Free Will Astrology: May 14-20

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): What may appear to be slow or static is actually moving. The developing changes are imperceptible from day to day, but incrementally substantial. So please maintain your faith in the diligent, determined approach. Give yourself pep talks that renew your deeply felt motivation. Ignore the judgments and criticism of people who have no inkling of how hard you have been working. In the long run, you will prove that gradual progress can be the most enduring.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The most successful people aren’t those who merely follow their passion, but those who follow their curiosity. Honoring the guidance of our passions motivates us, but it can also narrow our focus. Heeding the call of our curiosity emboldens our adaptability, exploration and maximum openness to new possibilities. In that spirit, Taurus, I invite you to celebrate your yearning to know and discover. Instead of aching for total clarity about your life’s mission, investigate the subtle threads of what piques your curiosity. Experiment with being an intrigued adventurer.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini author Huston Smith was a religious scholar who wrote 13 books. But he was dedicated to experiencing religions from the inside rather than simply studying them academically. Smith danced with Whirling Dervishes, practiced Zen meditation with a master and ingested peyote with Native Americans, embodying his view that real understanding requires participation, not just observation. In the spirit of his disciplined devotion, I invite you to seek out opportunities to learn through experience as much as theory. Leave your safety zone, if necessary, to engage with unfamiliar experiences that expand your soul. Be inspired by how Smith immersed himself in wisdom that couldn’t come from books alone.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): More than 2,000 years ago, people living in what’s now the Peruvian desert began etching huge designs of animals and plants in the earth. The makers moved a lot of dirt! Here’s the mystery: Some of the gigantic images of birds, spiders and other creatures are still visible today, but can only be deciphered from high above. And there were, of course, no airplanes in ancient times to aid in depicting the figures. Let’s use this as a metaphor for one of your upcoming tasks, Cancerian. I invite you to initiate or intensify work on a labor of love that will motivate you to survey your life from the vantage point of a bird or plane or mountaintop.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You now have extra power to detect previously veiled patterns and hidden agendas. That’s why I urge you to be alert for zesty revelations that may seem to arrive out of nowhere. They could even arise from situations you have assumed were thoroughly explored and understood. These are blessings, in my opinion. You should expect and welcome the full emergence of truths that have been ripening below the surface of your awareness. Even if they are initially surprising or daunting, you will ultimately be glad they have finally appeared.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Renowned Virgo author Nassim Nicholas Taleb has called for the discontinuation of the Nobel Prize in Economics. He says it rewards economists who express bad ideas that cause great damage. He also delivers ringing critiques of other economists widely regarded as top luminaries. Taleb has a lot of credibility. His book The Black Swan was named one of the most influential books since World War II. I propose we make him your inspirational role model for now, Virgo. May he incite you to question authority to the max. May he rouse you to bypass so-called experts, alleged mavens and supposed wizards. Be your own masterful authority.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I predict that your usual mental agility will be even more robust than usual in the coming weeks. Although this could possibly lead you to overthink everything, I don’t believe that’s what will happen. Instead, I suspect your extra cognitive flexibility will be highly practical and useful. It will enable you to approach problems from multiple angles simultaneously—and come up with hybrid solutions that are quite ingenious. A possibility that initially seems improbable may become feasible when you reconfigure its elements. PS: Your natural curiosity will serve you best when directed toward making connections between seemingly unrelated people and fields.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You’re ready to go to the next evolutionary stage of a close alliance. Although you may not feel entirely prepared for the challenge, I believe you will be guided by your deeper wisdom to do what’s necessary. One way I can help is to provide exhilarating words that boost your daring spirit. With that in mind, I offer you a passage from poet William Blake. Say them to your special friend if that feels right, or find other words appropriate to your style. Blake wrote, “You are the fierce angel that carves my soul into brightness, the eternal fire that burns away my dross. You are the golden thread spun by the hand of heaven, weaving me into the fabric of infinite delight. Your love is a furnace of stars, a vision that consumes my mortal sight, leaving me radiant and undone. In your embrace, I find the gates of paradise thrown wide.”

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In ancient Egypt, mirrors were composed of polished copper. To remain properly reflective, they required continual maintenance. Let’s take that as a metaphor for one of your key tasks in the coming weeks. It’s high time to do creative upkeep on your relationships with influences that provide you with feedback on how you’re doing. Are your intended effects pretty close to your actual effects? Does your self-image match the way you are perceived by others? Are you getting the right kind of input to help you stay on course?

