California set to celebrate second annual State Parks Week

The size, age and variety of California’s state parks rank among the best in the country.

The Golden State sports 280 state parks, which include 5,200 miles of trails, 15,000 campsites, and countless natural and historical attractions.

However, it was only last year that a coalition of public agencies and conservation nonprofits came together to formally acknowledging the natural beauty, ecological role and history of the state’s park system one week per year.

“The COVID-19 pandemic brought many challenges to California’s communities, but it also illuminated the important connection of the outdoors to our physical and mental well-being. Parks across the U.S. experienced increased visitation in 2020-21, and California State Parks Week underscores the important role parks play in communities statewide,” a press release announcing the 2022 event stated. Organizers include California State Parks, Save the Redwoods League, Parks California and the California State Parks Foundation.

“We are excited to host the second annual California State Parks Week and build upon last year’s inaugural successes,” Armando Quintero, director of California State Parks, said in a statement announcing this year’s events. “California State Parks Week serves as a reminder that state parks belong to all who call California home. Everyone deserves to enjoy them, to stay healthy and active, find inspiration and connect with nature and areas of cultural significance.”

Like last year, the second annual State Parks Week will include dozens of events spread over five days (June 14-18) in parks across the state. In the North Bay, Sonoma, Napa and Marin county residents are invited to experience local parks for the first time or through a new lens of understanding.

Each of the five days of this year’s Parks Week has a theme. The theme of Wednesday, June 14, is “Explore New Experiences,” followed by “Nourish Your Health and Well-being” on June 15 and “Support Climate Resilience” on June 16. The weekend is split between a “Celebrate Community and Culture” theme on June 17 and “Care for Our Shared Lands” on June 18.

In an interview last week, Matthew Gomez, senior parks program manager at the Save the Redwoods League, said California State Parks Week requires organizers to have an “all hands on deck” mentality to pull off the 143 planned events in five days.

A midwesterner who worked for parks departments around the country before landing in California last year, Gomez highlighted the great range of natural wonders on display in the Golden State. A worthy reminder for any jaded, life-long California residents.

“The ecosystem out here is just so diverse,” Gomez said. “From the deserts in Southern California, up to the dense redwood forests near the Oregon border and everything in between, it is just stunning.”

So, grizzled Californian, if you can, take a break from your day job and set out to appreciate one or two of the state’s many natural wonders highlighted during one of the events listed below. Details are available at www.castateparksweek.org.

Marin Events:

June 14: Forest Bathing at Mount Tamalpais State Park

According to California State Parks, “Forest bathing, a literal translation of the Japanese word shinrin-yoku, is the practice of absorbing the calming, wellness-inducing atmosphere of natural places.” This is a low-key event. Participants will reflect on the experience of being in nature, instead of aiming to conquer a peak or finish a new trail. If that sounds enticing, meet up in the Pantoll parking lot at 9:15am or 10:30am on Wednesday. Contact hi************@******ca.gov for the meeting place.

June 15: Nature Journaling and Wellness at Samuel P. Taylor Park

Attendees of this event will “Learn how to start a nature journal, observe nature and explore why spending time in natural landscapes might improve our health and wellbeing.” Meet at the Azalea Picnic Area just past the kiosk entry station before the 10am start of the event. Participants are expected to bring their own writing materials, including pencils, paper and a notebook or nature journal. For more information, contact Ry*********@******ca.gov.

June 16: Exploring Protected Redwood Groves at Samuel P. Taylor State Park

Due to logging during and after the Gold Rush, just 5% of Southern Oregon and California’s Old Growth redwood forests stand today. Attendees of this hike along Pioneer Trail will learn “how California State Parks works to preserve areas like [Samuel P. Taylor State Park], and why the preservation of these forests is so important.” The event is expected to run from 1 to 2:30pm. Contact Ry*********@******ca.gov for more details.

