The Tomales Bay Oyster Farm sells oysters, mussels and clams. They are only 45 minutes from At the Bay’s Edge and it’s well worth the trip….they are located down by Pt. Reyes — so there’s lots to see and do along the way.
The oyster farm has been in operation since 1909 — and is open to the public every day from 8am – 6pm. They welcome you to eat there with picnic tables and grills….or take your order home to enjoy!
One of our guests just told me about how much they enjoyed the pear and cranberry scones at the Wildflour Bakery in Freestone. I’ll need to head over there this weekend and try them!
The Wild Flour Bakery is 10 minutes from our house, between the town of Bodega and Sebastopol. They offer at least a dozen different organic breads and rolls … cooked in their brick oven. It’s an adventure just to watch them make the bread…and of course it’s even more fun to sample each one before you make a decision….as there’s always something new to try! My favorite is Fougasse, which includes gouda or blue cheese, red peppers, olives, and onions. It’s almost a meal in itself! Other favorites include the cinnamon buns, sunflower seed bread, and the Egyptian….which includes pear, fig, and candied ginger.
Make sure and stop by! They are open Friday thru Monday.
In case you want to stay connected to life outside the Bay, we offer free domestic calling and WiFi.
“Ernestine” the operator is shown here with her headset and phone.
There are two local sport fishing locations just minutes from the house. The Boat House at 707-875-3495 and Wil’s Fishing at 707-875-2323. Or you can buy all the crab you want locally after November 15th. Either way there are big cooking pots at the house so plan on enjoying the fresh local crab! Here’s a great article on how to prepare your Dungeness crab — I also have some secrets to share about cooking them.
The cormorants are always here, they fish in front of the house by day. After fishing, they go to the piers to dry their wings by holding them out in the sun. I’ve read that this is because their feathers are not waterproofed….which helps them dive more quickly.
They rest in the tree above the house at night in large groups. They have quite a distinctive call and it’s quite a symphony to listen to!
Looks like several fun events are planned to celebrate Halloween in Petaluma!
3rd ANNUAL CANINE COSTUME CONTEST – Oct. 29
Featuring fabulous prizes for dogs and their guardians. $5 entry fee per dog. Proceeds benefit the Petaluma Animal Shelter.
HALLOWEEN HOUSE TOUR – Oct. 30
Visit a six vintage homes from 6 to 9 p.m. and hear costumed docents at each location share the real and SURREAL lore surrounding each location.
10th ANNUAL SPOOKTACULAR – Oct. 31
Free Trick-or-Treating in the shopping center.
HISTORIC DOWNTOWN TRICK OR TREAT TRAIL – Oct. 31
Participating Downtown Merchants sponsor a TRICK OR TREAT TRAIL, offering free candy to all children who trick or treat from 3 to 5 p.m. in Happy Halloween Historic Downtown
We’ve enjoyed watching a family of 5 river otters …. they’ve been out daily for a few weeks. It’s thrilling to see them play and feed right in front of the house.
The otters can dive up to 60 feet and run as fast as a human. Here’s a great page with more information on these otters.
The Sonoma County ArTrails Open Studios is not to be missed…over 140 artists, working in all different styles, open their studios October 15 – 16th and October 22nd – 23rd.
Some of the styles include painting, pastels, sculpture, mixed media, photography, print making, ceramics, wood working, furniture, jewelry and glass / mosiacs. Truly something for everyone!
The tour covers studios in Sebastopol, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Healdsburg, Windsor, and Petaluma. Here are the maps for this event.
Doran Beach is one of my favorite beaches. Just minutes from the house, it offers 2 miles of flat and scenic beach walking. It’s a great place for bird watching, kayaking, seal watching, building sandcastles, and general relaxation!
Its horseshoe shape stretches from the mouth of Bodega Bay on one end, to the Bodega Harbour development and golf course on the other end. It’s also a popular camp site and boat launch area.
Molly and I had another great walk there this morning….the seagulls and sandpipers were out in force!
Several food, wine and jazz fests are scheduled during September along the Russian River…only 30 minutes from our house!
Jazz on the River: September 10 – 11th
Russian River Blues Festival : September 18 – 19th
Russian River Food & Winefest : September 25th
