Willows is a small farm town in Northern California.
It looked pretty much like this until they tore most of it
down in the early 70's, to 'modernize' it.
When I was growing up there, the only really 'special' thing in town was the vanilla Coke at Foster Freeze. There was no ice rink, no Macy's, no ocean...none of the things that the heroines in the books that I devoured got to enjoy. So I left.
(Now I'm living in the Midwest,
in a little farm town with no ice rink, no Macy's, no ocean....)
Imagine my surprise when I returned to Willows for a visit last week and discovered that there was something very 'special' there; A shop named 'Gathering'. It's a charming place filled with artfully staged shabbies & primitives...
...with some great gift items mixed in.
My favorite part of the shop is the little courtyard out back.
(I'll admit that I was a bit jealous of the lush
plants thriving outside in November.)
One of the owners of Gathering was working that day.
(I'd show you her picture but she was camera-shy).
So I'll show you one more photo of the shop instead...
...and tell you that the camera-shy lady was none other
than the mother of Corey Amaro. (Corey's amazing blog, Tongue in Cheek, is favorite of many of us. I've never met Corey; she was a kid when I left Willows. After meeting
her Mom and seeing the shop, it was easy to see where Corey's talents come from.)
Next time you're traveling up I-5, zip off at the Willows exit and pay a visit to Gathering.
You'll be as delighted as I was!