Napa and Sonoma Events:

June 14: A Redwood Hike in the Park at Jack London State Historic Park

Attendees of this four-mile, moderate-difficulty guided hike will “pay homage to an elder tree estimated to be 2,000 years old. On the way, you can expect to see the Jack London Lake and spring native wildflowers for a fabulous morning of exercise and inspiration.” Participants’ park entry fees will be covered by the California State Parks Week sponsors; however, parking fees ($10) are not included. Attendees should meet in the Ranch parking lot, a right turn after the entry kiosk, ahead of the 10am start time. Online reservation at CaStateParksWeek.org is required.

June 15: ParkRx – Forest Therapy Walk at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park

For another Forest Bathing opportunity, meet with other attendees at the White Barn before 10am. According to the organizers, Forest Bathing is “a centering and calming restorative practice, it promotes balance and restored vitality through a quality of presence and heightened sensory awareness.” Online reservation at CaStateParksWeek.org is required for this event.

Those who can’t attend but are interested in the health benefits of parks are invited to join the Forest Therapy Series as part of Sugarloaf’s ParkRx Program the fourth Sunday of each month. For more details about those recurring events, led by certified Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT) practitioners, visit Sugarloafpark.org.

June 18: New Volunteer Orientation & Social at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park

The Sonoma Ecology Center, which operates Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, is always looking for volunteers. Those seeking an excuse to get outside more often can attend this event, scheduled for 3 to 7pm. The orientation will take place at the Robert Ferguson Observatory classroom, followed by a volunteer social potluck at the group camp, where participants can meet some of the active volunteers.

Attendees must RSVP to su****************@*****************er.org.

Petaluma artist raises funds for Burning Man project

Once a year, tens of thousands of people descend on Nevada’s Black Rock Desert to create a temporary city, burn a massive man and, rumor has it, generally expand their view of the universe.

Burning Man—not to be called a festival, according to the annual gathering’s website—draws its fair share of Bay Area residents. And, by an anecdotal survey of the artwork from past Burning Mans on display around town, Petaluma seems to be a popular spot for the burners who create the eye-catching pieces the ephemeral desert city is known for.

Among the most visible retired Burning Man projects are the rusty rhinoceros art car near downtown and (until recently) the 45-foot-tall woman, R-Evolution, in the yard of the artist’s riverside warehouse.

Now, seeking to join the legion of Petaluma Burning Man creators, local artist and self-proclaimed geometry fanatic Kelly Davison is leading his own project, known as Complexahedron.

Complexahedron Night Rendering
A rendering of the Complexahedron by Henry Washer

In an IndyGogo fundraiser video seeking $15,000, Davison sits next to a nine foot tall proof of concept in his studio on the outskirts of Petaluma.

“The Complexahedron is an experiment in the interactions between the faces, edges and vertices of 55 fractalizing hexahedrons. Three sculpted figures surround the structure, symbolizing different branches of animal evolution,” the campaign explains.

In layman’s terms, the piece involves two cubes stacked on top of each other, connected at their corners with smaller cubes sprouting from the remaining corners. It will be 20 feet tall, with a staircase offering access to the second floor, in its final form.

Davison has attended Burning Man off and on since 2013, helping out with multiple other makers’ projects. However, this is his first time leading a project, a goal he set for himself several years ago.

“The Complexahedron is a culmination of the last few years of a lot of study and practice I’ve been doing in geometry,” he told the Bohemian. “I started experimenting with stacking cubes on top of each other, not flat on top of each other, but with their intersecting vertices.”

The online fundraiser is well on its way to gathering the funds needed to cover “the cost of lumber, hardware, lighting, the casting and finishing of the sculptures, and finally, transportation and equipment rentals.”

“I’ve been getting a lot of help and support from the other Burning Man artists, a lot of them who have been doing this for a really long time… If I wasn’t in a town like Petaluma [with a large Burning Man artist community], this project would be much more difficult,” Davison said.

Burning Man’s theme this year is ANIMALIA, and the hexahedron-obsessed Davison has partnered with Washer, whose works tend to be more mammalian in theme. Washer is contributing three sculptures that will sit outside of the main structure, which features fractalizing cubes representative of the cell division crucial to the creation of modern life forms.

