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Sonoma Valley Sun Articles
 InspirationErica Goldson, age 18, courageously speaks out 9-02-10It’s my understanding that a prophet is someone who is willing to stand up and speak out against injustice of any kind anywhere in the world. I hereby proclaim Erica Goldson of Coxsackie, New York a prophet of 2010. Graduating from Coxsackie-At... read more… Come to the Water in Sonoma once again 8-26-10The year is 1995 and I stand here beside a well, sucking up information like the proverbial sponge. Who knew so many fascinating details could be elicited from Scriptures when one is exposed to the cultural traditions and requirements of ancien... read more… Hot summer day + inviting pool – let’s go! 8-19-10What do you know? What hobby do you like to share? Are you fond of gardening? Hiking? Playing cards or Scrabble?Do you love to read? Take in a movie? Pick up litter as you stroll around town? Feed the ducks? Play a musical instrument or two?Do you da... read more… How to make the world a better place by buying books 8-05-10Most readers of this column understand my impatience with corporate greed. And many of you might be unaware of my excitement over corporate scale and principles put to work for the greater good of humankind. Examples keep popping up while amazi... read more… A quite unexpected roadside reunion 7-22-10National Public Radio recently ran a segment called, “A Beginner’s Guide to Hitchhiking.” I liked what I heard as it reminded me of hitchhikers I’ve picked up in recent years. Oooh, I can already hear your condemnation, ... read more… “Tit-Bits” + other prostheses = feeling feminine again 7-08-10A Sonoma couple has created a unique project for you and me to have fun with over the next few months while we make a big difference for hundreds of deserving women! Read on.Sandra Dodgers and Rich Howell, retired probation officers, vacationin... read more… It just makes good sense to eat locally 6-10-10For a host of reasons that seem altogether appropriate to me, many inspiring individuals and groups are encouraging us to become “locavores,” to consume food and drink from our own – extended – back yards.As a member of ... read more… Profound effects of The Vagina Monologues 5-27-10As audience members strolled out of the Women’s Club after April performances of The Vagina Monologues, they had the opportunity to speak with the actresses if they so chose. In amazing numbers, they so chose.Sue Franklin, in presenting h... read more… Loving the service of driving for F.I.S.H. 5-20-10One thing his many friends in our community know about David McCracken is he loves to give service. This certainly was evident while he served as beloved pastor of the First Congregational Church of Sonoma. Retirement a few years ago did not se... read more… Sonoma joins hearts and soles to end hunger 4-01-10Get out your walking shoes, Sonoma. Or support and nurture your walking neighbors. Or open up your pocketbooks to help us fill the coffers of the Redwood Food Bank and Friends in Sonoma Helping (FISH). Or bring your employer along on the walk. ... read more… They REFUSE to hate each other 2-25-10“It is such an important time to gain a better understanding of what is required to create peace in the Middle East,” says Lorin Peters, the Bay Area teacher previously featured in this column who travels to the Holy Land annually for pea... read more… Who knew birds have stories to tell? 1-15-10Well aware of the annual bird count in Sonoma, I feel connected to you as I enjoy a continuous experience of delightful bird-watching in northern Indiana. Both of my sons residing here have numerous feeders to attract splendid varieties of thei... read more… Spend less and enjoy the holiday more? 12-10-09Featured today is a book I sincerely hope you’ll take the time to read. “Hundred Dollar Holiday” by Bill McKibben, a quick read with less than 100 pages, offers an amazingly condensed history of the development of the Christma... read more… The remarkable Contagious Love Experiment 12-03-09Having received no intel that day, Conor had led his squad house to house on random searches, looking for weapons or anything else which might suggest trouble or hint at terrorism.Now Conor stood in a handsome courtyard, quite astounded to see ... read more… A good time to think about alternatives for Holiday celebrating 11-26-09Have you ever been in a situation where conversation did not come easily? Perhaps you were with a teenager whose fierce longing for independence had initiated a nonverbal stance, or with an older person with fading short-term memory.On more tha... read more… Enjoy really rich conversation instead of shopping on International Buy-Nothing Day; 11-20-09Have there been conversations in your home, school, and workplace about the “real” story of the first Thanksgiving dinner more than 400 years ago? Some say we’ve based our annual celebration on an event that bears little resem... read more… Let's all help responsible people get needed loans 10-23-09Imagine policy initiatives designed to support access to responsible and fair financial services for low-income families. Hold onto your hats, wonderful readers, as we explore a campaign to provide direct, responsible, financial services to 200... read more… Peacemaking through a poignant exchange 10-02-09Loren Peters is one of my heroes. After meeting the Bishop O’Dowd High School (Oakland) teacher, I applied and was accepted to be a member of the Christian Peacemaker Teams two-week delegation in Israel/Palestine.When invited by local peace and... read more… Two “don’t miss” opportunities in Sonoma 9-18-09Two noteworthy events coming up and I can’t imagine you’d want to miss out on either opportunity.First comes Esperanza, a delightful 6-year-old with a great desire to learn to read. She pesters her papa and her mama and the older children... read more… A Sunday sermon to be savored 9-11-09On Sunday, Sept. 6, Rev. Nancy Taylor spoke courageously from the pulpit of the Congregational Church where she is the presiding minister. As she frequently does, Rev. Taylor began with a couple of experiences from her own life, relating those to the... read more… Young folks plead for intergenerational activism 2-20-09While we’re awed and thrilled to watch as the presidential campaign of Barack Obama mobilized young people in the political process, we also acknowledge a vital need to find ways to maintain that interest and energy now that their candidate has... read more… Someone’s waiting to be asked to participate 12-12-08Unless you’ve been there, you can’t know how unbearably difficult it is to survive the first holiday season after a major loss. Unless you’ve been there you don’t really know what a difference it can make when holiday celebrat... read more… |
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