Thursday, April 17, 2014

Days of Wine and Wildflowers


When the weather is cool and overcast, we like to escape inland - which we did on Tuesday.


Steve needed to pick up his weekly supply of wine at Firestone Vineyards-


 - just kidding! 


Foley Family Wines licensed the images of 8 paintings for wine labels and part of the contract is 2 cases of each wine when there is a new bottling.


While Steve took care of business, Lulu and I walked around the vineyard.


The courtyard was empty except for us so Lulu was able to run on the grass


while I enjoyed the reds and purples dotting the space.


We found more color in the wildflowers blooming between the vines.


When I retired, my dream was that my garden would be blooming just like this gorgeous spot at the vineyards.


But, this little girl does not rest so peacefully in my garden so I haven't quite achieved my goal.


For the first time ever, poppies sprouted in the front planter.


And, I can't wait to fill this wheelbarrow which we found on the street  today (with a sign marked FREE) with wildflowers.


I might not achieve the look of the wildflowers at Firestone, but I sure can give it a try.

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44 comments:

  1. So enchanting... I love your wildflower pix ~

    Do you ever make it up to the Santa Barbara wine country?
    Divine!

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  2. Hi Carol, your photos are wonderful and I just love how they used the space between the grape vines for wild flowers. I would love to grow something that gorgeous, too :)
    Happy Easter.
    Connie :)

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  3. I am surprised there were no other visitors! It is so pretty and wineries are very popular to visit. You are lucky to have the place to yourself. And it is impressive your husband's art is on wine labels! My mom had a vintage, like really, really rusty, vintage wheelbarrow that she planted with nasturtiums and they trailed over the edges so beautifully. It moved with them three or four times until it was too fragile to move without it falling apart. Glad you had a great day.

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  4. What an idyllic place. And your hubby is so talented. You must be so proud of him. My wheelbarrow in the garden is a street find too. Mine is a little rusty than yours. But it's doing a good job. I planted some ranunculus and snap dragons in it. So useful, I can't imagine it going in landfill.
    I do my best to help the planet.

    Hope you have a wonderful Easter Carol.

    Blessings,

    Aida

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  5. What beautiful photographs! The wildflowers are just gorgeous and the colors brilliant! Oh, your wheel barrow will look incredible filled with flowers!
    Hoppy Easter~

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  6. And I know you will try, and something fabulous is going to pop out from your efforts! Carol, that Lulu is a prize...she is HILARIOUS even when lying down because I suspect she is dreaming up some fun trouble! hahahah

    Oh what fabulous colors! I told you we got snow day before yesterday. OH BOY, when oh when are we gonna get our spring!

    Enjoy your Easter weekend dearest friend. Anita

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  7. Heheheheh coming round to yours for a drink! Love the wildflowers in the vineyard.

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  8. I love all the beautiful flowers !! Your dog looked peaceful to me. :):) Whoa Steve, slow down boy. LOL. Carol, that was a funny picture and caption. Blessings for a wonderful Good Friday, xoxo,Susie

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  9. Oh such cheerful flowers. Could you imagine such a garden outside your window? Thanks for sharing the photos!

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  10. Carol,

    Again visiting you put a big smile on my face. Loved your title play on words. Clever mon amie. I think the deal Steve worked out with the winery is brilliant. I'm not familiar with the vineyard but will check it out. I would love to see the art for them all 8 paintings.

    I too adore wildflowers and think they will look adorably perky and happy in your wheel barrel find. Oh that Lulu and her antics!

    Happy Easter wishes to you and Steve.
    XO,
    Vera

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  11. I love wildflowers. They are so beautiful! I'm sure your gardens will soon be overflowing with lush colors.
    Love the wheelbarrow you brought home.
    Happy Easter,
    Mary Alice

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  12. Love the wildflowers growing between the vines - sooo pretty! Great score on that wheelbarrow!!

    Have a wonderful Easter!

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  13. Beautiful wildflowers and vineyard! I can't wait to see what you do with the wheelbarrow!

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  14. Oh what a dream, of wild flowers! Oh my! I'd love something like that too.

    Can't wait to see your free wheel barrow, blooming with wild flowers. :-)

    Don't understand about the wine and the commissioned paintings, but I'm new here.

    Tessa~

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  15. What a gorgeous winery! The wildflowers are spectacular. The wheelbarrow was a lucky find...love the patina on it and it will look gorgeous filled with wildflowers. And...they will be out of Lulu's reach! She is such a cutie.
    Have a blessed Easter weekend....Vicky

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  16. Hi Carol,
    What a beautiful winery - the wildflowers are lovely as are your photographs. The wheelbarrow is perfect and will be amazing planted with wildflowers and out of reach of adorable Lulu.

