Why I Love the Mountain: A Small Microtus Californicus
Why I Love the Mountain: A Small Microtus Californicus "There, before he reached his hole,We saw a California vole...On lush green meadow there were weOur party now enlarged to three.Amidst the grass he paused with us,A small M. Californicus.The furry fellow spied his goalThen said good-bye, went [...]
Why I Love the Mountain: The Petaluma View
Why I Love the Mountain: The Petaluma View Like most newcomers to Petaluma, I was struck by the mountain dominating the skyline to the northeast, with its checkerboard of grassland and oak woodlands reminiscent of the beloved hills of my youth. I learned it was Sonoma County’s [...]
Home-Coming: The Lee Family on Two Moon Family Farm
Home-Coming: The Lee Family on Two Moon Family Farm In 2009 we moved our family of 5 from suburban San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles County) to rural Glen Ellen. This was not ‘flight from the city’ but a home-coming; a chance to move back onto the property [...]
Mike Clouse: Home
Mike Clouse: Home Photo by Megan Clouse Photography The Sonoma Valley is truly amazing for a variety of reasons, and in my opinion one the most significant reasons is the balance of small town modern life with the beauty of nature found throughout the valley. I have [...]
What is The Future of the Sonoma Developmental Center?
What is the Future of the Sonoma Developmental Center? For over 100 years the Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC) near Glen Ellen has provided a safe and secure place for the developmentally disabled. Now SDC faces certain closure by the State. The only question is how long the [...]
Wildlife Corridors: A Key Focus for the Mountain
Wildlife Corridors: A Key Focus for the Mountain One night in 2009, a black bear was spotted by five different people near Adobe Creek in Petaluma. After being chased by a helicopter, the bear followed that creek back up and over Sonoma Mountain to return to Napa County [...]
From SDC Beginnings to Now
From SDC Beginnings to Now Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC) is the oldest facility in California established specifically to serve individuals with developmental disabilities. It opened to 148 residents on November 24, 1891, culminating a ten-year project by two northern California women who had children with developmental disabilities, [...]
Can We Protect Large Lands?
Can We Protect Large Lands? What does it take to build the kind of trail Bill Kortum envisions for his grandson? Mainly, it takes access to land and permission of property owners. The more property owners, the most challenging it may be to assemble a pathway for [...]
My Grandson Hikes the Mountain
My Grandson Hikes the Mountain The scene is October 2020 and young Willie and a friend have started on a fifteen-mile hike from downtown Petaluma with the goal of reaching Glen Ellen by crossing Sonoma Mountain. His imagination has been stirred by his reading of Jack London, [...]
Coalition Looks at SDC
Coalition Looks at SDC It’s no secret that the Sonoma Developmental Center – one of only four such large residential care facilities left in the state – may close down in the not too distant future. SDC’s website shows 523 clients now live there; the state has [...]
Development Guidelines Now Cover More Land
Development Guidelines Cover More Land For over a decade the slopes of Sonoma and Taylor mountains have been covered, not only in homes and fields and woods, but by a set of development guidelines that restrict the visual impact of new residences. IN 2011 the county Board [...]
Farmers Still Struggle; Some Succeed
Farmers Still Struggle; Some Succeed Consuming and serving local food has become the latest hallmark of good living. Here on Sonoma Mountain many of us take pride in knowing the names of the farmers we buy from. Growing numbers of consumers belong to CSAs (community supported agriculture [...]
Sonoma Mountain – The Book!
Where the World Begins: Sonoma Mountain Stories and Images draws you into our inspiring natural treasure at the heart of southern Sonoma County. Local Bestseller, IPPY Award 2020. Two purchasing choices below:
