Today in the Garden...

afternoon glow

2012-01-25T23:21:00.000-08:00

egrets at the laguna

2012-01-25T23:19:00.001-08:00

plants & stacks

2012-01-21T17:17:00.000-08:00

These are just a few of the plants that get moved inside for protection during winter. There have been an unusual number of frosty nights this year.

2012-01-19T13:23:00.001-08:00

daily pictures

2012-01-10T12:33:00.000-08:00

So, the one problem with posting the daily photos mentioned last post, is that these are most often snapped with the iphone and sent out directly from there... but here are a few from recent days.

SF Japanese Tea Garden

2012-01-05T11:12:00.000-08:00

It was gorgeous warm weather for a quick day trip to the city yesterday. click on any photo to see it much larger!

Orchid!

2012-01-03T12:32:00.000-08:00

Yow! No posts since Oct. 31st. Sorry about that, my peeps. This lovely orchid visiting us from my neighbor Steve is forcing me out of my blog hibernation. In fact, I'm embarking on a little photo-a-day email exchange with a couple of friends, and maybe I'll try posting them here too, when they are garden / landscape / nature related.
Here is the first in the series. taken on New Year's Day, at the Laguna in Sebastopol. Happy New Year!

And in gardening news, I've already pruned most of the rosebushes. My mother taught me that pruning for our region should begin on or after January 1st, which is easy to remember, but I started almost a week early, 'cause it was just so nice out. Some of the roses are still budding and blooming here in Northern California, though-- I skipped over a few of those.

(p.s. blogger has changed their uploading interface since I started here so many years ago. Bear with me while I try to get back up to speed!)

Mums in the yard

2011-10-31T17:20:00.000-07:00

Every year I buy a few bright new mums-- to stick in pots lining the front steps, and so on... and after the season, as they are perennials, and as Tony would say 'they want to LIVE', I try to find places to shoehorn them into spots in the garden. And because it is Northern California, & conditions are good, they all survive & thrive & bloom again the next year.

Today I bought some lavender ones, for a change of pace. And an aster. Why do we have no asters?

late afternoon light-catchers

2011-09-30T17:51:00.000-07:00

We get some lovely light through the kitchen in the afternoon. But especially when it's illuminating some of neighbor China's lovely dahlias!

Fun with 'apps'!

2011-09-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

So, before I got an Iphone myself, I really couldn't have told you what an app was or what they might do-- but gradually I've acquired more & the latest ones I'm playing with (totally trial & error, & I'm sure I'm at the tip of the iceberg of their potential) are 'Instagram' & PhotoStudio. Both allow you to edit & enhance your Iphone's photos with filters & effects.
Above is the same photo (rose: 'Singing in the Rain') processed with 2 different techniques. Fun!
Below, the original photo, so you can see that the auto-flash was already doing something kinda crazy to those dewdrops.

Round here

2011-08-26T22:12:00.000-07:00

There's a whiff of a changing of seasons in the air. Here are some of the things that have caught my eye lately-- here at home & in the neighborhood.

scenes of harvest

2011-08-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

It's been a fine year for tomatoes here-- but that's about it for us-- durned gophers! (shaking fist) But if I got to choose just one thing, I would choose tomatoes : )
(the plums we did not grow)

Late Summer Lace

2011-08-20T09:03:00.000-07:00

Queen Anne's Lace at sunset, out along our bike path, late summer effect.
More admiration for Queen Anne's Lace, previously posted here.

Monarchs in Elkton, Oregon

2011-08-09T16:21:00.000-07:00

Bees, and movies about them

2011-07-13T20:53:00.000-07:00

Click on over to my new Bee Blog for a round-up on the current crop of documentaries about honeybees, how they work, and colony collapse disorder.
Also paintings of bees, and the plants they love.

Zinnias arrive!