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Chances to initiate creative transformations will come from unexpected sources in the coming days. I guarantee it. But will you be sufficiently receptive to take maximum advantage? The purpose of this horoscope is to nudge you to shed your expectations so you will be tenderly, curiously open to surprising help and inspiration. What sweet interruptions and graceful detours will flow your way if you are willing to depart from your usual script? I predict that your leadership qualities will generate the greatest good for all concerned if you are willing to relinquish full control and be flexibly eager to entertain intuitive breakthroughs.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): For many Indigenous people of California, acorns were part of every meal. Nuts from oak trees were used to create bread, soups, dumplings, pancakes, gravy and porridge. But making them edible required strenuous work. In their natural state, they taste bitter and require multiple soakings to leach out the astringent ingredient. Is there a metaphorical equivalent for you, Aquarius? An element that can be important, but needs a lot of work, refinement and preparation? If so, now is a good time to develop new approaches to making it fully available.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): When Pisces-born Jane Hirshfield was a young poet, she mostly stopped writing poetry for eight years. During that time, she was a full-time student of Zen Buddhism and lived for three years at a monastery. When she resumed her craft, it was infused with what she had learned. Her meditative practice had honed her observational skills, her appreciation of the rich details of daily life, and her understanding that silence could be a form of communication. In the spirit of the wealth she gathered from stillness, calm and discipline, I invite you to enjoy your own spiritual sabbatical, dear Pisces. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to relax into the most intriguing mysteries.

Homework: What do you want more than anything else but fear you’re not worthy of? Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

Mill Valley Music Fest Begins

Saturday, May 10 and Sunday, May 11 is the 3rd Annual Mill Valley Music Festival at Friends Field in, you guessed it, Mill Valley.

The festival has become a popular family event featuring an impressive music lineup, a marketplace featuring local handmade crafts, clothing, jewelry and more plus a killer lineup of all kinds of food and drink including wine and beer.

Some of the bigger musical acts include Gary Clark Jr., Chic featuring Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Nile Rodgers, Monophonics, Sister Nancy and The Crosby Collective which boasts multi-instrumentalist virtuoso Jason Crosby and an array of impressive jam band musicians.

However the festival is also great about celebrating local artists. We wanted to talk to a few of them about the upcoming gig.Singer/guitarist Rose Paradise grew up just over Mt. Tam in Stinson Beach.

With a folky sound new album, cheekily titled “Over the Hill” (she’s under 25 years old), which she says “is largely a tribute to West Marin, leaving home and the experience of coming back.”

When asked about her experience with bigger shows, she says “I’ve been playing a bunch the last few years back and forth between New York and the Bay Area. The biggest shows were at venues like Bowery Ballroom in NYC and The Independent in SF. Mill Valley Music Festival is however my first festival! I’m super excited to be playing it in my hometown along with so many incredible artists.”

Her set is from 5:00-5:45 on Saturday. Mill Valley’s own Matt Jaffe has been steadily building a buzz around the Bay Area and has also been named host of the popular Open Mic Night at Sweetwater which incidentally is sponsoring the stage where both he and Paradise will be performing with Jaffe there Sunday from 2:15-2:45 pm.

As for big crowds, Jaffe says he’s done the National Anthem twice at Golden State Warriors games as well as once at Oracle Park before a Giants game but not as many festivals. He says he likes how the fest combines new as well as establish acts adding “they’ve done a fantastic job of remaining true to the foundational music of Mill Valley (i.e. a significant jam band contingent) while introducing acts that cater to a broader audience.

”Another popular Marin performer is Elliott Peck of the band Midnight North which she co-founded with Grahame Lesh who needs no introduction. An old hat to the festival circuit, Peck has played all over including at the famed Newport Folk Fest. Says Peck of that experience, “That day I had the chance to play with a star studded Phil Lesh & Friends lineup, which included the incredible Sheryl Crow! Truly one of my favorite, all time experiences playing music.”

Peck kicks off the fest on Saturday from 12:30-1:00pm so get there early.With a fan base that comes out to see them as well as new ears hoping to find a new fave, Jaffe says for a shorter festival set “sticking to tried and true tunes is usually a reliable recipe. Comedians have their “tight ten” for when they have a slim window to make ’em laugh, and we have a strong half hour that is down to muscle memory.”

Peck agrees adding “I tend to choose songs I believe will draw in new listeners, songs with my strongest melodies & a bit tighter arrangements.”

Paradise’s aim is to be “playing a lot of the songs off the album. Now that these songs are out in the world, it will be fun to see how the audience engages and whether they know the songs. I probably will sneak some new stuff in too that I’m excited about!”If you’re able to check these locals out live it’s always great to support them after the fact. Jaffe says he has a new single out called “Girl in the Moon House” while Peck has a new EP called “In the Pines” which is available now.

More information about these musicians and the Mill Valley Music Fest can be found at millvalleymusicfest.com. The day is open to all ages and a wide variety of ticket options are available now.

Sweet Dreams: Lucid Dreaming Shows Promise as PTSD Therapy

Sure, Inception, Dreamscape, The Lathe of Heaven or any of a number of sci-fi flicks that explore harnessing the dream state are entertaining—but are they healing?  

A recent study led by Dr. Garret Yount, a molecular neurobiologist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS), which is perched over the border of Sonoma and Marin counties, points to the  potential of healing minds while sleeping.

