Final Fall 2019 - CA Sidetrip: Part 2

After 12 exciting days with kids and grands, Bill and I took a short excursion to Napa Valley to give all of us a break!!  Heading to the cute little Christmassy town of Sonoma was a good intro to this special season.  We wandered the town square, stopping to ask questions about the authentic old Sonoma Hotel, purchased tickets for "Judy" shown at the historic Sabastiani Theatre, and caught up on some football in the HopMonk Tavern (delicious Pumpkin Soup!) just minutes up the street from our AirBnb.

The Black Bear Diner was a perfect breakfast spot before heading out for the day .




We stopped briefly at the Vallejo Home, Spanish founder of Sonoma, to catch up on some local history, then were off to Castello di Amorosa in Callistoga for a guided tour of an amazing Italian castle and winery.

 

 

It was a picture perfect day,
even this shot from the Ladies' Room open window!


We then proceeded on to Granite Bay, just east of Sacramento, for a few days of rest and conversation with Ken & Nancy Hendren. However we took a slight detour to tour the free Jelly Belly Factory...fun!  Keith's parents were such great hosts, anticipating our every need: hot tub soak, beautiful master suite retreat, wonderful food, mini-tour of the area and scenic walk around Fulsom Lake.  The only regret...we did not get a photo together.

A Glory Over Everything by Kathleen Grissom

A satisfying sequel to Grissom's "Kitchen House".  She continues the story describing how Jamie (son of plantation owner Marshall and house slave, Belle) gets his freedom after landing in Philadelphia from Tall Oaks Plantation in northern North Carolina.

Jamie is able to pass as a cultured young white boy, thanks to his grandmother's love and educational assistance on the plantation.  Only as he is departing that home does he discover that he carries Negro blood, which causes a deep seated fear and panic as he faces unsettling crisis points in his life as an adult.

The author does a great job in transmitting the many emotional issues surrounding the characters, at this very difficult time in our history.  It is horrifying to realize how humans were mis-treated and the arrogance of the upper echelon; but also very gratifying to know that many others withstood personal risk to assist runaways.  The title indicates how freed slaves felt when the burden of slavery was lifted and they saw....a glory over everything.

Final Fall 2019 (Winter?) Shenanigans in CA - Part 1

Excited to have wonderful daughter-in-law Jenny Walker pick us up at the San Jose Airport on November 19!  We arrived to sunshine & mild weather and a house full of love with the five CA Walkers.  Summary of our 10 days: Bill/project, project, time off at cabin, project, sick for a day, breakfast with Ben, project, trips to Home Depot.... Mar/ trying hard for a few days to figure out how to best help Jenny (my analytical side), cabin time with all 6 grands, date with Abbott, reading to kids, picking up toys, cleaning up dishes, muffins with Evy & Ben, cuddling sleeping Elliott, cuddling sleeping Abbott, cuddling sick Aubrey, then sick for 24 hours, reading to kids, playing Racko with Evy, playing Twister with all 3, a chilly family walk on the East side Santa Cruz beach & hot cocoa afterwards-just before the rain! A great couples' euchre game except the men won!!  Celebrating Thanksgiving together with great chatter around the very full table: 11 adults, 6 kids and a middle schooler! Lovely.