2011-06-29T10:26:00.000-07:00

unveiling my Bee Blog

2011-06-24T21:23:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that in addition to gardening, I'm also an artist. And while I feel that my paintings (even at their most abstract) are most influenced by nature, this spring I feel the two paths coming even closer together, as I've been painting the bees at work on flowers in my garden. I intend to continue to follow the bees around their favorite plants through the year, and find out more about them through the process. A new Bee Blog will share the journey with you.
I'm unveiling it this week, in honor of National Pollinator Week. Come on over and have a look, won't you?
(and be please be patient while I work out some kinks in the template!)

a quartet of close-ups

2011-05-26T14:28:00.000-07:00

...for your viewing pleasure!
a lovely cosmos (cosmo?) via neighbor China; the 'wild'? iris that blooms out by the road; pineapple guava (why do I not see bees going for these?); and a new one via Annie's annuals-- 'Minoan Lace'. As always, click on image to see larger!

Too much rain for roses

2011-05-17T10:37:00.000-07:00

Yes, we just don't anticipate quite so much water-weight when the roses are in full bloom. Today it appears that a few of the climbers would really appreciate more support! Sally Holmes usually doesn't lean over into this sculpture (though I sorta like the effect), and that's Graham Thomas looking rather downcast against the red shed.

all about the wildflowers

2011-05-17T09:07:00.000-07:00

This latest batch of wildflowers were taken at Four Springs Retreat Center, up near Middletown (1/2 hour past Calistooga)... where it was a cool and sometimes rainy weekend, but lovely nonetheless!

Sunol Regional Park in Spring

2011-05-09T13:33:00.000-07:00

Two years ago, (and a full month earlier) Tony, his mom, Alice, & I went for a lovely hike in Sunol. We did it again this weekend, and once again it was spectacular-- but with different plants in bloom, and lots of butterflies. We've decided it really should be an annual Spring event.

It appeared that there had been a very recent hatch of these chalcedon checkerspots, and the puddles were full of good-sized tadpoles.

Some pictures from the previous hike are here.

This site helped us to ID a few of the flowers we see less frequently, like Ithuriel's Spear (blue) and the Mariposa Lily (white with red spots) but we have yet to locate this red/violet one... anyone?

Here come the roses: Golden Celebration!

2011-05-03T21:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, roses will be beginning in earnest this next week or two, with good warm days. The first to really put on a show is this Golden Celebration (a David Austin rose) which we're training as a climber over a trellis-arch... definitely up over our heads now, at maybe 7 feet. It's a beauty.

A 93 wildflower hike!

2011-05-02T12:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we took a hike-- from Shell Beach inland towards Pomo Canyon (on the Northern California coast, just south of Jenner).
As is our habit, we counted wildflowers along the way, and counted 93!-- about twice as many as any previous hike's total. Yow! (we count *everything*, no matter how small)
Six foot tall Angelicas had to be the hands down stars of the day, but we saw numerous things we couldn't remember having seen before.

I was also rather taken with the unfurling of ferns
...and it was just a spectacular weather day (with a little sunburn on the spots the sunscreen missed).

In another garden...

2011-04-26T09:27:00.000-07:00

Back in the day, 10 or 11 years ago?-- before I had a yard of my own to work in, my mother & stepfather were kind enough to let me experiment on theirs.

I was working very much with trial & error, (no previous experience), and the sideyard where I was working was a hard clay patch of tough weeds. Not to mention, I lived more than an hour away, and they were only at the house part-time.
I think its indicative of the strength of my gardening urges, the way I'd spend my free time shopping for materials to haul up there...

Anyways, its evolved over time, and in recent years my mother (Hi Jan!) has had more time to make additions & improvements. Some plants failed long ago, and some they probably still curse me for. But here's a couple of shots taken on Easter Day. (should have taken more, of the other views; maybe later)

I painted the mural on the side of the neighbor's (previously yellow) garage; and the Cecile Brunner Rose I planted is either holding up or tearing down their fence, yet beautifully! in this season... The tree is a Chinese Wingnut, casting valuable far-reaching shades, but dropping hard pinballs of seeds far & wide as well.

What's this...?

2011-04-26T09:13:00.000-07:00

To my California eyes, this looks delicate & exotic... yet its growing in profusion in my sister's Calistoga garden, in a shady spot.

