This past week, we took our first walk of the year at Anderson Marsh State Park. It was sunny and warm, and we enjoyed our first picnic. I am thankful to live where there are many incredible outdoor adventures to enjoy safely. This week we are excited to share some good news with you. Thanks to your donations and support, we are now able to pay our writers! If you’ve got a good idea or story, send it in and see what happens. Whatever your plans are, we at The Bloom wish you the happiest of weekends.

If the calendar didn’t say it was January, I would think it was already spring in Lake County! My guess is that many of us will be enjoying the great outdoors this weekend. Traditionally, our family has our first picnic of the year on Clear Lake’s shores or in the nearby National Forest, making the most of living in Northern California in the winter. This week we’re re-releasing an article on Beaver Creek Winery. If you haven’t had the chance to meet Martin and Tara, and try some of their unique wines, this might be a great time to make the trip to Middletown and give them a visit.

The good thing about a COVID Holiday is it gives us time to do ALL our favorite at-home traditions. We’ve made a list of our favorite holiday cookies, movies and meals, and books. We may be spending more time at home, but we will be busy. Whether we like it or not, this may be one of the coziest holidays ever! We’re excited to share with you more local businesses you can support, The Painted Bird Gallery and Two Sisters Antiques, hidden in the courtyard in downtown Kelseyville. Also, don’t forget to share some holiday cheer: check out our calendars and find a toy drive nearest you. We at The Bloom wish you the merriest holiday season.

Its Friday! The good news is that we are one week closer to our first rain, and that will be a day worth celebrating. Until then, here are a few things we are excited to share. Today The Bloom’s releasing a several-part history of Loch Lomond and its founders, the Prather family. It’s something David’s been working on for months, and we can’t wait for you to hear the stories we’ll be sharing over the next several weeks. Don’t forget: Farmers’ Market is happening in Middletown tonight and in Lakeport Saturday morning. It’s a great way to support local farmers and artists as well as listen to live music. Talking about music, be sure to check out The Lake County Music Guide. We’ve got it on The Bloom, and you can follow it on Facebook. That way, you’ll never miss the fun. And if you haven’t visited Ely’s Stage Stop for the Fiddler’s Jam, this is a great weekend to go. These are just a few fun things happening in the county; we’ve got more on our calendars. As always, please keep safe by following all CDC and social distancing guidelines while making your weekend plans. And thank you for supporting your favorite local business during these unprecedented times. For those of you affected by the fires, please know our hearts and prayers are with you.

Right now, our nation is being challenged. At times it seems like our current crisis can bring so much division that we forget what we have in common. We all want a roof over our heads and food on the table. We all search for happiness. We all want to feel hope. Even so, we are in the midst of racial, health, and political issues that have yet to resolve. Each day seems only to stir the pot more. These in-between moments when everything is uncertain are the most discouraging. It’s hard to stay happy with so much fear, anxiety, and anger happening in our world. On the days our family gets down, we like to play the Thankful Game. We call it a game, but it’s more like an idea. The only rule is to think of things we’re thankful for. No, it doesn’t solve the world’s problems, but it helps us remember the good things we do have while we address the stressful issues happening in our society. Here are five things that we at The Bloom are thankful for, in no particular order: 1. We are thankful that we have the right to gather in peaceful demonstrations. No matter what we believe, we have the right to be heard. 2. We are thankful that as a community, we have looked out for small businesses and supported them when they might have otherwise closed their doors permanently. 3. We are thankful for our essential workers making sure our basic needs are met. 4. We are thankful for countless volunteers who look out for those who are most vulnerable. 5. We are thankful for you, our readers. We realize that the Thankful Game doesn’t change anything, but it does remind us that we still have hope. It shows us that beauty and goodness can speak just as loudly as hate and fear. It shows us that even though the world is in turmoil, we can still find peace. We are surrounded by beautiful things. Let’s not lose sight of that.