Sunshiney Sunday

While it's storming wildly on the east coast, here in Northern California the day was warm and sunny and astonishingly mild. Roger, Caroline and I decided to head to Cornerstone Gardens in Sonoma to get out in the sunshine.

Cornerstone Gardens describes itself as "the first gallery style garden exhibit in the United States." Basically, it's a garden in which various well-known and innovative landscape architects set up exciting landscape scenes and installations which change regularly. I've been wanting to come here for ages.

I thought we'd all like it, and I was right. It's a great place to roam, especially with kids. This birdhouse shot is from an area called the Sonoma Children's Garden. The birdhouses are actually quite large, maybe 12 to 15 inches on each side...and on the ground was a barrel with corks for kids (and grown ups) to try throwing into the bird house openings.

I had a great time wandering around taking pictures.



This blue bubble tree is probably the garden's most famous piece. The balls are plastic ornaments, like Christmas ornaments.



This installation with red bamboo poles on a field of white gravel sprinkled gradually into black gravel was very striking. You could walk between the poles to follow a little path to a pond in the center.



Also on the premises is a shop with beautiful architectural salvage pieces (of the exquisitely shabby and expensive variety).



This pot was huge and gorgeous, just lying on its side.



Caroline was happy to pose and I got several photos of her I just love.



She loved being in this big birdhouse.



And don't you sometimes just feel like lounging on some big green bumps to think about life?



I even caught Roger looking photogenic!



We concluded our day with an Italian dinner at Roberto's, a traditional style place recommended by my friend Pat and her husband Len who is obsessed with good food...if HE liked it, I figured we would. They were right, and it was fabulous. We marveled at how a simple salad of fresh greens tossed with a sharp blue cheese dressing could taste so unusually delicious and fresh. Roger loved his spaghetti bolognese, and I was swooning over my premises-made gnocci with tomato cream sauce. Caroline, eating her usual favorite of spaghetti with butter and cheese, announced that she was getting gnocci next time.

We came home happy and well rested and very well fed.