In 2018, Davison helped to complete Washer’s project, The Monument of Indecision, which resembles Auguste Rodin’s The Thinker sitting below a glowing white orb. Today, the retired sculpture sits outside of the Petaluma Arts Center. 

Follow the project on Instagram @complexahedron.

Trivia, Week of June 7

QUESTIONS:

1 The musical supergroup The Eagles got their start as a backup group for what female singer, who has recorded pop, rock, opera, country and Hispanic music, who formerly lived in San Francisco, but now lives in Tucson, Arizona?

2 Which product was banned from America’s television and radio advertising in 1971?

3 Twelve to twenty times per minute, the average human performs what two actions (without even thinking about it), whose names begin with the same letter?

4 On Nov. 28, 1995, 50.28% of Irish voters chose to reverse a national prohibition on what?

5 What word, which can mean “approximately,” is spelled with six letters in alphabetical order?

6 Established in 1776, what musical theater in Russia is well known for its company of ballet dancers?

7 In 1802, E.I. DuPont established a factory that developed into the worldwide firm Du Pont. The DuPont family made their early riches selling what dangerous substance?

8 Tom Hanks won Best Actor Oscars in 1993 and 1994 for his roles in which films?

9 What is the only country of Eastern Europe whose language developed from Latin?

10 Can you name three U.S. states that were created entirely from other states?

BONUS QUESTION: Which basketball superstar wrote a 1996 book entitled Black Profiles in Courage?

Want more trivia? Contact ho*****@********fe.com. Save the date for our next live Trivia Cafe team contest at the Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley on Sunday, July 30 at 6pm.

ANSWERS:

1 Linda Ronstadt

2 Cigarettes

3 Breathe, Blink

4 Divorce

5 Almost

6 Bolshoi

7 Gunpowder

8 Philadelphia, 1993 (shown in photo), and Forrest Gump, 1994

9 Romania

10 Kentucky, from Virginia; West Virginia (split off from Virginia to join the Union side during the Civil War); and Maine, from Massachusetts

BONUS ANSWER: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Nonviolent Power: Myths and reality

A commonly held myth is that war concludes well with peace. In fact, conflict research shows that the losing side may accept defeat in a public-facing manner, only to fester and plot to get revenge later.

Violence and war generally lead to further violence and war. Although it may lead to short-term “peace,” violent conflict rarely works to build sustained peace.

But what if the war could have been avoided in the first place?

It is true that conflict is inevitable. War and violence are not. Where violence leaves winners and losers, constructive ends that foster working relationships are never constructed from violence. It is nonviolent action that produces working relationships. Nonviolent action as a response to conflict is essential to building and sustaining a culture of peace. But what is nonviolence? When has nonviolence been successful? And how does it contribute to building sustainable peace?

Indeed, there is empirical research by Harvard professor Erica Chenoweth and former State Department official Maria Stephan on the many cases in which nonviolent insurgency overthrew dictatorships at a success rate nearly double that of successful violent uprisings.

Key to nonviolence is the strain it creates on the ruling elites that challenges the dominant structure. Collective social strain forces leaders, militaries and perpetrators to change their methods. In the Chenoweth and Stephan study, they found that if 3.5% of a population become involved participants in a nonviolent campaign, the likelihood of success is almost guaranteed. Imposing costs on those in power can be done without shooting anyone.

With this, power is taken from the few, and the power is dispersed among the people. Because of this, nonviolence also can contribute to building democratic societies. Once the world knows about the power of nonviolence, ideally, they will see it as a viable, and vital, option in the face of conflict.

To quote Martin Luther King Jr., “At the center of nonviolence stands the principle of love.”

Haley Morrow is a conflict resolution master’s candidate at Portland State University.

Letters to the Editor, Week of June 7

Disqualified

After reading both Miriam Ginden’s Open Mic column (May 10) and Barry Barnett’s letter to the editor (May 31), I became intrigued by the possibility of barring from elected office anyone who participated in, encouraged or supported the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021.