Yount’s research explored the potential of lucid dreaming—a state in which a person becomes aware of dreaming and can actively engage with the dream—as an alternative therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“I’ve always wanted to do research in dreaming since I was a kid,” Yount said. “And then as an adult was working with PTSD alternative therapies to help them and came across this combination. So, I was excited to explore that.”

The study involved a six-day lucid dreaming workshop providing 22 hours of live instruction and group activities via video conferencing. About half of all participants, including those in a control group, experienced at least one lucid dream. Among those who did, 63% of workshop participants reported achieving a “healing lucid dream,” compared to 38% of the controls.

Workshop participants reported significant reductions in PTSD symptoms and nightmare distress, with improvements persisting at a one-month follow-up. Increased well-being and diminished negative emotions were also noted.

“A lucid dream is a dream in which waking consciousness awakens inside the dreamscape,” Yount explained. “So the waking consciousness that we’re using right now to talk to each other just kind of wakes up inside the dreamscape. Realization occurs that dreaming is happening, and in that state, it becomes possible to interact with the scenario.”

The therapeutic goal is not controlling the dream but participating in it consciously, particularly when confronting symbolic representations of trauma.

“You encounter a monster in the dream, and instead of running from it, embrace it, turn to it, somehow ask to integrate with it,” Yount said.

In one of his own lucid dreams, Yount recounted becoming aware of a ghoul pursuing him. Remembering his training, he chose not to flee but instead addressed the figure: What can you teach me? he asked. The figure promptly shrank into a younger version of himself, leading to what he described as “an amazing healing lucid dream.”

For individuals coping with PTSD—whether veterans, survivors of abuse or others facing traumatic memories—this type of symbolic engagement can offer real relief.

The study also suggests lucid dreaming might replicate some of the neurochemical effects of medications commonly prescribed for PTSD.

“Many of the medicines are dampening neurotransmitters, which is part of the symptoms of stress in the brain,” Yount noted. “During rapid eye movement sleep, the neurotransmitters are dampened also. So it’s kind of like mimicking the conditions that the meds are trying to reach.”

In this unique state, traumatic memories can be recalled without triggering stress hormones, allowing for a kind of reprogramming. “Whether the dreamer embraces the monster or simply observes a recurring scene and acknowledges, ‘I’m OK; I’m going to be OK,’ the process becomes a kind of self-hypnosis,” Yount said.

Lucid dreaming offers a relatively low-cost and accessible approach to trauma therapy. While some achieve lucidity naturally, others can learn induction techniques like those taught in the study’s workshop. Even participants who did not consistently reach lucidity reported therapeutic benefits.

“Just doing this ‘dream thinking’ about dreaming—and realizing trauma can be transformed in dreams—seems to work even if lucidity is not achieved,” said Yount.

The findings point to a fascinating frontier in the science of sleep and the potential of the dreaming mind—not a fantasy, but an emerging therapeutic reality.

For more information on the work at IONS, visit noetic.org.

Culture Crush, May 7

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Point Reyes

Indigenous Art

Gallery Route One invites art and culture lovers out to West Marin to experience Maakon/Yowa: Grounded in Coast Miwok, a vibrant art exhibition featuring a collection of contemporary works by 13 Indigenous Californian artists. Curated by Meyokeeskow Marrufo, the show centers on the theme of land and showcases the various artists’ paintings, basketry, regalia and more. The celebration continues with the Maakon Yowa Art Festival, a lively outdoor gathering with traditional dancing, artist vendors, acorn processing, basket weaving, food and plenty of community connection and cultural appreciation. The exhibition runs through May 11 at Gallery Route One, located at 11101 Highway One in Point Reyes Station.

The gallery is open Thursday through Monday from 11am to 5pm. The Maakon Yowa Art Festival will take place on Saturday, May 10, from 11am to 4pm on The Green in Point Reyes. For more information, visit galleryrouteone.org.

Glen Ellen

Acoustic Sunsets

Sonoma Botanical Garden’s Acoustic Sunsets outdoor music series is back at it again with immaculate summertime vibes, live tunes and a weekly Wednesday night wine ’n’ dine invite that’s simply divine. Guests of the garden can come on out and enjoy live performances in the outdoor amphitheater, with its lovely view perfect for unwinding with family and friends (and furry loved ones, too, since well-behaved, leashed dogs are welcome). Expect a rotating lineup of local artists spanning genres like pop, rock, folk and Americana, along with the addition of some special events one may not want to miss. Think concert series meets community experience with more than a splash of wine and endless celebration of local Sonoma culture and tradition to match.

The series runs every Wednesday from 5 to 8pm starting May 7 and running until Oct. 29. Admission is included with general entry and is free for Sonoma Botanical Garden members. The garden is located at 12841 Hwy. 12 in Glen Ellen. For more information, visit sonomabg.org.

