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The order (left/right) of these two pictures was determined by a coin flip.

Side Trip: A Picturesque Little Valley Full Of Vineyards (Photo Essay)

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I’m trying a little experiment with this blog. In the past, when making photo essays that are accompanied by text, I have simply placed the text up here where you’re reading these words at this moment, and of course, the pictures would be below, with a small caption for each picture. This time I’ve doing things a little differently, at least in the conceptual sense.

I’m providing the reader with several different ways to use this blog. First, and most simply, you can just read the text, and then look at the pictures. This is the simplest, but least efficient means of looking at this blog. In fact, if you do this, you’ll probably not even bother with the text, and just enjoy the pretty pictures. This is quite acceptable.

But there is another, sort of “interactive” way to get a lot more out of these photos. But it’s a little big complex. (Actually, the instructions to do it are more complex than the act itself.) It will require that you have two or three separate windows open, each with its own separate version of this blog. One window will be for text, one window will be for the pictures, and if you are like me, and you have a fondness for maps, you can open a third window to hold a special map that goes along with this blog. So if you have interest in the “interactive” version of this blog, just continue reading. If not, you can either skip down to “Text,” or simply go right down to the pictures. Either way, I hope you enjoy this blog.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Interactive Use Of This Blog ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Directly above the title of this blog you’ll see a row of things for my profile that you can click:
About … Updates … Pictures … Comments … Friends … Blog … Clubs

The word “Blog” is highlighted, of course, because you’re reading this blog right now.

RIGHT-click that highlighted word “Blog”

A menu will appear. Click on “Open in New Window.”

A new window will appear. At this point, you will have two windows open, both with this exact same blog.

In one of those windows, scroll down to the pictures, and click the first one, which is Map #1, to expand it to full size. This window you will use specifically for viewing pictures. The other you will use specifically for reading text. It may sound a little complicated in this description, but it’s really very easy and simple.

You will also now have two identical rectangular blue buttons on your task bar below the window, one for each open window. They should be side by side on the task bar, one to the left, one to the right. You can click them to move easily move back and forth between the text window and the picture window, so that you can quickly and easily see in the picture what you are reading about in the text. (By the way, if you prefer, you can use this same method to create separate Tabs, rather than windows within the same tab, by selecting “Open In New Tab” from the menu when you right-click.)

Now, if you are like me, and have a fondness for maps, you can repeat the above steps and open yet another window, a third window. You’ll use this window for one purpose: to show Map #4, which was made specifically for this purpose. Map #4 shows a very great degree of detail, and was made specifically included to provide the reader the option of referring to it while reading the text and viewing the photos. In this way, you can gain a better understanding of how what is seen in the individual picture relates to the area as a whole, and how the pictures relate to each other.

This map, as with the others, shows the area of this photo essay outlined in yellow. In addition, along that outlined route, you’ll notice a series of letters, A through O. These letters show the location from which all of the photos were made. Each of the photos will be labeled with a corresponding “Location Letter.”

You’ll also notice that this special map contains a twelve-point compass. The text that accompanies each picture will point out various features from the photo, and will use refer to the compass to provide a direction between the specific Location Letter and the feature described in the text. In this way, it is hoped that the reader can have a better impression of how the picture, and what you can see in it, fits into context of the map, fits into the entire surrounding area, and how it fits alongside of the other pictures.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Text ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Map #1:
As most of you know, I live in Napa Valley, renowned for the vineyards and wineries located here. What you might not know is that Napa Valley, formed by geological processes over the eons, isn’t a nice, neat single valley. There is one main, large Napa Valley that runs roughly north to south (and bending somewhat to the west in the northern end), a long ridge of hills running along each side of it. In this map you can see Napa Valley, widening in the southern opening where the city of Napa is, and narrowing to its northern end at the town of Calistoga. The object of this photo essay is defined by that yellow line to the west of Napa

Map #2:
In some areas, there are little side valleys. As is shown in this map, the southern end of Napa Valley, where it widens and opens up into San Pablo Bay, it is particularly indistinct, with the side ridges lessening in height, spreading out into rolling hills, and with many unnamed small side valleys. One of these is the Carneros Valley, which I explored the other day.

Having lived in this area for almost my entire life, I was vaguely aware of this place (again, outlined in yellow), but never had I reason to drive out there. In fact, not until I put this blog together and conducted a little research in my local library, did I even know that it had a name. When you drive from Napa toward San Francisco, taking the western route on the Carneros Highway (12/121), through Sonoma and Marin Counties toward the coast and the Golden Gate Bridge, as you leave town, off to the right is a very distinct, unusual hill, with one very steep, straight face plummeting down from the peak. (There are a lot of various things in this area with the name “Carneros.” The Carneros Highway, the Carneros Appellation (district) of winegrowing, Carneros Creek, numerous wines, wineries, inns, and other businesses, etc.) From certain vantage points, it actually looks like a pyramid. This strange little mountain also has a name: Milliken Peak.

Map #3:
Milliken Peak is the sentinel that stands at the head of and interesting little valley, Carneros Valley, as before, outlined in yellow. Milliken Peak marks one side of the opening into this little valley, a valley that much like the main part of Napa Valley, runs roughly north and south, with the northern end bending off to the west. The two sides of this little valley are very different in character from each other. The western ridge is very sharp, as epitomized by that strange hill. The entire eastern face of that ridge drops steeply down into Carneros Valley throughout its entire length, as you can clearly see in Map #3.

