Cloverdale Arts Alliance organizes tour of picturesque, 100-acre “sculpture ranch”

Tickets to tour the world-renown Oliver Ranch are now on sale through the Cloverdale Arts Alliance at: www.cloverdaleartsalliance.org.

Located in the heart of Sonoma County, overlooking the Alexander Valley, the Oliver Ranch is home to 18 remarkable site-specific sculptural installations, including Ann Hamilton’s The Tower, where commissioned dance, poetry, theater, and music performances take place.

From the ranch’s first sculpture, Shepherd’s Muse by Judith Shea, which was commissioned in 1985, Steve and Nancy Oliver were motivated by a love of art, a desire to support artists, and also a wish to circumvent the “business” of art. Disillusioned with valuation in the world of art collecting, the Oliver’s decided to commission site-specific installations that could not be moved, and therefore, neither bought nor sold, thus putting the focus on the art itself, not its assessment.

“Tours are offered only a few times each year to a limited number of people,” said CAA Executive Director, Mark Tharrington. “The Arts Alliance is thrilled to be chosen as the non-profit to organize and benefit from this one-of-a-kind, art-centric tour.”

The tour will be Sunday, October 29, 2022. The cost is $105 for Cloverdale Arts Alliance members and $115 for non-members. The tour will be led by Steve Oliver or a trained docent and covers approximately 2.5 miles and 600 feet in elevation change. The tour is not wheelchair accessible and comfortable walking shoes are essential. Participants will meet at 9:30am at the Remmel Road Park & Ride in Geyserville, then carpool to the Oliver Ranch.

Cooking With David
David Maciel
Sponsored by Ray’s Food Place

Lasagna Rollups

Lasagna rollups avare a perfect dish hot or cold. The ingredients can vary but what I have laid out is the foundation. I’m using a bottle pasta sauce but if you have a favorite recipe for home made, that’s even better. Cooked (fresh or frozen) Spinach can be used as a substitute to meat or in addition with the meat. This recipe serves six, or three if you are extra hungry
Ingredients
6 dry lasagna noodles
1 32 ounce jar pasta sauce or equivalent of homemade sauce
10 ounces ricotta cheese
16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
16 ounces grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 pound ground beef
1 pkg of Italian seasoning
Preheat oven to 375. Boil the lasagna noodle according to the directions on the box and cool in cold water. Mix all the cheese together, reserving 6 ounces of the mozzarella & parmesan, and fold in the egg salt & pepper and mix well. Cook the ground beef, pouring off all the grease, and mix the Italian seasoning in, and let cool.

On a flat working surface layout one noodle. Use a spoon to make a liberal layer of cheese mixture and top with meat pressing it into the cheese. Start at one end and roll forward, and set in an oven proof pan seam side down that has a ¼ cup of sauce spread in the bottom. Allow room around each rollup. Repeat until you are done. Pour the pasta sauce evenly over the rolls making sure they are covered well. Sprinkle the remaining two cheeses and more if you like cheesy pasta.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking for 10 minutes. The sauce should be bubbling at this point. Let stand for 15 minutes and serve.

As we all dive into our first post-Covid summer I reached out to my tribe to get some ideas on how we can all support each other and our community while re-engaging with society. HUGE thanks and love to Savannah Snyde, Jenn Craig, Ashley Porter and of course my mom Jude for helping round out some great ideas!

