The Rincon Valley Firefighters Assosciation is hosting their 69th annual Mother's Day pancake breakfast on Sunday May 14.   Come be apart of this historic Rincon Valley event from 8am - noon at the Mark West Elementary School located at: 4600 Lavell Road (cross st Old Redwood Hwy in Larkfield). Adults: $8Children: $5Under 5 years old: Free 05/12/2017

Ever wonder what you'd do if you were enjoying a Rincon Valley Park, and you or a friend were bit by a Rattlesnake, stung by a bee, or broke your ankle deep inside Annadel State Park?   Come get trained in Wilderness First Aid May 15th & 16th at Rincon Valley's Sugarloaf State Park. Classes are 8am - 5pm, and cost $120.This is a great way to ensure you are safe while enjoying all our wonderful parks in Rincon Valley. For more information contact:Tony Passantino996-0712Buy Tickets at BrownPaperTickets.com and search "Sugarloaf" 05/11/2017

Like most other agents, I take my own Rincon Valley listing photographs.  I use a Canon DSLR camera with a tripod.   Once I am done taking my pictures,   I run all the photographs through Apple's Photo Editor, which came pre-installed in my MacBook Pro.  If I am not using my own computer, I sometimes use Google Photos online app to do the same thing.   Using either program, I can edit the lighting, and crop the photos.  Both have an "automatic" lighting adjustment.  With the Apple version, I can also erase flaws.  When taking my pictures I always take a broader shot than I know I am going to need.  I do this because I plan on manually cropping the photo from my computer. In the photos below are examples of the common edits I make.  The picture on the left is the original.  The picture o... 05/10/2017

Looking to get out of the house on a Tuesday night?  Check out Wilibees Wines and Spirits in downtown Santa Rosa.  In addition to being a high end wine and liqueur store, there is a tasting bar in the back.  It is very classy with tables and stools.  You can order 3 or 6 oz glasses of wine, a number of beers on tap.  On Tuesday nights they have a tasting class where a specific type of wine is presented.  There is a guest lecturer who guides the guests through 6 +/- wines.  The wine tasting curriculum might be by varietal, or by region.  Last week we tasted a number of wine from Argentina, and this week, they are focusing on wines from Chile.  Each tasting event is $20.  Up coming tastings: Chile South Africa   Wilibees is located at: 700 Third Street Santa Rosa, CA  Webpage 05/08/2017

Find out about the historic bridges and roads along the Valley of the Moon.  From Rincon Valley to Sonoma, our county is full of history beginning with the Gold Rush of 1849.  Meet at the Mayflower Hall at the Glen Ellen Community Church 5311 O’Donnell Lane Glen Ellen at 7pm on Monday April 24th. Cost: FreeFor more info: Bridges 04/24/2017

Rincon Valley is home to many parks, big and small.  It is also home to millions of ticks, all waiting to get under you or your dog's skin. With all the rain this season, there is a bumper crop of ticks out and about.  Here is what you need to know:Ticks can transmit: Lyme Disease Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Tularemia Babesiosis Anaplasmosis Ehrlichiosis Ticks do not jump, fly, or fall onto their victims.  They wait patiently on tall grass, and when  a warm blooded animal brushes past they climb on.  Once they are on their victim, they look for a prime spot to burrow their mouth parts into and under the skin where they feed on the blood.  Feeding on blood caused the tick to become engorged.  Prior to feeding a tick is about the size of a sesame seed.  When engorged, it may resemble a R... 04/24/2017

Come to Sugarloaf State Park, make some new friends, get some exercise, and help our parks!  Team Sugarloaf is working with the California State Parks Foundation to hold a work party at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park lower Brushy Peaks Trail.  The work party will meet from 9am to 1 pm on Earth Day April 22.For more information go to Sugarloafpark.org   04/21/2017

Rincon Valley gets to enjoy Sonoma County's "Perfect Air Quaility" score published in the State of the Air 2017 national report.  Sonoma County has had no reported days of air quality that exceeded particle pollution federal standards in 4 yearsThe State of the Air is a national report compiled by the American Lung Association.  To see how your city rates, go to: Healthy AirOne more reason Rincon Valley is a great place to live! 04/21/2017

This gentleman is frequently seen driving around Rincon Valley  in this beautifully modified car. Yes, those are used felt tip markers.  A Rincon Valley classic!   04/19/2017