We zoom in closer this map, showing in yellow the course of the little valley, and even better displaying the distinctly sharp relief of the ridge to the west, and the far more indistinct, crenellated hills marking the eastern margin. This map is closing in enough now to see the names of the local roads. You’ll see how Dealy Lane enters Carneros Valley from the south, makes a little bend to the right, and intersects with Henry Road. Although it would appear that Dealy Lane continues straight ahead northward into the valley, by name, it is Henry Road that bends sharply to the right at the intersection and runs the rest of the length of the valley.

Map #4:
This map shows yet greater topographical detail. Like the previous maps, it traces the roadway through Carneros Valley with a yellow line. In addition, there are “Location Letters” strung along that yellow line show each location where the camera was used, and correspond with the pictures that are labeled accordingly. There are also two Location Numbers, contained in orange color, near the bottom of the map. (These relate to two additional photographs that were taken outside of Carneros Valley, thus the differentiation.) In addition, this map has a twelve-point compass. Compass directions will be referred to with the pictures, so the reader will be able to see the point from which the picture was taken and the compass heading the camera was pointed for the shot. The compass will be used to reference various elements within pictures.

Picture #01
Location Number “1”
Camera aimed north-northwest
This picture shows Milliken Peak off in the distance from the perspective one has while passing by on the Carneros (12/121) Highway. The unusual shape catches the eye when it’s seen over the nearby vineyards that line the highway.

Picture #02
Location Number “2”
Camera aimed north-northwest
Taken from a short distance to the west of the previous picture, this photo clearly shows the distinctive pyramid outline of Milliken Peak.

Picture #03
Location Letter “A”
Camera aimed west-southwest
This is the gate into the Paladini Family Contessa de Carneros Vineyards. Look beyond the vines in the foreground to the distant ridge. Notice how the hillside has been terraced. The rows of grapevines are actually straight, but appear curved because of the contour of the hillside. In the foreground, you can see several grapevine seedlings that were, for some reason, recently planted to replace other vines.

Picture #04
Location Letter “A”
Camera aimed west-southwest
I stepped a few paces into the gates and zoomed the camera a bit to get a bit more detail of the terraced hillside for this shot.

Picture #05
Location Letter “A”
Camera aimed northeast
Again, this is the Paladini Family Contessa de Carneros Vineyards. The body of water is an engineered pond holding irrigation water, which shows on the map. I basically walked across the road and shot this picture in the opposite direction of Pictures #3 and #4. Note the gentle, rolling nature of these hills to the east compared to the much taller and steeper ridgeline to the west.

Picture #06
Location Letter “A”
Camera aimed north.
I was awestruck by the wavy, ribbon-like appearance of the vineyards on these hills. If you examine the map, you can actually count the five rolling contours seen in this picture. I was standing in the middle of the road while taking this shot.

Picture #07
Location Letter “B”
Camera aimed east-northeast
I wanted to try to capture the same row of wavy hills from a different perspective. I moved a little ways along Dealy Lane and stopped again for this shot. Because I was basically shooting straight ahead at a subject that was very wide, but not tall, I elected to use the “panorama” feature of my camera. (The previous shot has been cropped.)

Picture #08
Location Letter “C”
Camera aimed north-northeast.
As I was standing in the middle of the roadway taking the previous picture, I had to move to let a large tanker truck rumble by. I finished the shot and climbed back into my car to push forward, but I found I could only go a very short distance. The tanker had stopped, and was in the process of backing into Folio, the winery and tasting room there. (More on Folio directly below.) I snapped this picture through the windshield of my car.

Picture #09
Location Letter “D”
Camera aimed west-northwest
Right at that sharp bend on Dealy Lane is a charming little tasting room with the somewhat pretentious name of Folio Winemaker’s Studio. According to their website …

“Folio Winemakers’ Studio is a place for locals and visitors to experience the art of wine and life. This is a creative place. We grow grapes, produce, bottle and sell wine, and provide a space for friends to do the same … Folio Winemakers’ Studio is home to several wine companies and Folio brands. Oberon and Hangtime are actually made at the winery. Why ‘Studio’? We feel fine winemaking is an art and we wanted the name of our winery to communicate that it is a place where art is shared by enthusiasts of all levels. Please come visit our new Taste Gallery, a comprehensive sensory experience that includes: wine and food pairings, art exhibits, amazing vineyard views from our porch, educational programs, and special events.”

They also have a nice little pond (decorative, not for irrigation), across from which you can see some of their lovely vineyards. Milliken Peak stands prominent in the background.

Picture #10
Location Letter “D”
Camera aimed west-northwest
This is basically the same shot as Picture #06, but zoomed in a bit to show the distant vineyards a little bit better.

Picture #11 “D”
Location Letter
Camera aimed west-northwest
Again, a variation of the same picture, but with more of a focus on Milliken Peak.

Picture #12 “D”
Location letter
Camera aimed north-northwest
The flat area just beyond the pond has a Folio plot of very immature vines, and just beyond them, some that are more fully developed. Beyond Folio’s vineyard, the row of dark Oak trees shows where the road continues up the Carneros Valley. (You can see power/telephone poles amongst them.) Beyond the road are some distant hillside vineyards. I was intrigued by the unusual pattern of vineyards and hillsides here in this picture.

Picture #13
Location Letter “E”
Camera aimed south
I proceeded beyond Folio, turned the corner to the left and passed through the intersection, leaving Dealy Lane and going straight forward onto Henry Road. A very short distance beyond the intersection, I pulled over and took some more pictures.

These are newly planted vineyards, of course. Note the plastic “collars” around the seedlings that protect them from rabbits, rats, and other animals that might want to gnaw on a baby grapevine. You can also get a good look at the typical water-conserving drip-irrigation system that almost every vineyard uses. Behind those vines you can see a rounded, vine-covered knoll, which shows on map just west (left) of the pond. (This knoll is just out of frame to the left in the pictures with the pond.) Far in the background is the same terraced hillside Contessa de Carneros vineyard shown in Pictures #03 and #04.

