Every few weeks I select a new wallpaper image from National Geographic for my computer’s desktop. Over the past few years, I’ve enjoyed visits to tropical rainforests, desert landscapes, open air markets, etc… I love their images. I’ve just discovered that hundreds of stunning National Geographic posters are for sale! They are pricy, but the photos are stunning. Here are several of my favorites (click on each to learn more).
Yesterday I visited the organic culinary gardens at the Kendall Jackson winery. (I was probably the only person there who didn’t enter the tasting room. And, yes, it was before noon.) They have a number of different garden plots organized in a variety of ways: by product (such as heirloom tomatoes or herbs), region (South America, Asia, etc.), and color (reds, whites…). Many of the beds were newly planted, with seeds just sprouting and plants just beginning to grow. I love that initial stage of the garden, with everything lined up and orderly before the weeds set in.
I like that the KJ gardens are working gardens not just cultivated for display purposes. The plots are farmed organically using integrative pest management techniques. Local upscale restaurants purchase produce from the gardens and cooks on site utilize the produce as well. While I was there, a cook in her crisp white uniform come out and grabbed a branch of bay leaves off of this enormous tree that was at least 20 feet tall! How cool is that?!
Yesterday I wandered around the plots looking for photographic inspiration and to also gather ideas for when we have a garden again. Incidentally, this weekend we picked up organic seeds to start a container herb garden; maybe I’ll get to planting after Laura’s visit. My favorite parts of the KJ gardens are the herbs, which largely grow year-round, and I love the citrus trees: lemon, lime, grapefruit, and orange. To me, that is by far one of the biggest perks of living in California. I adore citrus.
When we moved here, I read about the Napa Valley Mustard Festival, when wild mustard plants grow rampant through the vineyards in the winter months of January through April. Last month, I was skeptical of the existence of these mustard plants, which evidently turned the valley floor yellow, because the fields were still completely green with no flowers in sight. This weekend, however, the mustard plants bloomed here in our Sonoma Valley and I am floored. Imagine fields of green covered with little yellow flowers. I know, it’s the beginning of March, and if you don’t live here you probably don’t believe it either. I need to get out there and take some pictures! I do believe that spring is on its way!
We had a great weekend. After a drive in the country (looking at house rentals in Sebastopol) and a bike ride in Annadel State Park, nothing beats coming home to cool, refreshing (and strong!) mojitos. I’ve been craving them for a few days and yesterday we finally found fresh, local, organic mint and it made my day! Oh-la-la, with one sip I was transported back to happy hour at Aji (a fabulous Latin American restaurant in Boulder), sans ceviche and our Boulder friends. Our drinks were so terribly good, and we have so many mint leaves and limes left, that I think that I had better hide the rum until Saturday… Laura will be here in five days and then let the partying begin.
Today I headed over to the park with my camera. (It so felt bizarre moseying around the lake without my running shoes on!) While I was out, I photographed beautiful blooming trees and green hills, and also snapped these pix of me.
Tomorrow I begin volunteer training at the Luther Burbank Gardens. I’m excited!
Have a great weekend!
Falafel dinner into the oven — love those matching yellows
Every year I look forward to doing our taxes (crazy, I know!), which I do by hand with my trusty T1-83 calculator. I am almost done with our 2006 taxes; I just need to double check the good news (I think we’re going to Hawaii and buying a washer/dryer with the refund).
Anyhow, last night we watched Stranger than Fiction
We enjoyed the oddities of Harold Crick, especially his obsessive counting and his noticing geometry all around him (which we could relate to). We liked the underlying message that life must be lived to the fullest and the development of the romance in the film. We loved the rock-solid, phenomenal script, with a brilliantly-written narration delivered by Emma Thompson. We loved this movie.
We liked it way better than Little Miss Sunshine and we loved Little Miss Sunshine.
Now, we are not Will Ferrell fans. But this is not a typical Will Ferrell role. In Stranger than Fiction, he plays a straight-edge guy who happens to be really quirky and he nails it.
So, if you are at all quirky, get yourself to the video store and rent Stranger than Fiction
p.s. Do you like my new wide angle lens attachment?
Fabulous birthday present from David!