Travels with Heart: by Annie Bowler, February 5, 2026 Vol. 31 All five of our children attended Del Oro High School, for many years, John taught art and was the Varsity Men’s Soccer coach at DO and I volunteered and attended a countless number of events. Del Oro has been an important part of our lives for the more than 35 years; it’s been our home. There’s a deep and justifiable sense of local pride for D.O. as the Loomis community has a good thing going in our hometown high school. All these...

By Annie Bowler, January 1, 2026 Volume 30 A road trip in early December across California reminded me of how lucky I am to call this diverse, gorgeous state my home. But all this beauty creates challenges: I’m often tempted to stop to take in the views and explore; just ask my travel partner, John.  My first such stop was at the stunning San Pablo Wildlife Refuge, home to birds, birds, and more birds. This refuge is an amazing example of how preserving wild lands near urban areas benefit us...

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...