Upon researching the Disqualification Clause, I found that the clause makes no mention of requiring a vote of Congress to enforce it, but it does allow Congress to exempt insurrectionists from being subject to the clause if two-thirds vote to do so.

However, enforcing the Disqualification Clause and applying it to current or prospective elected officials does not require a vote of Congress. Those accused of insurrection, including current members of Congress, can be tried in a court of law, and if found guilty, would automatically become ineligible to hold office, unless two-thirds of Congress votes to overturn the court’s decision.

It is my opinion that the Disqualification Clause of the 14th Amendment amends Article I, Section 5 of the U.S. Constitution to make expulsion for insurrection automatic, rather than subject to a vote of Congress.

Chris Wenmoth

Santa Rosa

Sonoma-Marin ag report calls for collaboration, amid weather warnings

This winter’s heavy rain storms offered the North Bay a respite from a three-year drought, but a report released in late May warns that local water users should remain vigilant.

The publication, titled “Agricultural Resilience in the Face of Extreme Dry Conditions,” was prepared by a variety of public agencies, nonprofits and ag industry groups. It offers lessons learned from the 2019-2022 drought, when rainfall in Marin and Sonoma counties ranged from 17 to 68% of normal levels.

First and foremost: Continue to think about water use even if the hills are green now, because extreme weather (characterized by wilder fluctuations between dry and wet years) is now the norm.

In a statement announcing the release of the report, David Lewis, the director of Marin County’s University of California Cooperative Extension, said: “Our focus should be on building community resilience to the [climate change-fueled weather] fluctuations. That will come from us talking about the adaptations and responses needed across those swings. Concepts like drought and flood need to be replaced with water resource planning for extreme conditions.”

Although drought is a community-wide issue, it’s not surprising this report came from—and focuses on—the agricultural industry. Afterall, ag uses a lot of water—and there’s money on the line. In 2021, agriculture production value from Sonoma and Marin counties totaled nearly $900 million, with $540 million of the total coming from wine grapes.

In reviewing the 2019-2022 drought years, the report credits regional policy makers and private groups with moving quickly to plan a response in the winter of 2019. Actions ranged from local water districts allowing trucks to deliver water to drought-stricken ranches and other agricultural interests, and state water officials allowing Sonoma Water to temporarily reduce the flow of water in the Russian River and Dry Creek.

Moving forward, the report calls for ongoing collaboration on drought issues. In that vein, it leads with a quote from a May 1978 state report on the just-passed 1976-77 drought: “We must take the opportunity now, while events are still fresh in mind, and we have the breathing spell provided by the 1978 rains, to plan for coping with the next dry period. There is no assurance that the next drought is not just beyond the horizon. We can be assured, however, that drought will return, and, considering the greater needs of that future time, its impact, unless prepared for, will be much greater.”

According to climate scientists’ recent studies, that dire drought may be unfolding already.

“Severe, extreme, and exceptional droughts in California and many western states have become more frequent, intense, unpredictable, and damaging over the past two decades as climate change impacts have intensified,” the Sonoma-Marin report states. “This most recent drought that began in the fall of 2019 and has continued through 2022, is one of the most severe droughts California has faced.”

The problem certainly isn’t limited to the North Bay. In February 2022, the journal Nature Climate Change found that the Western U.S. and northern Mexico had been experiencing their driest period in at least 1,200 years. “Climatologists have reported that the last multi-decade megadrought, comparable to this dry period, occurred in the 1500s,” the Sonoma-Marin agriculture report states.

State lawmaker proposes security deposit cap

Most renters know securing housing isn’t as simple as finding the perfect place.

California’s renters must save up thousands of dollars to provide security deposits that can legally be as much as two months’ rent, or three months’ rent for furnished units.

Add in the requirement that renters put up the first month’s rent before they can move in and low-income families are most likely to give up hope of finding a home.

The state Assembly on May 22 passed a proposal that could change that.

