“...to leave Berkeley—or Albany or El Cerrito or Hercules—with its miniscule front yards in the flatlands… to experience the spaciousness of land and sky.  They—the mother, father, sister, the whole family—were bound for that marvelous forty foot geodesic Dome...only 57 miles… north up Highway One-O-One where kids can find springtime, see the first blossoms...

Excerpts from Tales of Freestone
(available at the Simple Gifts Book Table)

Seek out the miner’s lettuce in the west road gullies… and/or there’s the Bodega Bay with sandy beaches twelve miles distant...or the Wildflower Bakery on the edge of Freestone village where you can buy a sticky bun ( wow! heaven!—and sticky!) or an herb loaf (Mom’s choice).  Best of all, watch the bakers take the loaves from their ovens.  Get the glowing reports from other parents—the Young-Wemmer’s, the Fernholtzes, or the Clarke-Davis’s—and/or touch base with Tiffany in the UUCB office.

A new copy of 101 Things To Do In Sonoma County  is available at  http://101things.com/sonoma/ according to Bob Moore.  It will lure you to make the Retreat your home base.  Don’t wait for spring break and Easter—that’s far and away in April.  To see our cherry tree in blossom alongside the back deck is not to be missed.

Skip and Pam Wenz invited Horst Bansner to their Boxing Day open house along with ten friends. He returned last week with his Dad, Eric, to check out  the chimney and brush out the buildup.

Lisa Harrington is now taking reservations for the Retreat for February and March at freestone@uucb. org (preferred) or 525-0302.  Newcomers are encouraged to find the path to the Dome.  It’s easy.