Forestville The Good Life by Lucy Hardcastle - September 2018

NEXT Forestville School Board Meeting is September 13. 6pm - Teacher’s Lounge at Foresville School. THIS IS IMPORTANT!

I got a wonderful surprise the other day.Something I get to check off my“Wouldn’t it be cool”list. You know, that list that isn’t quite Bucket-List caliber such as seeing the Northern Lights (not yet) or jumping out of an airplane (done). No, this cool surprise was local and tied to Forestville History. I got to actually see one of those rare“Forestville Chairs” made by theFaudre Chair Factory, which put Forestville on the map in the late 1800’s. Wagon loads of them were taken up and down California and as far as Arizona and Colorado. Around 100,000 were made but try finding one of these collector items now! They are simple and beautifully crafted.

The one I saw was being lovingly restored by another local treasure, Jeremy of Interim Chair Repair. You may have noticed his sign on your way past Graton on 116. Jeremy is not only a master woodworker but a poet as well, filled with great stories, not just about chairs! He’s worthy of a Stop By Visit!

“Wouldn’t it be cool” to support another treasure?

Our Fire Department holds its 67th annual drawing and it’s not too late to purchase tickets to win a trip to Hawaii, an iPad Air, a $250 local dining package and more. Think about it. Your purchase supports things like the 350 medical emergencies they handled last year, or the 15 fires they put out, or the 75 accidents they responded to, 7 water rescues and 101 public utility calls. Over all they fielded 734 calls. Was one of them from you? No? Well don’t count on being lucky every year, buy tickets and help them get the equipment they need in case you are one of those calls needing help next. Think of it as an investment, plus you might win one of those pretty cool prizes.

A few years back we thought “Wouldn’t it be cool” to get some land in downtown Forestville so we could host things like the upcoming 4th Annual Craft Fair. Yes we did, and yes it’s here! The Craft Fair takes place two Farmers Market Tuesdays, September 4th and 11th from 4-7 pm. Stop by to check out the market, live entertainment, handmade cards, woodwork, jewelry, ceramics, beauty products, unique clothing and more. A fun family event where you can relax, decompress and breathe for a moment, let the kids play in the park, have a glass of wine, beer or spirits, run into neighbors, meet new people, pick up produce for the week, get stone fruit while they last, and grab a bite to eat. A break from the routine is good for us. Connecting with other human beings and being in nature is proven to be good for us. And when you think about it, it’s your park, you should be enjoying it. Thank you FPA for taking good care of this local treasure for us. And thanks to the Chamber for putting this on.

The Youth Parks Outhouse Classic Golf Tournamentat the Windsor Golf Club has a shotgun start at 1 pm on Saturday, September 7th. Call Scot Brown at 707-293-0700. I hear it’s the best tournament around, but if you actually don’t play golf, you can still have fun at their dinner, raffle and auction afterwards in Charlie’s Grill. Yummy.

The always cool Hollydale Club has their big Pasta Feed Festivity with the rocking’ band The Thugz onSaturday, September 8th starting at 6 pm. $15 gets you Antipasto, salads and pasta with special homemade sauces and the knowledge you are keeping a treasure of a clubhouse going.

“Wouldn’t it be cool” to cool out with “Soul Cafe”, a free music event with attendees able to buy a soup and salad dinner happening Sunday, September 23 from 5-6:30pm. They plan to do one once a quarter.

“Wouldn’t it be cool” to find classes in just about anything you want to learn? Check out nblearningsource.com where you’ll be taken to Deborah Wiig’s site, a Mirabel Heights resident who has listings Mike McGuire calls a treasure. AND make sure you take a peek at the Gazette’s EDUCATION CALENDAR as well - there’s no limit to learning!

“Wouldn’t it be cool” to save a bundle of money on upgrading to efficient windows, furnaces, solar or water conservation systems etc? Wayne Gibb reminds us that the County has a program that does just that. Go to sonomacountyenergy.org and apply online. Get financing options, no money down, no income qualifications, minimal fees and consumer protections for a 7% loan for purchase, which can be tacked on seamlessly to your property taxes. Thanks Sonoma County for doing your part to save the planet one household at a time and for making my husband’s allergies bearable.