Books I'm Reading: The Age of Wonder

I've just finished The Age of Wonder (originally published in England, by Harper Press, 2008, although I read the 2010 paperback edition from Vintage Press), by Richard Holmes, a writer with a long list of publications preceding this, mostly works on Shelley, Coleridge, and the English Romantic Poets. Covering the romantic period of scientific investigation in Europe (roughly from 1770 to 1820), The Age of Wonder is a portrait of the birth of modern science and the period during which many still-current views were formed about the meaning of the pursuit of science.

Holmes paints his portrait of the age through biographies of some of the most influential men and women of the day. The story is told mostly through the lives of Joseph Banks, William Herschel and his sister Caroline Herschel (and, later, William's son John), and Humphrey Davy--although the text is delightfully wide-ranging, with sections on balloonists and Frankenstein, and much about the response of poets and writers to advances in the science of the day. Other major themes include faith--and it was during this period, it seems, that many European thinkers really embraced the notion of a godless world, even if few of them (Shelley being an outstanding exception) were willing to openly profess atheism--and the debate on vitalism (the question of whether there is something that can be called a life force). Sections on Banks in Tahiti, on Caroline Herschel (an unjustly neglected figure), on Davy nearly killing himself during experiments on laughing gas and other gases, and on the context of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein were particularly vivid. I needn't add much more, I suppose, as this was a bestseller and has been widely reviewed, but I'd call it a top-notch piece of intellectual history. I very much enjoyed it. Recommended.

Wines I'm Drinking: Sonoma Wine Tasting

I hadn't intended to go wine tasting yesterday, but I did, and it's something I should do more often, given the proximity of the Sonoma wineries. I had planned only to drive over to Rochioli, one of our best producers of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, to pick up some wine waiting for me there, but I got to talking with the man behind the tasting room bar and the conversation turned to rosé. Regrettably, Rochioli has run out of the most recent batch of their Pinot Noir rosé, but the man recommended Lynmar Estate for another good rosé of Pinot Noir, so I decided to make a stop there on the way home. I got sidetracked by Moshin Vineyards, which was between the two. So, I visited three wineries in all.

Moshin is a name I've heard a lot, but I'd never tried their wines, so I decided to stop when I saw the sign. I tasted a range of wines ($5 for five wines, the $5 refunded if you make a purchase) that included an usually crisp, citrus-scented Sauvignon Blanc. Usually I prefer the grassy, catty style of Sauvignon Blanc, but I thought this one successful despite its lack of the hallmark Sauvignon Blanc scent. A refreshing summer wine. I tasted two good Pinot Noirs, one a rather barnyardy Burgundy-like wine, the other a much cleaner, plummy wine. I liked both well enough to think they'd be worth sitting down with and taking some time over. Friendly staff and atmosphere.

Lynmar Estate is simply stunning. I think this is probably the most attractive winery I've ever visited in California. How have I missed this one? The garden at the entry (photo above) is overflowing with sneezeweed and bee balm pushing up in clumps through ornamental grasses, reminiscent of America's prairie lands when the wildflowers are in bloom. The building is new (2006) and of some interest architecturally, with much use of exposed wooden beams--the kind of building that likes to show you how it's engineered--and attractive sitting spaces around the tasting bar. Most striking, however, is the view from the interior spaces over the gardens and the vineyards; the rows of vines rise up like theater seats in rows on gentle slopes behind the plantings closer to the building.

These are full of colorful flowers like sunflowers, cock's comb, and salvias, but there is a heavy emphasis on edible plants as well, notably several varieties of kale, one with striking frilly black leaves. The scent of herbs was in the air (which was very pleasant, although it interfered a bit with tasting the wines; all the wines seemed to smell of herbs, mostly something like dill). An outdoor dining space appears to be used for occasional events, but it begs to be put to use as the setting for a permanent restaurant. The place has an inviting European look that suggests good food, good wine, and good conversation outdoors on summer nights--late into the evening. But, alas, this is Sonoma County, where life shuts down at 8:30. A shame the space is wasted in this way, but Lynmar Estate is a beautiful property worth visiting even if you don't care much about wine or food--which is not to put down the wine. However, there is a downside to the extravagance (see below).

The Pinot Noir rosé I went to try is delicious--dry, crisp and with some delicacy, but with stuffing as well. Aside from the rosé, the tasting room offers two tasting options, an estate tasting of four wines for $10 or a reserve tasting of four for $20--which, frankly, seems a trifle steep to me, especially as the tasting fee is not refunded in either case unless you make a purchase of $100 or more (or over $150 in the case of the reserve tasting). I have to say the wines here seem overpriced--like most California wines. As is too often the case, the consumer is being asked to pay for the unnecessarily expensive facilities, and that is the downside of the meticulously cared-for setting; it's costly. The facilities are beautiful, but when it comes right down to it, entirely unnecessary for the production of fine wine.

Having said that, I enjoyed a crisp 2009 Chardonnay and a 2007 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (cherries, almonds, something creamy, and with a suggestion of pencil shavings on the nose). The 2008 Quail Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir (big, alcoholic, concentrated and with a hint of oranges) seemed somewhat out of balance to me, but it's young. A 2007 Sonoma Coast Syrah seemed less successful (candy, blueberries, closed tannins), although still in need of time to open up. It could still evolve nicely but it's not very approachable at the moment. Peter, behind the tasting bar, was delightful. Turns out he's an active opera singer who lived for years singing in Germany and elsewhere in Europe. The conversation, the Pinot Noir rosé, and the gardens were the highlights of the visit.

