Making moments for mental wellness
Immediately following Mother's Day, the Artisans’ Co-op Gallery is closing May 9 - 10, for “rejuvenation.” What a beautiful way to put it and an important concept we could all adopt. In which areas of your life could you benefit from some rejuvenation?
The Artisans’ Co-op will rev up again and close out the month with their “Spring in Bloom Sale” on Saturday, May 28. Everything in the gallery is 10% off all day long. Celebrate Memorial Day by supporting veteran artists. 17175 Bodega Highway. 707-876-9830. You can check the website to check out some of the many artists. www.artisansco-op.com
Last month at Bodega’s watering hole, the Casino, many eccentric locals gathered for an annual Aries birthday celebration. There were a handful of recent birthdays among those who attended. Tables were covered in even more handfuls of yummy sweets. There was egg coloring too. Do you know the best kept secret for perfect hard boiled eggs? Steam for 15 minutes! That’s it, really. Nothing fancy, nothing else, no ice baths, no vinegar, no aged eggs, just steam!
The woman specifically being honored on Easter weekend was Annie Springer, a uniquely wonderful watercolor painter who you’ll recognize as a woman who wears more purple than anyone you’ll ever meet. She was also the local fire chief in town for many great years. You can find her art for sale at the Co-op locally.
The store's back open in Bodega!
Hopefully by the time you're reading this, the Bodega Country Store will be reopened at last! There's a big buzzing excitement over this and they're hoping everyone can come check it out. It's been a long process but it's worth the wait. Shop local and support struggling businesses. We are most resilient together.
I'm so glad to have our store back again. I speak for all West County residents when I say how grateful we are for our local grocers. Especially in a time with exorbitant gas prices, it’s much better to avoid trips to the “big city” towns. There are great offerings at each small business. Let us actively participate in the health of the local economy and keep money local.
Death of a true community man
The co-founder of Andy's Produce Market, Andrew Skikos, passed away at age 88. He lived a full and happy life while creating a fantastic legacy. This “wonderful family man” could be seen at soccer games cheering on his great grandchildren. With happiness, Skikos created many beautiful memories for his family, friends and acquaintances.
He and his wife built a thriving produce business that has supplied customers with high quality, reasonably priced goods for over half a century. Andy's Market is a destination for generations of travelers and locals alike. The wholesale produce crew is an “indispensable local partner” with Northern California farmers.
I'm sending public regards to the Skikos family in this time of grieving. Also sending love to anyone suffering through tragic life circumstances. How could we reach out right now? We need to lift each other up with compassion.
Mental Health Matters
The past couple years created some awful situations for countless people. A silver lining of the shutdown is normalized mental challenges due to surges of debilitating depression and anxiety. Individuals have been dying not only from COVID-19, but from indirect causes like loneliness, suicide, overdose and unfortunate consequences of isolation.
Mental illness is becoming almost commonplace. Can we all coexist effectively and healthily? Interpersonal conflicts arise without question and so too should we acknowledge our intrapersonal conflicts. If we can be offended or affected by somebody else, we need to be able to identify our own feelings and opinions.
We can expect so much from others without being required to self-reflect, assess deeper meanings or address underlying problems. We often react without pausing to respond with more wisdom. Thorough education is the antidote to ignorance. We may not be as “woke” or informed as we think we are.
An individual's autonomy can be a source of tension when deciding how to handle socially unacceptable behavior. Sonoma County does a better job than some places at accepting all the quirks of artsy farming communities; however, we also need to speak out on our shortcomings and show up for those who are suffering.
Mental illnesses, including addiction and other overlooked or possibly surprising diagnoses are as real as any physical disability. Many people have unseen and co-occurring disorders which can create a complicated recovery process. Divergent mental expressions can be threatening, so we must actively respond with love instead of reacting with fear.
