winter in california

Yesterday I ventured out with a dear friend (a sorority sister - imagine! Me in a sorority!) and her darling manchild to a terrific old farm estate in Los Altos. The sun was bright but the air was freezing cold and later the wind picked up...but not before we spotted some refreshing winter sights.




I have a soft spot for gourds. I love the organic shapes here. One year I had a prolific batch - it climbed over the fence and trailed down the driveway, giving me eight HUGE specimens that dried beautifully. They remain to this day in my basement, and they are really fantastic.

Does anybody out there do gourd crafts?!




It's been warm enough to confuse the spring bulbs...narcissus are the first to bloom, but usually not, ahem, quite this early.




They even had seedlings going! Something about this picture makes my heart feel glad. The good earth is so magical, so generous, is it not? This picture does not, however, make me feel inspired to garden.




This inspires me to cook! I had a great time wandering between the rows and imagining all the delicious dishes I could make. Tonight is orichette pasta with broccoli and lemon...mmmmm that kale would be great in a nice Tuscan white bean soup...

I just hope we're not skipping winter altogether....