Picnic at Pear Valley Vineyard

We decided to have a picnic at Pear Valley Vineyard yesterday. I loaded up my large cat box with a super salad for each of us, and we bought a bottle Cab Franc in the tasting room, and headed for the hills. There is a ridge between two vineyards with a picnic table, and except for an occasional gush of wind that threatened to blow the wine glasses over, the afternoon was picture perfect.

The place was really crowded down on the patio, but we had the hill to ourselves. A little elevation really is a deterrent to most people, or maybe they didn't wear the right shoes.

Calling Cards!

I am a Cloud Junkie. This is a fact that I have come to accept as part of my whole being. Clouds make break out in song. Clouds make me look like fool as I jump out of vehicles to photograph them. Add a sunset and I'm likely to dance a jig too. So what's a happy girl to do.

Make calling cards of my cloud photos!

This is the word side covered up.

Name.

Phone number.

Email address.

with my icon!

Speaking of which, here he is with his stuff. Catnip and crackers. What a mess!

And I know I haven't really blogged about notebooks much or at all, considering this is Judy's Notebook. But I do collect them and fill them up with words and pictures and other things. I guess you could call me a "journaler." Personally I am so glad I did not call this blog, "Judy's Journal." But if I were to rename it what would you suggest?

On the left is Martha Stewart's newest line with Staples. Totally bringing out the office nerd in me with a selection of file folders and labels and notebooks. I told The Mister "Get me outta here before I spend money on one in every color!"

On the right is the fabulous cult Rhodia lined notebook. It even smells good.

And I just blogged these postcards on Judy's Bento Box. These are postcards that I had made by Moo. There are 20 different photos from my Flickr account and I did some bento, some food, some clouds, some Si. A real assortment.

Do you like to get mail from your postal person? Email me your mailing address and I'll send you a postcard.

In The Corner

The tree is in position and ready to be decorated.

Christmas Tree Time

Currently it is really really windy here. I'm sure that is why the Christmas tree place ties these large trees to this merry-go-round device.

We bought two trees this year - a live one that is little tabletop size, and a smaller than our usual living room size - a five footer. Both are Nordman firs. I haven't photographed the smaller one yet. I think I might try to bonsai it. Most live trees don't make around here. It's too hot and too dry and the soil is too clayey too. And you think you can alter some of those things, but in the end you just watch the poor plant suffer.

This aloe vera plant on the other hand loves this sunny window. 

Pay no attention to that cat in the background. 

This plant literally saved its own life. He was once in a different pot and sat on top of a six foot bookcase. Pretty much ignored, I dare say. He grew towards the light and one day became so heavy on the lit side that he fell out of his pot, roots and all.

I came home from work and saw all this dirt and plant on the floor. I asked The Mister just what the heck happened. He hadn't a clue, although he said he thought he heard something around noon.

Well, I repotted the aloe with fresh soil and a bigger pot and gave him the sunniest spot in the house. You can almost hear him say ahhhh!

Here's my Christmas tree at the lot. 

Final days of fall

Final days of fall, originally uploaded by Judy's Notebook.

Who knew that there would be an actual flickr group for photos pointing

Up A Tree.

Look Up! It's Another Tree Blog!

Hello. Another tree. "Look up" when you're 5'2" and you'll likely see a tree.

This is an Almond Tree. The flowers are beautiful in early spring and then the fuzzy nut forms. This fuzzy nut grows all spring and summer and then the fuzzy part drops off and the corky outer part and the nut drops to the ground, or not. The Almond Tree is known for holding on to its nuts.

That said, I live in an area that is known as Almond Country. (Aside: they cut down all the almond orchards to plant wine grapes. Now they sell beautiful cured almond wood for your fireplace, the bastards. And lots of wine. burp!)

Anyways, the actual amonds that we know and eat are inside the corky outer part, and they are usually roasted and salted, the nuts, that is.

I think I could document the stages rather well as this tree sits just outside my window where I work. But I'm sure the internet has done a reasonable job. So "look" it "up."

In review, almonds have cute fuzzy nuts, amonds do not. Why?

Cause you have to shake the ell out of them to get them to the ground. (Ag humor.)

That Giddy Spring Thing

I had such a case a Spring Fever yesterday that I couldn't stay inside.

I'm suppose to stay inside when at work. That's part of the job requirements. But I just couldn't.

So I pulled a chair outside during the typically quiet morning and read a book. I can read on the job. It's not a requirement though.

After awhile I got too warm and retreated back to the cool indoors.

I'm not sure what brain chemicals are sparking when that giddy Spring thing hits, but everything seems brighter and more interesting.

Take this tree.

This tree is across the street where I park my car. For the last 12 years I have never noticed it to bloom. Sure, it has caught my attention and at one point many years ago, I went out to it when the owner was doing some yard work and asked him what kind of tree it was. He seemed amused. But told me,

"Some people call them Umbrella Trees."

So yesterday when I was leaving work, I said hello to the umbrayella tree and noticed it was covered with

PURPLE FLOWERS.

Look Up!