June 17: Petaluma, SF

Dear Friends and Relatives,

After yesterday's fall into a gopher hole, and subsequent sprain in the back of my right knee and hyperextension of the left rib cage, the pain of the left rib cage made it difficult to sleep on anything but my back last night.  Every time I turned, the rib cage pained me--more than the knee.  This morning, however, I used the ace bandage and kept it on throughout the day, which was really helpful.  This evening I am applying ice to both the elevated right leg and the left rib cage in order to see even more relief forthcoming.  It all did not keep me from sightseeing, but I had to move more slowly and gingerly than usual.

Today, after leaving our B & B, we searched for a restaurant serving breakfast and found Big Bear, where we had eggs, bacon, a fruit cup, and a biscuit, along with strong cups of coffee to get us going.  Also talked to Alexandra, who is doing well.  

Afterwards, we drove towards Petaluma and to the Marin French Cheese Company, one of 42 major cheesemakers on the California Cheese Trail. Cheesemaking came to California in the 1750s, when Spanish missionary, Father Junipero Serra, introduced dairy cows and cheesemaking.  During the Gold Rush, European immigrants built dairies on the Point Reyes peninsula in northern California to supply butter and cheese to gold miners in SF.  Known as "cow heaven" due to its moderate climate and verdant grasslands, dairy ranches sprang up throughout Marin County, making it the top dairy producing region in California for several decades.  In 1860, Clara Steele is credited with opening the first commercial dairy in America and becoming the first large-scale cheese producer.  Dairying soon spread to Sonoma County and beyond.  

Marin French Cheese Company, which we visited, is the longest continually-operating cheese company in America.  They have been handcrafting traditional and original soft-ripened cheeses for over 150 years, with milk sourced within 20 miles of the creamery.

A bunch of vintage cars in the parking lot drew our attention, and then, after photographing the grounds, the cars, and the inside of the taste-testing venue and shop, we set upon the arduous taste testing of the cheeses: Petite breakfast, fresh brie (mild and buttery); Petite Jalapeño, triple crème brie (warm and creamy); Petite Crème, triple crème brie (rich and smooth); and a Petite Truffle, triple crème brie (earthy and creamy).   We also bought crackers and flatbreads to accompany them; Orangina, Blackberry Quark, and Organic Jersey Cow Yogurt with Meyer lemons.  I am writing this in the evening hours, just as we have finished a dinner incorporating a salad with avocados, lettuce, and tomatoes; and the petite brie and truffle cheeses as pairings.  Wonderful!

Afterwards, we drove around Petaluma's downtown area, which we had visited last year, and stopped by the Petaluma Tea and Coffee Company for an iced tea, since the temperatures in this more inland city were in the 90s.  

After Petaluma, we were off to SF and crossed the Golden Gate Bridge in a breathtaking late-afternoon sun.  Our next stop was the SPCA building, where we were fascinated with the newest canine and feline residents and I took lots of pictures.  One dog who brought me to tears was a sad-eyed white dog (breed not posted yet, as he seems brand new to the shelter) who had been slated as food for humans in Korea, but had been rescued in the last minute!  If I could have taken him, I would have done so!  

Our return home has galvanized a cleaning and feeding frenzy, and now we are going to watch a film.  I feel better, but am going to try to sleep more consistently tonight so that I can regain my strength and continue walking more assertively.  Hopefully, also, the left ribs will start to heal!  As ever, Sylvia