In the Anderson Valley, slow is beautiful

Even the silence is different here. Despite a woodpecker working furiously on the eaves of a not-too-distant water tower and the buzz of tractors trolling, the quiet—like the canopy of fog—settles around you, pulls you in and ultimately disorients you. I wake early to a dense, poetic mist on the vineyards and the local folk and bluegrass show "Humble Pie." I make some coffee and toast and watch the tractors and men in dungarees, at first startled by the activity; the view looks like a watercolor in motion. The fog gradually trails off, and when I check the clock it's already past noon. It would be enough to stay right here—as I'm sure many do—making a journey of simply this pastoral view, sitting on this wraparound porch for hours, drifting.

By Lynell George

April 1, 2007