Santa Rosa

Blues, Brews, BBQ

Every Wednesday this summer, one new Santa Rosa restaurant, Downtown Barbecue, is settin’ up to transform into the city’s central honky-tonk hub—not with bull riding or rodeo clowns (unless someone gets ambitious), but with the welcomed addition of Downtown Barbecue’s upcoming Summer Concert Series. Hosted on a spacious outdoor patio conveniently located across from Courthouse Square, Downtown Barbecue’s Summer Concert Series pairs live country and blues music with breweries on tap each and every week. The best part? It’s free. The second-best part? It syncs up perfectly with the Wednesday Night Market, so one may two-step their way through town square tacos and small-batch IPAs before posting up for a patio show under the stars.

The Country Blues and Brews Downtown Barbecue is free to attend and will take place from 4:30 to 8:30pm every Wednesday in May, June and July at 610 3rd St. in Santa Rosa. Visit downtownbarbecue.co to learn more.

Tiburon

AAPI Festival

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, a time to honor the rich histories, diverse cultures and significant contributions of AAPI communities across the United States. At 1pm on Saturday, May 17, Zelinsky Park in Tiburon will host the Tiburon AAPI Heritage Festival 2025. This free event features a rich lineup of performances, including Qi Gong, Tai Chi, Kung Fu, lion dances, stilt walkers and hula. Emcees Felicia Lowe and Albert Yu will guide attendees through the festivities. Local organizations such as the Marin Chinese Cultural Association and the Asian American Curriculum Project will have exhibits, and food vendors like Mama Yali’s Dumplings and Bai Cha Boba Thai will offer culinary delights.

For more information, contact the Tiburon Diversity Inclusion Task Force at di******@************er.org or visit Tiburon Chamber of Commerce.

Animator Gene Hamm Dreams Big With Film: ‘The Dream Hat’ Screens in Petaluma

In a village where people have lost the ability to dream, one old man dons a magic hat to dream on their behalf. 

When the time comes to pass his mantle to a young successor, corporate forces, of course, want in. 

This is the premise of Petaluma animator Gene Hamm’s new hand-drawn feature, The Dream Hat, screening May 10 at the Petaluma Arts Center.

If the plot sounds like an allegory—capitalism versus creativity—one is not wrong. But it’s also a celebration of storytelling, music (17 original songs) and the singular passion of an artist who has spent nearly five decades drawing his dreams into reality.

“I’ve been an animator since 1978 when I got my first job on Ralph Bakshi’s Lord of The Rings,” says Hamm, who has called the North Bay home since his “Gumby” days. That’s right; he also worked on the beloved stop-motion, green clay dude with the convex arc head—and his horse, Pokey.

His early credits read like a kid’s Saturday morning fever dream: Smurfs, Superfriends, Plastic Man, FangFace, and music videos for Michael Bolton (Everybody’s Crazy) and Big Trouble in Little China. He even worked under a young James Cameron in the art department of Battle Beyond The Stars.

“Everything I learned in school; they teach you how to be a starving artist,” Hamm says with a laugh. “But at Hanna-Barbera, I took classes at night and learned from some of the best teachers. One of my teachers [worked on] Betty Boop and Popeye cartoons. They taught me how to get 30 usable drawings out of me a day. That was really valuable.”

Hamm later taught animation at Academy of Art University for 15 years. But it wasn’t until he embraced newer technology that he fully seized control of his storytelling destiny.

“The cool thing is that because of the new technology, you can be a one-man show,” Hamm says. “It used to be only rich people could make films. Now you can do stuff on your own, and it doesn’t have to have a big budget.”

Hamm’s first solo feature, Hell Toupee—animated entirely in his apartment during the pandemic—is currently streaming on TubiTV, SmashTV and Fawesome. “When it was a 28-minute work-in-progress, it won Best Animation at the Hell’s Kitchen Festival in New York City,” he notes.

For The Dream Hat, Hamm animated using a graphics tablet (a computer input device that allows users to create digital artwork) and Adobe Animate (a multimedia authoring program—formerly known as “Flash”). It’s not his first go at the story—he originally created a shorter version decades ago, only for the computer company behind his software to go bust mid-production. “The new one is 77 minutes long, and it’s done the way I always wanted to do it,” he says.

The DIY spirit extends to casting. “You can source talent from all over the world. They can literally phone their performances in, record at home and send them to you,” he explains. The film also boasts a marquee voice actor: Julie Newmar, best known as Catwoman from the 1960s’ Batman TV series.

Looking ahead, Hamm is already deep into his next feature—another musical odyssey he describes as his “Yellow Submarine.” Fortunately, he doesn’t need to don a magic hat to dream big—just a graphics tablet and vision.

The Dream Hat plays at 5:30pm, Saturday, May 10 at the Petaluma Arts Center, 230 Lakeville St. Tickets are $15-$20 and available at bit.ly/dream-hat.