Places I'm Visiting: Farmers' Market, Santa Rosa

I went to the Santa Rosa Farmers' Market this weekend in search of good tomatoes, but I was mostly disappointed. There weren't a lot, and it was mostly hothouse tomatoes on offer. It's still a little too early in the season, I guess. There was much else to see. I picked up some fresh garlic from a stand that was offering five or six different kinds. I chatted with the beekeepers. I nodded hello to the man that sells oysters, although I didn't order any today--not sure exactly why. I listened to the traditional jazz band that was playing. I admired a woman's lilies and noticed that the older woman who sells jams and jellies from Southern recipes was looking a little frail. I hope she is well. I love her pepper jelly and her tomato jelly--although they last me so long that I don't buy either as often as I wish I could. I hadn't been to the market in a long time, but it was a pleasant way to start the day. As tomato season approaches, I'll be going more often in the coming weeks.

Miscellaneous: Fun and Useful Website

A Website dedicated to promoting a resurgence of rare and little-used words. A friend sent me a link to this interesting Website and it seemed worth passing on to others. The site allows you to "adopt" rare words. By adopting a word you pledge to use it--to help it survive in the English language. As you pass your cursor over the many words on screen, they plead to be chosen, in needy little voices (yes, the words talk). One of my favorite rare words: "bloviate"--something politicians tend to do. Go to Save the Words to check it out.

Found Art: Manhole Cover and Asphalt, Victoria, B.C. (July 27, 2011)

Walking along a street in Victoria, BC, on my recent trip north to Canada, I saw this radially incised manhole cover surrounded by asphalt patching. Found art.

For more found art, see my blog Serendipitous Art.

On the Road: (Pacific Northwest, 2011) Home Again

I'm home again today, having stayed last night in Reno--at the same hotel I used on the way out, again for $27 a night. I stayed the previous night in Eugene, Oregon. Most of the past two days was spent driving through pretty countryside--lush in southern Oregon, gradually drier and more rocky as I moved into California and Nevada. Along the way I stopped at the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, where I took the driving tour of the wetlands there. I got a new life bird, the Redhead, a duck that's not that uncommon, but one I'd never managed to see before. There were hundreds of Eared Grebes (photo), in the breeding plumage we rarely see at home in Sonoma County. Otherwise, it was mostly Coots, Scaup, and White Pelicans--and blue dragonflies, whole clouds of them clinging to the vegetation by the water. Along the way, stopped at a stoplight, I found myself behind a pair of bikers. Check out their license plates (hers says BW8N4ME, his says IBW8N4U).

On the Road: (Pacific Northwest, 2011) Vancouver, WA

Starting out this morning I had intended to head south from Portland, having arrived back there late at night from Victoria, BC, but I got on the highway going north instead of south and found myself in Vancouver--Vancouver, Washington, that is, not back in Canada--in other words, just north of Portland. In finding my way back to the highway I kept seeing signs pointing to Fort Vancouver and references to the Hudson's Bay Company. Intrigued, I decided to follow them. Last time I posted here I remarked that the downside to a largely unplanned road trip like this is that you sometimes miss interesting opportunities because of timing. The flip side is that you sometimes stumble upon things worth seeing.

Fort Vancouver was established by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1825 and eventually grew to a community of about 800 inhabitants at its peak in the mid-1840s. This was the Bay Company's administrative headquarters for all of the northwest, from the Pacific Ocean to the Rockies in the east and San Francisco to the south. It was the center of profitable trapping, trading, and agricultural operations. It appears to have been largely self-sufficient, with its own carpenters, gunsmiths, smithy, and trading post, as well as housing and extensive gardens and orchards, some of which have been recreated. An interesting way to start a day that was otherwise spent heading south as far as Eugene. I took Highway 99, through wine country and farmland, rather than I-5, as the scenery is so much better along the smaller road. Tired from yesterday's long drive, I plan to stay in Eugene tonight and make one more stop before arriving home, probably in Reno because of the cheap casino-town hotels. There's also a good wine bar there I discovered on the way north.

On the Road: (Pacific Northwest, 2011) Vancouver, Victoria

I've been on the move the past couple of days. The weather hasn't been the best--it rained in Vancouver, where I did little more than walk around the Yaletown and Gas Town neighborhoods. In Gas Town, I happened to walk by a steam-powered chiming clock that was just indicating the hour; it appears to be famous. The highlight, however, was an all too-short visit to Stanley Park, which is lush and beautiful, much like Golden Gate Park, although it seems considerably larger and it has some genuinely forested areas. I should have planned to spend more time there, but that's the downside to spontaneous travel--sometimes you miss opportunities. During my brief visit I did a little casual bird watching at the Lion's Gate Bridge overlook, where I saw Red-breasted Sapsuckers, Black-capped Chickadees, White-crowned Sparrows, Downy Woodpeckers, a beautifully bright Yellow Warbler, and what I think was a Black-throated Grey Warbler. The Downy Woodpeckers here are greyer than ours, their caps more orange.

I crossed over to Vancouver Island in the afternoon of the 18th and drove down from the port near Sidney and out to Sooke, to the West. I found a quirky, inexpensive B&B in an old (1870) house with character and a character for a proprietress. She sat me down in the kitchen and wouldn't dismiss me until all the formalities were thoroughly taken care of. I had hoped to do some bird watching in the area, but nowhere recommended turned out to have anything of special interest. I missed seeing the larks known to live in the area that are now very restricted in range, although I checked for them at the little cemetery by the airport where they are said to hang out. I stopped at a good winery, however, on the way down from the ferry port, Church and State, where the very friendly and helpful Lyndell poured the entire line for me to taste (I asked about the somewhat odd name--"it's all about balance," she said with a smile). They make an excellent Pinot Gris with real character from Vancouver Island fruit and some good wines from Okanagan Valley fruit, notably a good 2008 Chardonnay and a 2006 Meritage. Awinery worth looking out for.

