November 7-21, 2025 fun in California and Utah

I flew to Santa Rosa for a short reunion with college friends in St. Helena (Northeast of San Francisco),flying over vineyards still golden 

• 1839: Settler George Yount was the first to plant grapes in Napa Valley. You may recognize the name from the culinary gem of a town, Yountville, which was named after him.
• 1861: Charles Krug founded the first commercial winery in Napa Valley. A slew of other wineries opened over the next 20 years, including many that are still open today, like Beringer Vineyards, Schramsberg Vineyards, and Inglenook.
• 1890s: The root louse phylloxera hit the Napa Valley in full force, killing over 80 percent of the grapevines. The Napa Valley wine industry took almost 100 years to recover
• 1900-1925: Phylloxera continued to plague the vineyards of Napa Valley. Farmers turned to walnuts and prunes, instead, to make their living off the land.
• 1920-1933: Prohibition went into effect in 1920, and over the next 13 years, most of the wineries that managed to survive phylloxera closed down. A few were able to remain open–like Beringer Vineyards and Louis M. Martini—by producing sacramental wine for churches
• 1944: As Napa Valley recovered from the double blows of phylloxera and Prohibition, seven wineries decided to work together to make the best wine possible. They signed a treaty of collaboration to form the Napa Valley Vintners Association, which now represents 525 wineries and raises over $15 million for the local community each year.
• 1940s-1980s: Over these four decades, Napa Valley reinvented itself. Inglenook was resurrected, Georges de Latour re-established Beaulieu Vineyards (BV), Louis M. Martini founded his eponymous winery, the Mondavi family built an empire (which included the purchase of the Charles Krug Winery), and Andre Tchelistcheff revolutionized the way wine was made at BV, profoundly affecting a generation of winemakers.
• 1976: The Judgment of Paris catapulted Napa Valley onto the world wine stage when two Napa Valley wines—Chateau Montelena Chardonnay and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon—took first place in a blind tasting again the best French wines.
• 1981: Napa Valley became California’s first American Viticultural Area (AVA)Fewer are drinking wine recently so some vineyards are closing and others have grapes unpicked on the vines                         Napa and Sonoma valleys The Napa Valley Museum has a wonderful interactive Julia Child (1912-2004) exhibit on until March 8, 2026. It explores the life and career of the famous chef, author and television personality who made French cuisine accessible to American audiences. Her insatiable curiosity, tenacious spirit, and passion for teaching transformed American cuisine.
• Adventurers, companions and a much in love husband and wifeMy friends Kathie and Kathleen try out the tub minus the bubbles!Julia said BUTTER is the key ingredient. Eggs are second!

            A wonderfully entertaining movie if you haven't seen it!

        There's a wonderful store with Italian products in St. Helena

The Napa Museum in neighboring Yountville has this wonderful exhibit of Swedish-born Sophie Alstrom Mitchell, watercolor painter of flowers. Her husband was founder of the first Presbyterian church. 

 

  

There were many other beautiful paintings of things I miss about California (persimmons, poppies, the beach, etc.) in this museum

We call ourselves "the Originals" (Wendy, Miriam, Kathleen, Ann and Kathie) started getting together years ago, and yes, we are aging, too, but still have lots of fun)

Napa River with salmon

Next I visited my cousins Nancy and Terry, Doug and Carol, in Napa, so glad to get caught up with them. Nancy drove me to Santa Rosa where we walked around Spring Lake with her mom, my Aunt Julie (96 and going strong!)

I spent the night, then flew back to Utah over vineyards and fields

With great views of Mount Shasta (CA) and Mt. Hood (Oregon) with a stopover in Portland.

Over Portland, Oregon

Back in Utah....

The Vallejo family, friends from Ecuador, stayed with me a few days (above with Mateo, BYU student) and girlfriend Emily who served a mission in Guayaquil. Below, Alejandra with mom Maria who came to see her son Daniel (below) perform indigenous dances at the SLC conference center.

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BYU is filled with very talented performers. 3 separate choral groups. Each is amazing! Above, the BYU Singers

                                       BYU Men's Choir

                                     The BYU concert Choir

                         Fabulous (modern dance) Ensemble

           Another evening with the American folk ensemble,

                               A small group from Mountain Strings   

                               Part of the Celtic Folk Ensemble

                                      and The Mountain Strings
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6 youngest grandchildren have so much fun together at family dinners

     While I was away I missed Ken, Ben and Fernanda's birthdays, so     we are catching up!

    Andrew Taylor's (on right) Timpview HS JV basketball team beat Timpanogos HS last night.

Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving. In spite of the turmoil in the world, I am so very grateful for my ancestors, many of whom came here centuries ago, and for all who built this amazing nation, and for all who continue to strive to guard our unique freedoms, to serve where they are so badly needed, who understand that a living God will sustain us regardless of what thoughtless and careless men may do.