    Sending Easter Blessings and Wishes for a Joyful Day.
    Erin

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  17. That was so funny about the wine...at first, I was like, "Wow!" lol

    That vineyard is gorgeous...I LOVE the wildflowers. They're my favorite type of flowers.

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  18. That's a very pretty winery it would be a joy to go there.
    merle............

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  19. i love the wildflowers. so pretty & simple. love the wheelbarrow. i wonder what you are working on? ( :

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  20. What a glorious day! Love the labels too -

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  21. OMGosh, OMGosh, OMGosh I just realized that I put a wheel barrel like that at the curb last fall with a sign that said free...I totally wasn't even thinking I could use it in my garden...what a dork I am!!! Shesh... Anyway, vineyards are beautiful and your flowers are as well!! Blessings, Cindy

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  22. Carol, I was so relieved to hear that Steve didn't drink that much wine in a week. Put a new meaning to the word wine-o. lol! Gorgeous flowers. Purple and red is my favorite color combo in the garden. The wheelbarrow is awesome! Glad you found it first! Happy Easter and thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  23. What a great find the wheel barrel was! I think my hubby has an old one out by the shed...it just might end up in the front yard with flowers in it.
    hugs,
    Cindy

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  24. Goodness gracious how gorgeous is that vineyard! And I clicked on the link and Steve's painting is just amazing! Now let's talk about your garden! Your colors are fantastic! LOVE THE POPPIES!!! I just love everything about them! And really...you found that wheelbarrow on the street?!?! That is crazy insane because it is like the most perfect color and shape...can't wait to see it filled with garden goodness! A wonderful weekend to you!!! Nicole xoxo

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  25. OH those wildflowers between the vines are unbelievable! Just gorgeous.

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  26. What a beautiful place to visit and relax! I am looking forward to seeing what you do with the wheelbarrow. I was a great score!

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  27. I like my red wine in the evening with dinner. I live in a dry county though and used to have to drive to Missouri to get alcohol....what was I thinking moving here? Now it's better and the Walmart 20 minutes away carries beer and wine but you can't buy it on Sundays which is when I like to go because everyone else is in church! LOL! I buy a brand called The Mad Housewife.
    I think Steve made a great deal. Love the labels and the wildflowers and your CA poppies which used to come up every year on my little farm in IA..orange ones too! I miss them. Have a great weekend.

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  28. Thanks for showing me your blog.

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  29. I have never seen wildflowers amongst vineyards, what a lovely and pretty idea. I hope you have just as good display in the wheelbarrow. That's a great deal getting the wine as part payment for Steve's wonderful illustrations. Sarah x

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  30. The wildflowers are stunning and I'm sure great inspiration for Steve! Enjoy and thanks for sharing!

    Poppy

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  31. The wildflowers in the winery are gorgeous but your garden always looks so gorgeous to me, because there are so many different areas to look at.
    Love the wheelbarrow, what a great freebie. I've planted up a dustbin and have an old metal mop bucket from work, which I need to plant up soon.
    My dog doesn't dig up plants luckily but he has made a real mess scratching up my tiny lawn, and I'd like to get rid of it and pave it over.

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  32. The flowers are so pretty at the vineyard and at your home.

    We planted a wheelbarrow full of flowers last year. It turned out very nice when it regrew after the deer ate the plants :) Going to plant more seeds in it this year.

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  33. For sure you can give it a try !
    I love your dream you had when you retired about the flowers !
    I love your energy and all the things you do !
    And the fact you are sharing with us overhere all those adventures .
    Sending you some dutch hugs .....

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  34. We're having our backyard re-done this spring, and I was looking at the list of toxic plants on the SPCA website, and I'm overwhelmed! I think I'll add a small dog run to the plans so I don't have to worry so much.

    I do love wildflowers. Your photos are so pretty, Carol!

    xo,
    RJ

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  35. You were sure lucky to have the grounds all to yourself, so pretty with everything in bloom. I'd say Steve struck a great deal with the cases of wine. Hope you're freebie wheelbarrow is blooming real soon.

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  36. Your photos are beautiful as are the flowers.

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  37. What a beautiful place to visit. So gorgeous. The wheel barrow was a great find - - perfect for flowers

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  38. How dreamy, beautiful and yummy! xoxo Jen

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  39. Oh... I just love your rusty wheelbarrow. How perfect it will be filled with flowers. Those wildflowers are amazing!

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  40. Thank you for the tour trough the lovely countryside - realy wonderful. I love poppys.

    Sigrun

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  41. Looks like one beautiful place to be...love all the flowers!

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  42. I love the wildflowers between the vine rows. Lulu was right at home. And I LOVE your wheel barrow. We have two---one is very old and rusted out but plastic in the bottom holds in the soil for my summer blooms..

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