Is this a Jack-in the-pulpit? In any case, they're going to let me transplant some... : )

poppy at Pinnacles

2011-04-21T11:41:00.000-07:00

Recently, we were at Pinnacles (National Monument), one of our favorite places, especially when the early spring flowers bloom. While photographing these California poppies in the gravelly wash of the dry creekbed, I made an observation about understanding why poppies like to reseed themselves in our gravel paths so much, and Tony said, "It reminds them of home."

And here's a little tidbit I just learned from the Pinnacles website:
Pinnacles National Monument has the greatest number of bee species per unit area of any place ever studied. The roughly 400 bee species are mostly solitary; they don't live in hives.

More photos from another year's visit here.

as irises open

2011-04-17T22:36:00.000-07:00

Each year, it's interesting to watch how the irises seem to open in the same sequence (and because I've had this blog over five years now, I have a record of that!)

Here are the first three.

Lone Pine Gardens

2011-04-17T18:18:00.000-07:00

If you're a fan of succulents-- (or plants for bonsai) and you're relatively near Sonoma County, you just might enjoy a visit to Lone Pine Gardens.
(I know I did... So much eye candy...)

They're located 3 miles south of Sebastopol, just off 116, but note that they're only open Thursday through Saturday --you might want to check & call first if you're traveling a distance...

Bloom Day: April

2011-04-15T21:53:00.001-07:00

Has it really been a month? Here it is, (Garden Blogger's) Bloom Day again. Here's a taste of what's putting on a show:

spanish lavendar. All going strong.

The first iris, a dwarf variety.

'Snow in Summer', still April, but we'll take it.

Bleeding heart (of some kind)

Geum;

Lady Banks (rose)

Wisteria

--I want to call this a heather (over 'Hens & Chicks' echeveria)

and so much more.

Got some serious yard work done today. More on that soon.

A Walk in Spring

2011-04-06T00:16:00.000-07:00

It was a lovely day, and a lovely evenings walk here in the neighborhood...
It's the week when many of the trees will make their magical transition from bare to fully leafed, passing briefly through the soft, limey greens of spring. And it's the time of year when I find myself thinking:
re-leaf / relief -- is the similarity in these words purely accidental?

oh, and some baby oak leaves are RED, and the Gravensteins are blooming!

L.A. = succulents = love

2011-03-29T10:14:00.000-07:00

Tony & I recently went on a long-anticipated drive to L.A.-- ostensibly to view Art-- but he will tell you, I got every bit as excited about the plants (well, if not more so). You've probably heard about these 'living walls'-- in this case planted in 'woolly pockets'. So, I was so happy when I spotted this on the street...

I had read online about this installation at the 'smog shoppe' in L.A., and thought, pretty cool for a smog shop. I only now find out it's a *former* smog shop-- now an event space where you can get married or throw a party.
See video here,
more here.

Other shots are taken here and there; clearly L.A. is a different climatic zone from ours--no freezing temps -- and the gardeners appear happy to take advantage of that.

After Rain

2011-03-21T17:09:00.000-07:00

We found ourselves out for a country drive (up Healdsburg way) yesterday, when lo & behold, the clouds parted, & there was sun. And there was moss. And lots of green. : )
(click on any image to enlarge it)

Bloom Day

2011-03-15T14:59:00.000-07:00

It's the 15th of the month, aka Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, time for a round-up of what's blooming in gardens across the country.

And while I may complain (see previous post) about the weather, it IS Northern California, and yes, loads of things are blooming. Here are just a few. (And while I know them to be blooming TODAY, these photos are from the past few days, because it is, of course, pouring rain now. Again. Still.)

I've got plans

2011-03-10T11:38:00.000-08:00

Living in California, we can't really complain about the weather, we *know* that, but... sometimes we still do (isn't there a song that goes something like that?)

We're ready for Spring, here! Ready for balmy days in the garden. I've got a couple of projects lined up.
Like these stepping stones. Need to get 'em seated. Re-shaping the edge of the lawn area. Bringing in new soil for new planting area. Re-mulching the pathways. and so on. Maybe I'll be able to sneak in a few small new plants. Maybe. What do you think...? But mainly, just need regular doses of that soul-restoring gardening therapy.

