Nothing better in the world

Wow, there's nothing more exciting than a hockey playoff game! I've been fortunate enough to have been to several in San Jose and last night was an amazing game for our San Jose Sharks against the Calgary Flames in the quarterfinals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Here the players get ready to enter the rink:















For those who aren't into hockey... when a Canadian and a USA team play each other, they play both national anthems. I think I know all the words to "O Canada" by now.















I always enjoy getting to the "Shark Tank" early to watch our guys warm up. It's fun to see them interacting before the game gets intense.














I was trying to get a photo of my favorite Sharks player, number 27, Jeremy Roenick. He's a veteran player, who got a little too much into the Hollywood lifestyle, if you know what I mean, while he was signed to the LA Kings. Everyone thought he was washed up and he himself said that the NHL was trying to get rid of him. And honestly he did fake an injury to get paid during the strike, so he got a bad reputation and teams weren't interested. But his old friend on Wilson gave him a chance (after he cleaned up his act and worked hard for year to get back into shape) and here he is having a fantastic season. I'm always a sucker for those second chance stories, as I'm always hoping to get a few myself.














So the game gets underway...














Our guys on the bench:






















































The face-off circle:



















Nabby makes a save!


























Sharks WIN!!!!!!!

Opening Day 2008

Today Terry and I met friends Ginger and Rory at the ballpark for Giants Opening Day. Aren't they fabulous?




























The opening ceremony was all about the Giants team of 1958. Before the Giants and Dodgers came to California, St. Louis was the westernmost baseball team. On an April day in 1958 the two teams played at Seal's Stadium and baseball was here to stay!














Several members of that team are still with us and were cheered by the crowd as they circled the field in 1958 autos. One of the best things about baseball is it's tradition and I love it when our team honors it's rich history.













Here's Felipe Alou:














And the Great Willie Mays:














Our friend Audrey is in here somewhere:














Here is our 2008 Giants team on the field after introductions. The team is made up of a lot of youngsters this year. We have very low expectations of the team over all, but it would be nice to watch these young men develope and perhaps claim their place in the league.














As for the park, not too much that's new, but there is this "special" plaque that honors all Giants who have hit over 500 homeruns. Barry's in there, but there is no mention anywhere of his surpassing Aaron's homerun record. What a bunch of hypocrites run this team. They milk the record run for every freakin' cent and then erase it all. They must be ashamed right? Yeah, right.













I love baseball and I love the Giants, but I am angered at the tactics of the ownership group. Oh well, I wont' get started on that on this particular day... ;)

Anyways, one of the highlights of any game is the pre-game warmup stretch... Woot!














I ran into Sunny and her beautiful baby girl:














It was a gorgeous day by the bay, and we really had a good time seeing old friends again. Here's to another season of baseball!

Torres Family Estates

My vineyard class visited the Torres Family Estates in Sebastopol this week.














This estate was founded by Marimar Torres, whose family has been rowing and making wine in Spain for over 300 years. She wanted to grow and make her own wine, but couldn't because of the patriarchal system in Spain. So her family sent her here to study oenology at Davis, and afterwards she started up her own winery here.














Her 65 acres of vines here are planted, starting in 1986, on varying slope surrounding the winery. The estate has been practicing organic viticulture since 2000 and was certified in 2006. They also farm one block biodynamically.














All the vines here were originally trained with bilateral cordons. Now they are converting to cane pruning. Above is an example of a bilaterally cordoned vine now trained for cane pruning.














In the above photo, we see that they have turned under their cover crop for frost protection. Bare soil radiates more heat at night, and there are no leaf blades to attract frost formation.



















A lovely rolling hill of still-cordoned vines. At present about 30% of their vines remain on cordons.














Cellar master Tony Britton is a fun guy, I just caught him deep in thought!
Afterwards Tony treated us to a tasting of their wonderful Chardonnays and Pinots. Thanks Tony!

Saturday Morning Tree Care

On a chilly Saturday morning, the crew of the Friends of the Urban Forest, which just happened to include Kory, Rich and myself, went to the Mission for another day of caring for our precious street trees.














Our street trees are planted by with the City DPW or our volunteer group, Friends of the Urban Forest. Homeowners are responsible for caring and watering the trees in front of their houses or buildings while tons of volunteers across the city help plant and maintain these trees.















This time was a group 3-year-old trees receiving their final inspection. We replace stakes, prune, look for diseases and pests, clean out the sidewalk basins and generally try to help the owner understand any problems we find.














The main problems we encounter and damage from car doors opening, damage from vandals, lack of watering and thus stunted growth or failing tree, and over planting or weed growth in the basin (hole) in the sidewalk. Young trees are extremely vulnerable, especially in our windy city with it's summers of no rain. Weeds or intentional plantings in the basin compete and rob the young tree of desperately needed water and cause crown rot to the roots. This is probably the hardest thing for owners to comprehend... most people think that you just stick something in the ground and it will grow!














I love taking care of trees!

Proud to be a baseball fan

Today, as Major League Baseball opened and the first game was played in Washington DC's new ballpark, Pres. Bush walked to the pitchers mound to throw out the first pitch and was met by an onslaught of BOO's! And a few cheers too, but the boos eventually drowned them out. YAY!
Now THAT made me proud.

Think he got the message????

Weed Watchers

One of the things I'm doing now is training to become a Weed Watcher. This is a new program by the National Park Service which trains regular folks like you and me to survey and record invasive species in our national parks. On Thursday we went to the Marin Headlands at Rodeo Beach for our hike/training session.
The coast above Rodeo Beach:














Thursday was a good learning experience for getting to know our native plants. Right now is a great time, as many of the wildflowers as beginning to bloom. I got to see my very first Harlequin Flower Sparaxis tricolor. Incredibly beautiful!



















Invasive species Calla Lilly Zantedeschia aethiopica in a gully:














Seaside Daisy Erigeron glaucus



















The native Cow Parsnip Heracleum lanatum is a member of the carrot family.



















Another member of the carrot family, Footsteps of Spring
Sanicula arctopoides














Breathtaking coastal views:































Indian Paintbrush Castilleja applegatei














Lizardtail bush Eriophyllum staechadifolium



















Dudleya farinosa (Live forever) next to a Checkerbloom Sidalcea malvaeflora flower.



















Poisen Oak (also a native plant) growing up through














I fell in love with this native Horsetail



















Invasive species, Vinca major, peering through the native Coyote Brush Baccharis pilularis
















Our gorgeous little native iris, Blue-eyed Grass
Sisyrinchium bellum



















Native Buttercup Ranunculus californicum














Native Wild Cucumber (or Manroot) Marah fabaceus is poisonous.














Our native California Morning Glory Calystegia macrostegia