Much Gratitude

Travels With Heart, By Annie Bowler, December 1, 2025. Volume 29

I’m grateful that we’ve owned the Flower Farm for so many years. Certainly, there have been some challenges, but by and large, it's been a truly worthy endeavor, mainly because it has connected us with so many wonderful people and has allowed us to play a part in hundreds of milestone gatherings of every kind.

Each fall for 13 years, a wonderful group of women, who we fondly call the “Loomis Loonies,” have reserved rooms at our Inn and the downstaira of the Inn has been turned into their quilting workshop. The Loonies don’t just sew though; they tell stories, laugh, confer on quilt designs, help each other through life’s challenges, have a drink or two and enjoy shopping and dining locally. At home in the East Bay, the Loonies meet a couple of times a week to sew, talk, and play cards and are each other’s best friends.

Over time, these women have become our dear friends as well. It’s easy to understand why as they are open, honest, funny, and genuinely wonderful people. John and I plan our fall around their week at the farm because we don’t want to miss these wonderful friends. Here's a few photos of this year's projects.

Mother Nature has been kind to us this fall, with little wind, crisp weather, and a good amount of rain, which has enabled fresh green grass to fill all open spaces. But it’s the trees and sky that have stolen the show this fall. These are some photos from a hike I took at dusk in mid-November.

On November 18th, 1863, President Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg address. When I listened to his address on November 18th of this year, it struck me hard that America is

still struggling to fulfill Lincoln’s vision for our nation… namely that all men are created equal and deserve to be treated as such.

Here’s the transcription of Lincoln’s Gettysburg address which was delivered at the dedication of the Cemetery at Gettysburg.

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation,

conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live……..The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here…….It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us…..that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

I remember the day like it was yesterday. My grandkids Nazla, Howi, Alma and I, along with their nannie Ahtun, visited the Jakarta Zoo’s primate center. We settled in an enclosed walkway that had thick glass wall that was perfect to watch the orangutans who live in a huge patch of jungle just beyond the glass.

An orangutan, with a couple of little ones playing behind her, walked up and sat down next tous, seemingly wanting to visit. My grandson, Howi, was a bit bored so Ahtun got out somematch box cars to keep him busy. The orangutan perked up; she moved closer. We encouraged him to drive his cars along the glass. The orangutan followed his movements intently. She stared into our toy bag to see what else it held. When the girls pulled out a stuffed animal and other items, she followed their every movement. She watched with interest as they brushed their hair. When we put our hands on the glass, she matched our hand exactly. Finally, when the toys were stilled, she stared directly into our eyes.

All the while, like any good caregiver, she paused and turned to check on her little ones.

As her little ones moved further into the jungle, just out of her view, the mama got up to leave. But halfway to the jungle, she turned to stare at us, seemingly to bid us good bye.

This encounter moved me deeply. Animals are more alike to us humans than most would like to admit.

(

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, I feel very grateful for all I have but I’m worried about those who aren’t as fortunate. With SNAP benefits eliminated and food prices rising, the number of food-insecure people has grown exponentially. John and I will donate to “Feeding the Foothills”, which supports most food banks across our region. If you know anyone who is food insecure, please let them know about the many local food banks (which can be found on their website)

I recently spoke with Holly Cuthbertson, who works for Feeding the Foothills, and she reported that the lines have doubled at their Roseville food bank recently and they literally ran out of food.

Make a donation if you can! Click here to donate. I am sure any food bank would appreciate volunteers as their work increases.

I hope you and yours had a Happy Thanksgiving!