We walk back and forth across this lawn to our studio, many times each day. It can be swampy at times in the winter, and riddled with gopher tunnels, it's always uneven. Hence, the arrival of the stepping stones. Really, they're inspired by a nice flagstone path at my friend Leslie's. But click over here for much more inspiration. You just may find that you could use a path, too.
(screen shot via google image search)

windowsill orchids

2011-03-04T22:49:00.000-08:00

We've been admiring these orchids on our windowsill for a few weeks now, courtesy of neighbor Steve, orchid grower extraordinaire...they're just beginning to wane, but beautifully.

signs

2011-03-01T13:14:00.000-08:00

.. that spring is on the way despite a return to wintry weather patterns (after record warm days in February). Snow was even much anticipated at low elevations, but failed to appear.

Both of these scenes are at the entrance to Mill Creek Winery, in Healdsburg, a couple of days back.

succulent bloom.

2011-02-28T13:04:00.000-08:00

I recently moved this pot to the sill above the sink, for increased viewing pleasure!

not in my backyard

2011-02-24T13:14:00.000-08:00

...alas. I doubt that this vine would grow in my zone... It is, however, happy to live in Berkeley.

beginnings of blossoms

2011-02-07T16:14:00.000-08:00

brisk & blustery

2010-12-29T18:41:00.000-08:00

and the water is high, at the Laguna de Santa Rosa today.

Wintry

2010-12-28T17:35:00.001-08:00

It is most certainly the time of year for appreciating our neutral tones...

and staying inside by a fire, when possible!

More pictures of my fascination with Spanish moss exist
here.

Click on any image to enlarge.

2010-11-24T20:42:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all the best this holiday!

Frosty Morn

2010-11-24T14:09:00.000-08:00

You know you live in a mild climate when going out to capture some frost on the flowers seems like an opportunity not to be missed...

November bouquet

2010-11-18T14:06:00.000-08:00

We've been enjoying a very warm Fall... and the roses keep a-comin'. Will pick a bunch before rain starts this weekend.

from this...

2010-11-09T15:43:00.001-08:00

to this... I sure enjoy watching as these blooms develop.

pomegranate update!

2010-11-09T14:46:00.000-08:00

You may or may not recall my excitement over the fact that our little pomegranate tree, after several years, was forming a fruit. We watched patiently for a sign that it was ready to pick (it seemed more sunburned that the rosie-ripeness of those you see in the store-- until one day, this. Tasted great, and we hope more will be on the way next year.

while at Four Springs

2010-10-24T22:57:00.000-07:00

Here are a few nature-y moments brought to you from a recent short get-away to Middletown's (just east of Calistoga in Lake County) Four Springs Retreat Center

Bird & Flower Print

2010-10-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

There was a period when my paintings were much influenced by botanical prints such as this one, which I got yesterday. The combination of bird, bug & plant was so appealing, I couldn't resist it.

Wild rose 'hips'

2010-10-11T08:53:00.000-07:00

...seen out along the bike trail at sunset. Beautiful indian summer days we're having.

'Teasing Georgia'

2010-10-11T08:44:00.001-07:00

'Teasing Georgia' always strikes me as a strange name for a rose, but there it is. A David Austin rose.

Spider (& web) Season

2010-10-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

I don't really have the right camera & know-how to get these well, but it was fun to try!

Show me a sign!

2010-09-23T10:02:00.000-07:00

More pictures from down at the Community Garden. From the start, we visualized this sign, framed by some flower-y berms. Tony & I painted it as a collaborative effort, but his sign-painting illustrator's background is most evident (I did the veggies)... that's him as the bee, methinks!

Beeeeees

2010-09-11T10:09:00.000-07:00

You must click to enlarge image!
Sunflowers going strong. Irresistible to photograph. More are on the way. Bees are happy!

Growing in Wisconsin

2010-09-09T11:03:00.000-07:00

I've been away, and I have returned... Here are some things abloom -- and just past-- in Dawn & Carrie's community plot. I dare say there was a tinge of Fall in the air.

