Big Holiday Guide #2


EVENTS•ENTERTAINMENT•FOOD by Kimberly Childers • kimberlychilders@att.net


Santa Rosa, CA. ~ Sipping or- ganic oolong tea, Hilary Hahn and her sweet violin playing “The Lark Ascending’ in the back- ground, rain falling steadily outside. Dark- eyed Juncos, Black capped and


Chestnut


backed chicka- dees flitting amidst the ap- ple trees, their grey branches almost bare, bright yel- low and amber leaves still scat- tered beneath. Late fall is soft


and beautiful, glints of golden sun, shine on our faces, embracing us with warmth in the chill of late fall. Breathe deep, deeper, the moist air of autumn and may it linger in our gardens. . .for now.


There is always a lot to do in


the garden, nurseries to visit, with their stunning holiday décor just for you. Enjoy the pure magic of shedding light on the dark days of this season. Angels sing! Making a holiday list and checking it twice finding out who’s been naughty and nice! You’ll want to select


from gorgeous wreaths to hang on your front door or take a wreath making class at Pricket’s Nursery 534-3030. Choose 17 inch diam- eter for $40 or $55 for 24 inch. The price covers everything including inspiration and fun. You’ll want to check out their exciting Talavera hand painted pottery for indoors or out. Consider terrariums.


Prickets has all the supplies in- cluding glass or plastic jars, tiny gnomes, faeries and little plants to cre- ate the perfect environment. Experiment! Indoor Norfolk pine trees, 1 to


2 feet tall as a seasonal houseplant to decorate. Look for small vases especially for forcing bulbs of all sorts, fragrant paper whites and hyacinths to name a few. Fa-la-la- la-la-la-la-ti-da. Perusing King’s Nursery, lovely Poinsettias in 4 inch or 10 inch containers, five gallon potted rose plants, and camellias. Discover fragrant Daphne, Darwin tulips for naturalizing, and bodacious Parrot tulips. Tiny species crocus in so many colors you’ll want to plant them everywhere, to brighten up


earliest spring. You decide! Give organic mandarins, persim- mons, apples, pears and oranges. A big basket full of organic fruit is a welcomed offering.


Bouquets of


fresh blue iris, roses and fragrant lilies will fill the air with sweet scents for the holiday. Six-packs of luscious, frilly pansies, their edible flowers perfect for adorning salads and bulbs to plant now will ignite gardens with spring color. Deck the Halls with blossoms! Bennett Valley gardens, 569- 8624, is bursting at the seams, packed full of more wreaths, holi- day table arrangements, garlands, tons of different ornaments, ev- ergreen shrubs, Azaleas, Rhodo- dendrons, and plenty of botanical related gifts to please even the most discerning shopper. Pick up the best air filtering plant for your home to grow in a big pot, com- monly known as Sanseveria or Mother-in-Laws-Tongue. This very tough houseplant with striped stiff leaves makes quite a statement. Select from South Afri- can freesia bulbs to fill the air with their evocative fragrance when they bloom. Iris bulbs will offer enchanting blossoms and more will come up every year. They have the much sought after Naked Lady bulbs (Amaryllis belladonna), their fragrant trumpet flowers with pink crepe paper petals are perfect for bouquets. Drought tolerant they happily grow in the garden surviv- ing only on winter rain. La pluie est magique.


Look for the amazing ‘Radius’ hand tools and shovels, like noth- ing you have ever used before, powerful and gentle on your hands at the same time.


They are very


strong aluminum with handles coated in thick rubber so they do well in our rainy weather if you forget and leave them out. Gasp! You’ll want to discover them for


... continued on page 23


The Golden Sun of Late Fall


UPBEAT TIMES, INC. • December 2017 • 5 “Te most


authentic thing about us is our


capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater


than our suffering.” Ben Okri


www.comfirstcu.org “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” ~ Helen Keller UPBEAT TIMES, INC. • December 2017 • 9


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