When two years ago I made a road trip like this one (heading east across the country, going as far as Ohio and back) the food along the route was generally appalling. In contrast, I've had good luck with food on this trip. Interesting Read Island Oysters at Blue Water Bistro in Vancouver and dinner last night at the Sooke Harbour House (an inn and a restaurant; 1528 Whiffen Spit Rd., (250) 642-3421). The dining room at the Harbour House has a good view over the ocean with forested islands as a backdrop. I wached the fog engulf them as I ate. The staff were notably professional, attentive, and enthusiastic about the food and the wine. The wine list is fabulous. I had a very tasty white blend called Blind Trust (Pinot Gris, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Blanc) from Laughing Stock Vineyards, and tasted several other wines; talking about wine with the waitress and sommelier, they kept bringing me tastes. I was particularly impressed by an island rosé of Pinot Noir. Clearly some very good wine is being made here. The weather seems to be difficult, though. Lyndell at Church and State said they didn't even pick the fruit last year because the summer was so cool, and the grapes appear to be well behind schedule this year, too. On my way out, I took a good look at the vines and was startled to see that they were just flowering....

I had an excellent salad made from local greens, local herbs, and edible flowers. It tasted like my garden. I followed that with mussels, clams, and gooseneck barnacles in broth, garnished with shungiku, and had a salmon main dish with an array of garnishes (including turnips, pesto, and shrimp-stuffed crayfish) that kept offering surprises. Excellent. I was tempted to stay another night, just to enjoy the restaurant again. Today, I spent a little time checking out spots that were recommended for birding near the Inner Harbor at Victoria, but there was nothing to see. All the gulls appear to be Glaucous Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls. I write this as I wait to board the ferry bound for Port Angeles, north of Seattle. I plan to make a quick move south, making it to the Portland area again tonight, if I can, but I suspect I'll peter out early.

On the Road: (Pacific Northwest, 2011) Portland, Seattle

I spent most of the day yesterday in a drab hotel room, working. Today, with rain in the forecast, I decided on some indoor entertainment. I headed for the Portland Art Museum to see the current shows "The Allure of the Automobile"--18 fabulous cars--and "Auto Magic," the latter an arresting collection of photographs by Ray K. Metzker, many with automotive themes to go with the cars, but some of the prints were so beautiful--with highlights like polished silver glowing out from deep, light-absorbent blacks--that the subject matter seemed irrelevant. This is a photographer I knew nothing about, but I'm very glad to have been able to see these very seductive images.

Outside the museum, a group of enthusiasts were showing off their cars (a weekly event, it seems, not connected directly with the exhibit). Miss Oregon was present (both in the museum and outside), for no discernible reason--and no one had an explanation for her presence (I enquired). She just dropped in--tiara, "Miss Oregon" sash, pert bottom and all? Who knows?

The cars in the museum were breathtaking examples--in the true sense of the word "breathtaking." The love and care in their design and construction were palpable. Spoked wheels, ostrich leather interiors, ribbed chrome grills designed to gulp air in huge draughts, hand-tooled gas caps, door handles that seemed designed to throw sinuous, sexy shadows on silver doors. Every detail perfect. Names like Alfa Romeo, Bugatti, Ferrari, Hispano-Suiza. Why are cars so boringly designed today?

Afterwards I went to the 3D Center of Art and Photography (1928 NW Lovejoy St.)--a small, unassuming space, but a fascinating one with a staff that will show you around in person with great enthusiasm for the subject matter--which is just about every aspect of 3D photography. There are the familiar images with red and blue ghosts that come to life when you wear those paper glasses with one red lens, one blue lens, but also images that rely on a number of other phenomena to create 3D images, both still and moving. A small theatre at the back shows short 3D films and slide shows. I saw a moving (in the emotional sense) slide show about the 3D photographs of one Ben Bathurst, lovingly narrated with wit and enthusiasm by his grandson, Otto Bathurst--black and white 3D slides made in the 1920s, mostly of mountain-climbing scenes. Fascinating stuff. Well worth the visit here.

Grabbed a quick lunch at a sandwich shop called Emanon down the street, recommended by the people at the 3D Center (excellent sandwich--I can second the recommendation), and then headed north to Seattle for a 6:00PM appointment at the Zig Zag Café with Louis, my first college roommate, near the Pike Place Market. Had an excellent dinner at Lecosho over conversation about theater, writing, and art--mussels followed by a squid pasta. Yum.

Miscellaneous: Caramel is a Three-syllable Word

It annoys me that so many people say "karml" when they mean "caramel"--the familiar product of sugar and heat. Yesterday I had an experience that was particularly annoying: In a Starbucks I saw a big, hand-lettered chalkboard sign promoting the latest coffee drink. The concoction was described as being "carmelly smooth." Have people started spelling it as if it were two syllables, too?

(Photo by Evan-Amos, from Wikipedia.)

On the Road (Pacific Northwest 2011) Bend to Portland, Oregon (July 14)

 

Got a late start this morning. I was tired. I slept late. Eventually, I started my day in Bend with a walk around some of the shops in the old downtown area. I wandered into one that specializes in odd things from Japan--everything from Pokémon and Hello Kitty goods to books on the game of Go. The woman working there told me the old downtown was down and out 15 years ago, when she moved into the area, but it prospers now, mostly in restored turn-of-the-century (early 1900s) brick buildings. I then headed over to Pilot Butte, a cinder cone created by extinct volcanic activity virtually in the middle of the town. It gives a panoramic view of Bend and the landscape around it--more cinder cones at varying distances, snow-covered volcanic peaks in the far distance, some of the latter in the classic cone shape, others eroded by glaciation. There's a road to the summit, but also a walking trail. I strolled a bit, with my binoculars, of course. I saw a nice Ash-throated Flycatcher and some bright yellow clumps of wildflowers that I didn't recognize. The ground was littered with red pumice-like stones, the cinders. They seemed natural here, but I was put in mind of annoying "lava rock" litter on suburban sidewalks where the landscaping is unruly.