Assembly Bill 12 would limit security deposits to one month’s rent, regardless of whether a unit is furnished or not. If the bill passes and gets Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature, California could become the 12th state to limit security deposits.

“Security deposits present barriers for people to move into apartments, which can lead them to stay in apartments (and) in homes that are too small, crowded or even unsafe,” said Matt Haney, the assemblymember from San Francisco who authored the bill. “In other cases, people take on debt or financial burden that leaves them unable to afford other necessities.”

Haney said the bill has attracted widespread support in the Assembly, including from lawmakers who are landlords, as well as from labor organizations representing teachers, nurses and grocery store workers.

Assemblymember Diane Dixon, from Newport Beach, was among the Nos in the 53-14 vote. She cited concern about the bill’s potential to reduce the housing supply.

“The more we over-regulate people’s ability to offer a successful product, the scarcer it will become,” she said in a statement. “Landlords charge security deposits to cover potential damages and any unused funds are returned to the renter.”

Haney said the issue caught his attention when a janitor in his district described living with his wife and three children in a one-bedroom apartment.

“He wanted to move into a larger unit so his kids didn’t have to sleep in the same room as him and his wife,” Haney said. “He said he could afford the rent, but he couldn’t afford the deposit and first month’s rent to move in. Unfortunately that’s not an uncommon situation.”

In California, the median rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $2,538 and for a three-bedroom home is $3,795, according to Zillow. For a $3,000-a-month unfurnished unit, a landlord can charge as much as $9,000 for a security deposit and the first month’s rent.

“People are being asked to pay the equivalent of the down payment of a home in many parts of the country just to move in,” Haney said. “It’s really untenable.”

Culture Crush, Week of June 7

Petaluma

Home at the Mystic

Sean Hayes returns to the Mystic for the first time since he has really settled into his adopted hometown, where he is a much loved member of the community. Opening for the show is Sean Carscadden. Says Hayes about his opener, “He’s kind of like this unknown jewel of the North Bay,” calling him “probably one of the best guitar players I’ve seen around here.” Hayes is thrilled to be playing with “a little group of some local heavy hitter musicians backing me up,” and hoping for a guitar battle between Carscadden and his guitarist for the night, John Courage—guitarists on notice, the gauntlet has been thrown! “For the first time, I really feel like it’s a hometown show,” says Hayes. 7pm, Friday, June 9, 23 Petaluma Blvd. N, Petaluma. Tickets at the door and online at mystictheatre.com.

Santa Rosa

Public Spectacle

The seventh annual Railroad Square Music Festival returns for one day of multi-genre music in the heart of Santa Rosa. Turning an eye toward equity and a hope to inspire local creatives to feel appreciated and celebrated, this year the festival features local favorites from Banda La Congora to Brazilian reggae artist Ben Roots to Ableton Live aficionado Parson Jones. Besides

multiple stages of music, there will be local food, libations, vendors and a kid friendly family area. 12-7:30pm, Sunday, June 11, Railroad Square, Santa Rosa. All ages and free.

Larkspur

Big Screen Theatre

The Lark Theater in Larkspur hosts a special cinema event with the upcoming showings of T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets, A Film of the Original Stage Production. Ralph Fiennes’ exquisite performance of T. S. Eliot’s poetic masterpiece is dynamically translated from stage to screen by director Sophie Fiennes. Written by Nobel Prize winner Eliot in the shadow of the Second World War, the poem is a celebrated meditation on human experience, time and the divine. It is a work that bears a powerful relevance to the present day. 1pm, Sunday, June 11, and 7pm, Wednesday, June 14. Student tickets are $10, general admission $15.

Petaluma

Live Your Place

A new monthly series, Life by Design, begins this month, with speakers all summer. “Come for the conversation, stay for a cocktail and return for human connection,” suggests Place Matters, the organizer of the event. Talks over the summer will explore form and function, with local designers from all walks of life. Next up: Alfie Turnshek and Cinda Gilliland speak on “Mise en Place: Efficiency over Speed in Bar Design and Design in Public Spaces: Why It Matters.” 7-8:30pm, Tuesday, June 13, and every second Tuesday, at Griffo Distillery, 1320 Scott St., Suite A, Petaluma. Tickets $20 cash at the door, or purchase in advance at placematters-sonoma.com/events.

