The 8th Annual Contra Costa Leadership in Sustainability Awards Gala and Fundraiser is September 21, 6 - 9pm. We hope you will be a part of this special evening supporting the local sustainability movement and join our wonderful community of sustainability leaders. This year's gala is "Inspired By Nature" and celebrates our parks and open spaces. Enjoy delicious local food from restaurants, including Plate & Vine and Corners Tavern. Taste local wine from Hannah Nicole, Viano, and Captain Vineyards on the beautiful Hilton Concord patio. Enjoy live music, a fabulous raffle, and more. Following the reception, Master of Ceremonies Mike Anderson and other special guests will present the Leadership In Sustainability and Green Building Awards to those who demonstrate outstanding commitment and leadership in making Contra Costa a healthy, resilient place to live, work, and play for generations to come. Our Visionary Partner, Central San, will also present their Pollution Prevention Awards. This is also the annual fundraiser supporting Sustainable Contra Costa's work to educate and inspire people to grow food, save water, conserve energy, and create a healthy, resilient community. Please join us for this inspiring evening of celebration and hope! Visit Event Website for More Info

Excuse our construction as we have a gas line installed! We've wanted this for a long time and are excited that it is finally happening. This will allow us to have a gas fireplace, which will be much easier than having to build wood fires for warmth during events in colder seasons, as much as we loved those, too! Additionally, we will be able to buy a gas range for the kitchen eventually, which will be more authentic to the period of the farmhouse. And the gas line will come in handy for the future barn as well! Thanks to Park and Rec (shout out to Todd) and PG&E for their hard work on this project. Once this project is finished, in early September, we will move on to the next project -- putting in beautiful brick pathways in front of and next to the house. We'll keep you posted!
                                                                                                                                            Photos by Alison Clary

On August 9, Denise Koroslev taught participants how to make their own facial beauty products using natural, non-toxic ingredients often already in the home, such as flower petals, herbs, teas, beeswax, lemon, and various oils, to name a few! Ladies came with friends for a "girls' night out" and relaxed both outside and inside our rustic "spa" setting. Everyone enjoyed floral facials, munching on snacks, learning how to make home recipes, and taking home samples of lip balm and hand cream.                                                                                    Photos by Alison Clary