Halloween and the Living's Easy in Sonoma County!

On this last day of October, I thought I would pass along a favorite photo of mine, taken with the Nikon Coolpix 5700 on a tripod from the bed of my pickup, showing what the vineyards look like this time of year. Care to guess the name of the winery? Hint: it's on River Road, west of Santa Rosa and East of Graton.




Just remembered this shot, taken last Thanksgiving, this in Alexander Valley at the Hanna Winery. If you need a recommendation for Thanksgiving dinner, their Sauvignon Blanc is one of Kay and my faves! Never fails to please.

Dogfish IPA Comes to Blue Note Stage in Sebastopol!!

And I have the picture to prove it:

Tesla Car Shown at Marin Center

Had a chance to check out a Tesla electric car yesterday in San Rafael which was part of a presentation to Autodesk employees. If you are not familiar with this car, which is what all electric vehicles want to be when they grow up, go to their website:
http://www.teslamotors.com/

Great example of viral video and new technology!

This link should take you to a sample, at my expense, of a new way to get a message out:

http://www.cnnbcvideo.com/index.html?nid=7QrXIfTRzaxve5KqWRH2HTk4NDA4MA--

Biden Slammed During Florida Interview, Same Anchor Gives McCain Softballs

Fine example of incompetent news anchor with an agenda. I doubt she wrote the questions herself.

Another bimbo, blonde at that, who should be off the air immediately.

I plan to use this segment in my media training classes as an example of just how bad an interviewer can be, and how to shut them up and like Biden, laugh at their foolishness.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Meditation Timer CD Available Again, Just in Time for the Gift Season!

Kay and I produced a meditation timer CD for her to use, since there was nothing on the market that worked for her. She has sold the CD in several Sebastopol stores as well as the Two Rock Center in Marin county. Now, we are making it available via the mail. Price is $19. which includes tax and shipping (media rate). If you need it faster, we can of course use USPS Priority mail, which knocks the price up an additional $2 bucks.
Pics show front and back. If interested, I can email you an audio sample.

More From Chuck on Astronomical League!

Chuck in KC points out "The Astronomical League is the country's, if not the world's, largest such organization for amateur astronomers."

And he sent me a preview of the next Reflector's cover:




He also suggests viewing this incredible little movie....

http://astrosurf.com/sguisard/SGU-Paranal-Magellan-UT4-V5-720x480-mus-en.avi

Ashley Todd Story Pushed By McCain Campaign Aide, Say Reporters

An example of the new, lowered journalistic standards practiced by our conservative media outlets.

As much as I bad mouth CNN, this time they at least didn't bite. But then again, they aren't part of the desperate right wing echo machine.

More later.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Bioneers, Cafe Mam and Tom Smothers- What a Week!!















Bioneers Conference in San Rafael from Thursday to Sunday. To learn more, it's best to go to their site...(http://www.bioneers.org/)conference very progressive, earth friendly organizations, always ahead of the "green" curve.
Also a site for some of my favorite coffee, Cafe Mam from Chiapos, Mexico, via Eugene, OR. Good stuff... and since they were the official coffee purveyors of the event, free morning French or Italian roast!!



Smothers Bros. in the news this week due to release of their CBS show from the 60's being released on DVD.... reminded me that I have a video I shot of Tommy doing a yo-yo trick as the Sonoma Wine Auction couple years back. I'm searching for the footage today and with Richard Berkvam's help, will soon have it posted here.

Also, my old AAA chum who moved to KC, Chuck Beucher, has produced a fun graphic for a band to use as a logo in their advertising. He is also the production manager for the "Reflector" magazine which is published for the largest Astronomy Association in the country, or so I hear.
If you have art production needs, let me know and I'll get you two connected. And I don't get no fee for it.

Fall Means Sunflowers

I don't know about you but I grow sunflowers mostly so I can photograph them. This year the crop was not spectacular like in years past, but I still don't think the season should go by without at least one photo, so here it is:

Plazatours still going on in Sonoma!

Finishing up the season with Cruise West in Sonoma this week. Ran across this story published in the Sonoma newspaper from several years back. Happens to be the Cruise West boat people in the photo too. My season usually runs from mid-May until the end of October.

Kay Selling Quilt and Pillow Covers


King size, snowflake pattern (?).
We have never actually used this quilt, so it is practically new, in a moth proof bag.
Debating the price at the moment.

Pt. Cabrillo Lighthouse, daylight version!

Couple weeks ago, had a chance to visit this operating lighthouse, on a weekend that was sunny and warm, rare for Ft. Bragg/Mendocino. Great hike down to the shore with the dogs, very interesting history of this lighthouse, plus the views are stunning and very camera worthy. Did not carry my Bogen/Manfreddo tripod on this trip, which I usually recommend for good quality landscapes. Fortunately the sun allowed for very fast shutter speeds which enable hand holding, even on tight, zoomed in shots.

Lighthouse fans owe it to themselves to visit this on. Just north of the town of Mendocino on Hwy 1.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, cont'd.


Forgot to mention that one of the reasons for going to the festival in the first place was to see a singer named Tift Merritt, from NC and Nashville. She opened early on Saturday so it was easy to get near the stage for a photo or two. Still using my Nikon CoolPix 5700 for most of this stuff, even tho it is practically an antique these days.

For music sample, go here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p84xx34Cw3Y

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass #8, San Francisco.... surviving the crowds - loving the music!


Our first visit and it's a bit overwhelming. So much music, so many venues and too many people!
Use the link to get all the info on who played. Since it is a free concert, paid for by a guy named Warren Hellman, people come from all over, even out of state to hear music over a three day period. But, there apparently is no attempt to discourage huge crowds so that is what you get. Golden Gate Park was never so crowded, even during the Summer Of Love... and I was there so I know!
I'll go into detail more later. Still digesting and mulling over how to do it differently next year. Some photos to give you an idea.
http://www.strictlybluegrass.com/






EmmyLou Harris was joined by Patti Griffin and Shawn Colvin with Buddy Miller helping out. All that talent, and free.

Flu disrupts planned week of wine crush visits!

Just as I was getting ready to visit several Sebastopol Hills Wine region wineries as the crush gets seriously underway, I was laid low by the same flu that got Kay the week before. Started on Tuesday and even today is not totally gone. But, the show must go on, as someone once said in a moment of fevered sobriety, so we are off tonight to San Fran for the annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass music festival which goes thru Sunday. Some of our favorite people are performing and it will be a challenge to see them as we run to and from various stages, but, despite the threat of some rain, we are looking forward to some good music and dinners in neighborhood restaurants. I will be taking beaucoup photos and music videos with my Nikon Coolpix which I will start posting next Monday.
Here's a link to the website if you want to find out if your favorite singer/songwriter is performing and come meet us there!

http://www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/2008/