The grass is greener.

Deere, John:
The 1.75 inches of rain that fell on me last weekend (I always take it personally), when paired with five days of ample sunshine with temperatures in the mid to high 70°s, have produced a distinct green haze of sprouting grasses and weed-seedlings all over Vinoland. Like magic, opportunistic r-selection plants have taken full advantage of the combination of rain and sun and have begun the process of turning California's rolling, golden hills and the vineyard floors of the Napa Valley into velvety-verdant vistas.  Then, a little time later, and after subsequent rain events, everywhere will have to be mowed.  Cycles.
Love, Vinogirl.

Muscat mosaic.

Rain today, sigh.
The poppy seeds that I planted last Sunday will have had a a good watering today.  In fact, rainy weather is forecast to continue all the way until Tuesday, double sigh.
I must admit, Vinoland and it's environs look rather pretty right now, as there is already a green-haze of r-selection plants covering vineyards, roadsides and every other available surface.  I will, however, have to say a reluctant goodbye to the fetching leafy-patchwork of warm, autumnal hues that until recently were the verdant sugar-factories of Vinoland's Orange Muscat vines, oh well.  The now soggy leaves will breakdown and will eventually be available, to the very same vines, as organic matter.  And the cycle continues...

Don't let the grass grow under your feet.

I didn't: I let the grass grow on top of my boots.

After a whole summer of seeds apparently collecting in amongst the laces of my trusty Timberlands, it only took one rain event, followed by sunshine, to bring forth a small crop of miscellaneous vegetation. These old vineyard boots were destined to be retired anyway (I don't normally leave my boots outside), so there is no pressing need for me to mow my impromptu, mobile cover crop.

The same opportunistic weeds take advantage of the first available moisture every year. It's just that this is the first time I have seen it happen on an article of footwear.

R is for Race.

Even though we had over 3 inches of rain last weekend, just 2 inches beneath the surface, the vineyard soil is extremely dry.  It's the same every year, the first rainfalls just run off and drain away.  However, there is a peculiar, evolutionary phenomenon going on outside at the moment; the r-selection species of weeds, (as opposed to the k-selection which is for a future blog), are unearthing themselves after being entombed in the inhospitable California summer soil. These plants display traits that make them highly adaptable to, and exploitative of, the current moisture/temperature conditions. The ability to reproduce quickly is perhaps the most crucial as they must go through an entire growth cycle in a highly unpredictable and unstable environment. It's a race for survival. Combined with small body size, early maturity, high fecundity and the ability to disperse their offspring, they must take advantage of what Mother Nature has to offer them, right now, to endure. Very opportunistic little guys and gals.
It's fun having a walk with the Vinodogs as there is a lot of new stuff to entertain Vinogirl. Viewed from a certain angle, there is a verdant green haze covering every flat surface...even my coconut front doormat has a germinated burr medic clover seed, happily reaching up to the autumn sun.