We’ve experienced an odd lot of weather these past two weeks, with temperature swings from 45 to 85, and clouds, wind, and rain; nothing uncommon in some parts, but we’re used to 50 to 75 and none of that other nonsense. Witness the challenge our roadways pose to local drivers faced with a lick of precipitation. Perhaps the lions and lambs of March postponed their plans, preferring to pass the baton in April? And who says we don’t get seasons in the bay? We had summer last Thursday, followed by a blustery winter weekend, and on to spring showers today!

In astrological news, Jupiter and Neptune converged this week in Pisces, prompting dreamers to explore their creative and spiritual sides. Because Neptune takes 165 earth years to circle the sun, these neighboring planets’ last conjunction in the sign of the fish was in 1856, the year the Treaty of Paris ended the Crimean War, a conflict that began with Russia encroaching on territories under Ottoman control. Same year, 5,000 miles to the west, after months of clashes with federal troops due to frustrations with treaties proffered by the Territorial Governor, Native Americans raided the nascent settlement of Seattle. Meanwhile, 800 miles to the south, in Amador County, Swiss immigrant, Adam Uhlinger, began building what would become the oldest continuously operating winery in California.

Six generations later, are we very different from our ancestors? Have our technologies made us wiser, or more content? We are closer, more tightly bound, we people of the earth. As the Moroccan proverb goes: “When the pumpkin gives birth, the fence has the trouble” and the world today is full of pregnant pumpkins. I say, tear down the fences, and there will be no trouble. And big thanks to Adam Uhlinger for planting Vinifera vines in the Golden State. We now have 4,391 wineries in California, and that’s what I call progress!

Cheers,
Max