Treat Her Right: Ideas for a Last Minute Mother’s Day Celebration

If you haven’t made your Mother’s Day plans yet (!), this mom says DO IT. You don’t have to break the bank to pull off a lovely day.

A handmade necklace and a drawing that says “I love my mom” ranks up there with diamonds and fine art. Plenty of activities await us in the Sonoma Valley going on throughout the entire weekend and many are free. The hardest part will be picking which one take mom to!

Here’s my list of Mother’s Day events that will be sure to please mom and you too:

B.R. Cohn Winery
Want to learn to play croquet and celebrate Mother’s Day? Workshops will be held every hour in the olive grove on Saturday and Sunday, May 12-13 from 11:00-4:00pm. Wear white and you will receive 10% off all wine purchases. Pack a picnic and enjoy in proper form.  On May 13th all mothers will receive a complimentary tasting as well as a long stem carnation. In celebration of the new wines Michael Watchorn, founder of Hog Island Oysters, will be at B.R. Cohn Winery selling oysters from 12:00 to 4:00 PM. 15000 Sonoma Hwy, Glen Ellen,  800-330-4064

Landmark Vineyards
Landmark celebrates a day early, on Saturday, May 12. All mothers will be honored with a rose. Enjoy live music featuring a local musician while sipping on delicious Landmark wines from 1:00pm-4:00pm. Pack a picnic, play some bocce, and enjoy a horse drawn wagon tour of the gorgeous vineyard views. 101 Adobe Canyon Road; Kenwood.

Chateau St. Jean

Amidst the splendor of the annual Fete de la Fleur, Chateau St Jean Winemaker, Margot Van Staaveren, and her family will be hosting a Mother's Day Family Picnic on the Chateau lawn from 12:30-2:30 on Sunday, May 13. Play bocce and croquet on the grounds,  walk the formal gardens in full bloom, and sip a glass of wine. All mothers receive a floral gift from the winery. $45 per person, $35 for club, $25 for children under 13. Call (877) 478-5326 for reservations.

Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards

Join them for Moms and Music on Sunday, May 13 from 2:00-4:00. Join them for a relaxing afternoon with sparkling wine, live music and a cheese display to complement your bubbly. Cost is $35.00 for general tickets and $29.75 for club members.

Looking for something a little more active?

Take mom and the kids for a hike on the trail that leaves from Bartholomew Winery’s small parking lot. The moderate trail wind behind the winery for approximately three miles. A variety of indigenous California vegetation -- oak groves, manzanita, madrone, redwood-shaded fern grottos, and fields of spring wildflowers -- provide the natural beauty of Sonoma County. On a clear day, the view from Bartholomew Park’s trails extends to San Francisco. Afterward, hit the tasting room, grab a bottle of wine and have a picnic. Our favorite spot is near the gazebo. Also, be sure to check out the winery’s museum, which starts with founder Augustin Haraszthy and the replica of his Palladian Villa which is open on Saturday and Sunday from 12-3pm. The winery is open 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m.. More info: 935-9511 or info@bartpark.com. 1000 Vineyard Lane, Sonoma.

Whisk Mom away to the soothing mineral waters at 22-acre Morton’s Warm Spring Resort in Glen Ellen. Pack a picnic and loll on the grass or beneath the oaks, stroll the pathways that wind beside the creek, but most of all spend time in one or all of the three warm mineral pools. And check out the recreation area-ping pong, basketball, and volleyball sand pits are sure to keep everyone happy for the entire day. Open on Mother’s Day 10 a.m.-5p.m and Mom’s get in for half-price. Cost: $8 for adults/children 12 and up, $7 for Seniors and Children 3-12, no charge for children under 3. To learn more call 833-5511 or visit mortonswarmsprings.com. 1651 Warm Springs Road, Glen Ellen.

Stroll with your mother through the Gardens at CornerStone, which was named one of the Top 10 Western Gardens of 2009 by Sunset Magazine and featured in the book “1001 Gardens You Must See Before You Die.” And—what could be better?—admission is free. Open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. for self-guided walking tours. 23570 Arnold Drive, Sonoma

Or let someone else cook breakfast when you attend the Glen Ellen Fire Fighter Association’s annual Mother’s Day Pancake Breakfast on Sunday, May 13th, 8 a.m.-noon. It’s an “all-you-can-eat” affair, serving up hotcakes, sausage, bacon, fresh strawberries and lots more (also the Ladies Auxiliary will be selling Mimosas and Fizzes-yum!). 13445 Arnold Drive Glen Ellen. Fee: Adults/$8, Kids 4-17/$5, Kids 3 and under are free.

Green String Farm (just outside Sonoma, on your way to Petaluma) is hosting Mother’s Day for Mother Nature on Saturday May 12 from 1:00-5:00pm, free. Workshops, cooking lessons, kids’ activities and fresh, local produce will be available. Workshops cover a variety of topics like natural farming, backyard chicken keeping, composting, and natural home gardening. Check their website for workshop times. Also, bring your broken tools for TLC during the maintenance and repair seminar. For more info visit www.greenstringfarm.com.

If you feel like heading north a bit to Santa Rosa and love Snoopy, mom’s get in FREE all day, Sunday, May 13 10:00a to 5:00p at the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa.

Whether you decide to have the best, Mother’s Day brunch at Girl and the Fig or Estate, according to you, or have a picnic, play croquet or learn to compost, make it a great Sonoma Mother’s Day.

How can you go wrong in our little piece of paradise?