Picture #14
Location Letter “E”
Camera aimed south
This is basically the same picture as Picture #13, but with the camera turned a little to the left, and zoomed a bit more.

Picture #15
Location Letter “F”
Camera aimed north
Just a little further up the road I found an open gate and a road (barely visible in the picture) leading up a gulch that wound between some rounded, vine-covered hills. The prominent trees in the middle are Eucalyptus, a non-native species. While taking this photo, and the next three in this essay, a vineyard foreman came along in his pickup truck, obviously wondering who this was that had walked through the gate and onto the property. I showed him my camera and assured him I wasn’t going in any further. He shrugged and drove on up the road.

Picture #16
Location Letter “F”
Camera aimed north-northwest
I decided to take three separate pictures of this scene, going left to right. This first one is a distinctly rounded hillside vineyard that one sees so often in this area.

Picture #17
Location Letter “F”
Camera aimed north
Here’s the middle picture. I like that it shows several different vineyard areas, the rows in contrasting directions, a sort of layered effect as you look further back up into the gulch.

Picture #18
Location Letter “F”
Camera aimed north-northeast
The hillside shows how a fairly new (a few years old, or so) vineyard is filling in inconsistently. Within a few years it will be much fuller and evenly growing.

Picture #19
Location Letter “G”
Camera aimed northwest
Continuing along Henry Road, I came upon Artesa, with their vineyards, winery and tasting room. They also have another of these attractive little decorative ponds, this one with geese. I turned into their entrance where I was able to photograph one of their feathered guests.

Picture #20
Location Letter “H”
Camera aimed southwest
I returned to Henry Road, but stopped on the northeast side of the same pond for some other pictures, including this “panorama,” an interesting feature with the camera that optically caused the bend in the shoreline that isn’t really there.

Picture #21
Location Letter “H”
Camera aimed southwest
Looking across the pond provided a different perspective of the same hillside vineyards that can be seen in Pictures #9, #10 and #11, the small vineyard next to the much larger one.

Picture #22
Location Letter “H”
Camera aimed southwest
This is actually the exact same photograph as Picture #21, but cropped and enlarged a bit to show those vineyards a little better.

Picture #23
Location Letter “H”
Camera aimed south-southwest
I walked a hundred steps or so to the corner of the pond where I took this picture of some roadside vines with the pond behind them. Off in the distance you can see the unnaturally angular area where Artesa artificially contoured a hilltop to make cellars where the grape juice ferments and ages into wine.

Picture #24
Location Letter “I”
Camera aimed southwest
In this fairly developed vineyard you can plainly see what variety is being grown: Pinot Noir (a variety commonly grown in this district). Milliken Peak looms in the background.

Picture #25
Location Letter “J”
Camera aimed southwest
I moved only a short distance up the valley and stopped to take another shot, from a slightly different perspective, across this lovely vineyard at the same spot on the ridge. We’re still looking at the face of Milliken Peak here. Note the ravine that descends very steeply toward the right-hand side of the picture. It sort of marks the point where Milliken Peak ends and the unnamed rest of the ridge continues. It’s less apparent on the relief map, but you can see it. Note the bright green patch of vegetation seen near the left-hand edge of the picture, just above the vines and below the hillside trees. This is where a natural seepage of water is occurring, keeping the vegetation from drying out as the surrounding areas have.

Picture #26
Location Letter “K”
Camera aimed south-southeast
After moving a short distance up the little valley I found an area that showed some interesting, wavy folds in the valley floor within a vineyard. I pointed the camera back from where I’d been, showing Artesa’s artificially engineered cellars off in the distance. Much closer is the steep face of Milliken Peak, seen from a perspective nearly opposite from which we’ve been seeing thus far.

Picture #27
Location Letter “L”
Camera aimed south-southeast
Again I moved further up the little valley to a spot where it widens. I found a place where the rows in a vineyard pointed to a tree line crossing Carneros Valley that looked picturesque. That tree line follows a gully that drains the area during the winter rains.

Picture #28
Location Letter “L”
Camera aimed south-southeast
Leaving my car, I walked a bit further up the valley, only a short distance, to a point where I decided to take a sort of panorama of three pictures, like I did back in the gulch for pictures #16-#18. I first aimed the camera back down the valley. From this perspective, you can really see just how steep this ridge is.

Picture #29
Location Letter “L”
Camera aimed southwest
This is the second of the three-picture panorama. It takes in a distinctly separated section of the ridge, sitting there like a gigantic loaf of bread. If you examine the map, you can see this section of the ridge is separated from that of the section further north by a canyon that cuts into the ridge. The map also shows a small road that runs up into the canyon (unseen in the photo). Examine the map further. To the southeast of Letter L you will see two tiny ponds depicted. If you make a line from Letter L between those ponds, and continue that line to the ridge, you will notice a deep gully. With careful examination of the picture, you can barely see a line in the trees that marks that gully. It’s just a tiny bit to the right of the center of the picture.

Picture #30
Location Letter “L”
Camera aimed southwest
In this third section of the three picture panorama you can see the previously mentioned canyon that cuts the ridgeline, as it can clearly be seen on the map as well. You can also see another tree line, one that follows the course of a creek that runs hard during the winter rains but dries up in the long sunny summer. Examine the photo closely. Between and beyond the two sections of the ridge lies a prominent hill. This hilltop is visible in the photograph looming beyond the gap in the ridge. And if you trace a straight line from the letter “L” through that gap, you can see the hill that appears in the picture as well. (The gap itself is obscured in the photo by the tree line.)

