Smith: Two years after Nuns blaze, the pumpkins at Chateau St. Jean are on fire

Kenwood's classic Chateau St. Jean winery lucked out the night of the Nuns fire in October 2017.

The estate between Sonoma Highway and Sugarloaf Ridge State Park seemed doomed, but came through with little damage. Chateau St. Jean did close for a while. During that time, some pumpkins that before the fire were set about for fall color began to rot.

When members of the grounds crew found time, they tossed the droopy pumpkins into the winery's compost pile.

The following year, 2018, a small patch of volunteer pumpkins sprouted at the compost heap. Chateau St. Jean groundskeeper Mario Tapia spotted them and began to water them.

By harvest time, the patch put out maybe three dozen pumpkins, all progeny of the ones that went to compost following the fire.

The winery crew thought to harvest and dry seeds from those spontaneous pumpkins, then plant them earlier this year. Well, that patch has gone wild.

“We just harvested 300 pumpkins,” said Russell Craigie, the winery's general manager.

They're magnificent, profuse, and they represent the winery's gratitude that life's gone on.

Chateau St. Jean will offer a pumpkin and other gifts to guests who spend a certain amount at any Treasury Wine Estate winery. To admire the great pumpkins is free.

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MOLLY IVINS, the late, hysterical blowtorch of a Texas journalist, needed to have a documentary produced about her. The country needs it, too.

Well, it's been made. The grassroots “Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins” opens Friday at Santa Rosa's Summerfield Cinemas.

And on Saturday, the 4:15 p.m. screening will be followed by a Q&A with film producer James Egan. I'll appear with Egan and have a conversation with him.

Ivins was a powerhouse reporter and columnist who upon detecting corruption or simply bad government would not be deterred. She incited Americans to rise up in defense of their most precious liberties.

She visited the Press Democrat newsroom during a visit to Sonoma County in 2004 that included a uproarious local talk to 500.

“The political system is heavily corrupted but not irretrievably corrupted,” she told then. “This is our country. We are the board of directors. It is our responsibility to stay involved.”

She said another time, “So keep fightin' for freedom and justice, beloveds, but don't you forget to have fun doin' it. Lord, let your laughter ring forth.”

Ivins was 62 and had grappled with alcoholism and breast cancer when she died in 2007. Tickets to Saturday's show and talk are at santarosacinemas.com, and at the door.

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THAT WWII BOMBER that crashed Wednesday in Connecticut, killing several of the 13 people aboard, knew well the skies of Sonoma County.

Our airport was for years on the itinerary of the B-17 Flying Fortress that the nonprofit Collings Foundation of Massachusetts toured the country - with also a B-24 Liberator and a P-51 Mustang.

I'll not forget flying in the B-17 from Reno to Sonoma County in 2013, looking down at Clear Lake as the wind rushed by an open gunner's window and imagining what it would like to be maybe 23 and flying that rattling bird in 1944. While being shot at.

You can contact Chris Smith at 707-521-5211 and chris.smith@pressdemocrat.com.