Happy Holidays from Wine Country!

 

Another year has passed and I want to wish you and your family the best this holiday season and for 2004. At this time of the year, I think about my friends and family that I don’t see often and who may not know what I have been doing these last 12 months. When you read this letter, I hope you enjoy my summary as much as I enjoy sharing it. Here are some of the highlights of my past year. I invite you to call, write or email me so that we stay in contact throughout the coming year. My email is tmills@sonic.net and my phone is (707) 526-5760.

One of the ways I stay in contact with my friends in Spokane is through volleyball. In January, I made my annual pilgrimage there to play in the Cranbrook Volleyball tournament. I always have fun seeing old friends and catching up with them. In August, I traveled to Spokane for the Spike and Dig tournament. There were over 200 teams and it was lots of fun. I did my best to see as many friends as I could. If I missed you, I will be back next year!

I did a little bit of traveling this year. In January, I cross country skied with a group. We stayed at a lodge close to Tahoe.  We skied for 3 days through forests and over mountains. The views are spectacular. The lodge provides breakfast, lunch and dinner. After a day of skiing, we soaked in the hot tub to ease our sore muscles. In the evenings, we sat around the woodstoves, drank wine and played games.

For the week of 4^th of July, three friends and I flew in one of my friend’s plane to Port Townsend. We stayed at my dad’s house for the week. He arrived at the end of the week and we watched the fireworks across the bay. Before my dad arrived, my friends and I took the ferry to Victoria which is one of my favorite cities. We toured the magnificent Empress Hotel. The following day, Tim and I hiked to natural hot springs (left) and soaked while my other 2 friends stayed in Port Townsend. The next day, we all flew to Friday Harbor to watch Orca whales from a tour boat. We were fortunate to see 3 pods with several baby whales. The last day before my dad arrived, we hiked along the beautiful Elwa River. The water is an iridescent greenish blue color from the glacial silt. I caught a small garter snake along the river and let him go.

October was time for wine tasting here in Sonoma County. We have the Harvest Fair where all the wineries compete for awards at the fairgrounds. After the competition, the public can taste the winners of each category. I also took two trips with friends to taste wines in Alexander and Dry Creek valleys. The fall colors in the dry creek area are incredibly beautiful. Each grape varietal’s leaves are a different shade of red, orange, yellow and green.

I hope all is well with you and your family during the holiday season and in the coming year.

 

    Best wishes,