We love Sonoma, because it is  a beautiful small town, and also has some of our favorite friends!  One thing we didn’t realize is that this was the spot of the Bear Flag Revolt in 1846, where a small group of American settlers rebelled against the Mexican government and declared the Bear Flag Republic.  That republic was short lived, because not long after, the US military began occupying California, which became a state in 1850.  So that’s why there is a bear on the California state flag!