Mocktail
My lemon trees have been producing an abundant amount of fruit this year. The trees are so heavy with fruit that branches are lying on the ground. I use lemons all the time in dressings for salads, flavoring for poultry and garnish for cocktails. I also try to start my day with a cup of […]
Mustard
While driving around the Napa Valley over the weekend the vineyards were so beautiful with perfect rows of dormant vines surrounded by a blanket of yellow mustard in full bloom. It was such a juxtaposition of resting and blooming. Many vineyard managers plant mustard as a cover crop. The crop is more than just a […]
Spring is springing!
I hadn’t been up to Oakville in a couple of weeks and when I arrived yesterday, I was blown away by the warm weather and spring-like conditions. Everything is beginning to bloom like my daffodils – the quintessential greeter of spring. My yellow rhododendrons are fully blooming and are actually showing signs of winding down already. […]
Puglia Olive oil is here
The olive oil in Puglia was harvested late last fall and bottled around November. I’ve been waiting patiently to order my extra virgin olive oil from Puglia because it tastes different than any olive oil I’ve tasted in the States (except for my friend’s olive oil from Casa Piena in Yountville – HANDS DOWN the best […]
Happy Valentine’s Day
There are several theories about the origins of Valentine’s Day. One comes from Lupercalia, the ancient Roman fertility feast. On this day, celebrated February 15th, maidens dropped love messages into an urn in the town square; single men would then draw a name out of the urn to court the maiden whose name he had drawn […]
Roasted Squash with Garlic, Lime & Chili
I received a copy of Eating Well in the mail a few weeks ago and their tag line ‘Where good taste meets good health’ caught my eye. In flipping through the magazine I found a few recipes that are my kind of recipes…vegetables, easy and quick to prepare, and healthy. Here’s a recipe from Eating Well that […]
San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers
I was out for a walk in Golden Gate Park yesterday and decided to pop into the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers to see the special exhibit, Garden Railway: 1915 Pan Pacific, which celebrates the centennial of San Francisco historic world’s fair. The exhibit is open until April 10th. When I walked into the Lowland Tropics section […]
Joel Santore
WOW – want to be inspired to save our planet? Attend a presentation by Joel Santore, an incredible photographer, speaker, author, teacher, conservationist, National Geographic Fellow, and a regular contributor to National Geographic Magazine. Joel specializes in documenting endangered species and landscapes in an effort to educate and inspire us to take action to save our […]
Camellias
The first flowers to bloom in my garden are my camellias, which I just love. I have several varieties of them – mostly solid white and white with yellow stamens which I think look especially pretty planted near our yellow painted home. There are a few legacy camellias on property that were planted before I managed […]
Veggie Tales
Woke up in the Napa Valley to a glorious morning of filtered sunlight after a stormy night in which it rained 3 -1/2 inches on Mount Veeder. I spent a couple of hours in the garden this morning harvesting Washington Navel oranges, Santa Teresa (Italian) lemons, Satsuma mandarins and Meyer lemons. I like to make […]
Red Clover Cover Crop
Last fall, I decided to plant a cover crop in my vegetable boxes, as a result of the soil tests I got back from the Soil and Plant Laboratory. I discovered that after two years of consistent planting and harvesting, I had stripped my beds of much-needed nitrogen. The experts from Grab ‘N Grow in Sonoma recommended that […]
Outstanding American Gardens
I came home today and found an unexpected wrapped gift at my doorstep. Thanks to Betsy Everdell for a copy of ‘Outstanding American Gardens: 25 years of the Garden Conservancy’! First of all, we have to agree that garden books full of beautiful pictures of gardens are THE BEST gifts. I can’t get enough of beautiful […]
Oxbow Public Market
The Napa Valley has so many fabulous places to visit. A must see if you are in the wine country is Oxbow Public Market. Located in the Oxbow District of Napa, it is a collective of local food vendors, artisan cafes and organic produce markets. It is open seven days a week. My daughter and I […]
Happy New Year
Happy New Year from the Napa Valley! We woke up on New Year’s Day to frost on the front lawn and 24-degrees on the thermometer. That is a very cold temperature in the wine country. New Years is one of my favorite times of the year. It is not only an opportunity to “start fresh”, […]
New Year’s Resolutions
It’s that time of year again when we all make New Year’s resolutions. Gazing at nature’s most incredible water feature is where I gain clarity about my personal New Year’s resolutions each year. Once again, I’m committing to 1) living a healthier life in 2016 – healthy diet, consistent exercise regime and a more relaxed pace and […]