Pear Season

2010-09-01T11:04:00.000-07:00

Pears are ripening now! Along with apples & grapes-- tomatoes still green mostly, but we're heading into a bit of heat so maybe they'll turn soon.
We planted our pear tree, a seckel, -- several years ago, bare root. There have been a few pears here or there, but this years harvest looks to be far more bountiful. A friend helped us to try to prune it properly this spring-- maybe that's part of it-- plus its maturity, no doubt, and agreeable weather conditions...

Click over for tips on harvesting and
ripening pears.

Zinnias!

2010-08-29T12:27:00.000-07:00

Always such a cheerful sign of summer. These were at the Occidental Farmer's Market recently.

2010-08-28T11:09:00.000-07:00

This little fellow hung around for so long, so undaunted by our presence, that I started to wonder about him. Finally, he (she?) did fly off. (You really do need to click on this one to enlarge it)

Queen Anne's Lace

2010-08-27T10:50:00.000-07:00

All season long I'm shooting photos of this, one of our most ubiquitous wildflowers. I'm fascinated by all its phases, from a bud surrounded by a web of green tracery, to its pricky-soft nest of seeds. From above, from below, and especially catching the last rays of sunset. Hadn't even been sure it was officially Queen Anne's Lace, but I recent Google Search appears to confirm it.

Carrot family, they say.

(as always, click on any image to enlarge!)

(late) July Photo Round-up

2010-07-27T11:14:00.001-07:00

I think it would be fair to call it an unusually cool summer out there so far. Thick, wet fog this morning. The garden, as a result, is a little more bloom-y, a little less crisp-y than it sometimes is in late July. And over the past week or two, the next round of flower types have been coming along: sunflowers, dahlias, lilies, yarrow, and a fresh round of roses-- all going on now.

this year's Lavender Fields

2010-07-16T15:48:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics from this year's visit to the fields at Matanzas Creek Winery.

The plants are at the peak of bloom, beginning to be harvested, as seen as cropped green mounds in some photos.

Alive with bees!

The dragonfly was over by the water garden area-- all the plantings are lovely, not just the lavender!
Previous years' photos seen here and here.

There will be a pomegranate!

2010-07-11T21:06:00.001-07:00

We planted this pomegranate bush... 4 or 5 years ago, and now, after years of blossoms which simply fell off, at least one is starting to form a fruit! We are unreasonably happy.

Community Garden Update.

2010-07-09T20:50:00.000-07:00

Two posts back, but almost 2 months ago-- you can see photos from the ground-breaking of our little town's Community Garden.
Now, here's a photo of one recent days harvest of squash-- plus some scenes as the sun set this evening at the first potluck to be held at the site.

spherical flowers

2010-07-05T11:30:00.000-07:00

Yup, seem to be a fan recently of globe-shaped flowers. On a recent driving trip we came across this field of 'em-- onion plants? when we hit the Central Valley near Williams.

The final photo, the blue thistle-like flower is in our yard--- echinops family.

Community Garden Ground-breaking

2010-05-19T14:26:00.000-07:00

We're definitely noted more for our gardening of ornamentals (ie:pretty stuff) than vegetables. Still, they're breaking ground for a big beautiful new community garden patch in the center of town, and by golly, we're gonna be a part of it.

Kicked off this weekend as part of I-grow Sonoma, & their 350 challenge, with lots of work by Jane, Jay(?) (seen on tractor), & resident master gardener Barbara.

Soooo, what shall we grow in our plot? 4 x 16 feet. (There'll be a communal area for the growing of corn & pumpkins.)
Stay tuned.

(yes, I haven't blogged at this site in 6 months, but I'm not going to bring that up.)

after rain

2009-10-15T22:00:00.000-07:00

"Distant Drums" shows its odd, subtle coloring well in this cooler weather, and drops cling to the blossoms of a native sunflower .

The Garden in Fall

2009-10-15T10:16:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted photos from my own yard in quite some time it seems, and it turns out to be Garden Blogger's Bloom Day, too!

(click over to see what's blooming in gardens across the country, & in fact world)

1 mums on the front steps.