Picture #31
Location Letter “M”
Camera aimed southeast
I moved quite a bit further up Carneros Valley before stopping again, going through a relatively unphotogenic area (still pretty, but rather plain compared to other parts of this little valley) that appeared to be a cattle ranch fallen into disuse. The valley narrowed significantly as I moved up through it, as can plainly be seen on the map. The map also shows that in this area, the road, which had been following the eastern edge of the Carneros Valley, following the bases of the more rolling hills over there, has now crossed over and is hugging the base of the steep western ridge. The road here narrowed, as well, to a width barely enough for cars to squeeze by in opposite directions, and then passed through this lovely stretch with gentle bends and an old wooden and wire fence. I stood in the road and took this picture, pointing the camera straight back down the road from where I’d been coming. The low point on the skyline is the gap through the ridge seen in the previous picture.

Picture #32
Location Letter “M”
Camera aimed west-northwest
You can see how much closer the steep ridge is in this picture. The grapevines here are quite young, too immature to produce any useful fruit.

Picture #33
Location Letter “M”
Camera aimed north-northwest
I aimed my camera up the road this time, further into Carneros Valley. Way off in the distance I could see the more formidable ridge that separates the Napa and Sonoma Valleys, and see more densely forested hillsides and the spires of Redwood trees. Again, in this photo, you can clearly see how much closer the steep ridge is. The narrow road makes some lovely, picturesque rolling curves here.

Picture #34
Location Letter “N”
Camera aimed north-northwest
I moved just a little bit further up the road to the bend I had been admiring, and found that slight change in location improved what was already an excellent spot for a photo. I zoomed the camera a bit, bringing the distant forested ridge into focus. The vineyard here is bordered by a lovely old wooden fence. If you examine the map here, and look to the northwest of Letter N, you’ll see that the ridge has a deep indentation, which makes a corner, the ridge turning to the left. You can see this in the photo, where a line of trees running up and down the hill (coming down from the upper left corner of the photo) mark the corner of the ridge.

Picture #35
Location Letter “O”
Camera aimed south-southeast
I finally reached the end of the road, the last publically accessible spot in the little valley. I could continue no further without driving past “No Trespassing” signs, so I turned around. Another lovely view of the narrow road with those graceful bends, vineyards, and the old wire and wood fence was laid out in front of me. I was basically looking at the same view seen in the last two pictures, but from the other direction. That was the last photo for this little project.

A Great Blue Heron Hunts, Catches And Eats A Rodent (Photo Essay)

Apologies for the poor quality of these photos. The light was fading and the distance was a bit beyond the capabilities of my crappy little camera. I'm not quite sure what the rodent was. More than likely, a vole, although it seems a bit big for a vole.

“I have never seen a walnut tree before. Cool!” (Text And Photos)

That was what terror_nova said in response to a photo I posted in my Picture Gallery.

http://www.wireclub.com/Galleries/ViewImage.aspx?ImageId=2663190

I replied with a number of disorganized random tidbits of information taken from my limited storehouse of Walnut tree information. So after a little bit of rumination, I figured I’d throw together a blog showcasing that bit of natural wonder called The Walnut Tree.

First, a minor disclaimer. I made a quick check in Wikipedia, and as I expected, found that there were a number of species of Walnut. But around here, in the Napa Valley, we only have two, and one of those is the combination of both. I know that’s puzzling, but I’ll explain.

Around here, we have the Black Walnut. It’s called that because the bark is quite dark. We also have the White Walnut. Not surprisingly, it’s called that because the bark has a very light grey color. There’s quite a few other differences between the two.

The Black Walnut grows very large, with trunks easily a yard/meter thick on mature specimens, and a good 60 feet/20 meters or more in height. It makes a very pretty tree, and functions really well as a shade tree. It produces a nut that is essentially useless as food. The nut is smaller than the walnuts you’re used to seeing and eating, and a lot of that nut is shell. Not much is edible. As such, it’s not really cultivated all that much. They’re planted here and there as shade trees, or to mark property lines and such. But for the most part, they just grow where they grow, and they grow profusely. They seem to be everywhere.

White Walnuts, on the other hand, are much smaller, no more than half the height (usually less), and with a trunk no more than half the thickness (usually less). It’s a less attractive tree, although they look quite nice when arranged in rows in an orchard. It doesn’t function as well as a shade tree, mostly because it usually has sizeable limbs that remain fairly close to the ground. But the White Walnut is the tree that produces those fabulous tasty nuts, just like those you’ll find bagged up for sale in your local market, or shelled and ready for the kitchen. They don’t really grow wild. Almost any White Walnut you’ll find was likely planted, or perhaps nearby other cultivated trees.

But get this: All White Walnut trees that will develop into good nut producers are grafts, the bottom section being the much hardier Black, the upper section being the White. You can generally see quite clearly where the two species are grafted, the lower part of the main trunk dark, the upper part light. The rootstock of the Black is much more resistant to pests, parasites, molds, diseases, and other things that can attack a tree’s roots. The upper part, of course, is what produces the nuts.

Both trees have one thing in common: They are deciduous trees. They shed their leaves in the fall, remain naked through the winter, and rapidly begin growing leaves again come spring. The leaves of each, however, are quite different.

So let’s look at some pictures. Because they grow so prolifically around these parts, I have no shortage of Walnut Tree pictures. The first twelve pictures (#01-#12) show the entire season of a single Black Walnut tree, going from naked and leafless in January, to fully covered in lush green leaves in July, and then shedding the then yellowing leaves, leaving the tree naked again in December, with many branches still tipped with nuts. This set of pictures is dated so that you can see how the progression occurs over that time.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the White Walnut photo-documented in the same manner. I do, however, have two pictures of a nearby orchard, almost perfectly identical, except one was taken in the winter, the other in summer. (#13-#14)

Next we have a comparison of two trees, both somewhat the same size. However, the Black (#15) is still relatively small for that species, while the White (#16) is just about full grown. It will grow older, but not much bigger.

