Evening Garden

I love evening walks. Right before the sun sets is the best time. It's also the most beautiful time of day in my humble opinion. Tonight the day hadn't really cooled off yet so the air smelled sweetly floral. Northern California has so many traits that remind you of the old west when the sun beats down on you as you look out over the mountains. It's truly a mesmerizing sight. 

    So while walking I remembered long ago when I was in France meeting an old woman and her granddaughter in Chablis. The grandmother had called me over while I was walking past their home because I had looked lost to her. (Which I was...) Due to my lack of french her granddaughter had to translate for us. This is one of those chance meetings that you remember for you whole life. They asked me to share a bottle of wine with them in their garden. It was a perfect evening! 

     As the sun set and we sipped our wine with Edith Piaf playing on the grandmother's record player (no joke!) I looked around the garden and simply savored the moment. Then the grandmother said this which the granddaughter translated to me, "Tis magnific! In French gardens there's only beauty, no murder or intrigue like English gardens." 

    Off and on through the years I thought of the grandmother and granddaughter  and that french garden. Tonight my California garden rivaled it in different ways. No less beautiful and sans intrigue.

            There's just something about Ivy...I would love a house someday to be covered in ivy...

                   Hydrangea bushes are so simple and yet so lovely

  Napa Valley is one of the premier grape growing regions in the world and looking at these cypress tree it feels like he valley is part of Tuscany

            And the lovely lavender delightfully scent the warm evening...

         With this curtain of vines, its time to say goodnight and sweet dreams!