Free Will Astrology, Week of June 7

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves,” said psychologist Carl Jung. What was he implying? That we may sometimes engage in the same behavior that bothers us about others? And we should examine whether we are similarly annoying? That’s one possible explanation, and I encourage you to meditate on it. Here’s a second theory: When people irritate us, it may signify that we are at risk of being hurt or violated by them—and we should take measures to protect ourselves. Maybe there are other theories you could come up with, as well, Aries. Now here’s your assignment: Identify two people who irritate you. What lessons or blessings could you garner from your relationships with them?

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In 1886, a wealthy woman named Sarah Winchester moved into a two-story, eight-room farmhouse in San Jose. She was an amateur architect. During the next 20 years, she oversaw continuous reconstruction of her property, adding new elements and revising existing structures. At one point, the house had 500 rooms. Her workers built and then tore down a seven-story tower on 16 occasions. When she died at age 83, her beloved domicile had 2,000 doors, 10,000 windows, 47 stairways and six kitchens. While Sarah Winchester was extreme in her devotion to endless transformation, I do recommend a more measured version of her strategy for you—especially in the coming months. Continual creative growth and rearrangement will be healthy and fun!

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “All the things I wanted to do and didn’t do took so long. It was years of not doing.” So writes Gemini poet Lee Upton in her book, Undid in the Land of Undone. Most of us could make a similar statement. But I have good news for you, Gemini. I suspect that during the rest of 2023, you will find the willpower and the means to finally accomplish intentions that have been long postponed or unfeasible. I’m excited for you! To prepare the way, decide which two undone things you would most love to dive into and complete.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian author Denis Johnson had a rough life in his 20s. He was addicted to drugs and alcohol. Years later, he wrote a poem expressing gratitude to the people who didn’t abandon him. “You saw me when I was invisible,” he wrote, “you spoke to me when I was deaf, you thanked me when I was a secret.” Now would be an excellent time for you to deliver similar appreciation to those who have steadfastly beheld and supported your beauty when you were going through hard times.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t make a wish upon a star. Instead, make a wish upon a scar. By that I mean, visualize in vivid detail how you might summon dormant reserves of ingenuity to heal one of your wounds. Come up with a brilliant plan to at least partially heal the wound. And then use that same creative energy to launch a new dream or relaunch a stalled old dream. In other words, Leo, figure out how to turn a liability into an asset. Capitalize on a loss to engender a gain. Convert sadness into power and disappointment into joy.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): At age nine, I was distraught when my parents told me we were moving away from the small town in Michigan where I had grown up. I felt devastated to lose the wonderful friends I had made and leave the land I loved. But in retrospect, I am glad I got uprooted. It was the beginning of a new destiny that taught me how to thrive on change. It was my introduction to the pleasures of knowing a wide variety of people from many different backgrounds. I bring this to your attention, Virgo, because I think the next 12 months will be full of comparable opportunities for you. You don’t have to relocate to take advantage, of course. There are numerous ways to expand and diversify your world. Your homework right now is to identify three.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Most of us continuously absorb information that is of little or questionable value. We are awash in an endless tsunami of trivia and babble. But in accordance with current astrological omens, I invite you to remove yourself from this blather as much as possible during the next three weeks. Focus on exposing yourself to fine thinkers, deep feelers, and exquisite art and music. Nurture yourself with the wit and wisdom of compassionate geniuses and brilliant servants of the greater good. Treat yourself to a break from the blah-blah-blah and immerse yourself in the smartest joie de vivre you can find.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Over 25 countries have created coats of arms that feature an eagle. Why is that? Maybe it’s because the Roman Empire, the foundation of so much culture in the Western world, regarded the eagle as the ruler of the skies. It’s a symbol of courage, strength and alertness. When associated with people, it also denotes high spirits, ingenuity and sharp wits. In astrology, the eagle is the emblem of the ripe Scorpio: someone who bravely transmutes suffering and strives to develop a sublimely soulful perspective. With these thoughts in mind, and in accordance with current astrological omens, I invite you Scorpios to draw extra intense influence from your eagle-like aspects in the coming weeks.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “When I paint, my goal is to show what I found, not what I was looking for.” So said artist Pablo Picasso. I recommend you adopt some version of that as your motto in the coming weeks. Yours could be, “When I make love, my goal is to rejoice in what I find, not what I am looking for.” Or perhaps, “When I do the work I care about, my goal is to celebrate what I find, not what I am looking for.” Or maybe, “When I decide to transform myself, my goal is to be alert for what I find, not what I am looking for.”