Next I set out to find Shevlin Park, a large wooded park north of Bend with a fast stream through it that came recommended for birding. It was very badly signposted. I was about to give up on finding it when I accidentally came across it on my GPS (it wasn't there the first time I looked). I took an hour's walk through pine woods and scrub and then along the river on my way back. It turned out to be an excellent spot. Got a new life bird--Green-tailed Towhee. In places the trees were alive with chickadees--both Black-capped Chickadee and Mountain Chickadee, I believe, and nuthatches. Got a good close-up look at a Hairy Woodpecker. The Northwest subspecies is distinctly buff-colored where ours are white. I saw a Lewis's Woodpecker and a wren and a flycatcher I'm still trying to figure out. More life birds?

Headed north from Shevlin Park out of Bend through Redmond and Warm Springs and then northwest into the Portland area. Not far beyond Bend I drove by a sign that referred to Peter Skene Ogden (the man Ogden, Utah is named after) and a scenic viewpoint, so I turned around to take a look. Beyond a large parking lot surrounded by signs with warnings about attending to children at all times, about keeping dogs on leashes (one said "Many dogs have died here") was a low stone wall. You don't see the steep (300-foot) drop-off just beyond the wall until you're right on top of it. The vista point gives access to stunning views into a gorge cut by the Crooked River and of the three bridges that span the gorge. One is an old railway truss bridge, one is a road bridge, built in 1927 (and, according to one of a number of informative signs, the highest, single-span road bridge in the US when it was new), the third is a modern road bridge (opened in 2000) built to replace the bridge of 1927, which is closed to traffic, but open to pedestrians. The view is pretty spectacular. I'm glad I stopped and went back. Turkey Vultures, Violet-green Swallows, and Swifts were flying in the gorge.

The rest of the day was spent driving through scenery that was pretty, but not up to the level of yesterday. Dinner tonight at Caffe Mingo (503 226-4646, serving until 10:00PM weekdays, 11:00PM weekends), in northwest Portland (807 NW 21st St., the "Alphabet District"), where I write this. Not too expensive, excellent food. Citrus-marinated olives (some of these are Castelvetrano olives, some taste like they've been marinated in hazelnut oil); artichokes crusted with garlic; braised chicken and mushroom risotto; washed down with a glass of Garofoli Verdicchio. Friendly, neighborhood atmosphere, a number of communal tables, an excellent wine list. About half the customers appear to be regulars--always a good sign--with the waiters and waitresses calling customers by name. There is no Wi-Fi connection here, but the connection is good from the restaurant next door, (Serrato, which also looks interesting). Recommended. Now, it's time to look for a place to sleep.... I may stop here again on my way back--if that works out.

On the Road: (Pacific Northwest, 2011): Reno to Bend, Oregon

I'm now having a late dinner (10:00PM) at a McMenamins brew pup in Bend, Oregon, having left Reno this morning. I have yet to find a hotel, but first things first. I took a quick drive around Reno before heading out. I see that there are some older, more interesting neighborhoods, but I took only a quick look. Nothing startlingly interesting--although I did happen to drive by an odd house (?) that looked like a Hawaii-themed campsite, if that makes sense. It looked like what might be called a "folk art environment." Hmmm.... No idea what it was, but it may warrant investigation next time I'm in that area.

Hit the road fairly early, heading first for a place called Honey Lake Wildlife Area, along the northeast shore of Honey Lake. I walked around a bit and saw some birds, notably, dozens of Nighthawks both flying around the way they do, looking for insects on the wing, but also perched in trees, which I've never seen before. Nighthawks are one of my favorite birds. I used to love to watch them at dusk in Ohio, behaving like bats. They don't live where I live now, so it was a lot of fun just to see them. There were many Western Kingbirds (very noisy), a couple of Kestrels, many Brewer's Blackbirds and Red-winged Blackbirds, including at least one that appeared to be a Tricolored Blackbird. There was a Yellow-headed Blackbird as well, and a solitary Spotted Sandpaper.

The rest of the day was mostly spent driving north on Hwy. 395 and then Hwy. 31 and Hwy. 97, to Bend--a long haul, but vastly more interesting than equivalent drives through Nevada or Kansas. At least the scenery was varied and interesting. It was rough and parched in some areas, with exposed rock seams pushing out from softer, eroded rock, looking like gigantic fossil bones. In other places there were lush-looking grasslands and wildflowers--many purple lupines--and always mountains in the distance. About half way along the route, I passed a second large lake, which appears to have been Lake Summer. As I approached Bend, a snow-capped volcanic cone appeared, which may have been Mt. Bachelor. In several places along the route I dodged thunderstorms like then one pictured above.

On the Road: (Pacific Northwest, 2011) Santa Rosa to Reno

Drove the slow route, through Winters on my way east and north from Santa Rosa, heading for the Lake Tahoe area. These are mostly familiar roads. I stopped at Lake Berryessa, near the Montecito Dam to look at the interesting rock formations there--places where sedimentary strata have been turned completely on their side. Stopped here and there to look for birds, but didn't see anything of interest. From Winters I took the freeways, as it was getting late. As it is, I didn't arrive in Reno until about 8:00PM. I had trouble finding a place to eat that was still open at 9:00, which seems bizarre in a casino town, but I found a 4-star hotel room for $27 dollars using Hotwire--first time I've ever done that, but it was brilliant. Had a nice glass of Loire Rosé at an excellent little wine bar called the West St. Wine Bar (148 West St.). Dead on a Tuesday night, but, as a result, had a long, interesting conversation with the man behind the bar, Chase, who had lived and worked in Italy. Very friendly, very knowledgeable. He recommended a restaurant around the corner that serves late, where I had a tasty grilled cheese sandwich--a very late dinner. He told me about an old section of town that I plan to check out on my way out of town--heading north on Hwy 395. The sunflower field below was between Winters and Davis.

Found Art: PG&E Cable Truck (July 12, 2011)

Not long ago I was in Geyserville for the first time in a long time. I visited an interesting little wine bar called Locals. Parked across the street was a PG&E cable truck with large wheels of cable mounted on the back. Looked like art to me. Found art.