The Keeper: Remembering a Father Who Almost Wasn’t Mine

Last December, my father died. And as my family arranges his memorial—an event set to be larger and more emotional than any of our weddings—I’m brought up short by the realization that his life might never have included any of us. 

I am the adopted child of a formerly incarcerated man. And if my father had faced the conditions in California prisons today, I would not have had a father at all.

All I will ever see inside prisons are people who need help, so they can get back home to build sets for their kids’ dance performances, coach pee-wee soccer, build a beautiful house in a forest and live a good life. That’s my father’s story, and my own.

When he was incarcerated in the 1960s, the state of California had different, more rehabilitative policies, and he got some of the help he needed. According to the National Library of Medicine (NLM), “The 1966 Narcotic Addiction Rehabilitation Act (NARA) authorized the civil commitment of narcotic addicts, and federal assistance to state and local governments to develop a local system of drug treatment programs.”

Furthermore, states the NLM, “The NARA legislation imposed the following contract requirements on treatment centers: (1) thrice-a-week counseling sessions; (2) weekly urine tests; (3) restorative dental services; (4) psychological consultations and vocational training; and (5) the treatment modalities of drug-free outpatient, therapeutic community, and methadone maintenance.” 

My dad, using some of these supports, changed his life. He did not support the use of methadone, and was too insubordinate to make use of those psych consults, but worked with NARA in various capacities. Without it—under the conditions that currently exist—he probably would have remained in prison.

All incarcerated people deserve support and rehabilitation. My father never needed prison; he needed help. That’s only one reason I can’t accept the dangerous situation in prisons today, but it’s the one that chills me. 

A 2010 paper from the NLM states: “At 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-up, patients who received methadone plus counseling were significantly less likely to use heroin or engage in criminal activity than those who received only counseling. The potential exists for immediate adoption of methadone maintenance for incarcerated persons with opioid addictions, but most prison systems have not been receptive to this approach.” Mom says Dad wasn’t “receptive” to it either, but the point is, it was there. 

Compared to the mid-1960s, the state of California’s approach to incarcerated people today is to punish them, keep them as long as possible behind bars and to deny them almost any help. This is true of drug offenders, but it’s also true of everyone else.

FAM (From left) Hiya Swanhuyser, and her father, Peter Swanhuyser, share a milestone moment in the ’80s. ‘If my father had faced the conditions in California prisons today, I would not have had a father at all,’ says Hiya Swanhuyser. Photo courtesy of Dee Swanhuyser.

I see him, the other him, unhelped, in photos of people in prison, and I mean precisely. Dad never “looked like” anything other than someone who had done hard time; this is how he wanted it. His three earrings, long hair, large beard, tattoos and leather vest caused him problems. This was especially true the time he was officially dismissed from coaching youth soccer, at a meeting he came home from with a look on his face I had never seen. To this day, no one will tell me exactly what words were said at that meeting, but I had to go to high school with kids whose parents had said them. 

Other times, it was only that men spontaneously tried to fight him. He didn’t mind this so much. Those men needed to know what it was like to step up to a real-life badass. They found out he explained to them he wasn’t going to fight them right then, because he didn’t feel like it, and he was busy having a family. And he did this while still frightening them. 

In spite of this type of interaction, Dad never changed the way he looked and didn’t explain his choice to anyone. So he always had that look about him. As a result, I reflexively feel warmth and trust in people who look intense, an impulse that has served me well.

But if Peter Swanhuyser maintained his tough-guy looks, he had changed everything else about himself: He relaxed with friends, he laughed aloud, he had nice clothes to wear at festive events, and he drove his family to the coast on Sundays. None of that happens in prison.

I also see the other path, the other Peter Swanhuyser, in people living rough, people whose bad times separate them from their families and friends. He could easily have been among them his whole life. I recognize him in their gravelly voices and hard eyes, in their swagger that says, “I can hurt you quick.” My dad had those. 

And let me be clear: He had been a person who made really bad choices, and who hurt people. He was far worse than, for example, the “no angel” public-opinion conviction that made nice people think it was OK for officer Darren Wilson to kill Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014.

Yes, I don’t remember learning what “an addict” was, because I just always knew. Yes, there were drugs in my childhood home. Yes, the hate that people had for him was sometimes directed at me and hurt me.

But now look at that guy again, the bad guy. And try to realize: In 1977, my mother picked me up from the first day of first grade at Harmony School in Occidental. When we got home, my dad was waiting for me, kneeling down, with open arms. “Hey. How’s my big first-grader?” he bellowed, swooping me up in his strong arms. It seemed like an important celebration. I was proud of myself. Peter Swanhuyser continued to show up for my brother, my mother and me for the next 48 years. 