2 Roses! "Hot Cocoa",

3 "About Face",

4 "Distant Drums"

5 mums again

6 helianthus august-ifolius, aka swamp sunflower

7 "sneezeweed", helenium

8 a blackberry vine-- not technically IN the yard

9 Rosa "Yankee Doodle" against the sky

10 out front: 'Blackbird' euphorbia against limey greens, & smokebush

11, 12
scenes off the back deck, looking towards studio

13 not quite as big as he looks, but these guys are busy all over the yard.
click to enlarge him if you dare!

Monarch Migration... & movie

2009-10-02T19:21:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading a book called "Four Wings and a Prayer"-- about Monarch Butterflies & their migration. So I was particularly interested when I started seeing more of them around, over the past 10 days, say. I took a look over on Monarch Watch, & it turns out we've been in the peak migration window for our latitude.

Nova has made an excellent film about the migration phenomenon, and you can watch it here online.
(It focuses on migration east of the Rockies, which is different than the West Coast Monarchs.)

Butterfly at left was in our garden mid-September of 2007.

Graton Day Montage

2009-09-22T18:24:00.001-07:00

...a smattering of photos from this year's small-town extravaganza!

(click as always, to enlarge)

our house in history, # 3

2009-09-21T15:27:00.001-07:00

Look at our house, looking so shiny! so new! in 1936. .. note the absence of sycamores behind, where instead there are barns; the 2nd chimney to the right, the double-hung windows, the different driveway configuration. The tiny trees-- is the one on the left the Walnut tree now in Eric's yard? And an earlier resident, Phyllis; raised in this house, her little footprints appear in our hearth. Photos courtesy once more of Ron Welsh; Phyllis is his mother.

2009-08-27T11:41:00.000-07:00

a succulent in bloom

Not August

2009-08-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

When I read about the theme of this month's photo contest challenge over at Gardening Gone Wild (photos taken from 'down on your knees')-- this is the photo that came to mind-- 'cuz I know I was down on my belly when I took this one. In a rainier,mossier season.
Click on over here to view all the entries so far!
(and click on the image to enlarge for full effect!)

P.S. Thanks for your comments thus far... I know I was inspired to look closer (& take this pic) by flickr photographers like this, this, and this.

Do quails enjoy sunsets?

2009-08-18T20:17:00.000-07:00

I think they do.
On three separate walks recently, along the bike trail at sunset, a quail has been sitting atop this same post, looking west into the sunset.

World's Oldest Potted Plant

2009-07-30T11:04:00.000-07:00

via SFGate, this just in:
This plant has been in the same pot since 1770...?
(click on image to read larger)

The July Garden

2009-07-26T14:33:00.000-07:00

We've been out & about, taking lots of pics, just not posting many here, alas. Here then is your July garden update...

1) a view from the studio

2) hollyhock, with studio behind

3) helenium, aka 'sneezeweed'-- when not in bloom, it doesn't look like much, but this time of year, couldn't recommend it more highly.

4) I re-planted some pots. They seem to be happy about it.

5) sunflower, bees. The sunflowers we planted are WAY behind a lot of others we see around. Hasn't been a very hot summer at all. And I guess we were late.

6) peach. homegrown.

7) echinacea aka coneflower, ready for it's close-up.

8) Dahlia! Usually, not too successful for me...

9) Our new pet, Spot. He's very quiet.

10) This strange-looking bud is very soon to become something like
11) this (taken at Mendocino Botanical Gardens)

More History of our House

2009-07-07T12:38:00.000-07:00

Here's our house in '52, with it's builder, Jack Robertson, center, and his wife, Alice, & his parents.

You see that nice craftsman-style window? Gone. Why? We don't know. Also note lawn where we now have sidewalk & driveway. (I'll have to get you the 'after' photo-- when I've moved the truck...)
We're thrilled to have access to so much history of our house-- in this case, via Ron Welsh, grandson & great-grandson of those you see here, and still in the real estate business here in Graton!

Russian River Rose Co.