For more found art, see my blog Serendipitous Art.

Wines I'm Drinking: 2008 Clos Clémentine Côtes de Provence Rosé

Well into a stretch of hot, summer-like weather now, a cold rosé seemed appropriate this evening. I tried the 2008 Clos Clémentine Côtes de Provence Rosé, made from a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvedre, Syrah, and Rolle. It's one of those very pale, orange-tinged rosé wines so typical of southern France. The grapes used are all familiar except Rolle, which is most closely associated with the tiny appellation Bellet, in the extreme east of the Côtes de Provence, in the hills above Nice. According to Jancis Robinson, it's appreciated for its aromatic qualities and for its comparatively high acidity even when grown in very hot conditions. Recently it's been increasingly planted also in the Languedoc and in Roussillon. Some sources identify Rolle with the Vermentino of fame in Sardinia.

The wine doesn't offer a lot on the nose, but it has some pleasant melon scents. Light but flavorful on the palate with a comparatively low level of acid and a touch of sweetness lingering on a moderately long finish. A nice hint of butterscotch at the very end adds a little complexity. A good, simple food wine for hot summer evenings. Light and pleasant, but not in any way a standout. Reasonably priced at $3.99 at Grocery Outlet.

I have no financial connection with any producer or retailer of wine. 

For more wine reviews, use the Wines I'm Drinking label.

Places I'm Visiting: Wine Country in Amador and El Dorado Counties

At the end of June, I took a trip up to wine country in Amador and El Dorado Counties, in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, heading east on Route 12, taking SR160 through Isleton, and then heading north, ultimately going as far as Coloma, the site of the original Sutter's Mill, where the gold that sparked the Gold Rush was found. Isleton is a small town right on the Sacramento River that I've driven through on  bird-watching trips (the area is good for seeing Sandhill Crane during the winter months; nearby areas are overwintering grounds for hundreds of thousands of ducks and geese each year), but I'd never stopped in Isleton. The town is small, sleepy, and a bit run-down, but with interesting quaint touches here and odd bits of history hanging on there.

[Wine tasting is detailed at the end of this post.]

Like so many places in California associated with the Gold Rush (many hopeful miners passed through here from San Francisco on their way to the gold fields), the place was once bustling to a degree hard to imagine today. The population was many times what it is now (about 850) and riverboats stopped here. Especially interesting are the Chinese-style buildings that remain--evidence of the large Chinese population that once lived in the area. Some of the Chinese apparently farmed and operated stores, others worked building the levees and docks along the river. There is an extant Chinatown and, next to it, a Japanese section. I would have liked to have learned more about the history of the place, but the local museum was closed on a Thursday. Lunch at Maya's (formerly Orilla del Rio; 14133 Market St.) was good. According to my guidebook (Best Places: Northern California, Sasquatch Books, 2010), Isleton was once "the asparagus capital of the world." Today it seems to be best known for crawdads. There is an annual Crawdad Festival on the Father's Day weekend. Just missed it.

From Isleton, passed through Locke, Walnut Grove, and Lodi, and from there into Sutter Creek on Hwy. 88, passing along the north shore of Comanche Reservoir. The towns in the area of Sutter Creek along Hwy. 49--including the tiny Amador City, Jackson, Plymouth, Mokulumne Hill, and others--were all gold towns. They have something of the same feel as Isleton--tattered and abandoned in sections, but with vestiges of a surprisingly rich history. Some of the historic buildings in the area have been restored and put back to use. The rough-hewn stone sidewalks in Sutter Creek, polished by years of use, were particularly attractive in places (photo). Mark Twain once was a regular in this area. It was in a bar at Angel's Camp, about 30 miles to the south, that Twain heard the tale he later wrote as "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," a story that helped bring him his initial fame. Had a good lunch on the "indoor patio" at Susan's Place Wine Bar & Eatery (15 Eureka St.) in Sutter Creek, but stayed the night at the St. George Hotel, in Volcano, California--a curious town with a curious name.

I know little about the geology of Volcano, but there doesn't appear to be a volcano in town. According to a plaque, early settlers thought nearby rock outcroppings looked like a volcano, so that's what they named the town. And why not? What Volcano does have is a deep sense of its own history; almost every building--and many other things in the town, including the fire bell and a Civil War cannon--has a plaque. Volcano is little more than a bend in the road, but there are two hotels--one at each end of the town--a post office, a few restaurants, and a bar or two (yes, each has a plaque). According to my guidebook, however, there were no fewer than 17 hotels in this tiny town during the gold boom.

I stayed at the St. George Hotel, dating from 1862, on the site of two earlier hotels that burned, the first built in 1853. The hotel's main restaurant is reputed to be excellent (as is the restaurant at the town's other hotel, the Union Hotel). Unfortunately, both restaurants were closed, but the hotel bar at the St. George serves decent food and has a good selection of local wines by the glass (I would call the place funky and friendly). There's a small park in the middle of town, about the size of a suburban house lot. In it are two plaques--one referring to a Christmas tree (no longer there) planted in honor of local boys during WWII, the other in honor of Carlo Andrea Dondero (1842-1939), described as "discoverer and founder of the California Carrera Marble Quarry," about three and a half miles southwest of the plaque's location. The monument points out that much of Stanford University was built with stone from this quarry and that many of San Francisco's civic buildings too, including City Hall. Who knew? If that weren't enough, Volcano seems to have had a long history of theater, boasting the first theater group in the state, but, according to the Volcano Theater Company (VTC) Website, Volcano also had the first debating society in the state, the first circulating library, the first private law school, and the first astronomical observatory--not to mention a very active baseball team. Facts like these again underscore the astonishing level of activity in this area while gold was being mined. Right now, the VTC (in its 38th season) is performing Agatha Christie's Murder on the Nile, in the town's outdoor amphitheater (through July 9). A rehearsal was going on as we pulled into town.