Like the rest of the nation, Rincon Valley is experiencing a lack of real estate inventory. Prices are going up, and mortgage rates are still relatively cheap. Unfortunately, when an attractive home goes on the market, there are 10 other buyers ready to pounce. So what is a buyer to do? I have 3 proven strategies to help ensure you are at the top of the seller's choice: Pre-approval letterI know a lot of buyers who do not want to be bothered seeing a mortgage broker until they find the home that is right for them. Unfortunately, that seems to always happen on a Saturday. Buyers think they can just submit an offer today and talk to their bank on Monday. Hey.... that's why you keep losing out on these homes! That's not working for you... get your approval NOW before you find the home of y... 04/18/2017

Hey Rincon Valley, not into dying Easter eggs and hiding them in you yard, or around your apartment?  Enjoy some of the community egg hunts in and around Rincon Valley: All events are on Saturday April 15th History Museum Egg Hunt 13 and under $7 Free for accompanying adult Must arrive by 1:30 Egg decorating 425 Seventh St Santa RosaMuseumSC.org Spring Hills Church Eggstravaganza Egg hunt 3-5pm games, bounce house, crafts food 3700 Fulton Rd Santa RosaSpringHills.org Glen Ellen Fire Egg Hunt10amDunbar School707.869.9177     04/14/2017

 This was a gift from my mother years ago.  I use it as art and keep it on a bookcase, but it has a real purpose. Any guesses? 04/13/2017

Looking for somewhere in Rincon Valley to celebrate Easter alone or with your family? Consider these options: New Vintage ChurchOffers services at 9:30 & 11:15Pancake breakfast before each serviceEaster Egg hunt after each service  3300 Sonoma Ave Santa Rosa 707.545.7344 NewVintage.org  St. Mark Lutheran Church7:00am sunrise worship & communion8:30am Praise worship w/contemporary music11:00am festival worship w/traditional musicFamily breakfast buffet 7:45-10:45Children's EGGstravaganza 10:10-10:50am  4325 Mayette Ave Santa Rosa 707.545.1230 StMarklc.org  Bible Church Santa RosaGood Friday Service 4/14 7:00pmSunday English service:  9:00 & 10:30Sunday Spanish service:  10:30  4575 Badger Rd Santa Rosa 707.538.2385 SRbible.org  The LighthouseService 10:30Complimentary continental breakfa... 04/13/2017

This is what my kids think is funny when going to the beach.  They are too old to build sand castles, but road kill, really?? Bodega Fisherman's Festival Bodega Bay, CA 04/10/2017

Hard to go back to the rain when we've had such beautiful weather the past 2 weeks in Rincon Valley.  Temps in the 80's.  My weather watchers will wait it out till the sun comes out again.   04/07/2017

 Silhouette of Lonely oak Hwy 12 @Calistoga Road Rincon Valley More rain coming to Rincon Valley and more snow for the Sierras!   04/05/2017

For the last 10 years, I've focused my marketing on Rincon Valley. I became a real estate sales associate in 2003 and worked for a local franchise that was a major player in Sonoma County real estate. I chose residential home sales because I've owned a number of homes, and I have never owned a business or commercial property. Residential sales just seemed to make sense to me. In the beginning, I  (like most agents) promoted myself as being an expert in the entire county from Petaluma to Cloverdale (those are 50 miles apart), and all 6 cities in between. I was not blogging or doing much in the way of advertising. I mailed out the new agent postcards the franchise gave me, and I mailed open house fliers to friends and family. It was not until I attended Dick Betts Real Estate Technology c... 04/04/2017

Saturday April 1st, I went on Sonoma County Historical Society's 20 mile historical hike.  Ouch, it was a long day on the feet!  But worth it.  Every year the historical society does a 20+ mile hike somewhere in the north bay. Last year it was through San Francisco, other years it's been on the coast, and this year it was northern Sonoma County.Walking north along the vineyardsThe hike started at 6am, walked through Healdsburg north to Geyserville, through Asti, and wrapped up with a dinner in Cloverdale.  The hike was $75 per adult (10 for kids), and benefited the Sonoma County Historical Society.  The hike was well attended by about 100 walkers.  I'd say the average age was 58 surprisingly.  I felt young (finally).  Peacock showing off at Isis Oasis We were lucky enough to have the He... 04/03/2017

 Bud break on Old Vine Zinfandel 04/01/2017

My son with "Jerry" at Spring Lake Park 03/26/2017