It's been 20 years since I last attended the Canclini/Reginelli/Paoli reunion. Now in its 40th anniversary, it is still going strong at the same Odd Fellows redwood park in beautiful northern California, near Guerneville. I had just returned from Italy but was quite happy to leave the hot purgatory of Texas. Arriving in Santa Rosa, I jumped into a car and drove toward the Pacific coast and the familiar sights of giant redwoods and cool breezes along the placid Russian River. My youth swirled around me. I understand why most of my clan never leave. It's a throwback to an idyllic time, with a small-town feel that moves at a slower pace surrounded by lush beauty. I traded stories with distant cousins and met many of the younger generations.
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| Odd Fellows Park |
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| The Russian River 60 miles downstream from where I grew up |
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| A Reginelli distant cousin |
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| La Fagmilia |
The surnames keep expanding but the attachment to roots remains. There is something to tradition and family. I will return.
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