The rest of the trip was wine tasting, with a little bird watching mixed in, but not without detours. At the end of the trip I visited Marshall Gold Discovery State Park (in Coloma, just north of Placerville) which has a good historical museum, a working blacksmith, a monument to James W. Marshall, the man who first found gold in the tailrace (the rear water outlet) of Sutter's Mill (Sutter had partnered with Marshall to build a mill here to supply lumber to Sutter's Fort, in Sacramento), a monument showing the location of the original mill, and a full-sized replica of the mill, which fell into disuse only a couple of years after Sutter and Marshall built it. With the recent rains and snowmelt, the river that powered the mill (the South Fork of the American River) was cold and moving swiftly. I also stopped at Grinding Rock State Historic Park, which has the largest grinding rock in North America at the site of an old Miwok Indian village. The petroglyphs mentioned are much worn and very hard to see, but the large slab of rock peppered with holes used to grind acorns and other seeds into meal is interesting (photo). In the trees around the grinding rock I saw a pretty Bullock's Oriole and a number of flycatchers I had to leave unidentified.

I mostly tasted wine at wineries along Shenandoah Rd., just north of Plymouth, in Amador County, and then along Fair Play Rd., at Fair Play, in El Dorado County, staying the night at Fitzpatrick Winery and Inn, on Fair Play Rd., a log building on a hill with a panoramic view of the surrounding vineyards (photo). I enjoyed the spacious room and especially the excellent complimentary breakfast--I had "green eggs" (eggs with spinach) with smoked salmon on top. Had a good evening meal at the Gold Vine Grill, a few miles down the road. I tasted a decent Syrah at Fitzpatrick, but the standout in the area was Skinner, where I tried a truly delicious Grenache and an excellent, Rousanne-Marsanne-Viognier blend, among others--all good. Cedarville came highly recommended, but was closed.

Along Shenandoah Rd., near Plymouth, in Amador County, I tasted wines at Vino Noceto (which is making some very good high-end Sangiovese wines available only at the winery), at Cooper (generally good across the board, but with a certain sameness, and nothing that really excited me--although the Pinot Grigio was quite solid and the tasting room was very attractive and friendly, certainly worth a visit), and at Karmére (overall, the best wines I tasted in the immediate area)--barely scratching the surface. My wine tasting in Amador and El Dorado Counties turned out to be a short familiarization tour. I'd like to go back to do it more methodically at another opportunity.

I got up at 6:00AM after the night at Fitzpatrick and took a walk around the vineyards to look for birds. There was quite a lot of activity. There were many Lark Sparrows (photo), several warblers that got away too quickly to identify, an Ash-throated Flycatcher, Lesser Goldfinches, Western Bluebirds, many Acorn Woodpeckers (feasting on a termite nest along with Kingbirds, Flickers, and a couple of Western Scrub-jays), and an odd bunting-like bird that must have been a Lazuli Bunting but too blue and without the usual russet at the breast (colored like an Indigo Bunting, but with a pale breast)--one of those head-scratchers. Taken as a whole, an excellent little trip.

Wines I'm Growing: Sulfur Spraying Yet Again (2011)

After our bizarre end-of-June storm (0.8 inches of rain) it was necessary to go out this morning again to spray the grape vines with sulfur. A layer of sulfur prevents mildew from forming on the plants or the grapes. Bad mildew can make the grapes useless. The vineyard is so small (34 vines) that any loss of fruit is significant, so I do my best to prevent it. Let us hope that we have no more rain now until after harvest, probably in early October. As is evident from the photo, the grapes are well on their way to forming clusters.

Rain: Real Rain at the End of June (June 28, 2011)

Unless you live in northern California, you won't understand why the title of the this brief post is startling. Any rain in June is unusual here. To have a full-blown downpour is startling indeed. With only two more days to go in the 2010-2011 rainy season (our rainy seasons officially start on July 1 and end on June 30 of the following year; the 2011-2012 season will start in a couple of days), we've had nearly an inch of rain (0.8 inches), bringing the 2010-2011 total at my house to 41.05 inches, well above the historic average annual rainfall in Santa Rosa, which is just under 32 inches. Only a couple days ago I sprayed our grapes with sulfur (to prevent mildew) for what I had hoped would be the last time this season, but I'll have to do it all over again, as soon as things dry out again....

Found Art: Painted Tree Trunk, Calistoga (June 27, 2011)

On a recent trip to Calistoga and some of the other small towns in the area, I took a walk around the grounds of the Indian Springs resort. Big palm trees are planted all around the property. The bases have all been painted white. I liked the texture, the shadows. Found Art.

For more found art, see my blog Serendipitous Art.

Books I'm Reading: God is Not Great

I just finished reading God is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, by Christopher Hitchens (originally published by Twelve: Hatchette Publishing Group, 2007, but I read the paperback edition of 2009). This is a book that until recently had escaped my notice. I picked it up, remaindered, a while back, not really knowing anything about it, simply because the title was provocative. I realize now that it must have got a lot of press when it was new and it seems to have stirred up quite a bit of controversy--although I don't really see why. So much of what author Hitchens says about religion here seems self-evident to me, needing little elaboration, but I acknowledge that many people do believe strongly in the stories that religions tell and that there does seem to be a powerful innate human tendency to need some sort of belief system. Hitchens acknowledges the same, but doesn't allow that to keep him from pointing out the many ludicrous things religions ask their adherents to swallow. Perhaps the most interesting angle was an attempt the author makes to look at religion from a purely moral perspective. He asks whether, all in all, people have behaved better or worse because of religion, and he comes down firmly on the side of secular humanism, not religion.

