CaliforniaGirlinOz (now just California Girl)

After some lucky weeks of quite mild temps, we are back close to triple digits. Yesterday we went back to Passaggio Winery for another spectacular couple of hours of wonderful music from the inimitable David Aguilar...this time with Peter McCauley. Together, they perform as Tudo Bem around the county. David performed recently with The Blues Project in Sonoma, and another gig at Jack London Saloon. We are SO lucky to have this talented musician living so nearby! I would have posted a video, but Blogger won't allow that anymore...go figure! (It also has now done away with paragraphs -- sorry for the run-on paragraph. I should have switched to another blog platform years ago.) This morning dawned clear and warm, too, so I set out relatively early for my 3 miler in the Regional Park. Met two horse riders on the way in, and then several runners. I wish I could have gotten a shot of the three guys with white tee-shirts that said "SOGs", and below that "Slow Old G...

A gorgeous warm Sunday afternoon, and our first visit to Passagio Winery. What a wonderful find! Not only beautiful music from Emily Hamilton (whose band, Third Rail, plays locally quite often), but delicious wines! We ended up joining their Wine Club and taking home 4 yummy bottles! Highly recommended.....stop by Passagio if you are ever near Jack London Village in Glen Ellen!

Saturday morning...beatiful sunny skies, and I decided on a bit longer walk. Into the park, but then thought, "I haven't taken a look at what's happening at the Sonoma Development Center in a long time. Maybe today's the day?" So I wandered through the park, and on to SDC property and the long-deserted SDC outbuildings on the east side of Arnold. The Center has a long history: originally named the California Home for the Care and Training of Feeble-Minded Children, it opened on November 24, 1891. In the 1960s, it became Sonoma State Hospital. The last patients were transferred to other care facilities in 2018, and since that time, there has been much controversy about what should be done with the sprawling property with all its old buildings. No consensus has been reached and the property is fading away. Funds to maintain the property are scarce. A few years ago I did a post about the old children's carousel, just before it was dismantled. I want...

Another gorgeous day, and I wondered if I might stretch to a little climb today. Haven't been up to Lake Suttonfield for a couple of months, and I'm a little curious to see the water level this far into summer. I also thought maybe I'd head down to the Frog Pond afterward, but likely wouldn't attempt the steep, slippery climb back up by the water towers for my trip back through the Regional Park. But when I got to the Frog Pond, my courage kicked in and I decided to attempt the climb. Friends, I'm happy to say I made it safely up. One step at a time, plan the next 3 or 4 steps but don't commit until your foot is securely planted...oh, and keep your gaze down on the dirt. Don't look up to where you are going till you are at the top. Success! Here's the place where I veer away from the lake, down into the little valley to the east, and along to the Frog Pond. The little steep climb comes just after that. It probably doesn't look that scary ...

Usually that happens in Autumn, but we had a lot of rain this winter that created a bumper poison oak crop, and now the hot weather has come on very quickly, which apparently is causing the leaves to turn red already. A nice heads-up in case you think about heading off the trails...definitely not recommended! I liked the juxtaposition of this little wild honeysuckle that has managed to scramble up into the middle of this poison oak clump... As I meandered along, I startled a clutch of quail, mom and a crop of tiny babies, who scurried into the grasses before I could photograph them, but then Papa Quail made an appearance and obligingly posed for his close-up. This was right below a beautiful crop of wild plums, which are looking pretty delicious Heading for home, as I glanced over the edge of the bridge I caught this picturesque sight...the young deer was completely oblivious to me, as I was on the bridge above. Then I noticed this gorgeous red Lancia at Marshall's Body ...