Next, we’ll examine the newly formed flowers of each variety. They’re pretty weird looking, starting out looking like of like a little pine cone, and quickly elongating. Each of those long segmented flowers will turn into a single, nut, or perhaps two, or even three nuts in a cluster. First, a Black Walnut flower, along with some sprouting leaves, quickly growing as the spring weather warms (#17). The same flower is seen in extreme close up, showing detail (#18). Compare it to the much larger flower of the White Walnut (#19, Picture #20 shows it in close up), also shown with emergent leaf growth. The compact flowers quicky elongate and stretch out, opening spaces up between the individual segments of the flowers. Picture #21 is a Black Walnut flower. Pictures #22 and #23 are those of the White. In a few months, those flowers will turn into full grown walnuts, the familiar woody shell encased in a fleshy green covering. You can see how the Black produces a smaller nut (#24) than the White (#25).

As mentioned, the Black Walnut can grow into quite a large tree. Pictures #26-#39 show some large specimens growing alongside of a road just outside of town north of Napa. Picture #30 shows the trunk of a much smaller White. You can plainly see the line where the two species were grafted into one productive tree. Picture #31 shows how the leaves of each differ. The leaves to the left are from the White. Those to the right are the Black.

Finally, let me address walnuts as food. As you might guess, those luscious walnuts make for tasty meals for squirrels. Those rodents are no fools. They prefer the White Walnut over the Black. I’ll finish this photo essay with five different shots of squirrels in White Walnut trees. Pictures #32-34 show them actually dining on walnuts. Pictures #35 and #36 show Mr. Squirrel on a very hot day in July, lounging lazily on his belly, trying to beat the heat after a luxurious walnut banquet.

Around My Place X

These are photos that I took on my property between April 22 and June 19, 2010. They were originally posted in my Picture Gallery, and then as space ran out, I moved then over here to this blog rather than simply deleting them to make space for new pictures. The comments shown below originally were attached to those photos. In some cases, the comments are disjointed. This is because as people delete their Wireclub accounts, their comments leave with them.

Picture #01: Scrub Jay
> barnestorming_girl says May 02: beautiful
> StuckInTheSixties says May 04:

Picture #02: Wild grass in the rain
> barnestorming_girl says May 02: that's an awesome photo darling
> Karma says May 04: I like the things you dew.
> StuckInTheSixties says May 04: Barnsie: Karma:

Picture #03: Weed with seeds encased in water droplets after a rain
> barnestorming_girl says May 02: that is what your telling us. that they are just weeds! lol
> StuckInTheSixties says May 02: This weed is HORRIBLE! It produces millions of those seeds, and spreads very easily. When it dries out, if you happen to brush up against it, millions of those damn seeds stick to your clothes. They're like Velcro seeds.
> SABLES says May 02: another great shot!
> Karma says May 04: Fabulous
> StuckInTheSixties says May 04: Thanks, ladies!

Picture #04: A squirrel looks down at the guy with the camera
> barnestorming_girl says May 02
he is only wanting some nuts! lol
> badgirl___72 says May 02: wow thats so cool check out the way the squirrel is just hangin there
> Karma says May 02: He's waiting for you to be directly under him. Then it's, "Bombs away!"
> SABLES says May 02: lol great shot Sits
> StuckInTheSixties says May 04: Thanks, SABLES!
> ~Chloey~x says May 09: luv him

Picture #05: Scrub Jay (#1 of two)
(no comments)

Picture #06: Scrub Jay (#2 of two)
> Karma says May 09: Pretty
> Uriel64 says July 02:

Picture #07: Sunset (#1 of three)
> 1calmstorm says May 30: very lovely.
> antonov3andahalf says May 30: Awesome man jst brilliant
> barnestorming___girl says May 31: love it darling
> gigilf says June 06: wow!!!!

Picture #08: Sunset (#2 of three)
(no comments)

Picture #09: Sunset (#3 of three)
> aleeshaNOTaliterate says May 30: oooh! I likey!
> nekromancer07 says May 30: fire in the sky
> jenine59 says May 31: THIS IS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE
> barnestorming___girl says May 31: again beautiful Darling
> SABLES says June 01: nice one SIts!

Picture #10: Crane Fly, aka "Mosquito Hawk"
> SABLES says May 09: we call them leather jackets out here don't know why, can't see the jacket
> nekromancer07 says May 09: nasty looking thing
> StuckInTheSixties says May 09: They neither bite, nor to they eat mosquitos.
> StuckInTheSixties says May 09: Some of them eat nectar, but most species only hatch from larvae to mate, and then die.
> 1calmstorm says May 27: Shoot. I've loved them all this time cuz I thought they ate mosquitos.

Picture #11: The mowing of my property as a safety measure against fire (May 21, 2010)
> StuckInTheSixties says May 24: I thought you might like the tractor. It's a little smaller than the one's you're used to seeing, though.