Unabashedly atheist, Hitchens pulls no punches for anyone. He happily insults all religions equally, not even failing to skewer Buddhism, which has always seemed to me the most benign of the major religions (note, however, that the book focuses on the three main monotheistic religions). Well written, well argued, entertaining. Recommended. The problem is, this book will do nothing to convince the true believer--it will only annoy and anger the religious--while, to the confirmed atheist, it will likely seem a series of arguments that hardly need to be made. Perhaps this book will be of most use to the undecided fence-sitter that needs a kick in the pants to finally abandon all hope.

For more book reviews, use the "Books I'm Reading" tab at the upper right

Wines I'm Making: Sulfur Spraying (2011)

Today I finally judged it safe to spray the grapes with sulfur for what I hope will be the last time this season, although one more application may be prudent. I had been waiting for the vines to finish flowering and for the fruit to set before getting them wet. The Sangiovese looks excellent this year, with full clusters of tiny grapes already coming along, but the Cabernet vines don't seem to have set fruit very well despite my waiting. I had rather hoped for a good crop this year, as the weather was mostly dry and windy during flowering, but it's still early to judge things. Anyway, so far no signs of mildew on the vines. I topped the most vigorous vines as well, as they were beginning to shade the back row. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Birds I'm Watching: Beautiful Loons at Bodega Bay

On two trips to Bodega Bay recently I've found a small group of Common Loons huddled in the late evening at the north end of Bodega Harbor. They seem to disperse during the day. Two of the birds were in full breeding plumage, which is fairly unusual for this location. Only a few Common Loons stay in the area over the summer, and they usually retain their non-breeding "winter" plumage when they do stay, for reasons I don't quite understand. So, it was a pleasure to see this one so handsomely attired. There were about six others, in the drab non-breeding plumage along with about a dozen Western Grebes and a single Greater Scaup. Further south in the harbor was a Horned Grebe, also in full breeding plumage, again something that's comparatively uncommon in Sonoma County.

 For more information about bird watching in Sonoma County, see my Website Sonoma County Bird Watching Spots.

Tidbits: RIP--Peter Falk

I just read that actor Peter Falk died today. He was 83. I remember watching him as Lt. Columbo on TV in the US when Columbo was new. Later, dubbed TV shows like Columbo helped me learn a great deal of Japanese when I first went to Japan as an exchange student. I hope they bury him in that old raincoat. RIP

Plants I'm Growing: First Blooms--Opuntia Elata, Chitalpa Tashkentensis

First blooms of 2011 today on the Chitalpa tree in the back garden and first blooms yesterday, June 21, on the large cactus, Opuntia elata, a type of prickly pear with unusual orange flowers. It is originally a native of Argentina. I have no record of the first bloom last year, as I was away in Europe, but Opuntia elata bloomed on June 4 in 2009.

The Chitalpa is a small tree that resembles a Catalpa tree, which is logical as one of the two parents of this hybrid is the Catalpa (Catalpa bignoniodes). The other is the Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis). These small trees are fairly drought-tolerant and look very attractive at most times of the year. The flowers attract hummingbirds. The Chitalpa tree in my garden bloomed on June 1 in 2009. I have no record for this plant for 2010.

Art I'm Looking At: Romare Bearden at The Museum of the African Diaspora

Romare Bearden is an artist I've been aware of and liked since the 1970s. I don't remember where I first saw his work, but I was immediately drawn to it, particularly the collages, for which he remains best known. I suspect it was not seeing an original in a museum or gallery that first made we aware of Bearden (although it may have been) but rather seeing a reproduction--possibly an illustration in an article, and likely not one about Bearden himself. Bearden's pictures tell stories; and because of that, they are particularly good as illustrations. We have too many opportunities to see them reproduced as embellishments tacked on to other stories, it seems to me, and too few to see the originals standing on their own. This show is notable for bringing together many originals in one place and also for showing less well known work. The Romare Bearden show "From Process to Print: Graphic Works by Romare Bearden," which runs through July 3 at the Museum of the African Diaspora (685 Mission St., San Francisco, around the corner from SF MOMA (415) 358-7200), focuses on Bearden's printmaking.

As a printmaker myself, I enjoyed seeing the wide range of techniques on view and the emphasis on how Bearden used the printmaking process to explore. There are monotypes, etchings, drypoints, etchings with aquatint, lithographs, silkscreen prints, and collagraphs here, along with some of the plates from which the prints were made. Having used many of these techniques myself (all except lithography), I had no trouble understanding the explanatory panels, but they were in places a bit unclear, and in one instance mistaken (with "intaglio" used where "relief print" would have been correct). The images, however, speak for themselves. They range from work of the early 1960s to work made nearer the artist's death, in 1988. In a few instances, Bearden has exploited the inherent qualities of the technique--for example, in etchings using only the fine lines that etching excels at capturing. Ultimately, however, Bearden appears to have been most comfortable with the synthetic approach of collage. Many of the prints are, in fact, experiments with methods for translating collage into a printed form, and many have had collage elements added after the fact. It's not surprising either that collography appealed to Bearden. A collagraph is essentially a print made from a plate that is itself a collage. To be able to see the master collage artist thinking through the possibilities of the various forms of printmaking is fascinating. Recommended.

Music I'm Listening To: Michael Tilson Thomas Conducting the San Francisco Symphony, Yuja Wang Soloist (June 17, 2011)

I attended the June 17 evening performance of the San Francisco Symphony, a concert conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas and featuring pianist Yuja Wang. The program included Bartok's Rumanian Folk Dances, the Bartok Piano Concerto No. 2, and a suite of pieces from Tchaikovsky's music for Swan Lake. I was able to attend the pre-concert talk, having earlier in the day gone to the Museum of the African Diaspora to see the Romare Bearden show currently there. It was useful to hear some of the Rumanian Dances in versions for solo piano during the talk. While charming in the orchestrated versions the symphony played, they have a simplicity and clarity on the piano that is lost when played by an ensemble.

