Comments on: Vineyard Montage

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:07:42 +0000

Hi, Deborah! I know some parts of rural Oregon, which is so beautiful, but not the vineyards. I must go explore some time. Thank you for your kind words. The chocolate covered wine grapes sound very delicious! Kathryn xoxo

By: Deborah Elliott

Deborah Elliott — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:27:28 +0000

Kathryn, this summer my family toured the Willamette valley in Oregon, which is home to some beautiful vineyards. Your photos are amazing and brought back some of my own memories. Your posts are always both beautiful and informative. By the way, I’m not much into wine either, but my son gave me some chocolate covered wine grapes, and they are extremely yummy.

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:22:53 +0000

Hi, Liz! Thank you so much! A pond is a wondrous thing to have. I’d be grateful! Glad you liked my photo journey! Kathryn xoxo

By: Liz - aka Nutty Gnome

Liz - aka Nutty Gnome — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:57:18 +0000

Hi Kathryn. Beautiful photos and the way you’ve captured that glorious winter light is wonderful. I love the photo of the giant baubles with the willow tree, but the man made lake is just stunning ….. maybe I need to extend my pond?!!!

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:39:25 +0000

Hi, my dear scientist cousin! Thank you for trying! Tonight I will send you a high resolution photo and you can maybe get a better view! Thanks!! Glad you have snow for Christmas! Kathryn xoxo

By: Cousin Julie

Cousin Julie — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:18:57 +0000

Kathryn: I copied the cover crop pictures and tried to blow them up to figure out what was there. I got pixilation with any level of magnification so I’m not sure. It looks like there are two plants growing in the cover crop row. The bigger, blue-green leafed plant is some kind of a legume or pea. There are several that can be grown for this purpose. They will fix nitrogen which will help fertilize the vines. I can’t tell what the other plant is. Clearly the color is more celery or yellow-green and it looks like it has three leaves in a cluster so it’s herbacious, not a grain, but that’s the best I can give you from what I see here. could it be a clover? If you have other pictures and/or if you can get good resolution on your photo with a blowup, please blow up a section as big as you can, clip it out and send it to me as a jpg and I’ll see if I can figure out what they are growing.
Hugs from Ohio where we finally got cold, Julie

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 19:30:45 +0000

Hi, Philip! Good Sunday morning! What a sweet comment. This is another nostalgia piece for you, isn’t it? Just as your more southward posts have been for me. I have always wanted to take that Asti turnoff and have never taken the time. Now knowing there might still be a “small gothic tower” out there I will now go with camera in hand and see what I can find! Your childhood memory is very dear. Lucky you. Kathryn xoxo

By: Philip

Philip — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 19:21:16 +0000

I so enjoyed looking at your images. You captured the almost Technicolor quality of the light there, sometimes diffused by wisps of fog. I love those sudden decisions that you describe when taking the taking the road to the willows.
Growing up on trips to Mendocino we would always stop at the Italian Swiss Colony at Asti. The dogs got a walk out to this kind of small gothic tower, a folly I suppose, overlooking the vineyards. We loved our “castle” in the vineyard!
I love the last image of the willows planted by the lake, and like the tower we knew, I could imagine children making that spot their private realm.

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:30:52 +0000

Hi, Antonia! I’m so glad you’ve gotten to know this area so much better this year! Your hiking skills are really amazing now! Yes, that horsie is truly beautiful. i want to kiss his nose. Love, Mom xoxo

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:28:49 +0000

Good morning, Pam! You would love it here. I highly recommend Hwy. 12 and Hwy. 128 as destinations. Though the Coppola winery in St. Helena is a fav. and of course most people go to Napa. I’m more inclined to stay in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties. This area remains my favorite in the US. Come!
Kathryn xoxo