2009-07-06T09:52:00.000-07:00

We'd heard of this place in Healdsburg-- (open mostly on weekends in the spring) but somehow had never gotten there, so I made up for it by going twice in one week back in May...

If you like roses, or gardens at all, or vineyards even, try to go! Also lots o' irises, in the season.

I know that Butterscotch, (the unusually-colored bud, below) lies in my future, & I purchased Distant Drums, another slightly quirky-colored one I'd been seeking for a while. (last two photos)

That day we also visited the Dragonfly Farm, very close by, which is mostly a cut-flower business, although they allow visitors to wander their lovely flower fields.

lavender in bloom!

2009-07-01T09:38:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year, the height of the lavender bloom at Matanzas Creek Winery (their phone message says the harvest has begun and will proceed gradually through July, so the time to go is now!)
I wrote about the lavender when I first visited 2 years ago.
Yesterday, we took a small picnic & some wine-- (that's my painting on the delicious bottle of Eric Kent Chardonnay!) early evening when the shadows were long, and it was glorious.

Hallberg Butterfly Garden: Open Garden Day

2009-06-28T10:13:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the super late notice: today's the day. It's the annual Open House event up at our little town's own treasure:
Hallberg Butterfly Gardens.
It's gonna be a bit of a hot one-- 93 degrees, same as yesterday, so I fear that may keep some people away... but I'll be volunteering in the plant sales area from 1-4pm regardless.

I hope to get my hands on a Dutchman's Pipe this year-- the host plant for the Pipevine Swallowtail, and the butterfly preserve's claim to fame...Some history is here.
The Pipevine Swallowtail is a dramatic black & blue; these are (top) a Tiger Swallowtail enjoying a buddleia (the aptly named 'butterfly bush') & an Anise Swallowtail on a verbena bonariensis in our yard...Butterflly ID's courtesy of resident expert Tony, who was excited to encounter TWO Polyphemus Moths (bottom) up close & personal while in the midwest...

And here's a picture of a Pipevine via the Hallberg site.

The View from Elsewhere

2009-06-24T09:18:00.000-07:00

Yes, this lovely sight is directly from the deck of sister Dawn's (and Carrie's) new home.
(We're looking out from Wisconsin, across the St. Croix towards Minnesota.) With lightning storms, fireflies, boats, birds, sudden downpours, rainbows, family, food, wine & more...

With many thanks to our hostesses, & tour guides-- we had a lovely time!

(click to enlarge 'em!)

more summer glory

2009-06-16T09:53:00.000-07:00

... just a few of the warm tones.

1) 'Golden Celebration' rose, with studio behind.
2) Black-eyed Susan (rudbeckia), self-sown
3) Yarrow over poppies
4) 'Graham Thomas' rose
5) Zinnia-- one of China's seedlings!

just the pictures

2009-06-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

It's been unseasonably cool (& greyer than usual too) but no complaints. We're very busy with a show, so here's some of what's out there now:

a wild iris?

2009-05-28T00:39:00.000-07:00

We lived in this house a couple of years before we saw a bloom on this down at the end of our driveway; this year there are at least a dozen blooms. It sure looks like an iris-- and becomes an interesting seedpod full of red seed/berries in the fall. Anyone recognize this plant?
P.S.-- here's a photo of those seedpods, from last fall. (click to enlarge)

Happy Mother's Day!!

2009-05-10T21:50:00.000-07:00

Our House in History

2009-05-07T13:27:00.001-07:00

A delightful little book of our town's history was just published (big thanks to Lesa Tanner & the Graton Community Club), including this photo of our house taken in 1936. The following picture is as it looks today. You can see that camellia bushes appear to swallow the porch (actually one of them reached all the way to the peak when we moved in)... we like the visual buffer from the street which they provide, but it may be time to prune them back some more.
The final photo shows the building down the street which now houses my studio-- in its earlier life as an apple processing plant.

the view from here

2009-04-23T23:34:00.000-07:00

Here's looking out from our back deck-- and then continuing through that arch on the left. The most beautiful of seasons-- a recent 3-day heat wave burst many new things into bloom.

irises begin

2009-04-09T23:28:00.000-07:00

The first two to bloom!

a beautiful day in the park...

