Lachryma Montis

General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo was a Californio military commander, politician, and rancher. He was born  a subject of Spain, performed his military duties as an officer of the Republic of Mexico and shaped the transition of Alta California from a territory of Mexico to the U.S. state of California.

-Wikipedia

Vallejo's home is in the town of Sonoma next to a spring at the foot of the Mayacamas Mountains which the Indians called Chiucuyem ('crying mountain'). When Vallejo purchased land next to the spring in 1850, he translated the name to Latin lachryma montis (Mountain Tears). The Victorian home he built there is now a museum and state park.

Oilman and I decided it was about time for a field trip, so we drove over to the town of Sonoma today with two objectives...the first was his...lunch at The Girl and the Fig, our second favorite restaurant in Sonoma County. (Our number one favorite, Will's Wine Bar, burned down in the fire but is scheduled to open in a new location in Santa Rosa in January.) I had a delicata squash, persimmon, and pomegranate salad, and a mushroom soufflé *with a poached egg and garlic sauce. OilMan had his standard favorite...PEI Mussels with frites. Our charming young waitress talked to us about how they poach the eggs so perfectly and mused on why the best mussels are always from Prince Edward Island.  OilMan also managed a brandy pecan bar with Chantilly cream and chocolate sauce while I sipped an affogato. Delightful. We'll be going back soon...

...maybe as soon as tomorrow since we then went across the square to look for a new living room chair...my objective...at the newly opened second location of a shop which I have frequented often in Sebastopol. The owner, Jennifer, calls it 'a love child from the Mother of modern art meets the Father of iconic modern design' ....

 It all started when I published a picture that revealed how dirty our single living room chair has become after  many years of grandkids, dogs and being washed with water (who knew?) which stained it even more. We think we found a good replacement today. It doesn't quite match the couch so they let us bring home the throw cushion to see if they blend.  I might have to get some new pillows to accomplish that, and I will need to return the cushion tomorrow....I suspect not even lunch at the Girl and the Fig would persuade OilMan to go back again for that,  unless I can convince him that we should stop by the Red Barn, a place which makes beautiful wreaths from dried materials which we seem to visit every year at about this time, and which is only open on Saturday. OilMan doesn't usually mind going there either, but I wouldn't want to push my luck....

*A far cry from the exuberant patches of mushrooms pushing up through the lawn in the square. I put a picture of them in the extras.