1. Consider bringing a water bottle along on walks with your pups through neighborhoods, so as they do their business you can sprinkle over their tinkle so to speak to help keep it from burning lawns that are running on precious little water and to show respect to those who have worked hard to keep lawns green.
2. Rock it old school and bake a yummy treat to either welcome a new neighbor to the neighborhood or an old one to remind them how appreciated they are.
3. Offer some of the fruits of your labors in your garden to an elderly friend/neighbor in need.
4. If you know someone is older or disabled in some way when walking, take their paper from their driveway and put it on their porch to save them from going out into the heat.
5. Offer water to your mail carrier, garbage pick-up guys or honestly anyone looking in need!
6. When out walking, carry a bag to pick up garbage along the way.
7. The chalk revolution does not need to end with quarantine! Leave a message of hope or even a bucket of chalk so kids walking by can color and create some joy.
8. Remember to ask permission before hugging someone as you may not know what their current anxieties are on the subject.
9. Embrace patience. Everyone has been through the same storm the last year +, but not all in the same boat. Slow down and be mindful that we all recover from traumas at a different pace, so be kind.
10. Lastly and one of the most important, as many of us celebrate the mask restrictions being lifted, please remember many will still be wearing masks and often it will not be Covid related at all. Again, an exercise in respect, we have no idea why others may still have a need. Don’t take it personally, just be happy that you don’t have to any longer and let it go.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner and Covid numbers sadly on the rise, preparing for Thanksgiving this year will be a new kind of stressful for many as they decide how to safely celebrate. When stress threatens to dampen the joy of a holiday, utilizing a bit of humor is just what the doctor ordered.

Embrace the joy of Thanksgiving in all of its pumpkin glory and take some Covid humor from when TP was flying off the shelves and marry the 2 in celebration?

You’ll need: Toilet paper, fabric of whatever makes you smile in a 18” square, cinnamon sticks for the stem or driftwood and a fresh sprig of leaves or a green ribbon tied around the stick of choice. Super simple to do with a touch of patience and the kiddos can help as well.

First unwind a bit of the TP and bulk up the sides a bit, set on your piece of fabric and then slowly tuck the fabric into the hole in the center. Second, go ahead and insert the cinnamon stick or twig and finish with leaves or a green ribbon. Sure, it may take a few attempts to get your shape the way that makes you smile, but imagine how much laughter could be generated by gifting guests or family members with some holiday cheer that also has a purpose! This year may not look like what we are used to, but with an open heart it can still create some great memories!

Here’s a family tradition that focuses on gratitude. For the 30 days preceding Thanksgiving, invite family members and close friends to add a few items to your Gratitude Pumpkin!

Use a Sharpee marking pen to write whatever you are thankful for and then use the decorated pumpkin as your Thanksgiving dinner centerpiece.

Submitted by Gary Murray

“The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life” – William Morris

One of the great blessings of the universe is that even in a year like 2020, Fall still arrives with a change in weather, holidays around the corner and its fair share of stress. This summer I discovered Hygge (pronounced Hoo-ga). The word originates from a Norwegian word that means well-being and also hug, hence my obsession!

In The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking, the concept is broken down into a simple manifesto: Atmosphere, Presence (think turning off your phone!), Pleasure, Equality, Gratitude, Harmony, Comfort, Truce, Togetherness & Shelter. Sounds simple enough yes? Yet in our current culture of constantly running about taking the time to slow down has become seemingly impossible for many. I offer ten examples of how to embrace Hygge and incorporate into the craziness of the world today.

1. Set a consistent time of night before you go to sleep and turn OFF your cell phone.
2. Cook a hearty meal with loved ones.
3. Read a book, enjoy a hot beverage.
4. Open the curtains for natural light.
5. Ride a bike and enjoy nature.
6. Putter in the garage.
7. Linger after dinner instead of clean up.
8. Grab a cozy blanket and watch a movie.
9. Sit outside and watch a sunset, sunrise and wave to a neighbor.
10. Take a moment and feel gratitude for something that happened that day.

Supplies:

• Pumpkins – assorted sizes and colors
• Artificial flowers, leaves, moss, decorative items, costume jewelry pieces
• Succulents
• Potting Soil for Option 2
• Glue Gun

Directions:

Option 1

• Glue items on top of pumpkin
• Use as centerpiece, spray with water every few days
• When holidays are over, plant in garden

Option 2

• Cut off top of pumpkin
• Add potting soil
• Plant succulents
• Use as centerpiece
• Plant in garden