5/12/2009 Big Trees and a Winery

After a wonderful yesterday and all the walking we did we must have been pretty tired because Bob knocked on the rig door at 9 a.m. and woke us up. It didn't take us long to get ready for another day of sightseeing.

Our first stop was the Ferrari-Carano Winery.

The grounds were just lovely. Grass just as thick and green as it could be, beautiful flowers beds and a wonderful walk thru garden.

We came upon this sculpture of this boar.

You can read here why this boar holds special meaning.

It just made Karen and me sick to watch the gardener's pull these perfectly good flowers out of the ground. It seems the next "planting" had arrived and they had to get them in the ground before they died. Well, what about these? There was still a lot of life left in these marigolds...like all summer!

Of course at a winery you would find of grape vines.

We went inside the building itself but it was much too dark to take pictures without flash and because everything was behind glass, with flash, all I got was the flash light and my reflection in the picture as shown below.

So you'll have to trust me that it was indeed beautiful and interesting inside.

Now outside, well, that's a different story, I CAN show you that. We walked through the garden on the grounds. A perfect way to spend a spring day.

We saw this rooster walking around and thought about our friend Wilf right away. He knows why.

Now you know I couldn't be in this garden amongst all these flowers and not take some close ups.

It was time to move on.

Next stop was the lake. Oh gosh, I forget the name of the lake but it sure was pretty.

By now tummy rumblings were being heard so we stopped for lunch. We stopped at the Dry Creek General Store,,,or,,, Dry Creek Bait and Tackle, depending on which sign you read.

Trust me, it was neither. It was a great old building with wooden plank floors and what looked like original wall shelves. There was a wine section, a small grocery section and a lunch counter. Personally, I thought the prices were a little on the high side. Now I know this is just the Queen of Cheap coming out in me but I'm sorry, I think $5.50 is a tad high for a kids peanut and butter jelly sandwich. There wasn't even a small bag of chips or juice box included with that. The two Bob's got sandwiches which they both raved about. Karen had crackers and Brie and I had a Pepsi and a few of Karen's crackers. We sat at the picnic tables in front of the building itself and just enjoyed lunch and the day.

Before we left Karen and I thought it best to visit the little girls room. Wow, what we would have missed if we didn't. Now I had heard when we were waiting for sandwiches (the place was quite busy) that back in the not too distant past this was a general store for the local residents and a biker bar of sorts. The Gallo brothers bought it several years ago and things have changed of course. I don't if it was THE Gallo brothers that bought it but since we ARE in wine country it wouldn't be out of the question that it was Ernest and Julio or at least the descendents thereof. (Go ahead LaVon, use thereof in YOUR blog now!) So we go to the ladies room and see this!

Bob and I have been in bars where all kinds of things hang from the ceilings but we just weren't expecting it HERE. There was one wall hanging that caught my eye. Can you imagine????? (Double click on picture to enlarge)

More sights were calling so it was time move on. Our next stop was the Austin Creek State Recreation Area, or more specifically, the Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. Home of redwoods. Home of giant trees.

As we walked along the path amongst the trees I couldn't help but be mindful of the fact that the serene, majestic beauty of this grove is a living reminder of the magnificent redwood forest that covered much of this area before logging operations began many years ago. Did they know what they were doing? Were they aware that they were cutting down these beauties and that it would take years, no, tens of years to replenish the land with these giants? That unlike a run of the mill pine tree that would be full grown in 25 - 30 years that it would take a hundred or more for these redwoods to reach full height?

The trees known as coast redwood is the tallest living thing on our planet! These remarkable trees live to be 500-1,000 years old, grow to a diameter of 12-16 feet, and stand from 200-250 feet tall. Some trees survive to over 2000 years and tower above 350 feet. If you haven't seen these redwood trees can you even fathom the size of them? To give you some inkling of an idea of their size here I am standing next to one and trust me it isn't one of the biggest ones we've seen.

Here's one where I stood at the base of a tree and just looked up. Amazing isn't it?

Bob found one tree that had hollowed out at the bottom.

He had no problem standing up in it with lots of room to spare.

We took the trail to see the Armstrong Tree.

We passed picnic groves which I'm sure are in use most summer weekends.

On the way we came across the another tree that at one time had been engulfed in flames. Fire nor insects can kill these trees. If a tree is struck by lightning then it grows two more branches. if you will, on either side of it for stability. So it may look like three trees growing side by side but in actuality it is one tree.

Is the size of these things starting to set in yet?

We could see all the way through this one.

Further on down the path we found this one that had fallen down. Can you imagine the sound that must make? I wonder if people think its a mini earthquake? Bob is 5' 10" tall. This tree is laying on its side!

Another fallen tree.

Bob and Karen take in the Armstrong Tree.

This tree is three hundred and eight feet in height, fourteen point six feet in diameter and approximately 1400 years old. Now there was not even a chance of me getting this all of this tree in one picture. Maybe if I stood a half mile away I might have been able to then. So take my word for it, its big! Think about it, 308 feet tall, a thirty story building.

Here's Karen standing next to a fallen tree that is taller than her, even though it is laying on its side.

Our sightseeing was done and it was time to head home again. We had a really nice dinner of pork loin, potatoes and salad. We spent the evening talking and just being together. Another great day with friends. Isn't this what its all about?