It was a quintessential St. Helena weekend. “Farmstead” (a new
restaurant featuring Ted and Kevin) was opening on the Logan/Ives
property. This one figured to be different. It would have fresh
greens raised on Ted’s ranch and meat from the shaggy Highland cattle which grazed his pastures.

What made it “quintessential” were the players—and their stories.

As Fire Chief for 15 years, Kevin’s tale is oft told.

Ted (who engineered the controversial Mondavi sale to
Constellation) and Laddie own Long Meadow Ranch. It is world famous.

When my pal, the British Counsel General called saying the Royals wanted to
visit a real Organic farm we took him to Long Meadow, where, instead
of killing them, Ted returns rattle snakes to the wild. Yuck! I cut off their heads!

Why the Royals chose a farm in Bolinas, instead, is one of life’s
great mysteries.

Had buddy, CG Martin Uden had an ounce of salesmanship in him, the Goobs and I would have been riding to the hounds up at Long Meadow with Charles and Camilla—but that’s another column.

Ted bought Long Meadow from Cap Escher. Jim Pop had known Cap from
the tug boat days on the Bay. Laurie Wood the dean of vineyard managers, and Jim Pop's partner in Freemark Abbey, witched a well, planted a vineyard and they were in business.

(Ted’s agent, in the midst of separate Real Estate transaction, was
eventually sentenced to “The Big House” for 30 days after she stole
furniture from the house of writer Arthur Haily (remember Airport or Hotel?) But that’s another column).

Monday, Cliff and I checked in for lunch. We knew a former Saint QB,
Adam Beatty was runnin’ the joint but weren’t aware that Amber was a
new hostess.

Poised and beautiful, Amber greeted us and showed us our table. I
first met Amber around the year of the Flood in ‘95. She was 11. We
were coaching in the first girls’ softball league in town—ever.

Amber was not on our team. A great athlete, she was one of the few who
could make the throw from behind the plate to 2nd. She brought back
many memories.

Goobs was the head coach. I was the assistant. It was as good as
life gets. Goobs devised a spreadsheet, where each girl knew where
she was going to play and when she would be playing. The list was
posted before the game. A kid knew she was third base in the first
inning, right field in the 4th, on the bench in the 7th-- regardless
of score. (More importantly, the parents knew).

For bunting and stealing, we used the same signs Mr. Carpy used when
he coached us. The kids loved it. To them it was magic. Certain
parents from other teams complained that it was too serious—-can't let little girls play hard, you know.

A “gimmie” at that age is when runners are on first and
third. The runner on first steals, and if the catcher tries to throw
her out, the runner from third comes home. There is no defending it.
Well not quite.

We had a trick play, dubbed “Ham & Eggs. Double Zero.”

It was a phase handed down from Raymond and Blanchfield when
they assisted Mr. Carpy back in ’59. It had been High School football
Coach Dolf Caserino’s only audible.

Being a fool for oral historical lore, it seemed appropriate that the same “signal” be used in 1995.

(BTW, Caserino was replaced in 1960 by George Davis who set the State
record of 45 consecutive wins. Davis was chosen over another young
applicant: John Madden. But that’s another column).

When we faced runners at first and 3rd, 11 year old Casey would take
off her catcher’s mask, and shout, “Ham and Eggs, Double Zero.” No
one knew what it meant.

The pitcher would pitch. The runner would steal. Casey would throw.
Our short stop, Lucille, (whose Dad Charles Shaw was inadvertently
made famous by Freddie Franzia ‘s Two Buck Chuck) would cut off the
ball right behind the pitcher, and throw back to Casey to nail the
runner attempting to score.

They were so proud. It was their secret—something others couldn’t
do. The fans were up for grabs. No one could believe their eyes.

Those kids are women now—poised, articulate and beautiful. Thanks
to Kevin and Ted, some are “home”--working at good jobs. Feeling
important again.

Yes, the food was sensational. Cliff’s wine, The Clare Luce Abbey
’05--sublime.

The four "F's", Fables, friends, food, family--plus wine and tradition. This is what makes a community. It drove home why one doesn’t rip it apart.
But that’s another column.