the 20th avenue garden re-emerges

Adrienne Sutton's garden is looking pretty good these days. The Pacific Northwest continues to amaze me on many levels, its productivity being one of them. This garden takes a lot of work, but a moderate climate and the steady amount of rain we get make the garden grow like mad. What's cool is we can grow almost anything here - corn, tomatoes, beans, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, peas, carrots, asparagus, radishes.... We just got an olive tree, and if they ever perfect a PacNorWest avocado I'll be in heaven.

We are currently harvesting lots of radishes, asparagus, leafy greens, leeks - all the early season stuff. But what's most impressive in the garden now are all of our flowers - spring up here is stunning. Below are some pictures I have been taking over the last month. For those of you that are my FB friends, you've already seen these.

Flowering red currant is a native up here and one of the first things to bloom. We have about 10 of these in the garden.

This is the other first-flowerer of the season - the native salmon berry. Grows like a weed and produces semi-sweet beautiful salmon colored berries.

Next come the tulips, which have stunning color on a sunny day.

This guy looks like an upside down tulip, but in fact is a lily.

Then the cherry tree comes to life and bursts with white flowers.

This is one of my favorite plants in the yard - don't even know what it is, but it is stunning!

Next come the azaleas and rhododendrons...

And now the next round of bulbs are coming up - irises!

Things are looking fly around here - you should come visit!

afternoon light revisited

I know I've written of this before, but the afternoon light in the Pacific Northwest is like no other place I've ever been. An extended dusk draws out the long rays of the sun, and the usual cloud-cover bends them into colors that make you stop what you're doing and enjoy. Yesterday, an afternoon squal brought in the dark rainclouds - but the sunshine was on its heels, and created the brightest end-to-end rainbow we've ever seen. It lit up the hillsides and trees in a post-storm glow that was stunning.

the fellowship continues...

Once in a great while, when the stars align and someone rides herd on the group, a special subset of the Knauss '06 class meets to reminisce fondly of good times passed. They gather in mystical, magical places, often the western state of California, pretending to be wealthy by taking up residence in beach homes, farmhouses, or not-so-modest bungalows with sweeping views of the mighty Pacific. Food is eaten, wine is imbibed, and memories are stoked of a Washington, D.C. in saner times. Who knew Richard Pombo would ever, ever seem like a reasonable chap?

The stars aligned (and Emily rode herd) for all of us the first weekend of April 2014. Sans a handful of Mainers, we met in the NorCal countryside, rented a farmhouse with a big pool, big yard, big kitchen...big everything. Big was what we needed since 18 (including Knauss spouses and Knauss spawns) needed shelter.  Its pretty remarkable that a bunch of us still get get together nearly 10 years after our fellowship - perhaps a testament to the unique friendships that would have been there regardless, with the fellowship simply serving as the delivery vehicle?

2016 will mark the 10 year anniversary of our time in D.C. - already looking forward to that one...

The trip started with some smooth sailing into Oakland, where Emily picked us up and we got to see her incredible apartment on Lake Merritt and scratch Hazel the cat.

These were our lush accommodations in Sebastopol - a farmhouse on 3 acres.

Great gardens and landscaping.

The pool and hot tub were made of rocks!

Out back there was a greenhouse, chicken coop, pond full of frogs, and gardens.

Ladies, chattin poolside. Temps were chilly when we arrived - low 60s.

Can you guess which fellow this is?

Dinner on night one.

Kids had a living room picnic.

Where everyone hangs out - the kitchen...

Slimon and Mav, makin Patty cry...

A peaceful front porch scene - about to be dashed by children running laps.

Aaaand, there they go...

 Kiddos sitting still for a split second...

 Mav trying desperately to get people out the door for wine tasting.

Russian River Valley wine tasting.

Cool old wine tasting room.

 Wine tasters!

Mad arranging skillz, by Elle.

Next winery!

Mav and A learning as Patty looks on.

Stamp of approval!

Loungers

Back to the house for more serial hanging out.

Hello, fellows!

 Kiddos gotta get some 'tube time...

 The pool was the best spot, especially when it warmed up to 75.

 The kids (big ones included) loved the hot tub.

Off to the Santa Rosa Wetlands.

The path.

Fellows on a trail.

Gorgeous spring oaks.

Back to the house for more kickin back.

Getting the fire ready.

Tellin ghost stories.

 Emily explains the changes poor Tin-Tin has undergone over time. Also, the appearance of a strange dolphin forage mammal appeared, complete with tiger stripes.

 This is my blog, so I get to end it with a pic of A and me.