cracked a walnut for her . . . she loves eating walnuts and understands she can't crack the shell herself!

This picture is quite meaningful to me. Friday, I was able to easily hike out this far from our car to get to the walnut tree . . . that red speck is my sister, Jackie, hiking back to get the car to pick me up. I met her half way. Last year, at this time, there was no way I had enough oxygen to make it to the walnut tree. Praise God for great doctors!

Jackie and Rick love celebrating the "Day of the Dead" as celebrated in Mexico. I've never gotten into this holiday until recently, I guess since my brother and parents have died in the last ten years. She asked me to bring my paints to paint her a piece for her Day of the Dead altar, which I had fun doing on the third day of our visit. And of course we had the traditional "Posole" a delicious soup made from pork, or this time Jackie used turkey legs, and hominy . . . a great tradition we've enjoyed for several years.

Now you'd think I would have taken a picture of her altar . . . I did not. But maybe I can get her to send me a picture that I can add to this blog at a later time.

Here is the finished piece before varnish, which Jackie will spray on herself.

She just sent me this picture of her Day of the Dead altar. Some may think it's a bit creepy seeing skulls and skeletons, but after I understood the meaning of the holiday I realized it's a day to celebrate all your friends and relatives who have gone on before you . . . celebrating and remembering the life you had with them.

Our last night together we went to a new restaurant in town called "Agave" and enjoyed a great meal together while listening to a mariachi-type guitarist and singer. We had a great time with Jackie and Rick as we always do. Now they are off to their house in Baja for three and a half months to enjoy some sun while we enjoy our winter.

Life is good!