Picture #12: View from my porch before the mowing (May 20, 2010)
(no comments)

Picture #13: Squirrels on my barn
> lumu81 says May 30: awwww, I still want a squirrel!
> nekromancer07 says May 30: looks like kids playing on a slide
> jenine59 says May 31: I THINK YOU SHOULD SQUIRT THOSE SQUIRRELS
> SABLES says June 01: little rascals

Picture #14: Poor quality photo of a squirrel (#1 of two)
> lumu81 says June 06: I still want a squirrel!!!
> jenine59 says June 06: Squirting the squirrel
> nekromancer07 says June 06: squirrel is thinking* I'm gonna attack this dude

Picture #15: Poor quality photo of a squirrel (#2 of two)
> nekromancer07 says June 06: *he better leave me alone*

Picture #16: Sinister looking cloud above the hills at sunset
> lumu81 says June 06: gorgeous!
> gigilf says June 06: beautiful!!!
> SABLES says June 06: oh my....wow

Picture #17: Sunset
> SABLES says June 06: wow speechless
> nekromancer07 says June 06: wow, cool! (speechless was used)
> glowingtoad says June 09: beautiful stucky x
> aleeshaNOTaliterate says June 12: I it

Picture #18: Turkey vultures
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Picture #19: Jackrabbit keeping low in the weeds (#1 of three)
> StuckInTheSixties says June 19: While I was shooting picturs of a Blacktailed Deer (I blogged them on June 15, 2010), I noticed a movement in the weeds and spotted Mr. Jackrabbit here.
> 1calmstorm says June 19: It's...It's...It's a Jackalope. hahaha
> SABLES says June 27: lol too cute

Picture #20: Jackrabbit keeping low in the weeds (#2 of three)
> Raven says June 19: Lookie at those ears! ^_^
> StuckInTheSixties says June 19: Pretty big ears, aren't they?

Picture #21: Jackrabbit in the weeds gets nervous from the presence of some guy with a camera (#3 of three)
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Picture #22: Red Blossom on a shrub (unknown name)
> SABLES says June 27: looks like hibiscus
> StuckInTheSixties says June 28: It does look like a Hibiscus, but it's not. It's smaller than a Hibiscus.

Picture #23: Mt. George on a clear, windy day (#1 of two)
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Picture #24: Mt. George on a clear, windy day (with Mourning Doves intruding into the picture)(#2 of two)
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Picture #24: The vineyard next door and the hills to the southeast
> tcg eh! says June 27: Awesome eh.......

Around Napa Valley X, Part One

These are photos that I took around Napa Valley, where I live. They were originally posted in my Picture Gallery, and then as space ran out, I moved them over here to this blog rather than simply deleting them in lieu of new pictures. There were enough photos in this category for me to split this into two separate blogs of thirty photos each. This is Part One, and the photos were taken during a period from March 27 to May 11, 2010. The comments shown below originally were attached when they were posted in the gallery. In some cases, the comments are disjointed. This is because as people delete their Wireclub accounts, their comments leave with them.

Picture #01: Any guesses as to what this is?
> gigilf says April 10: i love this one!!!!
> Karma says April 10: Very cool!
> SABLES says April 11: wow speechless! rain on a window?
> StuckInTheSixties says April 11: Car window. Flowers on the other side of it.

Picture #02: An old Oak tree in silhouette (#1 of two)
> Zhya says April 18: Prettier.
> SABLES says April 18: nice really nice, love the shading in the pic, makes it stunning

Picture #03: An old Oak tree in silhouette (#2 of two)
> niamhis says April 18: nice me likeys
> Karma says April 18: Fabulous
> jenine59 says April 18: ERIE AND AWESOME, I LOVE IT

Picture #04: Honey bee at work (#1 of two)
> SABLES says April 18: nice pic

Picture #05: Honey bee at work (#2 of two)
> Zhya says April 18: Pretty.
> Karma says April 18:
“Her mouth is a honey-blossom,
No doubt, as the poet sings;
But within her lips, the petals,
Lurks a cruel bee that stings.”
- William Dean Howells
> StuckInTheSixties says April 18: Your attempt to class-up my profile is appreciated, futile though it be.
> jenine59 says April 18: COLORFUL

Picture #06: Oak tree with convoluted, twisty limbs
> Karma says May 04: Lovely
> StuckInTheSixties says May 04: I need to return in the winter to this tree, when all of the leaves have fallen and the twisty branches are easier to see.

Picture #07: Miner's Lettuce on a dead log
> Karma says April 18: Miner's Lettuce is the plant or the lichen?
> StuckInTheSixties says April 18: It's the round-shaped green-leafed plant. Edible. Hence the name.
> StuckInTheSixties says April 25: I thought it kind of looked like a little arrangement or something, so I shot the photo.

Picture #08: Meadow with Lupin blossoms
> Karma says April 18:
> SABLES says April 18: I think Teddi is hiding behind that tree

Picture #09: Newly growing Fennel, wildflowers, vineyard and home about a five minute drive from where I live
> Karma says April 24: Lovely

Picture #10: Sculpture in the parking lot of Gordon Huether Gallery, about a five minute drive from where I live
> Shooter McGavin says April 26: i like this.

Picture #11: Mushroom (#1 of two)
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Picture #12: Mushroom (#2 of two)
> Karma says April 24: Very cool
> StuckInTheSixties says April 24: I was shooting pictures of a weird sculpture at Gordon Huether Gallery and almost stepped on this mushroom. So I interrupted the sculpture photos (which will be posted soon) and took some mushroom shots.
> StuckInTheSixties says April 25: Not that kind, Candy!
> SABLES says April 25: lol candy
> StuckInTheSixties says April 28
Note: The above mentioned photos have been posted in a blog ...

http://www.wireclub.com/Blogs/StuckInTheSixties/174948

... and if you look very carefully, you can see this mushroom in a few of the pictures.