You could almost hear a collective gasp when, following the Rumanian Dances, Yuja Wang walked out on stage wearing a very short, clinging, vermillion dress with black venting and a bold V-shaped black design on the back--a dress so short and tight that there would have been a scandal if people were scandalized by such things any more. My mother, who also attended the performance, got it right, I think, when she said the dress looked more like a bathing suit. Four-inch platform heels added to the effect. One wonders if platforms are the best choice for using the pedals on a piano, but I assume Ms. Wang knows what works and what doesn't. The outfit was a distraction, however, if not an entirely unpleasant one.

The Bartok Piano Concerto No. 2 requires a great deal of energy, particularly in its opening and concluding movements, an energy Wang appears to have in abundance. While her playing was fast, powerful, and precise, and I enjoyed the performance on the whole, it didn't quite gel in places, with Thomas allowing the orchestra to completely overwhelm the piano here, and letting the opposite happen there, particularly in the first movement. The slow, brooding second movement was most effective. Thomas always seems wildly inconsistent to me (see below).

The ballet music that followed intermission, however, was nearly perfect. I can't really imagine a more persuasive performance. Thomas, as usual, seemed aloof while on the podium, but there was a tightness between the musicians and the conductor in this case that resulted in a clean, neat performance that let the music speak without any obstruction. As usual in San Francisco, the woodwind section stood out, particularly the flute in this case. There were a number of well-played solos by one of the trumpets as well. Evidently the audience agreed with me. As Thomas was acknowledging individual musicians after the performance, the flute and trumpet got particularly enthusiastic applause. The concert was worth it just for the Tchaikovsky.

Photo of Yuja Wang by Felix Broede, courtesy of the San Francisco Symphony

Wines I'm Making: 2010 Sangiovese Rosé Bottling (Second Batch)

Yesterday I bottled the second batch of 2010 rosé I made from our Sangiovese grapes. This second batch was something of an experiment, but, apparently, an at least moderately successful one. The summer of 2010 was very cool, but punctuated by a couple of intense heat spells that ruined a lot of grapes (many growers pulled leaves to increase sun exposure, hoping to encourage what had been very slow ripening caused by the otherwise cool weather, only to see their crop then hit by sudden heat that destroyed the exposed berries). The fruit that survived the short hot spells often ripened poorly. Our Sangiovese, a case in point, came in with very low sugar and less-than-optimally developed flavors.

I made rosé from the grapes using my usual method (about 19 hours on the skins), and that produced a pleasant, but very light wine that lacks the interest of the excellent, flavorful rosé I made with our 2009 grapes. As usual, I hated to throw away the pressed skins from the initial batch, which seemed to have a great deal of pulp and juice still attached. I therefore tried a second-run fermentation. That is, I added water and sugar back into the pressings to ferment a second wine--not expecting much success from it (I've made some dismal red wine this way). I left the mixture to soak for more than two days, partly because I wasn't especially interested in it, but that proved to be a good thing. This second-run wine that I've just bottled (and sampled for the first time) is quite acceptable--better than I'd hoped for. Having said that, it's not great. I think the lesson here is not that making second-run wine (which seems like cheating) is a good thing, but rather that in very lean years, like 2010, it pays to give rosé a much longer maceration than would normally be appropriate. Having said that, I'm not going to sneeze at the additional 25 bottles of wine my experiment yielded.

Art I'm Looking At: 2011 Art at the Source

Art at the Source is one of two major open studio events that allow artists working in Sonoma County to show and sell art directly to the public from their places of work.  Both events are held annually on a pair of weekends. Today, Sunday, June 12 was the last day of Art at the Source showings. Art Trails, the other local open studio event is held on two weekends in the fall, in October.

As usual, I got a late start on the last day, so only got to see about 15 artists--and that many mostly because I headed first for The Barracks, which brings a large number of artists together under one roof (in buildings that once were barracks at a naval air station on the western edge of Santa Rosa).

I particularly enjoyed the assemblage work of Maris Peach (www.marispeach.com), paintings by Suzanne Edminster (www.saltworkstudio.net) and by Karina Nishi Marcus, and the hat block collection of hatmaker Amy Smith at Flying Color Studios. These open studio weekends are wonderful for the way they bring artists and the public into direct contact, but also for the chance meetings among art lovers they may engender. In Maris Peach's studio, I enjoyed talking with the artist about her work, about a little girl that found these doll parts frightening, and with a man--whose name I didn't catch--about  T. E. Lawrence and The Seven Pillars of Wisdom; later I enjoyed meeting a young photographer (a visitor, not an exhibitor) named Gwen that shared my eye for unintended art. An excellent way to bring art to the community and to bring the community to art.

The photo above is part of Maris Peach's extensive collection of the odds and ends she uses to make her assemblages; the strings of doll appendages immediately caught my eye. The bottom photo is part of the large collection of hat forms I found in the studio of Amy Smith--unintended art, but beautiful nonetheless. But Ms. Smith is not just a collector of hat blocks, she's a hatmaker that puts the forms to excellent use making all manner of interesting headgear.

Plants I'm Growing: First Blooms--Penstemon, Cleveland Sage, Teucrium, Coreopsis

Because of the recent late rains, which discouraged walking around the garden, and a fair amount of work in the past few days I've missed the first blooms of 2011 on quite a number of flowers, but I note here that in the past week the red penstemon under the apple tree, several varieties of coreopsis, coyote mint, Cleveland sage (upper photo; I believe this variety is "Allan Chickering"), and the low-growing Teucrium cossonii have all come into bloom. The prettiest time of the year has been extended this year by cool weather and rain.

Found Art: Floor Sockets, San Francisco MOMA, June 10, 2011

I was at San Francisco MOMA on Tuesday. I enjoyed seeing the current shows and some of the permanent collection. After seeing what there was to see, I walked around the building a little. I came across these covered brass floor sockets (at least, that's what I think they are). Found art.

For more found art, see my blog Serendipitous Art.