March 03, 2010

Napa Valley, working overtime


click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

A little bit to the east and a little bit to the north of where I live is the Napa Valley, world famous as a top-notch grape growing area.   And while the grapes are on a winter break right now, the countryside continues to give us great scenery.   Greatness just doesn't stop.   Beauty never gets a day off...   "Ready for my close-up now, Mr. DeMille"



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

Most people call this bright yellow plant Wild Mustard, although some debate that it is a form of the Rape Seed plant, better known in the United States as Canola.   Both Canola and Wild Mustard look pretty much the same, but I'm sticking with this being Wild Mustard.   Not the kind of Mustard we use for our hot-dogs -- but what the heck -- what do I know?   What I know about Canola and Mustard you could fit on the head of a pin.   "Bon Appetit".



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

Grape growing land costs a bejillion dollars an acre in the Napa Valley, so they make use of every square inch.   All the vines are tightly wired, staked, pruned, tied-up and drip irrigated.   But before long the vines will be popping and busting-out with brand new bottles of delicious Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon.   "Gulp, gulp, gulp"...



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

Napa Valley cows -- providing all that good nitrogen-rich cow poop -- an almost unavoidable trap for trespassing photographers.   "Moooooooo"...


CLICK to visit my Daily-Duo
CLICK to visit KittyBLOG -- the daily doings of my cat.
CLICK for what I call my BIG site.


Your comments are invited and welcome.

5 comments:

photowannabe said...

Love the mustard hills and the vineyards, the solitary cow, heck...I like them all.
Think while my younger son and family are here from Oregon we will go to S.F. and visit some of our old haunts. Who knows we may be strangers passing and never know it...(:0)

/\/\C\/\/alter said...

Your photos are very well done. Great job catching the beauty of nature on film.

- Maryclare

Unknown said...

Hi Donald,

I just wanted to say that I really enjoy your photo blog! I'm from Marin, but currently live abroad. Whenever I'm in need of a hit of home, I stop by your blog to take a look at you lovely photos. I'm happy to see that the mustard is in bloom. It looks like spring has sprung in Marin/Napa!

Brittany

AphotoAday said...

WELL, THANKS, PHOTOWANNABE SUE, MC WALTER, AND BRITTANY -- really appreciate the compliments (((I shouldn't be fishing for them, but thanks just the same)))

Civic Center said...

Ah, go ahead and fish. The multicolored vineyard photo may be the greatest vineyard shot I've ever seen, quite magical with its soft colors.

 
under construction