Carole Coler-Dark

Owner , Rose & Thorn

Carole just cannot seem to get away from kids…and that is by design. Whether they come on two legs or four, she embraces them one and all.

A teacher for many years of special needs kids, Carole was in many cases the only one to listen, to make them feel special, to see their special light. Gang members were no strangers to Carol and she worked with many of them to introduce possibilities for their lives and help them to believe in their own potential. She still gets cards from some and once in a while they may stop by her shop for one of her wonderful hugs.

Carole was raised and lived in Alameda (an island in the San Francisco Bay) most of her life, so when she and her husband (of 40 years) started to plan for retirement, she knew she wanted to move to the country and have animals. Although, they learned after moving that they would not be able to build their dream home because of a percolation issue, she wasn’t going to let it stop her from realizing her dream.

They moved into the home already located on their property and set about fixing it up. She had also envisioned a special place for friends, family, and a different kind of “kid.” She now has 6 pygmy goats as part of her Baa Baa Sisterhood.

In addition to the goats, she has a gorgeous flock of chickens that go by the names of some of Hollywood’s most famous stars…like Susan Hayward, Sophia Loren, Carol Channing, Joan Crawford, Debbie Reynolds, Audrey Hepburn, and more currently, Winona Ryder, Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Madonna.

Carole has created a magical place with her gift shop, Rose and Thorn, at its center. And, at the center of Rose and Thorn is Carole, who makes all of her customers feel like family with her hearty laugh, wonderful stories and those great hugs. I never like to rush my trips to Carole’s shop because she spreads her charisma around and you end up meeting all kinds of new people from all over the country as we all end up congregating and chatting. She always has several little piles at the register for those who can’t bear to check out and leave yet can’t carry all the irresistible items they’ve chosen. There is always time for another short look around just in case you’ve missed something.

And until today, I missed these two great signs at the entry to the shop:

“Your husband called and he says you can buy whatever you want!”

“Unattended kids will receive an espresso and a puppy!”

No one loves being Oma (German for Grandma) more than Carole. She loves to encourage her grandson’s imagination and creativity. And does she ever love to play! A big believer in French oil cloth, it is the foundation for many of her messier and fun ideas. Finger painting is never taboo with Oma Carole and she has made plans for another really messy playtime coming right up…cooked noodles of all kinds and spaghetti sauce served up on the oil cloth so that the kids can roll around in it, throw it, and eat it if they want! Never one to be left out of the action, Carole gets a devilish grin as she looks forward to an Oma style food fight! She believes that messy is fun and you can always take (or give) a bath after the fun time is over.

Surrounding the gift shop is a bramble of flowering trees, bushes, picnic benches and signposts to Quail Hollow, Deer Meadow, and Turkey Trot Lane. You always hear music, the gurgling of fountains mixed with baaaa-ing, and of course, lots of clucking. The celebrity hens are everywhere…under the many Adirondacks, on top of the fences, or perhaps in the Joy Cluck Tea Room or Joy Cluck Sorority within CluckinghamPalace. And Carole even sells their eggs. Feature it…you could go home with Bette Midler’s eggs!

Carole has definitely realized her dream. She is creating magic not only in Sebastopol, but in the lives of everyone she touches. It is truly a place you’ll look forward to going and you will never want to leave.

Stop by and visit Carole at Rose and Thorn, 10050 Bodega Hwy, Sebastopol, CA 95472 or on-line at http://www.RoseAndThornCA.com