Celebrating our 28th wedding anniversary

Twenty eight years ago today Shannon and I were married here: St. Theresa of Avila Church in Bodega, California. The white, wooden church with a steeple sits on a hilltop above the small, rural coastal town.

Ansel Adams made the church the subject of a black and white photograph in 1953 titled “Church and Road,” and we have hung a copy on the wall in the living room wherever we’ve lived over the years — San Francisco’s North Beach, San Anselmo in Marin County and Nevada City. The church is located next to Potter School, which was the setting for the schoolhouse scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s film, “The Birds.” Hitchcock attended services there during its filming.

We’ve had some excellent adventures together over 28 years, with our son Mitchell joining us along the way and brightening our days.

This weekend, we’re going to celebrate at Twelve 28 Kitchen in Penn Valley, where the Sterners are doing a fantastic job with a new American menu. Our son also is growing up: This morning he’s taking another test on his journey to a second-degree black belt. Tonight he’s going to the prom with Amalia. We like her a lot — two STEM kiddos who are happy together — and we’ve enjoyed planning for that.

I enjoy this time of year the most — our dogwood trees are in full bloom and the wildflowers are blooming all around. Our dining room table is adorned with a fresh flower display (and a boutonnière and corsage for the prom), thanks to Mark and Todd Johnson at Foothill Flowers.

Our magazine is out the door, and we have some more excellent adventures planned this summer, starting with a quick trip to the Big Island next month to celebrate the end of the school year, then San Diego, where Mitchell is joining the COSMOS (California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science) program at UC San Diego.

All told, we have a lot to celebrate and much to be thankful for. Have a great weekend!

Author: jeffpelline

Jeff Pelline is a veteran editor and award-winning journalist - in print and online. He is publisher of Sierra FoodWineArt magazine and its website SierraCulture.com. Jeff covered business and technology for The San Francisco Chronicle for 12 years, and he was a founding editor and Editor of CNET News for eight years, among other positions. Jeff has a bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley and a master's from Northwestern University. His hobbies include sailing, swimming, and trout fishing in the Sierra. View all posts by jeffpelline