Coda 

Oh dear, sweet mother of slugs and pelicans: Humboldt, your people love you so much! As do perfect strangers: “I don’t live in Humboldt,” wrote Anonymous on the ballot, “but my son does. Visited him in July 2011 and finally got a taste of the Humboldt culture. Love, love loved it there! Trying to figure out how to become a permanent resident!”

Another Anonymous provided detail: “I love ACV, the Madaket, the ocean right there, Humboldt Bay, the rivers, Lanphere Dunes, the ‘kindred spirit’ of most Humboldt humans, crab season, Marching Lumberjacks, the lagoons, our redwoods, the high meadows, So’Hum for being So’Hum, the redwood curtain, living in a vacation paradise year-round.”

A foodie Anonymous drenched praise upon a specific long-time Humboldt favorite: “Larrupin Dill Mustard Sauce rocks my little socks!”

Someone hugged a tree: “Favorite tree (species and location)? Mine are kind of together: Just south of Sylvandale on the west side of the river is a rock outcrop at the mouth of a creek coming into the Eel River. On that rock is a most amazing California live oak tree.” 

An Anonymous sang: “Full Gospel Tabernacle’s choir is amazing.”

One declared the best thing of all: “I like the hippies, the red necks, the crazy lady that walks down Broadway with the peace sign in the air. I like the Humboldt locals that tell us newcomers the history of our area, the people who came here in hopes of a better life and found it. I like the people of Humboldt!”

Overcome with deep love for Humboldt, our readers decried our tiny poll. More categories, please! How about best frozen yogurt, ice cream, swimming hole, halibut? Health club, book store, hairdresser, wine bar, winery? Bike shop, knitting store, yard service crew, outdoor patio, local meat? Carpet cleaners, lumber yard, Asian food supplier, bakery, deli, movie theater? Laundromat, local author, bail bondsman, video rental, candy maker, kayak guide, casino?Heck, how about service providers, said another Anonymous: “from accountants to dog-sitters to counselors to nurseries/landscape maintenance folks to veterinarians -- you know, all the small biz folks that keep the North Coast chugging along without Santa-Rosa-ing it.”

Oof. There’s that bad word again. But don’t worry. We know you Humboldt lovers will defend all our treasures.

-- Heidi Walters