Would you feel just a tiny bit confined and overheated in a stuffy indoor mall after browsing these bucolic pics of alfresco holiday farm shopping Northern California-style?

Especially glorious was the bright November sunshine Sunday morning, spotlighting the craggy rock formations nestled amidst gently greening hills along spectacular Chileno Valley from South West Sonoma County into rural West Marin.

Gorgeous range of hand crafted holiday gifts hung in trees and on market tables in the stone courtyard behind Windrush farmhouse, as the built-in pizza oven cranked out an aromatic lunch for laid-back shoppers looking for one or two particularly lovely gifts for discerning locals. 

One of the smaller annual arts events in the area this season, though quite sublime.

Olive harvest time in this West Petaluma neighborhood this weekend with busy people picking the ripened Tuscan varietals from backyard trees and fully-loaded olive groves such as that of scenic Ridgeway Family Estate (pictured in top seven photos).

Having arrived to help with the harvest a day late and a dollar short (Teela and Mike had wrapped up operations several hours ahead due to increased productivity of picking party despite an increased haul over last year's harvest) a mini tour of the newly expanded hen house and a sunflower beheading session more than sufficed for my supposed afternoon of rustic activity. 

Was saddened to hear of the recent passing of Amazing Grace, Teela's pet chicken, the pride of Petaluma and the West's most well traveled bird.

Though with the new addition of a strutting, highly motivated rooster named Hugh Hefner, the Ridgeway hen house should be multiplying at a rapid pace in coming months, making Grace's absence slightly less  of a wrench!

A couple of hours was enough to strip the olive trees on our hillside, here at Rivetti mountain. Took our slim pickings of beautiful olives over to blend with the Ridgeways and the Azari's of Azari Vineyard and Winery.

McEvoy Ranch had its first community crush of the season this morning, with a second opportunity for olive growers to have their fruit turned into oil on Sunday December 6th during the ranch's popular Open House.

Squeezed into Cucina Paradiso late last night for a spot of supper with the Italian husband. Although this is a grainy shot from my phone, it captures the essence of how absolutely divine was Chef Dennis' red beet gnocci with black truffle cream sauce paired with a sultry glass of Dutton Estate Pinot Noir.

Cucina celebrates its one year anniversary in its new location on Petaluma Boulevard in the heart of downtown's restaurant row in mid-December. The most phenomenal success story for a restaurant in the midst of tough economic times. Don't even try to get seated before 9pm on a Friday or Saturday night without a reservation.

Simply could not pass up the opportunity to share this snap of Petaluma's own Michael McCullaugh (Redwood Cafe, Aqus and more) taken by his sports-fan Mrs - L, on a recent outing to not only watch an SF 49ers game but to romp around on the field, hob-nobbing with players and cheerleaders alike. Ultimate Fantasy Football, I'd say and not bad for a day out from the bustling eateries back here in Southern SoCo.

In the meantime, Aqus Cafe's music permit application is still under consideration with the city planners here in Petaluma, following a flood of support from loyal customers who'd be heartbroken to lose out on entertainment in this wonderful little live music venue.

"The outpouring of support for Aqus Café has been incredibly moving," says co-owner John Crowley. "I spent most of the weekend in amazement, reading the emails that were CC'd to me. The city-planning department received over 1000 emails of support."

"My wife and I started Aqus Café with a dream," says John. "With a vision to create a community gathering place, a multi-generational space where people gather to connect, get to know and trust each other - to create social capital.  With the help of our friends Lesley and Michael McCullaugh we have been able to make our shared dream a reality."
 
"I'm not sure if there is something good in the local water or what it is but there is a strong and tangible sense of connectedness, a sense of community that has made Aqus possible.  We are committed to the community, to our customers, to our neighbors and to building social capital. And we are only just beginning," says John.

Clearly, fantasy can swiftly become a reality with such positive attitude amongst this inspired Petaluma partnership!
 

Mixed media works within 10"/20"/20" opened as the annual members' exhibit at the Petaluma Art Center today, illuminating the plethora of ingenuity in artistry that abounds in naturally inspirational Southern Sonoma County and the Bay Area beyond.

