Stewardship of Native Ecology

To be of the Earth is to know

The restlessness of being a seed

The darkness of being planted

The struggle toward the light

The pain of growth into the light

The joy of bursting and bearing fruit

The love of being food for someone

The scattering of your seeds

The decay of the seasons

The mystery of death

The miracle of birth.    

John Soos

MuRefuge is an extraordinary merging of Permaculture concepts and native ecology. MuRefuge, she reflects the healing and learning of her original steward. The land possesses good Feng Shui due to her natural topography, ancient knowledge, and demonstrates remarkable adaptability.

My husband and I bought this West Sonoma County rural residential property in December, 1992, when we had been in relationship for just over four years. I was in ill health and Dwight was commuting to the Financial District in San Francisco. MuRefuge is 50 miles North of the Golden Gate Bridge. The house was move-in ready but the land had been scraped and begged for care.

"Sparkling New, Elegant Country Home"
was the caption on the advertisement of the home we bought.
Notice the utility lines coming to the house.
These were in violation of the neighborhood agreement
so the previous owner (and builder) put them underground
prior to our closing escrow .

The Fall before purchasing MuRefuge we acquired a Siberian Husky puppy and her two year old sister, a Black and Tan Hound/Chocolate Labrador mix. We moved three miles as the crow flies South to MuRefuge that lays just North of the "Petaluma Wind Gap." And we began our process of BE-ing Rooted.

Both of us, having spent more time here at MuRefuge than either of us have lived in one place previously, find we are being nudged to begin a new chapter of our lives. We are grateful for the time with MuRefuge, learning from the land and all the creatures smallest and large who also call MuRefuge "home" or those just passing through. Old souls have come to share their lives with us; presently Sage, the resident cat, 

Sage beneath ‘Skylark’ (Ceanothus thysiflorus)) with Purple Needlegrass in the left of the picture.

and one of the Tootsie Rolls, a 2 year old female Indian Runner duck. Old Soul Tootsie Roll is part of the resident flock of 7 female Indian Runner ducks that provide fresh, delicious eggs as well as fertilize the orchard and keep the snails and slugs in check.

In the far back of this picture are the two newest additions
of this small flock of female Indian Runner ducks, BE BES,
and in the foreground on the left are the two Tootsie Rolls,
the old soul the one with her head in the water bowl
and on their way to the pond, a sunken antique bathtub,
are Ms. Crone, Coco and Ms. Blue (from left to right).

Both the resident cat, Sage, and the Indian Runner flock will be remaining at MuRefuge with the next steward(s).

EVOLUTION of 3/4 acre we call MuRefuge (1992 to 2017):

HOUSE

• 2001 Slate to floor of utility "closet" housing washer and dryer and to Master bathroom, carpet in Master bedroom and walk in closet replaced with red oak flooring, door to Great Room from garage moved to inside entryway
• 2003 Slate to front outside entryway and path created with same. inside house painted
• 2011 New furnace with air filtering for entire house with all new ducts, entire house siding replaced with "Hardee" plank and painted, Miele dishwasher for kitchen with removal of microwave and installation of Typhoon Range Hood, mirror "back splash" behind newly installed G.E. Range, red oak floors replaced carpet in remaining 2 bedrooms with metal blinds replaced with wooden Hunter Douglas blinds and same blinds installed in Library by Blindingly Clean, owner: Ernie Martin.
• 2014 New Craftsman garage door opener installed by Michael Libby, 707-546-7954.
• 2015 Japanese Takagi gas tankless hot water heater replacing traditional hot water heater. "bird tape" applied to windows to reduce bird collision.
• 2016 septic pumped. all underground tanks resealed by Al & Eric of Analy Septic, 707-823-7340; kitchen cabinets refinished with Poland pottery pulls and installation of new 40 year, high dimensional composition shingles by Elk roof and 6" fascia seamless gutters, additional downspouts   
• 2017 new smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

LAND

The healing of the scraped, unhealthy land towards a vibrant native ecology and certified Wildlife Habitat was informed by, but not limited to:

• Introduction to Permaculture. (1991). Bill Mollison with Reny Mia Slay.

Summer, 1993, swales dug to catch and retain the rainfall
to replenish the underground water.

Fall, 1993 trees planted to provide wind breaks.

Spring, 1994, herb spiral outside of the Great Room sliding door.

• Gardening with a Wild Heart: Restoring California's Native Landscape at Home (1999). Judith Larner Lowry
• The Landscaping Ideas of Jays: a Natural History of the Backyard Restoration Garden. (2007) Judith Larner Lowry.
• Designing California Native Gardens: the Plant Community Approach to Artful,Ecological Gardens. (2007). Glenn Keator and Alrie Middlebrook.

June, 2012, Native Twinberry Honeysuckle (Lonicera involucrata)
 flourishing in riparian community along MuRefuge's South property line. 

• Bringing Nature Home. (2007). Douglas W. Tallamy.
• The Resilient Gardener: Food Production and Self-Reliance in Uncertain Times. (2010).  Carol Deppe.

October, 2016
Two of the Three Sisters (beans, corn, squash):
Hopi Blue Flour corn and Sweet Meat squash.

With the cool marine influence here at MuRefuge seeds do not readily germinate in the 13 raised (gopher proof) beds. Thus early on Dwight built a greenhouse, and later enlarged, to enable seeds to be germinated in a warm environment provided by an adjustable temperature "heat mattress".

The number of different kinds of birds that visit MuRefuge in a full cycle of the Seasons has gone from a mere 19 the first year to now over 125. The absence of any native plant species in 1992 to an extensive array presently is the likely explanation for this increase. The plant list may be accessed by clicking here. 

The diversity of MuRefuge's wildlife may be viewed by clicking here.

This picture of California Flannelbush ‘San Gabriel’ (Fremontodendr on californicum)
was taken in April, 2014. It is the bush in the lower left of the picture below.

August, 2017 

Anyone interested in purchasing and becoming the next stewards of MuRefuge
please contact:

Tim Johnson 

Coldwell Banker
Cellular: 707-477-2510 

BRE License # 00860167

johnson2@sonic.net


As I have done during all these years of MuRefuge's stewardship, may we all