Geyserville Grapevine by deTraci Regula - January — 2020
Winter has brought a change in the air and in our perceptions - at least for me. When I see mist rising from the Mayacamas Mountains, I no longer instantly think it is smoke. My focus has shifted from fire prevention to making sure we have sandbags on hand in the right places. While January is a calmer month in Geyserville, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t anything happening. And we always have to be prepared for the unexpected! This was brought home to me the other day her at Isis Oasis Sanctuary when I went up to our Redwood Theater to make sure it was ready for an event. When I crossed the lawn to do so, it was empty. Minutes later, it wasn’t. Though few things surprise me these days, this certainly did. There on the lawn, in sharp contrast to the greening grass, was a huge black pig, tied to one of tour aforementioned sandbags. No one was around. We had a group visiting, but no one had mentioned that there might be a porcine participant on the guest list. It’s not uncommon for us to receive abandoned birds and animals, and staring at the pig, I began to wonder if this might be one of them. Since it was a black pig, which is also the emblem of the delicious neighboring restaurant Diavola’s, I also wondered if this could be perhaps be an “actor” for a promotional photo shoot I somehow didn’t know about?
After a few quick text messages, I was able to determine that our black pig was just an unregistered companion to one of our guests. “Little Biggie” was an enormous tame potbellied pig - as big as the stove that shares that name. “Little Biggie” was happy to sit for treats and touch noses with our more usual dog companions. Its visit was short, but very memorable.
Much More Serious News - Get Ready to Save Your Water Now!
As yet it’s only a rumor - but this is something everyone in Geyserville should be aware of. The word is that American Water may be considering adding fluoridation to our wonderful local water. While this practice was touted as a “Health Benefit” for many years, the science is piling up against fluoride, which is a known and proven neurotoxin that especially affects young children.
If fluoride is dumped out in the ocean, it’s seen as an illegal pollutant. Industries that produce fluoride as a by-product of manufacturing processes save money on toxic waste disposal by providing it as a “beneficial” water additive - and they bribe water companies to start adding it by underwriting new equipment and providing the fluoride for free initially.
Fluoride has been shown in several recent studies to reduce IQ in children, and I have personally experienced its negative effects on thyroid conditions when a few years back San Diego added fluoride to its water supply.
Since poorer populations may not have access to bottled water or advanced filtration systems that can take out fluoride, they automatically get a higher “dose” of this toxic substance. Don’t believe me? Just read your toothpaste. If your toddler swallows more than a tiny amount of toothpaste, you are supposed to call your local Poison Control Center. That’s not because of the mint flavoring or some other ingredient, it’s because of the fluoride content.