Small Works in Hard Times features an eclectic range of unique pieces produced by Bay Area multi media artists such as Mike Hardin (1935 Trolley - photo # 1), Petaluma's Gail Foulkes (Sonoma oil -photo #2), Diana Marta (For our Mothers, mixed media with grandmother's blanket - photo #3).

Many of these original works are for sale, providing Art Center visitors with a terrific holiday shopping opportunity and although the exhibit runs until the New Year, purchases will be available to take home, wrap and be hidden under the tree from December 15th.

For those who are particularly fond of art depicting the Petaluma area, look out for several lovely Shollenberger Park works including a vibrant watercolor of the area by Pat Spiz. Terry Murphy's Blackberry girls brings the Sonoma County landscape to life in delicious hues of the golds and greens we are so familiar with, while Petaluma photographer Terry Hankins' Book and Trunk photo shows the well-known Argus camera man in his own light as a still life and portrait photographic artist.

In keeping with the theme of Small Work in Hard Times, artists Judie Cosmo Peterson and Michele Flannery's 'Foreclosure, Left Behind" watercolor on graphite and "Demise of Business" collage and acrylic are a poignant reminder of art as an excellent medium of recording an era. 

One of the most outstanding pieces on display is Hella Merrill's Tomales Bay Patina on brass, rather like standing on a bank by the bay in awe of the slowly setting November sun brushing the waters with a murky, golden wash. 

What's more, the Art Center exhibits are free to attend and a welcome respite whilst red-light stop-starting across town. Pull into the ample parking lot (from East Washington) next time you are down near Lakeville between East Washington and D Streets and take a time-out from your errands to get lost in the art of extraordinary, ordinary people whose holidays will be all the brigher for a hard times sale!

Artists in the area are invited to a salon series at the Art Center November 19th, December 3rd and December 17th. Share your experience as an artist here in Sonoma County and hear how others are handling the economic pressures of today's environment. Art in Hard Times Here and Now addresses how art contributes to community, the economy, youth, society in hard times, what resources are available to artists in the area for inspiration, creation of art, marketing and sales while looking closely at how artists have been responding and overcoming a recession-hit marketplace. Suggested donation per session - $3.

Petaluma Art Center is located at 230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma and is open Thurs.- Mon., noon to 4:00 p.m. (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays).Call 707 762 5600.

Talented cast and crew of Petaluma High School's ambitious Fall production of sophisticated Neil Simon's Plaza Suite pulled off an astonishingly grand and entertaining opening night show, Thursday - launching a six show run which extends this evening (Friday 13th November), Saturday 14th, Thursday 19th, Friday 20th and Saturday November 21st at 7.30 pm. 

Three first time directors (Jessica Dennen - Act I - Visitor from Mamaroneck, Laura Stevick Act II - Visitor from Hollywood and Bob Kind - Act III - Visitor from Forest Hills) stepped in with combined enthusiasm and dedication to support Producer/Second Director Jonathan Knox bring live theater back to the school stage this season after Fall production prospects had looked a little shaky.

With the monumental task ahead of them in a few short weeks, the trio of intrepid directors crafted an awesome, compact cast of student actors to tackle such meaty, grown-up comedic material cleverly molded in three acts from the end of an American era so completely alien to today's liberated young. 

Marvelous pairing of Maddie Jenson and Andy Doll opened Act I with a slowly explosive unfolding of a faded marriage as wedding anniversary room guests Karen and Sam Nash (the couple from Mamaroneck).

In Act II it would have been easy to say that the fabulous Casey Holmberg stole the show as Hollywood big-wig back East to oh-so-slyly take advantage of his former high school sweetheart, yet the delightful Maddi Scarbrough balanced the spot-lit boards as his prey, the manipulated, man-handled Muriel Tate and the performance made for a raising of the bar to which each unique Act was more than able to uphold.

By the time Act III roled around the audience was in stitches at the hilarious scenario in suite 719 as Sierra Kind and Joe Kowalski completely commanded an extreme-stress-scenario in classic comedic spousal casting as parents of the bride who won't come out of the loo for her wedding. Considerably more statuesque than floor-pacing, hand-wringing, ledge-scaling, door-punching Roy Hubley (Visitor from Forest Hills), Sierra was a scream as fellow panic-ridden parent, the glove-toting Norma Hubley.

