Just a couple of days ago I sat sweltering in the heat, feeling like even a sundress was too much clothing for the temperature of the day. Today I wear long sleeves, tights and boots as I watch the fog swirling around town. It's like winter swept in overnight and it's a bit disconcerting. Is this strange weather? My lifetime hasn't been long enough to really answer that question — though I would say it's certainly stranger than many years past. I read something a while back that says that the past 100 years in California has been the strange weather — the wet winters we have gotten used to aren't what the area had in the past. It makes me think that no one individual's lifetime is long enough to determine what truly is strange weather. In any case, the extreme heat coupled with this cold will make their mark on all the things growing at my home.
Already the vineyard has had the effect of the past wet season — weeks later than usual. Thus the crop will be equally late; shatter in the clusters, both a blessing and a curse. Now this early wetness (though that is where the open bunches will be a blessing). The extreme heat of a few days ago wilted several of my plants despite daily waterings, so much so these plants won't be coming back.
I can't help but wonder how this will affect my tomatoes. We finally started getting them in droves about a week ago — we can hardly keep up with the amount coming in and we've been eating tomatoes with every meal — sliced on toast for breakfast, in salads or bruschetta for lunch and dinner and so on. Will the cool and damp cause rot? Will the still green tomatoes never come to ripeness? Time will tell.
Two days ago showing ocean front property to clients was a joy — today we could only say, yes, there is a big ocean out there, really there is. The market continues to be slow and yet I see activity all around me, with escrows closing in the office weekly. I've been showing a lot of property myself and even working on a couple of offers, which is exciting. It remains a buyers market and will continue that way for the foreseeable future; the question we all have is — just where are all the buyers? Still holding out — for lower prices? A bit more trust that their job today will be there tomorrow? Not sure the answer, though both and more are probably to blame.
I'm attending the second annual Mendocino Women's Retreat at Wellspring in Philo this coming weekend. I went last year and had an amazing time and I'm really looking forward to it again this year. There were several interesting workshops, topic groups, really delicious food (thank you Pilar!) and a truly beautiful setting in which to enjoy it all. Let's just hope the sun shines!
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