This year's crop, widely reported in the region as the worst harvest ever, has thrown a spanner in the works for the home winemaker.

"OK, so harvest 2010 wasn't quite the Biblical disaster implied by Isaiah 63:3," said Bob Peak, partner in Sonoma County's Beverage People, experts in the provision of wine and beer production equipment, a Petaluma resident and fellow backyard grape grower.

Problematic weather in early summer brought fog, moist conditions and mildew. An August heatwave cooked immature grapes on the vines and another in September continued the havoc. Rain arrived early and the rest is history.

"Whatever actions you took at harvest, high acids can still be addressed," explained Peak. To do this "inoculate with a high-quality bacteria strain and later this winter, expose the wine to cold night time temperatures for three or four nights. If acid is still high this winter, deacidify."

Peak is offering a home wine lab testing class at his Santa Rosa store on Saturday, February 19^th  2011 from 1pm to 4pm.

"If you have a vineyard, tend it kindly this winter and spring," he said. "Let's hope another generation goes by before anyone says 'worst harvest ever' again around here."

Petaluma's Fabulous Women Plan February Fundraiser for Family of Mom Hit in Rohnert Park Crosswalk

Krista Gawronski of Petaluma's Fabulous Women's grass roots fundraising group is organizing an event to raise money to ease the financial stress facing the family of Ling Murray, the mom whose toddler daughter was tragically killed in a crosswalk in Rohnert Park. Murray has newly emerged from a traffic accident-induced coma after being hit as she crossed the street with her daughter.

"Our sweet Ling played on our volleyball team," said Gawronski, sports lover and co-owner of Mr. Pickles Sandwich Shop. The volleyball team consisted of staff and friends of both Mr. Pickles and Petaluma's Applebee's Neighborhood Grill. "Ling loved to play," said Gawronski. "How ironic that the young girl involved in the accident had a connection to volleyball as well."

Police and media reports claim that driver Kaitlyn Dunaway, a Petaluma High School graduate, aged 18, was using her phone at the time of the crash.

Gawronski said that she hopes to reach out to Dunaway to campaign throughout the region for "hands-free" in the car.  "Almost everyone has made the mistake of getting distracted in the car with a phone," she said. "Calli's life should not be lost in vain. There must be a perpetual lesson for a busy generation."

A time and location for the fundraising event will be announced in the New Year.

Adopt a Petaluma Family for the Holidays

Winston Churchill once famously said: "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."

There are a myriad ways to give back in Petaluma, especially during the festive month of December. Making a timely pit-stop this week on a Toys for Tots mission, I marveled at the sheer magnitude of individuals and groups around town who turn up at various donation stations with piles of holiday goodies. While I was at it, I thoroughly embarrassed my seventh grader by scooping a couple of enormous popcorn tins for his school's canned food drive.

"Couldn't you have picked out something more discreet?" he asked, as he hauled his heavy backpack over his shoulders to free his arms for the mega-popcorn delivery.

There was something appealing about those giant tins, with their cheery holiday patterns. Amongst the more sensible (and nutritious) pile of green beans, carrots and tinned chili, someone, somewhere in Petaluma this holiday season will hopefully enjoy the small but jolly occasion of a family-sized treat in front of the TV.

Tiny gestures across the city amount to considerably more significance for those on the receiving end of the collective giving of their more fortunate neighbors.

Certainly one of the most satisfying ways to give back this December would be to adopt a Petaluma COTS homeless family for the holidays. Some 34 families are currently living in the organization's family center and shared housing program.

Most have been matched with sponsors, but a few others are still waiting for a family, group of families or Petaluma-based business to take on the role of Santa, providing gifts for the kids and essential clothing requests.

The staff at COTS has prepared a simple set of guidelines for the Adopt a Family Program. It's not too late to bring hope and a sprinkling of holiday magic to a family-in-need as they prepare to transition to a more stable future.