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Vincent van Gogh painted Wheatfield with a Reaper, showing a man harvesting lush yellow grain under a glowing sun. Van Gogh said the figure was “fighting like the devil in the midst of the heat to get to the end of his task.” And yet, this was also true: “The sun was flooding everything with a light of pure gold.” I see your life in the coming weeks as resonating with this scene, Capricorn. Though you may grapple with challenging tasks, you will be surrounded by beauty and vitality.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): I suspect that your homing signals will be extra strong and clear during the next 12 months. Everywhere you go, in everything you do, you will receive clues about where you truly belong and how to fully inhabit the situations where you truly belong. From all directions, life will offer you revelations about how to love yourself for who you are and be at peace with your destiny. Start tuning in immediately, dear Aquarius. The hints are already trickling in.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The renowned Mexican painter Diego Rivera (1886–1957) told this story about himself: When he was born, he was so frail and ill that the midwife gave up on him, casting him into a bucket of dung. Rivera’s grandmother would not accept the situation so easily, however. She caught and killed some pigeons and wrapped her newborn grandson in the birds’ guts. The seemingly crazy fix worked. Rivera survived and lived for many decades, creating an epic body of artistic work. I bring this wild tale to your attention, Pisces, with the hope that it will inspire you to keep going and be persistent in the face of a problematic beginning or challenging birth pang. Don’t give up!

Loneliness v. Love: ‘Chapatti’ plays in Healdsburg

The 222 is a non-profit, member-supported arts, culture and entertainment venue that’s housed in the Paul Mahder Gallery in Healdsburg. Open since 2021, to date it’s presented musical programs, literary readings, film showings and other community events.

Professional theater now enters that mix with a series of productions programmed by well-known Bay Area theater artist and educator Aldo Billingslea. Their inaugural presentation is the two-hander, Chapatti, by Irish playwright Christian O’Reilly, which runs through June 11.

The show’s title happens to be the name of an unseen dog at the end of an unseen leash being held by Dan (Michael Elich). We learn that Dan is in mourning for the loss of a 30-year love and struggling with facing life alone. His path crosses with Betty (Robin Goodrin Nordli), an elder caregiver who, after the failure of a childless, loveless marriage, has taken solace in the company of cats—19 of them.

And so, the dance begins for 90 intermission-less minutes as two lonely people with nothing visibly in common take the first often-amusing steps in sharing just a bit of their love for their animals with another human being.

Elich and Goodrin Nordli are quite effective in their roles. The script also requires them to give voice to multiple other characters, mime their interactions with their pets and facilitate one on-stage costume change that they both handle with aplomb.

The show is minimally staged on a raised platform surrounded by artwork in the center of the gallery. Its set is basically two chairs, two stools, a box and a couple of trash bags. Fifteen tables seating four guests each comprise the audience area. The tables are nicely spaced so sightlines are rarely a problem. There is minimal lighting, and no voice amplification as the modified double Quonset retains and distributes the sound well, albeit with a persistent hollowness/echo.

This production of Chapatti was originally produced last year by the Rogue Theater Company in Ashland, Oregon, and is essentially a traveling version of that show. The performers, the director (Robynn Rodriguez) and the stage manager (Kimberley Jean Barry) are all members of that company, as well as decades-long veterans of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Playwright O’Reilly, who allowed the artistic team to modify his script for an American audience, breaks no new ground with his tale of the search for human connections, but Chapatti tells the tale well.

