HOLIDAY BLESSINGS

The atmosphere in northern California during the winter holidays is one of my favorits. It's warm enough to not die from frost, the colors are bright and deep including blue skies with billowing clouds and the leaves stay bright red, orange and deep purple for a looooong time before the wind blows them off the trees. There are nakked Persimmon trees everywhere with plump ripe fruit and people are friendly and generally in a good mood.

The decorations are so creative and fun, I want to do a foto safari just around that.

We also went caroling, which is one of Tom's accomplishments in the neighborhood he grew up in.

GALLERY OPENING NIGHT

It's official..I am the assistant manager at the Firehouse North.

A gallery slash artists studio in North Berkeley. 1790 Shattuck ave.

My friend Tom is the director and it's a wonderful creative space to be in.

Yesterday we had an opening with organic dried fruit and nuts donated by the "Living Tree" community, who's founder Jesse Schwartz is an old community fellow from Bolinas in the early eighties.

Some of my clay pieces made it into the show. Thats so cool.

There are some truly accomplished artists exhibiting, so it's quite an honor for a beginner like me.