Through the years, he built houses from the ground up, got his contractor’s license and founded Oasis Construction, when he’d come home covered in sawdust, exhausted. On weekends, my parents forged a partnership with the normal-looking nextdoor neighbors to create an informal co-op farmstead, with a giant vegetable garden, a chicken coop, pig pen, steer pasture and roaming geese, plus all the trucks, compost piles, weed whackers and post-hole diggers a farm requires. Those neighbors may have recoiled from our hippie appearance at first, but they became our weed-pulling, dirt-smeared compadres. 

It was hard work, but Dad loved it. He swore at the old machinery we often had to use, but he was fascinated and gratified to put his hands in the soil, and learn what would grow.

Graduations, performances, soccer games, summer camping trips with our arms out the windows and The Eagles on the tape deck. Sunday drives to see the ocean, Easter egg hunts, massive Christmases with trees we cut in our own forest, when he loved to “play Santa” and hand out gifts, sitting cross-legged under the tree. 

Birthday parties, family outings to the annual Occidental Volunteer Fire Department barbecue in Union Hotel Grove, dropping us off at Harmony School on misty West County mornings after a trip to the Land House bakery for one of their legendary bear claw pastries. It was all pretty normal paterfamilias behavior, as much nostalgia as I have for it all now, in the wake of his death.

All this is to say: Look at someone who has been labeled human garbage. Look at what one despises about them, their scary tattoos, their lawless behavior, their arrogant hatred of normal people. And now try to realize—anyone can come back from it. I know they can, because it is the only life I know, the whole life I know.

Some people would have put him behind bars and tossed the key. But not me.

Donations in Peter Swanhuyser’s memory are welcome at the Last Mile, thelastmile.org, ‘a team of social innovators who are breaking the cycle of incarceration with technical education and training that champions students’ success after their release.’

Big Names, Big Yum: Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience Returns for Fourth Year

The Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience returns May 15-18 and promises a robust lineup of culinary star power. 

And the big-ticket event already generating buzz is the Saturday night Big Bottle Party at The Matheson, where hometown hero Dustin Valette will be joined by Top Chef favorite Lee Anne Wong, Iron Chef America victor Viet Pham and none other than mayor of Flavortown himself, Guy Fieri. Yes, that Guy.

Yes, there will be magnums. Yes, the Wonder Bread 5 will play until late. And yes—one may want to grab a ticket now.

Now in its fourth year, the festival showcases Sonoma County’s best alongside a who’s who of international winemakers and chefs. The aim? To celebrate the region’s farmers, growers, vintners and chefs while highlighting sustainable farming and Sonoma’s agricultural connection to the world. 

“The rising tide raises all boats,” says Valette. “It’s 100% true with all of us here in the ’Burg.” And if one thinks it’s all competition in the kitchen, they may want to think again. Just last month, Valette found himself borrowing a live lobster from fellow chef Mark Stark at Willi’s Seafood. “Now walking down Healdsburg Ave. with a live lobster must have been a sight to see,” he adds.

Valette’s schedule for the weekend could make a sous-chef break into a cold sweat. At 11am, Saturday, May 17, the Reserve Lounge at The Matheson Rooftop opens, offering exclusive wines, spirits and chef-created bites in a luxe, above-it-all setting (sponsored by First Citizens Wealth and Silicon Valley Bank). The lounge will stay open until 5pm, giving guests plenty of time to unwind—or gear up—for the evening’s festivities.

At 7pm, The Matheson hosts an Exclusive Pre-Party, where Valette joins Wong and Pham for an extravagant spread paired with rare reserve large format wines. But the real headliner kicks off at 9pm, when Fieri rolls in for the Magnum Party, known formally as the Big Bottle Party. One can expect large-format wines from iconic Sonoma County winemakers and global producers, late-night bites from the all-star chef team and music that will keep the crowd going until the wee hours.

“A chef’s secret is espresso,” Valette jokes when asked how he stays vertical during the marathon weekend. “That and copious amounts of Santo Tequila.”

Valette is used to sharing the stage with big names. But when asked what bit of kitchen smack-talk he might offer his high-profile colleagues, he confesses: “Don’t screw up; just don’t screw up … that seems to get in everyone’s head. And maybe the occasional adding sugar to someone’s salt.”

Despite the long hours and high profile, Valette insists Healdsburg’s culinary scene remains rooted in camaraderie. “The best part of Sonoma County is that we are all here showcasing our craft and supporting each other,” he says.

That collaborative spirit, however, doesn’t mean the job is easy. When pressed, Valette admits it’s a toss-up whether keeping his kitchen staff happy or coaxing cooperative grapes from the vineyard is more challenging. “Wow, knock on wood, though; we are lucky. We have an amazing culinary staff, and our winery partners are beyond exceptional,” he says.

And what does he wish more visitors understood about Sonoma County dining? Says Valette: “We have a nationally recognized, world-class culinary scene. We have a three-star Michelin, multiple one-stars and I think eight Michelin-recognized restaurants in a town of 10,000.”

The Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience runs Thursday, May 15 through Sunday, May 18, with seminars, tastings and events at various locations throughout town. While Valette’s events are among the most anticipated, the full schedule offers everything from sustainability panels to farm tours to grand tastings. For the curious and the culinary-obsessed, there’s truly something for everyone. And for a full schedule and tickets, visit healdsburgwineandfood.com.

A Wilde Show, Classic Victorian Comedy at 6th St.

Anchored by two stellar performances and a set that looks like a rose garden vomited in the best possible way, 6th Street Playhouse’s current production of Oscar Wilde’s iconic classic, The Importance of Being Earnest, will make one smile like a dolt. The show runs in Santa Rosa on 6th Street’s Monroe Stage through May 11.

Classic, farcical scripts don’t always hold up over the generations. But Wilde’s tale of two scheming charmers who call themselves “Ernest” and the two very romantically specific women who lust over them still does, with its brilliant wit and sharp social commentary. 

Every word spoken is a straight zinger. Director Lauren Heney dashes her production with anachronistic and fanciful flair in the form of a rose-bedecked ceiling, conveniently appearing props and classically inspired pop instrumentals while keeping the set (with its rich floral motif by Laurynn Malilay) and costumes (by Mae Heagerty-Matos) properly Victorian. 

This is a play that actors love, as the characters offer lots of opportunity for physical and vocal comedy. The ensemble is successful in their energy and camaraderie, with scene-stealing work by Eileen Morris (best accent of the cast) and Be Wilson. Mary Gannon Graham will have one in stitches with merely one word (they’ll know it when it happens) while David Noll plays it (mostly) wonderfully straight.

The four principals execute their roles quite smartly with a variety of choices. Katherine Rupers gives her naive Cecily Cardew a twisted Disney-princess edge, while Damion Matthews seems to be channeling several Monty Python characters in both voice and mannerism, with his Jack Worthing building up to a frenzied crescendo over muffins. 

But the show belongs to Drew Bolander and Sarah Dunnavant as the wily and stylish Algernon Moncrieff and the imperious but refined Gwendolyn Fairfax. They personify an actor’s commitment from their first entrances and never let up. 

Dunnavant chews all the scenery, imbuing Gwendolyn with an aggressive intensity that is bonkers but truthful to Wilde’s eccentricity and slyness. Bolander is more subtle and period-appropriate but never misses a knowing beat as he glides around the stage, clearly relishing the role. Their performances alone make this production more than worth the price of admission.

And remember, it feels SO good to laugh right now.

‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ runs through May 11 on Monroe Stage at 6th Street Playhouse, 52 W. 6th St., Santa Rosa. Thurs-Sat, 7:30pm; Sat & Sun, 2pm. $29-$48. 707.523.4185. 6thstreetplayhouse.com.

Your Letters, May 7

Bias Bait

A task force helmed by Attorney General Pam Bondi and focused on “eradicating” anti-Christian bias in the government held its first meeting recently.

While Donald Trump’s government is retreating from any effort by the federal government to pursue racial justice, it is leaning hard into ending what it sees as anti-Christian bias.

So, anti-Jew, anti-Hindi, anti-Muslim, etc. What were these groups thinking if any of them voted for this charlatan?

Gary Sciford
Santa Rosa

Dept. of Art, Creative Sonoma’s Tara Thomson

There’s a pattern—most every town and county in the North Bay has an “arts council”—a non-profit art agency-advocate. 

These plucky non-profits are typically represented by a downtown office and arts-space displaying local art. Typically, they are woefully underfunded for their mission—in the pattern of nonprofits. When, 10-plus years ago, Sonoma’s struggling all-county arts council finally heaved up and broke apart, local arts activists took the problem before their board of supervisors. 

This put in train a creative solution: Make their county’s “art council” part of the government. Thus began Creative Sonoma. The new all-county arts council would have closer relations with the granters of government largesse and a guaranteed budget of $1 million annually. The downside could be a governmental remove from the community as the “council” was swallowed up by the bureaucracy.

We are now 10 years into this experiment. To learn more about Creative Sonoma, I solicited an interview with artist Tara Thomson, who is settling into her second year as the director of its staff of three government employees. In our conversation, I found her highly competent, transparent and circumspect.

Cincinnatus Hibbard: Tara, on your Creative Sonoma website, your general strategy is laid out as [more] public art, [more] early arts education, [more] professional development for artists and [more] money for public artists and arts organizations in the form of grants. Key to all this is your definition of “good” public art—as that would be the art that wins your grants.

Tara Thomson: I would not say that public art is “good” or “bad” but more or less meaningful to a community. The key word in public art is public. It is meant for the community to experience and enjoy. In my opinion, the community should be involved in the generation of the idea, its type, its location and the section of the artist. 

I think what a lot of people think of when they think of government public art is that the government is deciding what art goes where and just puts it there. Community involvement creates ownership of public art. It creates identification, mutual understanding and social cohesion. And I think that’s what’s needed here. And not necessarily a sculpture or a mural. What the community might need is a pop-up event or a series of musical performances in their public spaces.

