My dear friend Phyllis and her husband Doug just made a trek to the East Coast with high hopes of seeing the reknowned fall display of brilliant foliage. Ironically, while flipping through a magazine on their return flight to California, Phyllis discovered that our very own Sonoma County is on "top ten" lists for its own fall foliage show! As CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg says: "You Don't Have to Be in Northeast or Canada!". He declares Sonoma County as a surprising place to see cascading hills of red, yellow, and orange.
Our large maple tree would laugh at this commentary. Surely we can see her tribute to Autumn with the abundant leaves she scatters on our walkway each day. Our garden is hidden beneath her leafy blanket.
Her sister the Norwegian maple, who grows at our fiber instructor's home, would also shake her branches at us. How could we need to look beyond her rainbow shower to find any more firery display?
The Chinese Pistachios that line many of our neighborhood streets and the thousands of acres of grape vineyards scattered throughout our county also shimmer in their tri-color glory in October's fading sun. They call to us to come out and play, stomp, crunch, and marvel.... especially in the coming week with the warm weather prediction. 
Gather the family and walk, bike, or drive around this weekend to behold the glory in our own backyard! Visit a pumpkin patch (see the Sonoma Family Life guide for ideas), go to a Farmer's Market (you can make a sugar skull for El Dia de los Muertos at Petaluma's Farmer's Market), or play at a park (the Sonoma Garden Park Harvest Festival is sure to be a winner.) The City of Geyserville also invites you to it's annual free Fall Color Festival and Vintage Car Show. Chase the Fall Fairy as she changes local leaves from green to gold and red!
Tell me about it! I've been telling friends to take a driving trip here, and to bring their bikes. The weather is perfect, and the leaves and vineyards are just gorgeous.
I'm so proud to hearSamta Rosa rated so high! I love the autumn here for all the color. And Holly your photos are lovely! Here are some of mine from a fabulous visit to Tolay pumpkin patch. Which, fyi, was way better than the Harvest Fair with corn husk doll making and candle dipping and wool thread spinning, potato sack races and a barn full of live and stuffed night animals, free hand outs like magnifying glasses (which thriLLed Benjamin) to look at mosquitos and everything else afterward, a tank of touchable star fish, a native American mock village, a 4H booth, plus all the usual pumpkin patch suspects-hay ride, maze, petting zoo, hay bale tower, etc...
I just love your web site, Holly! You are sooo creative, resourceful, and devoted. Bryles is a very fortunate child. It makes me want to have little kids to take to all these fun outings.