Magazine

Megan V. Winslow/Town Crier
Isabelle Cnudde, above, visits with her flock outside their predator-proof coop. White Leghorns, inset, are known for big combs that flop at a rakish angle.

Chicken Little, the Little Red Hen, Medio Pollito - folktales from around the world acknowledge the goofy, enterprising and food-obsessed spirit of domestic egg layers. As backyard chickens keep gaining in popularity locally, spurred on by traditions like the Silicon Valley Tour de Coop, more families are getting a crash course in the personalities behind the eggs they eat.

Los Altos resident Isabelle Cnudde and her husband moved into their midcentury Los Altos ranch house in 2009 and first bought three hens, she said, "because I wanted to know where food came from - (seeking) 'happy eggs' was how I got started. But you come back from work and just hang out with the chickens. Egg layers become pets."

Courtesy of Javy Galindo
Peninsula Trail Running members take a breather at the summit of Windy Hill Open Space Preserve.

Art, technology, reading, writing, bicycling, running, yoga, music, board games, dogs, toddler playtime, business networking, foreign language conversation - wherever your interests lie, there just might be a group for that. If not, feel free to create one.

Meetup.com is an online social networking tool launched in 2002. By entering a city or ZIP code, users can browse events or groups by subject ("Arts," "Beliefs," "Food & Drink," "Hobbies & Crafts," "Tech," etc.) close to home or farther afield. There is also a "Create a Meetup" tab that takes users through the steps to list a new event.

S.M. Lieu/Special to the Town Crier
A youngster searches for treasure during the 2017 Los Altos Spring Egg Hunt. This year’s hunt is scheduled 9:30 a.m. March 31.

Spring has sprung, and with it comes a long list of family-friendly events in the area.

European Cobblery, which has a shop in Los Altos, is run by several family members. Front, from left: Owners Paul Roth and wife Desiree Roth, along with son Brandon Roth. Middle: Daughters Jenny Pike and Stephanee Oberhauser. Back: Son-in-law Stephen Oberhauser, son-in-law Richard Corny and daughter Jessica Roth. Photo by Megan V. Winslow/Town Crier

In this ever-changing part of the world, it might come as a surprise that Los Altos is home to a number of businesses and professions passed on from one generation to the next and up to five generations (and counting).

Kanesha Baynard/Special to the Town Crier
Los Altos resident and author Kanesha Baynard often writes short notes to her children that are meant to inspire and empower them.

Being the parent of a college student has been a wonderful and enlightening transition. From the time our daughter was 11 years old, we knew she would focus her post-secondary options on something that involved creativity and the arts.

Last year, my husband and I commemorated our wedding anniversary by taking a trip to Europe. It was the perfect way to celebrate our marriage because we both love to travel. However, beyond that, we really don’t have much in common, and I truly marveled over how we’ve held together through 30 years of effervescent ups and tumultuous downs.