From doodles to Painting with Pixels

Yesterday's post of small doodles of Cooper and Caddy was an amusing experiment of trying to coordinate an IPad app and posting to my blog. What continues to intrigue me is the line between processing photos and drawing and painting. I snapped the images below while we were in California. I don't consider them good photography, but I did love the blur and sense of motion in the originals and thought a few tools and tweaks would enhance the feeling.





To fly!

Cooper and Caddy

Our two bad boys on Mere Point! It is unusually warm for Memorial Day in Maine...it already feels like the Dog Days of Summer!

Experimenting with an IPad Doodle app and wanted to see if I could send it to Blogger!

Memorial Day

Healdsburg, California

This touching memorial is in the town square of Healdsburg, California. It is tucked out of the way in a corner of the small park yet, as I watched, many people stopped in front of it to spend a quiet moment. I took quite a few pictures experimenting with angles and light, trying to capture the essence of the artist's interpretation. I later added the antique finish.

From the Forest.....To the Shore

Jenner, California

We made our way from our morning amongst the towering redwoods and the leafy emerald forest to Jenner, on the coast. It took no longer than a twenty-five minute drive from the unique micro climate of Armstrong Woods to the windswept shore with its necklace of wildflowers.

In Jenner, we sampled varieties of oysters that tasted like deep, cold salt water and sipped sparkling wine while looking out at the view above.









We drove, slowly, back to Guerneville, the tall trees and the embrace of misty green foliage.

Bubbly

Just trying a little test post as I have not been able to login to Blogger for days (still can't, but I have somehow arrived here through my Bookmarks.) Arrgh! Have missed being in touch with everyone and hope you have not been badly affected by the recent glitches. Hooray and cheers if this works!

Day 3 ~ From the Forest...

The incredible lush greens and towering redwoods on a foggy morning at Armstrong Woods Redwood State Park in Guerneville, California.

Bella the Wine Dog ~ Day 2

Those who know me won't be surprised by the dog angle in our wine country tour! Meet Petroni's fourteen year old Bella in her Easter finery. Most wineries, we saw, had dogs of all varieties and sizes on the premises. Bella, huge and gentle, was my favorite.

We were attracted by Petroni's magnificent setting, high in the mountains. Notice the steep slope of the vineyard.

Originally built as a summer house for the owner, the wine tasting site felt like home...even more so because we were joined by our dear Mere Point friend, "KRL."

The tasting room.

While on the subject of dogs, "KRL" is very involved with an organization devoted to the rescue of German Shorthair Pointers (NOR Cal GSP Rescue) in northern California. Their wine label was designed from a photo I took of KRL's Caddy in Maine. With 92 photos, he has long been my muse! And because we missed Cooper terribly, while we were away, please click here!

An Ancestor in Common?

My genealogist husband has spent many hours tracking down the Twomey line, of Cork County, Ireland, on his mother's side of the family, so it was natural to stop by Twomey winery in Healdsburg, California. While Peter was inside tasting and buying some of their very attractive wineglasses, I slipped outside to photograph the magnificent view from the garden picnic area. If you enlarge the image, you can just glimpse the windmill designed to blow away damaging fog in the vineyard.

This framed photo is displayed on the wine tasting counter. A Twomey ancestor, also from Cork County.

The wineglasses arrived several days ago and I'll always associate them with the lovely view across the Russian River valley and the pretty garden at the winery.

Jordan Winery

One of the prettiest wineries we visited, Jordan in Healdsburg, California, deserves a post all its own.





I loved the wisteria framing the windows!





We discovered the winery only does private tastings seven years ago when we had very limited time in Sonoma. This time, arrangements were made well in advance! We received a warm welcome in Jordan's elegant setting where we spent a delightful afternoon sampling wonderful wines and cheeses with knowledgeable staff.

Below, a few shots of the garden, a photographer's dream!








Spring wildflowers frame the surrounding landscape.

Wisteria and Wine

Every turn and curve in Sonoma wine country reveals fresh views of pale green new leaves on vines hugging the hills in undulating patterns. Even small weathered houses, beside the larger growers, have a patch of vines. Climbing every surface, wisteria drapes gracefully over doorways, trellises and fences, the delicate blossoms perfuming the air everywhere.

Tender young plants can be seen across the road at Dry Creek Winery in Healdsburg, California.

Dappled light through the wisteria at Lambert Bridge Winery in Healdsberg.

Seen through a window, a woman tends the vines at Lambert Bridge.

We stumbled across Lambert Bridge Winery seven years ago with its welcoming picnic tables. This time we came prepared with a selection of cheeses and bread. The winery supplies the wine and glasses.

Cheers!

Let Us Celebrate With Wine ~ Day 1

Let us celebrate with wine, not the death of a killer in Abottabad, but the resilience of our people...hardworking people who made their dreams come true in America. There are stories to be found in every mile from one coast to the other, but few tales unfurl their beautiful and complex layers with every curve in the road as the cultivation of the vines in California wine country.

Early vintners tore out prune orchards and planted grapes and challenged an established industry with an astounding product. The effort was, and continues to be, intense as every vine receives a human touch multiple times from pruning the first tiny grape clusters to the late night harvest under lights. Every vineyard has its own personality and style. Their histories vary as do names like Petroni, Twomey, Sbragia, Paul Hobbs and Darioush. The following photos were taken at Sbragia in Geyserville, California, spring 2011. More to come!