Issue #21 | February 2026
Greetings | Buzzworthy Sales | Community Corner | Gospel Music Celebration | Scotland | By The Numbers
Pickleweed Inlet
Hi Friends,
2026 has been an interesting time in the world, but let’s keep things local and focus on a few helpful programs here at home, in Marin County.
In a decade or two, someone might ask you: Where were you when Marin experienced its worst flood in 30 years? I certainly won't forget! Michael and I were enroute to Boonville to celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary, clueless to how bad the situation was, and found ourselves paralyzed on the 101 North, inching along a 2 mile stretch of the freeway for about 2 hours!
Luckily, Casa Mill Valley wasn't affected as we're on a steep street, just above Pickleweed Inlet, but if you weren't as lucky as us, these two programs might ease some of the pain.
The first comes from the Marin County Tax Assessor. They're offering a property tax break for those affected by the floods of January 2-4 whose losses equal to or are greater than $10,000. Qualifying situations include: residences, commercial buildings, boats, aircraft, and business personal property; however, business inventory or personal items such as household goods and furnishings do not account towards the $10,000 minimum damage. Be sure to file your claim within 12 months through the Assessor’s Office.
The second item concerns rainwater capture and it's a two-fer! Through a partnership with Marin Water, residents who install new rain catchment systems at their property or business can receive a rebate of up to $2000 (.75c per gallon/water stored).
What’s a catchment system? Simple: rain barrels connected to your roof’s drainage system capture rainwater that can later be used for landscape irrigation, outdoor & car washing, etc (ie: grey water). There are built-in environmental bonuses here too: water capture limits the erosion and runoff of our properties, creeks and wildlife that intense rain usually harms.
To get started you can simply grab a ready-made rain barrel from your favorite hardware store or thanks to San Rafael-based EO Products, they’ve partnered with Marin Water in a DIY Rain Barrel Giveaway! This is a great project to do with your kids, covering a trifecta of important topics: our climate, housing and community.
Lastly, I’m excited to be starting off the new year by upping my cardio routine and returning to my favorite sport - Tennis! If you’re game to rally, hit me up. I’m probably a C+ player.
FLOOD DETAILS
RAINWATER DETAILS
Cheers, Suzanne
BUZZWORTHY HOME SALES | JANUARY
Tam Valley | Mill Valley
List Price | $3,195,000
Sales Price | $2,778,750
Price Per Sq Ft | $1073
Days on Market | 83
1 Offer
3 Bed 2 Bath
Courtesy of: Rachel Cleaveland | MLS: 325071851
Bay Road | Fairfax
List Price | $1,495,000
Sales Price | $1,495,000
Price Per Sq Ft | $657
Days on Market | 77
2 Offers
4 Bed 3 Bath
Courtesy of: Daniel Duffy | MLS: 325086246
COMMUNITY CORNER Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant
You’ll often hear me lamenting about certain food-related merchants I miss since moving to Marin from Berkeley in 2012. I’m always on the hunt to find those special places here in Marin and keep my eyes and ears open for news of emerging culinary delights…Lo and behold, one day in early January I was enjoying coffee with a friend at Marin Country Mart, at an outdoor table at Rustic Bakery. At some point I glanced to my left and noticed a new tenant had moved in to one of the vacant units. Minutes later I glanced back and looked at the units signage and practically shrieked!
It read: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant.
If you know, you know! The first time I sipped a Rose, it was Kermit’s Domaine Tempier, Bandol Rose at a business dinner. Since 1972, Kermit has been exclusively selling his own imports from French & Italian winegrowers, purchasing direct from the domaines and focusing on teeny, family-run, regional producers. He takes great care transporting the wines too: in temperature-controlled trucks and refrigerated containers all the way.
What makes them so special is that Kermit is oftentimes the ONLY DISTRIBUTOR of these wines in the entire country. You’ll often see his name flanking reds, whites and roses at worthy restaurants throughout California and New York. That’s why it’s so special having them here in Marin. The original store still operates in Berkeley - sharing a corner stripmall on San Pablo & Cedar Streets with beloved neighbor, Acme Bread.
Pro Tip: Sign up for Kermit’s gorgeous monthly newsletter/catalog, sent snail mail and sure to delight with its beautiful photos, illustrations and stories about their wine producers. You'll also get a heads up whenever there's a store-wide sale!
DETAILS
Photo Credit: Erin Ng
GOOD TIMES | SUBLIME EVENTS
February 16 | Cornerstone Community Church, Marin City
A perfect treat and free event to close your weekend!
Join your neighbors for the hour-long gospel music celebration led by Marin-based, Lighthouse Singers Gospel Choir and Dr. Steven Roberts, Director and Chapter Rep, NorCal Chapter Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA).
The Lighthouse Singers began in 1979 when the late gospel luminary, Helen J. H. Stephens, founded the group dedicated to cultural & spiritual outreach through music. Earliest members attended Sausalito's Family Light Music School, studying gospel music together.
Helen believed it was crucial to take gospel music out of the churches and teach it to all peoples, thus she formed a group of young Caucasian singers and introduced them to the richness of African American traditional and contemporary gospel music.
WHERE: 626 Drake Avenue, Marin City
INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT | SCOTLAND
Kirklbean | $570,000
2820 sq ft | $202/sq ft
If you've ever dreamed of living in a church with an historic graveyard as your garden and a bell tower clock, this is your lucky day! This piece of history was built in 1767 - obviously as a church, remodeled as a residence only in 2012 - and now boasts 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms along with a number of original church fixtures (think: a pulpit, stained-glass panels and burnished wood railings).
The home is located in the village of Kirkbean (643 souls!) about a mile from the Scottish coastline in the historic county of Kirkcudbrightshire and council area of Dumfries and Galloway.
The masterpiece of the home is a 19-foot ceiling great room with stone fireplace and wood-burning stove. Three en suite bedrooms make up the lower level with a separate two-bedroom apartment upstairs. The home is heated by a sustainable biomass boiler. Furnishings are also available by separate negotiation.
About that graveyard…the Kirkbean council maintains it as well as the surrounding small lawns, but there’s no room for you or anyone else for that matter, so not to worry about future funeral services disrupting your peace and quiet. And the bell tower clock is now electric!
Annual taxes and levies run $3015 annually.
Listing & Photo Courtesy of Yopa Dumfries & Galloway
