Mustard March 2023

Aaachoo!

The mustard is blooming reminding me again what a wonderful place I have the privilege to live in. But it makes me sneeze. Some days more than others. And only for a few days in this springtime awakening season. It makes for a beautiful drive almost anywhere in Sonoma County as is evidenced by all the cars pulled to the side of the road with people taking photos with everything from iPhones to Nikons on tripods. But mustard is much more than just a pretty face. In vineyards it functions a a cover crop that not only prevents soil erosion but recharges the soil with nitrogen and helps suppress nematodes. (A very readable post on it can be found at https://www.biale.com/2021/03/mustard-in-napa-valley/.

On the real estate side of things, I have to say that the market is quite unsettled at the moment while it tries to find the right balance between low inventory and higher interest rates.  The result is a more balanced market that requires some give and take on both sides. How long this will last, nobody really knows. It’s part of what makes real estate so interesting.

Through it all, I continue to read good books, walk the dog, do my best for my clients, and be grateful for morning sunshine, evening sunsets, full reservoirs, and a warm bowl of soup for dinner. 

Take care, Sheila