VH community memoir

What is your name?

Christopher Dewees

Where do you live?

Rivendell Lane

Where else have you lived, and how did you come to live at Village Homes?

Grew up in SF until 7 years old, then Sausalito until age 18, Santa Barbara, Redlands and Arcata for college and grad school. Lived for two years in Valapariso, Chile while in the Peace Corps (1970-72). Moved to Davis in 1972 and lived in East Davis until we bought a lot in in Village Homes in 1977. Lived here since then except for three 9-month sabbaticals in New Zealand. First heard about VH from Dottie Fisk (Bonneau) and we were intrigued.

What were some of the things that appealed to you about Village Homes – access to open spaces and gardens? The chance to “live lightly on the land”? The sense of community?

Being able to live our values. Designing our own house. Good place to raise kids.

What do you remember most about the “early days”?? What was here when you “arrived”?

What could you see “out your window..”?

Lots of open space, other houses being built, mud, fruit trees, black widow spiders.

Were you involved in the design and building of your home, or your garden?

Yes, we worked with John Hofacre to customize our home. The day we moved in there was a truck load of horse manure and subscription to Organic Gardening given to us by Mike Corbett

How much do you participate in Village Homes activities and events? Please share any favorite moments, building projects, garden improvements or traditions (like harvests or potlucks) that you treasure, or that evoke some “essence” of Village Homes life.

We went to homeowner meetings on “Apple Hill” (now peach hill). Helped clear rocks from Parque Grande. Worked a bit on the swimming pool area. Went to meetings with lawyer/Mayor Bob Black to discuss a class action lawsuit involving Matthew Real Estate which was later successful. Toured friends, family and visitors around VH.

What are some of the activities that you enjoy at Village Homes – gardening (at home, in your common area, or in the community gardens)? Walking with dogs?? Swimming in the pool, harvesting fruit, doing yoga or listening to performers in the community center?

Enjoy gardening at home. It is very social because people walk by in the common area. Had a garden plot for a while but invasive weeds chased me out. Enjoy harvesting fruit to dry or make into chutney and jam. When the kids were young, and later with our grandkids, the pool was a great resource.

What, to you, makes Village Homes a special place to live?

It tends to be quiet and peaceful. Opportunities to know your neighbors. Relatively stable, long term residents.

Do you have a favorite time of year to be here?

Spring

Over the years, as the community has grown, how has the spirit of Village Homes evolved?

Seems too big for cohesiveness. More apathy now. Some “newcomers” don’t have know the early history and spirit. Original generation is starting to die off!

What are some of your favorite places in Village Homes? Are there special places where you go to sit and read, or play with your pets, or simply to “people-watch” or catch up with neighbors?

How is life here different from other parts of Davis, or from other places you have lived?

Less car oriented. Quieter. More wildlife (eg birds). Edible landscape. More opportunity to meet neighbors.

What have you experienced or learned about from living here?

What do you think about the “community” aspect of Village Homes – what are some of the good sides (and bad sides…!?) about living here? Without so many fences and dividing lines, how have you navigated the trade-offs between personal privacy, for example, and cooperating with neighbors (and befuddled delivery drivers..)

Need to learn to cooperate with neighbors. Sometimes this can be challenging because people of different perceptions, needs and wants. The original concept of common areas is challenged as there is turnover in home owners. Personal privacy is not really an issue.

Were you someone who gave tours to folks interested in Village Homes? Tell us about that.

Wife Christy did give tours. We do tour friends and family and visitors around VH.

Have you raised children here? And if so, has living at Village Homes had an impact on their sense of the world?

Yes, probably best to ask them. I’m sure it impacted their perceptions about the environment.

One last open-ended prompt:

How has Village Homes changed your life?

It is a nice place to come home to after being away.

And a few more specific prompts..

Write about the visit by Rosalyn Carter and Sen. Allan Cranston

Senator Alan Cranston’s Village Homes Visit

Back in the late 1970s, when sustainability and solar power were highly visible topics, California’s U.S. Senator Alan Cranston paid a visit to Village Homes.  Mike Corbett asked us if we would be willing to have him visit our home.  Of course we said yes.

Mike and Senator Cranston arrived at our front door in the afternoon. We welcomed them in, but were surprised to have a long line of “hanger-oners” trail in behind them and fill up our house. The group included every local politician possible at the city, county, state and national level. Perhaps the local dog catcher was in the mix.

As soon as they had all filed into our kitchen, dining and living rooms, Senator Cranston asked me if there was somewhere we could meet privately and talk about the energy saving features of our house.  He obviously wanted to escape the crowd.  So we snuck out into our garage and climbed up a ladder to our attic where the guts of our solar heating system was.  We sat down in the dusty insulation-filled attic and discussed the details of the solar water heating system and its performance. He had lots of thoughtful questions. Meanwhile the “hanger-oners” were passing time together in the house.

When Alan and I finished our chat, we climbed down the ladder, walked through the house and he walked back out our front door, He was immediately followed out the door by the dozens of local political types, including, I presume, the dog catcher.

Our upgraded solar water heating system and photovoltaics are still operating in our dusty insulation-filled attic.

Christopher Dewees

Feb. 12, 2024

Also a photo is attached of Mrs. Carter with Ben Dewees and Gregor Cech on “Apple Hill”

Tell us about the Mitterrand visit and gift of silver salmon fish print to Mitterand which is in the Mitterand Museum collection in France

When Mitterrand was coming, Mike Corbett asked if I could give him a fish print as an official gift from Davis. I chose a silver salmon because the French would know and relate to salmon. When he

arrived we gathered on the north side of the Corbett home and for the formal presentation. I believe he appreciated the gift. I was surprised by how short Mitterrand was. The common area plants were sampled by the security people, press corps, local politicians and residents. The security people were especially tense. I remember their strained faces. When the helicopters left the Parque Grande gazebo was damaged and the French government paid for the repairs. The fish print is now in the Mitterrand collection in the Musee d’Art et d’histoire Romain Rolland de Clamecy, France.

Apple Hill (now Peach Hill) homeowners’ meetings

Very casual meetings. Sat on blankets. Some wine consumed at times. Often a bit chilly.

Plumshire Cafe

After several earlier restaurants concepts didn’t pan out, Mike Corbett decided to open Plumshire Cafe. At some point he brought in Tom Fries, former owner of Collette Restaurant to develop the menu and cook. The food was excellent (mussels, lamb, etc). Excellent wines. Plumshire was decorated with my fish prints and many sales were made. For us it was a very home-like atmosphere for dining. Sorry to see it close.

Tell us about preparing Parque Grande

Mike Corbett dragged the field for many hours to level it and remove rocks. We picked up rocks. Seemed like it took forever.

Swimming pool decisions- tell us about how the community worked together to make decisions about the pool.

Two factors were important: expense of doing a full sized pool as well as keeping it sanitary. Initially an ozone system was used, but soon discarded for a more chemical approach.

Tell us about any vineyard/orchard installations you participated in.

Tell us about the construction of the original gazebo, or a gathering that you remember having there.