Journey into the past...The Hand Fan Museum in Healdsburg, CA

Lately I've heard people in my family talk about the idea of one day we may be riding horses again, the way gas prices are going. I take talk like this as a possible prophecy, thinking about how my space in the carport would remodel into a cozy stable for my horse.

This week, my mom and I went on our June trip to Stinson Beach, CA and then to Healdsburg, CA. Stinson Beach is the place where one can see the Farallones National Marine Life Sanctuary.

I needed to finish my sketch of it for my watercolor series of the National Marine Life Sanctuaries. Two years ago we went to this beach and the fog shrouded it. This year the mist hung around the horizon but I finished my scene. Again the people were so wonderful and friendly. When I finish my painting I will feature it in this blog.

Then we drove up to Santa Rosa, CA, spent the night and headed up to Healdsburg, CA the next day to visit The Hand Fan Museum. My mother had donated her fan collection to it a number of years ago. We missed it being open two years ago when we made this same trip. Instead we were pleasantly surprised by the sweetness of Healdsburg and its lovely shops around its square. This year we had the days and times right and got a first class tour of the tiny museum. My mom and the docent chatted for over an hour about fans. It was a special treasure of a day for both of them they said as we were about to leave. We purchased a few souvenir fans, cards and left a donation. Then Liz, the docent asked for a picture with my mom outside the museum. I snapped this one.

Only a few years ago we saw fans in our culture. It is rare now. My great-great Aunt Grace who lived in San Francisco with her husband GG Uncle Clyde had a gorgeous fan collection that my mom inherited. She added her many fans she had collected to Grace's fans. Then Mom donated the whole collection to the Museum. However, she left out one beautiful tortoiseshell and ostrich feather fan which she gave to me, telling me that it belonged to Grace's mom. Her mom sang in the San Francisco Opera! I cherish this fan and am so glad I got to see the end, at least, of the fan era.