William's Life in San Diego Musings
“Let Me Take You There” to The Oldest Winery in Southern California, Rancho Bernardo Winery
October 19th, 2008 categories: William's Life in San Diego Musings
The oldest winery in Southern California was built right here in Rancho Bernardo in 1889 and it was the host today of a local Arts and Crafts Festival. The winery is still producing wine here but most all the grapes are brought in from other parts of California.
I was impressed with the amount of antique machinery and the old wine presses used at the turn of the century. The extensive grounds are much like a graveyard for rusted out old farm equipment and tools that is so very interesting. Everywhere you look are old antiquities.
There are even a couple old antique Olive presses resting comfortably from their glory days tucked into the shade of the remaining olive trees.
Today most of the grounds where grapes were once grown are covered with quaint shops, restaurants and they still do wine tastings of both their wines and others that are on sale from other wineries in the state of California. One of the newer buildings is clad in wood siding made from the end of old wine boxes. You will see a close up photo from Robert Mondavi wines as one of the wood shingles.
The Rancho Bernardo Historical Society is building a new museum facility on the grounds with a $300,000 fund it has raised for construction. Remnants from the Old Historical Society’s Building that was torn down have been salvaged for inclusion in the new museum to be built here. I have included a picture here of the temporary quarters of the Ranch Bernardo Historical Society.
What a delightful experience visiting there today. I have lived in the Rancho Bernardo area for over eight years and I had never visited the winery before. I love the surroundings, the old antique machinery and the quaint village type of atmosphere and I plan to return again and learn more about the history of this wonderful little treasure in Rancho Bernardo.
I saw a sign in one of the shops that made me think of all of you and knew you would like it. Especially Sally Chesseman, Gary Waltol and Julie Neerings. Maybe we should adopt this as the new ActiveRain Mission Statement. Here is a picture of the sign. 
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New Learning Center Opens in Carlsbad Ca.
October 17th, 2008 categories: Local San Diego News You Can Use, San Diego Real Estate News, William's Life in San Diego Musings
The literacy programs directed by the Carlsbad City Library has some new specialized digs in its new space recently opened as part of the Carlsbad City Library System.
Previously, the literacy program was operated out of rented quarters that limited its offerings as well as the number of students and adults it could serve. Now with the new space that the city spent over $6.1 million on, is a testament of the commitment of not only the city of Carlsbad but of its citizens and especially the remarkable library system. Read the rest of this entry »
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Attention San Diego Homeowners: Santa Ana Winds Creating A Potential For Wildfires Expected this Week in San Diego -It’s Wildfire Season Again!
October 7th, 2008 categories: Local San Diego News You Can Use, San Diego Real Estate, San Diego Real Estate News, William's Life in San Diego Musings
Having endured two major wildfires that struck San Diego in 2003 and last year, it is essential that you as a San Diego homeowner are prepared for wildfires. San Diego Office of Emergency Services mailed out at great expense a booklet recently with suggestions on how to prepare for these potential lethal wildfires. If you didn’t get one or discarded it, I will give you the website information at the bottom of this post to obtain another one by going online and retrieving a copy.
Thousands of acres of land were burned in the last fires and it struck many homes and these homes were not just the ones in the back country. These fires spread by cinders that fly in the air and land on roofs, ignite any dry brush and as demonstrated in the last two fires, the fires are not selective as to neighborhoods. They indiscriminately can touch anyone , anywhere, even if you live right on the coast. Read the rest of this entry »
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An Original Thought Committed to Writing…
September 28th, 2008 categories: William's Life in San Diego Musings
“We are given a soul for all eternity and a voice for only a measured amount of time. How unfortunate so many in the world won’t allow their souls to be heard for in the world of sounds, when the soul speaks it is music to our ears.
William Johnson
The Voice of San Diego Real Estate
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Taking a More Environmentally Sensitive Approach to Pest Management
September 16th, 2008 categories: Buying San Diego Real Estate, San Diego Real Estate, San Diego Real Estate News, Selling San Diego Real Estate, William's Life in San Diego Musings
IPM, Integrated Pest Management takes advantage of the appropriate pest management options by being more judicious in the use of pesticides. By using less risky pest control as a first line of defense, such as microwaving and the use of natural orange oil and other natural resources, they can control pests more effectively, at less cost and with less damage to the environment.
Pesticides produced from natural sources such as the oil from oranges, hasproven to be as effective as other synthetic chemicals with the added advantage that they do not harm the eco-system. Oil of chrysanthemum is a natural pest deterrent.
We have been discovering that the synthetic chemicals which do not break down have found there way into our water supplies as they leach through the soils into the underground water.
Overtime, synthesized chemical treatments become less effective as the pests build a natural defense to them, requiring even more harmful chemical substances to be used. Employing the methods and research of Integrated Pest Management or IPM along with the numerous natural sources of remedies, pest treatment remains effective and assures of us of no further harm to any part of our entire eco-system.
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