Monday, November 19, 2007
Reasons to Be Thankful Living in Auburn
Driving down Mt. Vernon Road yesterday beneath a shimmering canopy of brilliant fall color I felt a deep sense of gratitude well up. I began to reflect on all the reasons to feel grateful for living in such a wonderful place.
First, the natural beauty that I was experiencing just driving down this beautiful country road to my home. I thought about the snow capped Sierras, the American river, the canyon, the rolling hills and valley views. We have an amazing variety of trees, from deciduous to evergreen.
The proximity and magnitude of these natural wonders provide unlimited recreational opportunities and has put Auburn on the map as the Endurance Capital of the world. Mountain biking and hiking, kayaking, skiing, boating, fishing, camping, horseback riding and don’t forget, gold panning.
Auburn loves to celebrate! We celebrate everything from vintage cars to eggplant. We still have wonderful small town parades. We even have a parade for dogs. As I write, there’s a 1951 Dodge flat bed truck, fully decorated and ready for the Festival of Lights parade parked in my barn. A look at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce calendar of events says it all.
Our community’s love and appreciation of the arts is without equal. Our own Auburn Symphony has performed at the Mondavi Center. We have art walks and studio tours. We even have our own art center and gallery, where our local talent is displayed.
We live in a community that honors and preserves its history. Our beloved courthouse is the centerpiece of our town. The latest re-roofing bid came in at approximately one million dollars. It’s not the first renovation and it certainly won’t be the last. Our community has lovingly maintained the courthouse building for over a hundred years. We are unique in that so much of our history is preserved in architecture. We don’t treat our buildings like museum pieces either, we actually live and work in them.
Our leadership values the quality of our community and our surroundings. Our leaders have had the foresight and dedication to preserve our lands and our agriculture. Public access provides countless hiking trails for all to enjoy. Our local food growers bring their harvest to the farmers market. The Newcastle Produce market and deli showcases locally grown foods and wines.
We don’t have to leave town anymore to enjoy a truly gourmet dining experience. I don’t want to mention all of our fine restaurants for fear of leaving one out.
One night last week I had a uniquely Auburn dining experience. I left my home, which is located adjacent to a fine local winery, drove a few minutes down Atwood road to a family owned and operated restaurant where I enjoyed a 5 star dining experience. The restaurant is located next door to the local bail bondsman. It just seemed so “Auburn,” unpretentious and quaint.
Auburn enjoys a vibrant business community. Its merchants and business people are creative, resourceful and energetic. We have upper town, lower town and old town. We have the Hwy 49 and Hwy 80 corridors and the Auburn airport. What more do we need?
I am most thankful for Auburn’s spirit of generosity! The citizens of our great community are generous beyond measure. Auburn takes care of its hungry and cold. We have the food closet, the coat and can tree drives and the Salvation Army. We have the thanksgiving community dinner where many families volunteer to serve. We raise money for people who are sick and without means. We donate huge dollars for medical research. We have countless fundraisers for education and other worthy causes. We have service organizations like Rotary, Soroptomists, Lions and Elks. We have Project Auburn, Hands Across Auburn and the Auburn Community Foundation. For all this, I am thankful.
I am sure there are many other reasons I forgot to mention that we should be thankful. If you would like to share, please post your comments.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sue
First, the natural beauty that I was experiencing just driving down this beautiful country road to my home. I thought about the snow capped Sierras, the American river, the canyon, the rolling hills and valley views. We have an amazing variety of trees, from deciduous to evergreen.
The proximity and magnitude of these natural wonders provide unlimited recreational opportunities and has put Auburn on the map as the Endurance Capital of the world. Mountain biking and hiking, kayaking, skiing, boating, fishing, camping, horseback riding and don’t forget, gold panning.
Auburn loves to celebrate! We celebrate everything from vintage cars to eggplant. We still have wonderful small town parades. We even have a parade for dogs. As I write, there’s a 1951 Dodge flat bed truck, fully decorated and ready for the Festival of Lights parade parked in my barn. A look at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce calendar of events says it all.
Our community’s love and appreciation of the arts is without equal. Our own Auburn Symphony has performed at the Mondavi Center. We have art walks and studio tours. We even have our own art center and gallery, where our local talent is displayed.
We live in a community that honors and preserves its history. Our beloved courthouse is the centerpiece of our town. The latest re-roofing bid came in at approximately one million dollars. It’s not the first renovation and it certainly won’t be the last. Our community has lovingly maintained the courthouse building for over a hundred years. We are unique in that so much of our history is preserved in architecture. We don’t treat our buildings like museum pieces either, we actually live and work in them.
Our leadership values the quality of our community and our surroundings. Our leaders have had the foresight and dedication to preserve our lands and our agriculture. Public access provides countless hiking trails for all to enjoy. Our local food growers bring their harvest to the farmers market. The Newcastle Produce market and deli showcases locally grown foods and wines.
We don’t have to leave town anymore to enjoy a truly gourmet dining experience. I don’t want to mention all of our fine restaurants for fear of leaving one out.
One night last week I had a uniquely Auburn dining experience. I left my home, which is located adjacent to a fine local winery, drove a few minutes down Atwood road to a family owned and operated restaurant where I enjoyed a 5 star dining experience. The restaurant is located next door to the local bail bondsman. It just seemed so “Auburn,” unpretentious and quaint.
Auburn enjoys a vibrant business community. Its merchants and business people are creative, resourceful and energetic. We have upper town, lower town and old town. We have the Hwy 49 and Hwy 80 corridors and the Auburn airport. What more do we need?
I am most thankful for Auburn’s spirit of generosity! The citizens of our great community are generous beyond measure. Auburn takes care of its hungry and cold. We have the food closet, the coat and can tree drives and the Salvation Army. We have the thanksgiving community dinner where many families volunteer to serve. We raise money for people who are sick and without means. We donate huge dollars for medical research. We have countless fundraisers for education and other worthy causes. We have service organizations like Rotary, Soroptomists, Lions and Elks. We have Project Auburn, Hands Across Auburn and the Auburn Community Foundation. For all this, I am thankful.
I am sure there are many other reasons I forgot to mention that we should be thankful. If you would like to share, please post your comments.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sue
Labels: Auburn, California fall Thanksgiving gratitude
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