We're back and have had a busy few weeks with lots to report and lots of pictures!
Today also marks the one month mark of our time in Boonville, and we have just recently solidified another month on the farm! Hooray!
I'm not sure the best way to organize what we've been up to lately, so here's a (mostly chronological) list of some of the highlights of the last two weeks. Hopefully you can connect the stories to the pictures, but we'll also try to figure out captions. Without further adieu:
- Our farm participated in a farm to table dinner at a local winery, and Rizzo and two or our friends, Delaney and Katy, along with our manager, Tim, served for the evening while I was on five hours of dish duty! I also was able to help make some spring rolls and prepare some of the other plates, so we all had a wonderful time and enjoyed some delicious local food.
- Rizz gave me a haircut in the barn; she's feeling pretty comfortable with it and does a great job!
- We had a delightful night with Zoe that began with her teaching us how to make soap. Then we picked up amazing Mexican food and materials for margheritas - lemons, limes, grapefruit, and tequila is all and they were probably the best we've had. We ate and drank and were merry. We finished the night by watching Pitch Perfect (my choice) and we slept on the futon to complete the perfect slumber party.
- Definitely a highlight of our Cali time so far was when we drove down to San Fran and surprised Anna for her and Clay's anniversary trip. Clay is a master planner and surpriser, to the point where I even had to lie to my parents about our plans to visit. We spent a day and a half there, where we walked around the farmer's market, explored the beautiful Marin Headlands, got drinks at this awesome place on the water, stuck our toes in the water, ate an incredible Mexican meal, and finally ate brunch/lunch at a park overlooking the Golden Gate with Clay's cousin, Charlie. We had so much fun hanging out with them and were very lucky to have been invited to such a special occasion!
- On the farm lately, we spent a few days with those gas mask kinda things shoveling a combination of sawdust and hay and poop. Twas a big, dirty project but we were up to the task. Unfortunately that was not the only poop project we've been involved in, either. Just the other day we had to air out and roll out these giant barrels of composting human poop. This was probably the low of the work week. Smelly but necessary to the process of composting! One day (8 months to 2 years depending on how often this process is done) that stuff will be very useful. It should be noted that none of it is used in our vegetable farming, however.
- Our other biggest task was pounding in just over 80 fence posts two feet into the ground. My arms haven't been this sore in a while. Rizzo is sore but happy because it's the closest she's felt to a gym since we got to Boonville.
- Last weekend we got to meet Zoe's girlfriend, Jess, which was awesome to finally meet who we hear about so often. We made her chocolate chip oatmeal raisin cookies. Smart. Zoe's dad aka Rizzo's uncle, Brian, was also in Boonville for work in the area and we had a great time with him, getting a beer at the AV Brewing Company and giving him a tour of the farm.
- We also just recently used one of our gift cards for a date night at a local restaurant called Laurens, where we ate artichokes, chicken pot pie, a goat cheese and avocado sandwhich, and both apple pie and chocolate brownie for dessert. It was wonderful and we ended the night by talking to Lauren herself about various farming things. Our farm donates a lot of produce to her restaurant, among others.
- We have now visited Ukiah twice for various reasons, too. Our first trip included an oil change, delicious sushi lunch, a beer at the Ukiah Brewing Company, and a second hand store or two for some various clothing needs for our new work opportunities (see below)! More recently we went to find Halloween costumes and drink Black Oak coffee which we had heard so much about.
- Earlier this week we attended the annual Harvest Party at the Apple Farm just out of town. It's a really cool place with a big crew of people our age. We knew a few of them through Rizzo's work and a few others through Zoe and other mutual friends, so it's always exciting to meet new people from the area and make new friends.
- Last night we watched the nail-biting game 7 of the World Series and were excited to see the local favorite Giants win. We're as bandwagon of fans as could be.
- The hardest part about this week is that Zoe is leaving. Last night was her going away party. It was a fun night with a great group of people but a sad occasion. We can't imagine our experience here being nearly as fun filled without her around.
- Tomorrow is The Dark Carnival! The community - wide Halloween event that Boonville throws every year. We have no clue what to expect what we have come to understand that it is a BIG deal. There is a designated theme every year..this year: Down The Rabbit Hole- Alice and Wonderland! Pictures of our costumes to come next time.
- In other news, both Rizz and I have started working in some capacity off the farm. I'm doing maintenance and grounds work for the hotel and Rizz is a server at the hotel restaurant a few nights a week. It's nice to be learning new things in a new work environment and also making a little bit of money. There are various jobs popping up all the time, and we are happy to help where we can. So far it's going great!
- When Rizz last worked at the hotel, I played a riveting (not sarcastic, why is that word always used sarcastically?) six hour game of Lord of the Rings Risk, in which my teammate of Good, Colter, and myself finally defeated our enemies of Evil, Tim and Rowan, at 2 am.
- Coming up, we both have some work this weekend for an event the hotel is hosting as well as some other painting/constructionish type work. We also scheduled a night at the hotel (we eat for free as employees and they upgraded our room for free too whaaaat) next week to enjoy a night out of the trailer and hot showers. And finally, the weekend of the 10th can't come soon enough when Nicholas 'Geis Geis Baby' Geisler, Claire, and Sherry come to visit!!! Wooooo friendsssss!
Outstanding post! Well worth the wait. Hard to accept that I've been replaced as Jack's barber after 22 years, but there is no one I'd rather lose the title to than Riz.
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