2022 - Beginnings and Endings

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Hi everyone! 

We hope this letter finds you happy, healthy and ready to take on 2023.

We started off the year with a fun party at Cypher Winer for Bobbi's Birthday.  Sam, the wine maker at Cypher, created some amazing food which she paired with her wines.  Yay, It was so good and we appreciated everyone joining us!  Bobbi requested the celebration for her birthday, but it was really a celebration after cleaning out the Woodland Hills home to sell. That was a huge accomplishment and a significant step to move towards our new future in Paso Robles.

Bill constructed an expanded fenced in garden in February, to complement the green house that was constructed in 2021, with more to come in 2023. All of this is for Bobbi’s dye garden and yummy edibles. Bill’s favorites are the heirloom tomatoes, jalapenos and of course eggplant for eggplant parmesan that Bobbi has perfected.

In March we applied for, and were granted our Vacation Rental License (Phoenix Rising Villa) and our Wine Tour Service Business License (Pour Decisions Wine Tours).  These were small but significant steps for our future. 

We took a trip to Monterey in March ...just a quick getaway which included going to the Monterey Aquarium and we met Cookie and Frank for some wine tasting in Carmel Valley. 

At the end of April, we went to Maui for an anniversary celebration and vacation.  

Bobbi over planned as usual :) But we had a blast.  We went back to some places that we experienced on our honeymoon, and we had new experiences like a day trip to Lanai. We had our favorite Mai Tais and walk a number of beaches.  We stayed in Wailea but drove all over the island.   Of course, Bill fit in a couple rounds of Golf in Maui with one round accompanied by Bobbi. Bill seems to play his best rounds in Hawaii… all in the 80’s.

The Woodland HIlls house closed May 12th!  It was perfect timing for the market and a relief for us.  We were ready to move on and start building the new home in Paso Robles.  Bobbi had lived there for over 20 years and will miss that little house :) There were so many good memories in that house.

Bobbi has been expanding her knowledge of natural dyeing for couleur de la vie.  She has been dyeing a line of clothing from Italy sewn from Silk and Viscose.  The colors are fun and take on the natural dyes to create beautiful designs.  She also attended an indigo workshop to learn about dyeing with indigo.

Bill helped Bobbi prepare for the Second Annual SLO County Farm Trail Open Farm Day.  We were proud to be on the Trail and opening up Bobbi's Studio and Garden to our community.  It was a fun 2 days...very hot, but fun.  Bobbi showed a demo of bundle dyeing with flowers and plant materials.  We offered a ribbon solar dyeing craft for the first 35 guests. The weekend started with an  Art on the Farm Gallery showing at an art Studio in downtown Paso Robles. Bobbi helped to Coordinate the event and her scarves were displayed with other Art created by farmers on the Farm Trail. 

We happily kept our Hollywood bowl tickets and visited LA a couple times to see friends and attend concerts in the Summer and Fall.   In October Bobbi went to visit family in Missouri too!  It was so great to see everyone. 

Most of what we have shared are beginnings or happy stories. I we did unfortunately experience

some unhappy endings. We suffered a few loses with Bill’s Mom (97), his eldest sibling Carol (73),  and Dakota passing. We love and will miss them all. The losses were devasting and a reminder to live each day with and open heart and integrity.

After nearly 2 years of design and review by the County of San Luis Obispo our New Custom Home Building Permit was approved.  Our new home construction began with the demolition of the existing garage to make way for the Dream House.   You can follow us here on the website by checking in on the Our Progress tab or better yet follow us on Instagram at @phoenixrisingvillapaso  for more frequent posts.

What do we have planned for 2023?  

Well, with the house construction in full swing and the attention required for its construction, Bill is retiring. More of a transition of sorts to self-employment and will also provide more time to travel (Italy for 2 weeks in October).  Bill will have the extra time needed to work on his golf handicap with the hopes of bringing it down to single digit. Everyone has dreams. Perhaps the full swing golf hole and practice facility that is part of the Phoenix Rising Villa improvement plans will make that possible.

Bobbi plans to expand her dye garden in 2023,  and learn some new techniques.  

We hope to see you in 2023!!!  Let us know if you would like to visit and get a first hand look at our progress.