Picture #13: Golfers on the move!
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Picture #14: The golf course at Silverado Resort, about a 15 minute walk from where I live
> Karma says April 24: It’s good sportsmanship to not pick up lost golf balls while they are still rolling. - Mark Twain
> StuckInTheSixties says April 24: I actually took this photo just special for you, Karma. But it's not a bad picture, is it?
> Karma says April 24: Great photo and it looks like a very nice course. I wish I could play a round.
> StuckInTheSixties says April 25: I'm pretty sure that you don't need a membership to play here, but the fees to play are probably a little steep. If you play a round, I'll caddy for you … No I won't. Carry your own friggin' clubs. I'll just drive the golf cart, drink cold beer, and make tasteless remarks loudly as you're about to swing.

Picture #15: Wildflowers in a field about a five minute drive from where I live
> Karma says April 24: Love the springtime
> StuckInTheSixties says April 24: I really do too.

Picture #16: A steep canyon near the foot of Atlas Peak, about a five minute drive from where I live
> Karma says April 24: That looks a great area to explore
> StuckInTheSixties says April 24: It's far too steep to get into very easily, not to mention it's private property. When I took this photo, you could easily hear the sound of water falls in this canyon. I bet it's beautiful in the bottom of the canyon. I wonder of the property owner has a trail leading down there ...

Picture #17: A view to the southeast taken from a vantage point near where I live (#1 of two)
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Picture #18: A view to the southeast taken from a vantage point near where I live (#2 of two)
> 1calmstorm says May 23: What gorgeous views!!

Picture #19: Gnarly thistle
> Karma says May 04: Cool pattern.
> StuckInTheSixties says May 04: This thistle is on it's way to looking pretty ugly. I just caught it in this stage. I, too, was captured by the combination of the green and white color patterns and the shapes of the leaves, smaller and more compressed in the center.

Picture #20: Honeybee at work
> barnestorming_girl says May 02: wow that's a really great photo darling
> StuckInTheSixties says May 02: I think it looks like the bee is humping the flower!
> Karma says May 04: The civilized term is "pollinating." As in, "I believe the Senator is pollinating his constituents."
> StuckInTheSixties says May 04: (laughs ... flips the bird) Hey, Pollinate you!

Picture #21: Raindrops on car window / yellow flowers photographic experiment #2
> Karma says May 04:Excellent!
> StuckInTheSixties says May 04: Less than excellent ... Compare to Picture #01 in this blog (experiment #1) :

Experiment #1 was shot from the driver's seat of my car, pointing out of the passenger-side window at some flowers about five or six feet away from the window. The result, of course, was that the water droplets on the window are sharply focused, while the flowers are out of focus. Upon reviewing the picture, I figured I could probably get both droplets and flowers in focus if I opened the driver's side window, and moved back a bit from the car, shooting from further away and zooming in a little bit.

As you can see, that worked, although the flowers are still not quite focused, which means I'll need to shoot from even further away. But one problem also became apparent. The water droplets are much smaller in #2, and don't look as good. I figured out why. When I shot Experiment #1, my car was a little bit dirty, and there was undoubtedly a tiny, thin layer of grime on the window, which made it hold the water droplets better. Also, I remember that the raindrops falling when I shot #1 were bigger. Even with smaller raindrops in #2, they were running down the glass easier, because I'd washed my car.

So I don't know if I'll be able to get the shot I was striving for. I'll need a combination of a dirty car and rain dropping raindrops of just the right size.
> ~Chloey~x says May 09: Yup, but still pretty SITS!!!

Picture #22: Roses a short ways down the road from where I live (#1 of three)
> Karma says May 09:

Picture #23: Roses a short ways down the road from where I live (#2 of three)
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Picture #24: Roses a short ways down the road from where I live (#3 of three)
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Picture #25: This meadow is about a fifteen minute walk from my house
> barnestorming_girl says May 02: I love the view beautiful
> StuckInTheSixties says May 02: I'm pretty happy with this picture.
> Karma says May 04: Great!
> StuckInTheSixties says May 04: Thanks, ladies!

Picture #26: Strange decorative flowering plant
> barnestorming_girl says May 02: beautiful again darling
> Karma says May 04: Cool
> StuckInTheSixties says May 04: Thanks, ladies!

Picture #27: California Poppies and white and lavender wildflowers
> tcg eh! says May 08: very pretty eh....
> SABLES says May 09: I love this one Sits
> Karma says May 09: Excellent

Picture #28: Scarlet roses (#1 of three)
> RUBY says May 16: ohhhhhh..wow love it
> Karma says May 16: Can almost smell it
> Raven says May 16:
> glowingtoad says May 16: beautiful .
> StuckInTheSixties says May 16: Are roses "nature"? I'm sure it took many, many generations of breeding to get the roses in these pictures.
> SABLES says May 17: look like velvet
> barnestorming___girl says May 19: I love it beautiful darling

Pictures #29: Scarlet roses (#2 of three)
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Pictures #30: Scarlet roses (#3 of three)
> barnestorming___girl says May 19: beautiful darling

Around Napa Valley X, Part Two

These are photos that I took around Napa Valley, where I live. They were originally posted in my Picture Gallery, and then as space ran out, I moved them over here to this blog rather than simply deleting them in lieu of new pictures. There were enough photos in this category for me to split this into two separate blogs of thirty photos each. This is Part Two, and the photos were taken during a period from May 9 to June 5, 2010. The comments shown below originally were attached when they were posted in the gallery. In some cases, the comments are disjointed. This is because as people delete their Wireclub accounts, their comments leave with them.

Picture #01: Medi-Flight pickup of a guy who fell off his roof (#1 of four)
> StuckInTheSixties says May 23: I was driving home and noticed a helicopter circling a short distance from where I live, and then descending. I detoured and found this Medi-Flight which had landed at the firehouse in my area. One of the firemen explained that a guy had fallen off his roof, and the Medi-Flight was going to fly him to a hospital in Santa Rosa, about 25 miles away (in a straight line, much further by road).