For examples of this definition, I see in your pipeline that the supervisors have tasked you with a Tubbs Fire Memorial. Also that Supervisor (Lynda) Hopkins has allocated for your direction public art grants for public art in unincorporated West Sonoma County this summer. Tara, I don’t know that Creative Sonoma is a household name yet—even in the arts community. But probably you are best known for your money grants to local artists.

Yes. We have just announced the recipients of our 2025 arts impact grants. This is 4K for art or general operating expenses for each of 45 artists and art—or cultural organizations. 

Tara, you told me that in your short tenure you have worked to better realize the potential of being a part of government and its resources. What are you currently working on in this vein?

I am working on a new public art plan to put art in all local government buildings.

Another effort to approach other county agencies—such as parks or HR— to involve

local artists in their efforts to fulfill their own missions. Artists have a way of synthesizing information and communicating with people that typical government outreach lacks.

For artist resources, visit linktr.ee/creativesonomaLINKS.

Free Will Astrology: May 14-20

ARIES (March 21-April 19): What may appear to be slow or static is actually moving. The developing changes are imperceptible from day to day, but incrementally substantial. So please maintain your faith in the diligent, determined approach. Give yourself pep talks that renew your deeply felt motivation. Ignore the judgments and criticism of people who have no inkling of...

Mill Valley Music Fest Begins

Saturday, May 10 and Sunday, May 11 is the 3rd Annual Mill Valley Music Festival at Friends Field in, you guessed it, Mill Valley. The festival has become a popular family event featuring an impressive music lineup, a marketplace featuring local handmade crafts, clothing, jewelry and more plus a killer lineup of all kinds of food and drink including...

Sweet Dreams: Lucid Dreaming Shows Promise as PTSD Therapy

Sure, Inception, Dreamscape, The Lathe of Heaven or any of a number of sci-fi flicks that explore harnessing the dream state are entertaining—but are they healing?   A recent study led by Dr. Garret Yount, a molecular neurobiologist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS), which is perched over the border of Sonoma and Marin counties, points to the  potential of...

Culture Crush, May 7

Point Reyes Indigenous Art Gallery Route One invites art and culture lovers out to West Marin to experience Maakon/Yowa: Grounded in Coast Miwok, a vibrant art exhibition featuring a collection of contemporary works by 13 Indigenous Californian artists. Curated by Meyokeeskow Marrufo, the show centers on the theme of land and showcases the various artists’ paintings, basketry, regalia and more. The...

Animator Gene Hamm Dreams Big With Film: ‘The Dream Hat’ Screens in Petaluma

In a village where people have lost the ability to dream, one old man dons a magic hat to dream on their behalf.  When the time comes to pass his mantle to a young successor, corporate forces, of course, want in.  This is the premise of Petaluma animator Gene Hamm’s new hand-drawn feature, The Dream Hat, screening May 10 at the...

The Keeper: Remembering a Father Who Almost Wasn’t Mine

Last December, my father died. And as my family arranges his memorial—an event set to be larger and more emotional than any of our weddings—I’m brought up short by the realization that his life might never have included any of us.  I am the adopted child of a formerly incarcerated man. And if my father had faced the conditions in...

Big Names, Big Yum: Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience Returns for Fourth Year

The Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience returns May 15-18 and promises a robust lineup of culinary star power.  And the big-ticket event already generating buzz is the Saturday night Big Bottle Party at The Matheson, where hometown hero Dustin Valette will be joined by Top Chef favorite Lee Anne Wong, Iron Chef America victor Viet Pham and none other than...

A Wilde Show, Classic Victorian Comedy at 6th St.

Anchored by two stellar performances and a set that looks like a rose garden vomited in the best possible way, 6th Street Playhouse’s current production of Oscar Wilde’s iconic classic, The Importance of Being Earnest, will make one smile like a dolt. The show runs in Santa Rosa on 6th Street’s Monroe Stage through May 11. Classic, farcical scripts don’t...

Your Letters, May 7

Bias Bait A task force helmed by Attorney General Pam Bondi and focused on “eradicating” anti-Christian bias in the government held its first meeting recently. While Donald Trump’s government is retreating from any effort by the federal government to pursue racial justice, it is leaning hard into ending what it sees as anti-Christian bias. So, anti-Jew, anti-Hindi, anti-Muslim, etc. What were these...

Dept. of Art, Creative Sonoma’s Tara Thomson

There’s a pattern—most every town and county in the North Bay has an “arts council”—a non-profit art agency-advocate.  These plucky non-profits are typically represented by a downtown office and arts-space displaying local art. Typically, they are woefully underfunded for their mission—in the pattern of nonprofits. When, 10-plus years ago, Sonoma’s struggling all-county arts council finally heaved up and broke apart,...
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