Costumes (Heidi Kind and Erin Stoll) were spot on for the 60s and the set, designed and constructed by Mike Long, Jeff Scarbrough, Bob Kind and Eric Schleth was one of the best I have seen for a high school play. 

In this season of big cinematic box-office releases, it is still such a far more thrilling experience to watch live theater in action, locally all the more so and with such remarkable passion from all involved.

Petaluma High School Multi Purpose Room, located on Fair Street. Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students and seniors.

Not too many years back the annual Veterans Day Parade here in Petaluma had begun to dwindle somewhat. Fat times, you recall. Now that we have returned to grace somewhat as a re-thinking nation, the people of Sonoma County continue to count their blessings and packed the streets of their home town by the hundreds to salute an hour-long procession to honor the fallen and the continually brave. Not only for our American troops were the flag-waving, cheering crowds content to show their collective support for goodwill toward all men and women of the armed forces, at home, abroad and throughout the allied lands.

Today in London the Queen of England led her country from glorious Westminster Abbey in observing a two-minute, mid-morning silence for the "passing of a generation". The special service marked the deaths this year of the final three World War I veterans residing in the UK.

Meanwhile, stateside, President Obama spoke eloquently at Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate the 91st anniversary of the end of World War I. As he prepares for the prospect of deploying thousands more American troops to  Afghanistan, Obama pledged: "As long as I am Commander in Chief, I am going to do right by them. American will not let you down, we will take care of our own."

Watching old soldiers and younger members of today's armed forces proudly pace the well trodden Veterans Day Parade route through sunny downtown Petaluma today, well-wishers could only imagine a day when this country will have ceased its present at-war state.

Not being a subscriber myself (due to the fact that I reside in the boonies of the North Bay and very little in the Chron relates even remotely to those of us content to forage around in the seemingly mysterious outer realms of the greater Bay Area.)

Though judging by the rather meager content in today's dazzling, debut, new-look Chron ( I had the Italian husband driving all over the West Side here in P'Town this evening in search of a remaining copy - so clearly we hicks can in fact be tempted by a little splash of color and the silken promise of a bright new future for print media) there's really very little about local Bay Area life (other than the bridge and obligatory sports) to bring tears of nostalgia to the eyes of either long-time or reunited readers.

The majority of the main section was made up of associated press and NY Times syndicated news which is such an insufferable shame when readers are looking for authentic voice. Unlike most of the on-line critics of the new, tabloid-style layout, I don't think it's all that shocking or off-putting, except perhaps for the sudden brevity of reporting compared to the in depth traditions of the American traditional press. And I'm not too sure that the oversizing of lush, color photography doesn't add insult to the educated reader.

When I started my journalistic career in the far corners of the Cambridgeshire Fens back in an England of the late 80s I remember being told that standard reporting should be comprehensible to an average 14-year-old. I guess that's where we're going with the Chronicle, but the question begs to be asked. Does the average Bay Area 14-year old in Mill Valley, Richmond and San Leandro find the new look Chron a slam dunk for daily digestion?

As for me, I'll give it another go on the weekend. Take a look at the British Daily Telegraph, Times and the Sunday Times, think-tank members at the SF Chron, there are success stories out there in print media land, but will this be one of them?

Having just slightly miscalculated the volume of juice he was about to extract in the garagiste's lair last night, the Italian husband was fortunate to have the help of a few good men (in purple - hands, feet, shirts!) to force the season's new wine through traditional press and into the barrel beyond.

And it just goes to show that German muscle, determination and technology (in the form of good friend, Rob Brockman, who innocently 'popped'  by to see the action en route to Cucina Paradiso for a civilized Friday night dinner with Karen) does succeed in kicking the casual Italians into top gear.

After shedding top layers (to keep clean for his supper at Cucina!), Rob was a one-man power house at the press, squeezing at least a couple more gallons than would have emerged had he not been on the spot and willing to get stuck in!

Pressing the new wine is a messy affair, let me tell you. Not for the faint of heart and certainly not for the house proud when the wine making process takes place at home.

What a massive sigh of relief when the last drop has been officially declared and our friend Mike hauls away the shallow skins for his happy cows.

It's done and dusted for another year, with the garagiste hard at it this morning with a power washer and a wicked clean up mission.