SPRING VACATION :)

Minnesota's Spring has arrived weeks early...dampening my desire to escape.  I would be content to stay home...yet we have a vacation planned to Sonoma, California, and Maui, Hawaii.  Yes, we are going west and then further west!

We stayed at the gorgeous horse boarding ranch owned by our lovely friends, Steve and Leah.  Their guest house is newly built, and we were the first guests to have the honor of staying.  So quiet and peaceful. The cottage itself is exquisite, we could want for nothing, and the surroundings, amazing.  The property is bordered by vineyards and spectacular hillsides.

Truly beautiful!!  The eucalyptus trees are old, stoic, fragrant and remarkable!  If we could only only grow these in Minnesota, I would plant a forest.

The wildflowers were abundant.  California poppies are a sure sign of Spring.  Steve and Leah have yellow roses planted along their property fence.  Happy yellow and gold!

Of course we made our pilgrimage to the Mumm Napa winery. We adore all their bubbly!  One of our favorite stops.  The winery includes a gallery with unbelievable photography by the great, Ansel Adams, which one may enjoy while sipping a flute of sparkling rose.  Bubbles + art = heaven.

Old zinfandel vines welcomed us to the Ridge winery.  A new favorite, they make amazing wines!
It wasn't all wine tasting for us, we did get out hiking the gorgeous countryside.  Our favorite hikes were at Jack London Park and Spring Lake Park in Santa Rosa.

Spring Lake Park photos above.  Jack London photos below.

Meandering redwoods, prairie, vineyards, lush forest.  We also visited Bodega Bay.  A cool day, rough waters.

Next stop, Maui.  Paradise, yet somehow I neglected to take a bunch of photos...but here you are... a sunset over the resort (Grand Wailea) and yellow hibiscus, a sunny face!  Mahalo :)