Winery Rounds

I'll admit it. I don't know diddly about wines. Sure, I know how you are supposed to hold the glass and what gives the wine its flavor, but other than that...just call me a blank slate. I either like it when I taste it or I don't. Over seven years ago, I was dining at Napa Rose and tried a Cabernet by Silver Oak Winery. It was love at first sip. I can't recall another wine that tasted so good to me...so smooth...each and every time (just had a glass last night as a matter of fact!).

On my recent trip to the Russian River Valley, it was great to be able to visit the Winery. We immediately headed towards the tasting room, located in a huge (but fairly unimaginative) building.



I did my best to make this place look interesting, but it had all the charm of a tract home.



The fountain sounded good on this particularly scorching day, but didn't do much to cool me off.



The interior was nice enough, but had the bland appearance of something done on an HGTV decorating show.



But let's be real; I wasn't there for the architecture or the design; it was about tasting (and buying) the wine, and in that arena, Silver Oak didn't disappoint. Still, after a few tastes, I decided to branch away from the group and shoot a few photos in the vineyards. My camera was needing some attention!

This statue was near the entrance:



It was nothing really remarkable to me, until I wandered around to the side. I sure did love the expressive eyes on the rabbit!



If you've ever seen a bottle of Silver Oak wine, you'll recognize the structure in the background of this photo:



A shot of the grapes themselves:



By this time, the heat had gotten to me. I was sweating all over my camera. I knew exactly how Lucy felt.



See more Wine Country photos on my Sonoma web page.

The Majesty of the Redwoods

I'm not really a numbers person. Telling me that a tree is 16' in diameter and 250' in height might elicit a programmed, "Oh wow!" but there really won't be any recognition of what that actually means.

Seeing and experiencing them in person is an entirely different story. Walking through the Armstrong Woods National State Park by myself (with camera in hand, of course!) was a day that will always linger with me.



Besides the redwoods themselves, it was wonderful to be walking through a forest, experiencing a type of nature that you rarely can experience in Southern California. The way the moss covered some of the fallen trees made them appear to be alive, as if they were some previously undiscovered mysterious green creature.



At first glance, this collection of roots startled me, as I mistook it for a snake.



A cross-section of a redwood was on display, putting the age of the trees in perspective. They've witnessed a lot of history.



Guerneville may have been hot and muggy, but the canopy of trees provided cool shade.



There were lots of different hiking trails that blended in perfectly without seeming to be too invasive.



Looking up, it would be easy to get dizzy when viewing the tops of the trees.



Hiking up to the top, the trees began to thin out and the temperatures began to climb.



Still, the journey was worth every bead of sweat!



The view from the top was extraordinary, as this panoramic shot can attest to:



A splash of purple from a thistle:



A lot of interesting wildlife was spotted, including this vulture. Better keep moving!



Bambi come to life:



A jay enjoying the shade of the tree:



My three hour hike took me back to where I started. Last shot for today is a vertical panorama that shows the redwoods from the roots and up:



I feel so fortunate to have been able to experience this. City folk who have not walked through here have no idea what they're missing!

See more Armstrong Redwood photos on my Redwoods web page.