Sonoma Fires

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Map of the Oakmont Fire threatening Spring Lake, several miles to the east, at the Ledson Winery area. This is the fire activity on October 16th.

The fires around Sonoma County are frightening. The Ledson Winery,  the one I wrote about in The Art of Getting Lost in Sonoma, is standing dramatically against a backdrop of flames in the Oakmont Fire!  My mom’s apartment  is just two miles away from this fire and she has been under mandatory evacuation orders since October 9th, and she’s sick so I worry about her. Her neighbors at the retirement community were evacuated to the fairgrounds or to their family. We wait for the rain expected on Thursday to stop this madness…

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Garden Gnomes and the Magic Camel… stories of restoration

Irene Rowlery painting two garden gnomes

Me, retouching the two garden gnomes with acrylic paint.

Last week I pulled Mom’s two garden gnomes out of storage in my garage, and restored them. It is the least I can do for my mom, since she was feeling sick.

Honestly I have been procrastinating. I had promised to do this years ago, but I did not know how to restore garden art, while still retaining its original charm. I am a good girl when it comes to maintaining “original charm” and “artistic authenticity.” continue reading