Picture #02: Medi-Flight pickup of a guy who fell off his roof (#2 of four)
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Picture #03: Medi-Flight pickup of a guy who fell off his roof (#3 of four)
> livefromKazakstan says May 23: What the hell have you done!!?
> StuckInTheSixties says May 23: Just taking some photos, that's all.

Picture #04: Medi-Flight helicopter flies off with the accident victim (#4 of four)
> barnestorming___girl says May 24: they are all awesome photo's darling

Picture #05: Scarlet rose flecked with tiny raindrops
> TheAbsurdist says May 16: SO PRETTY !
> Karma says May 16: I want to see more insect photos
> StuckInTheSixties says May 16: (laughs) It's not exactly like I can get them to pose for me.
> SABLES says May 17: nice one Sits
> Shooter McGavin says May 17: Great shot, Sixties.

Picture #06: Roses
> barnestorming___girl says May 24:
















I can't wait to see this comment go in your blog's when you do it! lmfao

Picture #07: Cyclists on a sunny day (#1 of seven)
> barnestorming___girl says May 31: your on the wrong side of the road!!! watch out!! lol

Picture #08: Cyclists on a sunny day (#2 of seven)
> nekromancer07 says May 30: look-out! your about to be run over!

Picture #09: Tandem bike cyclists on a sunny day (#3 of seven)
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Picture #10: Cyclists on a sunny day (#4 of seven)
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Picture #11: Cyclists on a sunny day (#5 of seven)
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Picture #12: Cyclists on a sunny day (#6 of seven)
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Picture #13: Cyclists on a sunny day (#7 of seven)
> SABLES says June 01: snicker snicker- did they pile up on the otherside of you

Picture #14: Colorful decorative flower (unknown name) (#1 of two)
> jenine59 says June 06: REALLY BEAUTIFUL
> nekromancer07 says June 06: nature at it's finest

Picture #15: Colorful decorative flowers (unknown name) (#2 of two)
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Picture #16: Yellow wildflowers
> SABLES says June 01: canola?
> StuckInTheSixties says June 07: No, I don't think so, at least I've never heard anyone refer to it as Canola. As far as I know, it's just a weed with yellow flowers.

Picture #17: Decorative African Iris in a drugstore parking lot (#1 of two)
> SABLES says June 06: very beautiful
> jenine59 says June 06: SO PRETTY
> nekromancer07 says June 06: what did I hear about drugs?

Picture #18: Decorative African Iris in a drugstore parking lot (#2 of two)
> niamhis says June 06: yaaaaaaaaay lol
> nekromancer07 says June 06: ahhh, drugs and parking lot, that figures (nice pic)
> StuckInTheSixties says June 07: I was thinking of you while taking these photos, Niamhis!

Picture #19: Flowering Chamise in the hills above Napa Valley (#1 of three)
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Picture #20: Flowering Chamise in the hills above Napa Valley (#2 of three)
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Picture #21: Flowering Chamise in the hills above Napa Valley (#3 of three)
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Picture #22: A small Dandelion with a tiny wasp
> aleeshaNOTaliterate says May 23: Squish it!
> StuckInTheSixties says May 23: You big meany!
> Ramon says June 08: these flowers are great for medicinal syrup cooked in raw sugar.
> Uriel64 says July 02: Lovely

Picture #23: Decorative flower about to emerge in full bloom
> jenine59 says June 06: A LOVELY FLOWER,I REALLY LOVE YOUR FLOWER PICS, FLOWERS MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY
> nekromancer07 says June 06: nice

Picture #24: California Poppies and grapevines
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Picture #25: Fennel flowers, vineyard and Oak trees (#1 of four)
> SABLES says June 13: Beautiful

Picture #26: Fennel flowers, vineyard and Oak tree (#2 of four)
> barnestorming___girl says June 13: I love the tree beautiful

Picture #27: Fennel flowers, vineyard and house on hill (#3 of four)
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Picture #28: Fennel flowers (#4 of four)
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Picture #29: Red rose
> jenine59 says June 06: OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL ROSE

Picture #30: Pink Rose
> Raven says June 06:
> jenine59 says June 06: IT IS BEAUTIFUL

Longwood Ranch Vineyards (Photo Essay)

Longwood Ranch is a nearby vineyard, actually, a group of vineyards, not too far from where I live. Last February and March I made a series of photographs of Longwood, and somehow, I neglected to post a blog showing this collection of pictures. So before they grow any older, here they are.

Red, White And Blue Quiz

Today is July 4th, 2010, the holiday of Independence Day for those of us who are citizens of the United States. There’s many flags flying today here in the USA, “Old Glory,” “The Red, White and Blue.”

Yesterday I saw an article in the San Francisco Chronicle that showed flags of other nations that also used only those three colors in essentially the same shades. How many of these flags can you identify?

A small hint: These flags are NOT listed alphabetically. (I wanted to make this a little harder by taking away that minor help.) This is a very difficult little quiz. Don’t feel bad if you can’t identify very many of these flags. Try not to cheat!

I’ll post the correct answers in a day or two. Feel free to post your guesses either as a comment below, or if you wish to keep others from copying from your answers, send them to me as a personal message. If you send me your answers, I’ll send you the correct answers in return.

Here is a list of the numbers for each pictured flag so that you can copy/paste it and save yourself a little tedious typing:

#01.
#02.
#03.
#04.
#05.
#06.
#07.
#08.
#09.
#10.
#11.
#12.
#13.
#14.
#15.
#16.
#17.
#18.
#19.
#20.
#21.
#22.

Happy Independence Day 2010!