And the wind blows cold.

I am so fed up with this spring weather we are having because it's almost as cool and damp as our winter weather was. Most days I still have to wear a down jacket when I walk the Vinodogs, very unCalifornia-like. I am really ready for some sunshine.
Vinomaker and I travelled up the valley today to get a new battery for one of the John Deeres. Despite bursts of driving rain, alternating with blinding sunshine, it was a very pleasant trip and the Napa Valley never looked prettier.
Closer to home, the ominous clouds actually made for a rather nice photograph of this vineyard that was once the site of an old homestead: now only the chimney remains. Located in the Coombsville area, nestling up against the Vaca Hills, this vineyard is set on a small knoll overlooking the entrance to the valley. I bet this old stack of stones could tell a tale or two.

A blot of mustard.

This morning heralded a rather sunny but frosty start to my day at a chilly 29 degrees.  It was a very still morning so, perhaps taking advantage of a near perfect temperature differential, the hot air balloons were out en masse, floating high above the commuting Vinogirl below.
Also present in abundance, but in this instance very definitely planted on terra firma, was the mustard flowering amongst the vines.  The mustard has been blooming for about 3 weeks now already, perhaps the earliest I can ever remember, no doubt due to the little bit of rain we had in October.
With barely any traffic on the Silverado Trail it was a very pleasurable drive to work on this still rather Christmassy December morn.