‘Chapatti’ runs through June 11 at The 222, 222 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. Friday, 6pm; Saturday, 7:30pm; Sunday, 2pm. $45-$85. Students free with ID. 707.473.9152. the222.org.

California set to celebrate second annual State Parks Week

The size, age and variety of California’s state parks rank among the best in the country. The Golden State sports 280 state parks, which include 5,200 miles of trails, 15,000 campsites, and countless natural and historical attractions. However, it was only last year that a coalition of public agencies and conservation nonprofits came together to formally acknowledging the natural beauty, ecological...

Petaluma artist raises funds for Burning Man project

Kelly and Alice Davison - Scott Hess
Once a year, tens of thousands of people descend on Nevada’s Black Rock Desert to create a temporary city, burn a massive man and, rumor has it, generally expand their view of the universe. Burning Man—not to be called a festival, according to the annual gathering’s website—draws its fair share of Bay Area residents. And, by an anecdotal survey of...

Trivia, Week of June 7

QUESTIONS: 1 The musical supergroup The Eagles got their start as a backup group for what female singer, who has recorded pop, rock, opera, country and Hispanic music, who formerly lived in San Francisco, but now lives in Tucson, Arizona? 2 Which product was banned from America’s television and radio advertising in 1971? 3 Twelve to twenty times per minute, the average...

Nonviolent Power: Myths and reality

A commonly held myth is that war concludes well with peace. In fact, conflict research shows that the losing side may accept defeat in a public-facing manner, only to fester and plot to get revenge later. Violence and war generally lead to further violence and war. Although it may lead to short-term “peace,” violent conflict rarely works to build sustained...

Letters to the Editor, Week of June 7

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Disqualified After reading both Miriam Ginden's Open Mic column (May 10) and Barry Barnett's letter to the editor (May 31), I became intrigued by the possibility of barring from elected office anyone who participated in, encouraged or supported the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021. Upon researching the Disqualification Clause, I found that the clause makes no mention...

Sonoma-Marin ag report calls for collaboration, amid weather warnings

Photo by Matt Dolkas
This winter’s heavy rain storms offered the North Bay a respite from a three-year drought, but a report released in late May warns that local water users should remain vigilant. The publication, titled “Agricultural Resilience in the Face of Extreme Dry Conditions,” was prepared by a variety of public agencies, nonprofits and ag industry groups. It offers lessons learned from...

State lawmaker proposes security deposit cap

Photo by Igal Ness/Unsplash
Most renters know securing housing isn't as simple as finding the perfect place. California's renters must save up thousands of dollars to provide security deposits that can legally be as much as two months' rent, or three months' rent for furnished units. Add in the requirement that renters put up the first month's rent before they can move in and low-income...

Culture Crush, Week of June 7

Sean Hayes - Photo by Bethany Johanna Weiss
Petaluma Home at the Mystic Sean Hayes returns to the Mystic for the first time since he has really settled into his adopted hometown, where he is a much loved member of the community. Opening for the show is Sean Carscadden. Says Hayes about his opener, “He's kind of like this unknown jewel of the North Bay,” calling him “probably one...

Free Will Astrology, Week of June 7

ARIES (March 21-April 19): "Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves," said psychologist Carl Jung. What was he implying? That we may sometimes engage in the same behavior that bothers us about others? And we should examine whether we are similarly annoying? That’s one possible explanation, and I encourage you to meditate...

Loneliness v. Love: ‘Chapatti’ plays in Healdsburg

Photo by Jonathan Wind
The 222 is a non-profit, member-supported arts, culture and entertainment venue that’s housed in the Paul Mahder Gallery in Healdsburg. Open since 2021, to date it’s presented musical programs, literary readings, film showings and other community events. Professional theater now enters that mix with a series of productions programmed by well-known Bay Area theater artist and educator Aldo Billingslea. Their...
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