by Steve Sparks
I met Elaine at her home on Gschwend Road a couple of miles back beyond the Christine Woods region. I was greeted by the 14-year old Chocolate Lab, Pepper, and 7-year old McNab Mix, Ziggy, before Elaine and I sat down with coffee and water and began our chat. Elaine was born in 1961 to [...]
by Steve Sparks
I met Mike at his home on Hwy 128 almost opposite The Grange between Boonville and Philo. I sat down with a cup of fresh coffee and a plate of chocolate goodies Mike and his wife, Karen, had picked from the newly opened Paysanne ice cream store in town and we began our chat. Mike [...]
by Steve Sparks
I drove up Holmes Ranch Road and on to Chipmunk Lane before arriving at Susan’s house where I was greeted by her Miniature Schnauzer, Bebe, and Wire-haired Terrier, Asta. Susan served a plate of her tasty homegrown plums and delicious aged Irish cheddar and we sat on the deck to chat. She was born in [...]
by Steve Sparks
On a sunny Friday morning I met with Pilar on the deck behind the Ferrer Building in downtown Boonville and with a much-needed cup of delicious coffee that she had provided from her Mosswood Market store we sat down to talk. Pilar was born in January 1980 in the rural town of La Laguneta in [...]
by Steve Sparks
I met with Charlie at his home on top of the Holmes Ranch and after admiring his orchids, we sat down to talk with twenty-year-old Fritz the terrier and nine year old Woody not far away either. Charlie was born in 1943 and named Charles Joseph Hochberg II after his grandfather whose Prussian Catholic family [...]
by Steve Sparks
I met with Mary Pat at her home at the Philo School of Herbal Energetics which she runs in the Christine Woods area between Philo and Navarro. Her two dogs, Bear and his mother Sola, along with Mary Pat, greeted me and after a brief look at the wonderful garden we sat down to talk. [...]
by Steve Sparks
I met with Loretta one evening a couple of weeks ago at her new bookstore in the heart of Boonville — Laughing Dog Books. A couple of customers stopped by but we were able to have our conversation without too many interruptions at that time of day. Loretta was born in Prescott, Arizona in 1955, [...]
by Steve Sparks
I met with Efren at his home in downtown Philo, the house alongside the beautiful roses that he grows, opposite the post office. As we sat in his lovely back yard and began our conversation, his wife Dary and father Juan served up some truly delicious fresh corn tamales (“I prepared the corn this morning”) [...]
by Steve Sparks
I met with Tex at the Scharffenberger Winery where he has been the winemaker for the past 21 years. We sat down in the conference room overlooking the vines with some delicious cheeses, prosciutto, and crackers, and began our talk. Tex was born Willis Frank Sawyer V in San Antonio, Texas in 1950, the eldest [...]
by Steve Sparks
George Bennett is the father of Beverly Bennett, former owner, along with Monika Fuchs, of the Philo Pottery Inn. While the Inn no longer operates in that capacity, Beverly and Monika still live there and a couple of years ago, following the passing of George’s wife, Sheila, he moved here from London, England, to live [...]