2009-04-06T00:20:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we took a hike (along with Tony's mom, Alice) out in Sunol Regional Park, a place Tony & I both remember fondly from our youths. It was a spectacular day-- with the oaks very newly leafed out, and more wildflowers than I can remember --more different varieties than we've perhaps seen at one time.

Totally recommend it, if you can possibly get out in the next weeks. (We like the Little Yosemite trail.)

spring, sprang, sprung!

2009-04-01T15:28:00.001-07:00

Oh, but it's beautiful out there.

Perhaps the new season will bring more garden blog posts!

1) just an ornamental cabbage gone to flower
2) ceanothus, aka 'California lilac'
3) magnolia ('Susan'), Sycamores behind
4) the Other Lilac
5) "Snow in Summer" with scabiosa

taking succulents to a new level

2009-04-01T14:34:00.000-07:00

I've grown increasingly interested in succulents over recent years, so I was excited to see photos of this project appear in both my Sunset & Garden Design mags this month. (You *must* click to enlarge it.)

Really, how great is this?
I have to go visit this place, Flora Grubb Gardens,
I keep hearing of, in SF...

photo via http://floragrubb.com/florasblog/
taken by Caitlin Atkinson, with Flora.

mostly euphorbia...

2009-02-24T15:15:00.000-08:00

and other nodding plants after rain...Oh yes, I've very fond of the euphorbia, and I've acquired a few varieties over time. They're getting ready to come into their spring 'bloom'.

And the final two photos: a re-seeded cerinthe; and the one hellebore we have--- too bad their flowers hang down so close to the ground.

I've really fallen off on the blogging of late-- I know! My goal will be to post (here) about once a week. We'll see how that goes!

happy day hiking

2009-02-04T12:48:00.000-08:00

Here are some slightly delayed pics from my annual birthday hike--
(or at least whenever weather in February allows). It was a perfectly lovely day, and as we do, we counted the early wildflowers in bloom-- 20!
We hiked inland from the coast at Shell Beach (just south of Jenner) towards Pomo Canyon;
Afterwards, a much appreciated meal & a pint at the Hopmonk Tavern in Sebastopol with my sweetie.

As you may know, we've had an unseasonably dry (warm, beautiful) winter; so we're happy to be seeing rain again today. (if you click on the photos, they will enlarge.)

(and Thank you for your Birthday wishes!)

time passing...

2009-02-01T13:01:00.000-08:00

I love sequences like this (found by Tony via FF)
One year in 40 seconds from Eirik Solheim on Vimeo.
See also on his page "One year in Two Minutes" (if you have the time!)
I was reminded that I once saw such a film shot somewhere in Sonoma County-- again, loved it, and the idea of doing something similar-- but at the time I lived in a *windowless* warehouse space in Emeryville-- the only living things inside were me & my cat. I realized I was living the wrong life-- and perhaps that was the beginning of the path that led me here. Never have been able to find that film again...

Into the New

2009-01-02T22:18:00.000-08:00

New Years Day found us bringing in the new year with a favorite tradition-- a hike (okay, more like a walk)-- this one out near Point Reyes. It was beautiful. It's always nice when the sun comes along, too.

We're both feeling optimistic about the year to come-- hope you are too!

2008-11-26T19:22:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all the best on this thankful day...

current harvest

2008-11-18T15:37:00.000-08:00

The persimmons are from neighbor China (thanks, China!) and those other things are pineapple guava.

2008-11-10T11:55:00.000-08:00

As part of 'research' for a new painting, (Tony's), we took these over at Rose & Thorn.

down a country road nearby...

2008-11-08T10:25:00.000-08:00

...this autumn display.

'glory of october' (and november!)

2008-11-07T16:52:00.000-08:00

... that's what they should call this perennial sunflower. (helianthus augustifolius)

in our yard today...

2008-11-04T11:21:00.001-08:00

A little something that irrepressible Tony whipped up in the studio.

more Fall bounty

2008-10-15T12:48:00.000-07:00

...this time from Hale's Apple Farm, just up the way...