San Ramon Valley High School - Kernel Yearbook (Danville, CA)

Page 75 text:

'true' S INVERNESS In Marin County, basking placidly on the edge of a little bay, there is a summer resort. The Swiss-Italien fishermen are it's year-round inhabitants, each day, during the winter, their sturdy little crafts set out for the deeper waters of the ocean and chug home at dusk with full nets. With the coming of May, however, the two grocery stores, e candy shop, ond Q filling station emerge from their dormsncy and open for business. The fishermen hang out their WBoats for Hiren signs and the summer season is in full swing. But even these transformations do not alter the completely contented atmosphere of the village. Behind the town is a forest. In this sylvan retreat, the silence is almost awe inspiring. It is so intense, that a single bird note or the rustle of some other denizen of the wood, rings out sharply. Even the gurgle of the brook is muffled. The leaf mold is thick and moist under foot, and here end there are carpets of blue for- get-me-nots and maiden hair. Spider webs cling to the berry bushes, and the sun, penetrating the thick over head foilage, transforms them into little, silvery rainbows. Up on the Hmeseu are the homes of the summer residents. They are all modest, with bright flower gardens, and wide porches, commending e view of the bay. ' Down on the beech, the out-going tide leaves fascinating little shell fish, end one can lie ' lezy for hours in the warm sun. Then in September when the winds from the ocean become chilly, the summer residents put the storm shutters on their cottages, lock their 4'

Page 74 text:

I7 W After awhile we urged our horses on again and finally reached the summit of the ridge, about fifty feet from the bear tree ---a natural re- production of that symbol found on our state flag, and a landmark well-known to this community. San Ramon Valley, lying far below, was measur ed off into light and dark blotches of gray---the orchards, vineyards, tomato patches, and hay fields, e The stiff white steeple of the little Danville church stood out clearly in the moon- light. It silently watched with pastoral dignity, the every movement of the town. Low hills rolled back from the valley and bowed before Mt. Diablo. We continued along the edge of the ridge for some timeg then we dipped into a small sheltered hollow which the moon failed to light. There we had to depend chiefly upon the sureness of our ' horses, for the trail was rough and not clearly distinguishable. Emerging, the trail led giddilv across a narrow strip of ground that dropped abruptly away about a hundred feet on one side, and sloped sharply on the others. At last we came to a flat open spot from which we could survey the land to the north. Far in the distance could be seen the watery straits which separate Martinez and Bcniciag beyond, the indistinct outline of Mt. St. Helena. A million tiny lights betrayed the where abouts of Martinez, Bay Point and Concord, while a group of silver, squatty tanks indicated the position of Avon. Prize Essay Vivian Kraft

Page 76 text:

R- 5' W doors, and leave. The candy shop and the filling station go back into hibernation and thc fisher- Thc school teacher men begin to repair their nets. comes in from Point Reyes on the stage and the vacation season is over. So it is, year after year. appointed if I were ever to go back and find it changed. I should bc dis- Betty Mauzy THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF AN OPIUM BOWL The recollection of my youth is very hazy in it, I was born in a dingy shop in Pieping. The old my mind. As I recall little metal worker's man who made me was e dear old soul, as yellow and withered as the last leaf, and he talked to me and fondlcd me as he fashioned me out of brass. - It seems to me that this was about the year seven- teen hundred and fifty seven. When I was complete, I was sent and put on a little table out in front shop and offered for sale. For many days I re- but one mained unsold because of my great price, day a rich prince who was passing by saw me and ordered me to be purchased. I was smothered in crisp paper, flcckcd with gold, the color of cherry blossoms. The kind of paper Ah Ling saved to wrap his most cherished pieces of workmanship. I was taken to the prince's palace, a few miles outside the walls of the city and immedi- ately put into use. The buds of the poppy, great green globes through which pooped the golden petals, were placed in me and a great fire lighted beneath mc. When the buds had become like powder they were taken from me, and I suppose they were smoked. I think that the prince had his own field of poppies, although I'm not sure. Life went on in this manner for I don't know how many years without being disturbed to any great extent. Presently, though, many coolies began to move along the road. Day after day they passed and each day the stream of surging human-