Thursday, March 10, 2011

Daffodil Days

(warning, this is a photo intensive post)
After a restless night of anxiety over some tough choices we need to make I decided that I wanted to drive out of the snow and down the Highway to wallow in Spring.  In the nearby town of Murphys aka “Queen of the Sierra”,  it is always 10  degrees warmer than at my house and spring comes a couple months earlier.  In Murphys there is a winery that has planted thousands if not millions of daffodils along Six Mile Road, the road that leads from the middle of town out to the winery.  It is hard to capture the breathtaking beauty of coming around a bend in the road to view a band of yellow and cream for as far as the eye can see but I gave it a whirl.  Trust me, these do not do it justice.
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Had to find a spot to park my gas guzzling Suburban.DSC_0032

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It was an overcast day, perfect for me to get some photographs without the direct sun washing them out.  It felt warm even with the overcast skies (the sun did peep out from time to time) and a slight breeze kept the daffodils dancing so it was hard to get a sharp photo. 
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Besides the bazillions of daffodils along the road there are barrels and barrels of spring bulbs and more daffodils near the entrance to the winery itself and museum.
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The perfume from the hyacinths was delightful and made it a full sensory experience as I wandered from barrel to barrel snapping a dozen photos of each in my bid to capture the full visual effect for you all.
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Vignettes and displays also grace the grounds for you to wander thru and around.
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Below is a recreated miners shack.  If you don’t already know, Murphys is an historic mining town.  Ironstone museum boasts having the largest gold nugget in the world on display.  (in a vault, of course)
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The sign on the tree reads:
Ironstone Mine
claim extends as far as my rifle shoots
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I tried to get an inside photo but the safety cages made a clear shot difficult. 
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Excuse the flash glare.  I think there is enough rust in here to even please  Ms. Funky Junk!
Not only does the winery have fun things to view but along the roadway you see a bit of art posing in a field here and there.
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I cannot resist anything “chicken”. 
We have our share of real old mining shacks dotting the fields as well.
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Though downtown has been turned into a tourist destination I cannot complain.  We have some of the best shops and restaurants around.
A favorite with many is Aria Bakery. They make stellar paninis, salads and soups along with their fresh baked breads, lemon cream cakes, fruit tarts…well you get the picture.  You must stop in for a treat if you are in the area. Their coffee is supreme as well. 
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They are not alone in offering tempting fare for the discriminating palate..just down the sidewalk is the ice cream shop.  Every other place is a winery tasting room, or so it seems.  We have tons of top notch wineries here. 
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This is my first time visiting this new olive oil tasting bar and I was amazed at the offerings.  You have to try this place, it is great!
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They have not only olive oil but also flavored balsamic vinegars, like Peach and Wild Cherry.  They are delicious!
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The metal tureens are the oils and the crocks are the balsamics.
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Some close up of the labels, don’t they make your mouth water. 
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There are some very strong ones that are about as pleasant as licking sand paper, like the Kalamata olive oil.  An acquired taste I am sure and don’t get me wrong, I do like Kalamata olives but the pure oil is strong!
My day away from the house was refreshing, seeing green grass along with fresh blooming flowers did the trick of calming my frayed nerves.
I love where I live!
I certainly hope you enjoy your little taste of our area. 
~Pamela~ Red rose

Modern Country StyleFunky Junk's Sat Nite Special

14 comments:

  1. Great Post! I've been to Murphy's.. California right? My cousin got married there a few years back. A beautiful area indeed... I lugged home an old mirror from an antique shop there!
    Thanks for the refreshing tour!
    Deb

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  2. Gorgeous flora and fauna!

    I am having an antique auction on my blog. All sorts of lovely and romantic finds looking for a new home. I hope you'll stop by.

    Have a wonderful weekend.

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  3. I would have even bought you some gas to have been with you on this tour. Lovely place.

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  4. Beautiful flowers-need these for spring! It's coming-sooner for some then others! We are quite a bit further away from it then you all are there!! Enjoy and good luck with difficult decisions.

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  5. oh - so loving this post! how cool is that to see all those daffodils randomly placed throughout that area! Thanks for linking it to Cottage Flora Thursday's so everyone can enjoy! xoox
    PS - i'm a new follower & hope to see you again next week! ~tracie

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  6. Oh, thanks so much for the break from our wretched weather. I just love the daffodils. Mine are actually peeking their little heads out of the mucky soil....no blooms yet, though. Soon, very soon.

    Thanks so much for such a beautiful post. I feel like I had a little vacation!

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  7. Aren't those daffodils incredible? I would have pulled our car right over too. They're stunning.

    Sarahx

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  8. What an amazing place!!! The countryside is so beautiful and the daffodils make it look like the road to heaven. THEN, the olive oil has my mouth watering. Thanks so much for linking up to VIF!
    hugs,
    Debra

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  9. What a lovely place to visit. It reminds me of some of the towns in our local area here in Australia. Beautiful flowers.

    Cheers,
    Lisa x

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  10. I have been to Murphys many times and loved it. My friend in Australia ( Kate of the Tatersmama's Take on Things" blog) is coming home to her beloved Murphys this spring. I'm sure she would recognized all of your photos which are wonderful.
    I will have to check out that bakery when I come to see her.
    Lovely post...

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  11. Soon the old roses climbing the corner of the Murphys Hotel will be in full glorious bloom, that is always a treat for the eyes. I will try to capture it for a post to share.

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  12. My dear friend farmlady just shared your link with me, and I'm so glad she did! I'm from Murphys originally, and I'll be going home permanently soon. I'm currently living in Australia, but I'm so darned homesick that I just can't take it anymore. This ol' girl was not meant to live in the suburbs, so I can't wait to get home to my beloved Murphys... and my wonderful family and friends!
    My son Josh works at the Murphys Hotel. :)

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  13. What a gorgeous post, I so enjoyed walking with you and seeing with your eyes all those daffodils- isn't it great spring is on it's way.I love your blog and am your latest follower.Wouldn't mind a follow back :-)
    Have a great Sunday

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  14. Wow! I am in complete adoration of the old storefronts! What a special place, I am glad they have kept it up so well... A lot of the mining towns around here are desolate and depressing

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