A November Sunset at Doce Robles Vineyard.

Doce Robles Has a Great View of the Sunset

There is a clear view of the sky all the way around with no trees or buildings close enough to block the sight of the setting sun. I don't mind getting a silhouette of a tree in my pictures, though I wish the bottom of this oak hadn't been blocked by a shadow. It is just one oak but you can't see the trunk.

When I arrived and got out of my car, the security officer greeted me with loud barking but then calmed down when her owner told her to.

Guess she decided I wasn't a security risk since she immediately got to more important business than me. Did you notice the lawn is lined with oak leaves.

Back to the Vineyards and the Oak

At sunset, it's like there is more than one sky. One part is close to the sunset and contains the actual position of sundown. That's what we saw in the introductory photo. If we look away from the sun to shoot the sky we see the sunset reflected on the surrounding clouds. We also don't have the shadow hiding the vineyards and lower parts of the trees. This next shot looks away from the sun. I confess to adding a bit more light in processing than there really was because I wanted you to see the vines wearing their autumn colors.

The introductory shot faced west into the sun. This shot faced north. It was taken behind the tasting room.

Now that some time passed, the sun is no longer bright. Let's take another shot of the oak tree. This shot faces south, and no shadow hides part of the oak. Instead we have the silhouette with the hills and golden glow in the background. I believe the gray strip coming from the right towards the oak is Highway 46 West. If you look carefully you can see a car on it.

Calling it a Day

As the sun was almost gone, I walked back to the parking lot by the tasting room. It seemed to glow from within. Did you notice that unique weathervane on top?

As I write tonight,  I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving Day tomorrow. I'm very thankful for the free sunsets I get to see each day and the winery owners that let me access their vineyards to take pictures.

I hope you all have a safe and joyful celebration of Thanksgiving, even if it isn't a holiday where you are. It's always time to be thankful.

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This last photo was taken facing south. If you want to share it, it's the perfect size to pin.

Sycamore Leaves Everywhere

Many of my Neighbors Have Sycamore Trees

When I walk down to get the mail or even go into my own yard, there are sycamore leaves everywhere at this time of year. These were in a neighbor's yard.

It almost goes without saying that the sidewalks will be full of leaves. So are the gutters beside the curb.

Girl Walking Dogs on the Sycamore Leaf-Strewn Sidewalk, © B. Radisavljevic

The sycamore trees in the yards blow leaves onto and into the hedges and shrubs. You can see that below. They also wander onto the sidewalks and collect beside the curbs where the cars park.

Leaves under Sycamore Tree, © B. Radisavljevic

 I have a sycamore tree next door and another almost right across the street, so the leaves are always blowing into my yard. I had to get me a pair of these leaf grabbers to get them out of my flowerbeds. They go where my rakes can't.


See what I mean? A normal leaf rake would be too wide and need to scrape from the bottom. They are great for the lawn and sidewalks, but not not so great among the flowers and herbs.

Leaves around my Scabiosa Flower and Herb Bed, © B. Radisavljevic

Leaves around my Gazanias and Herbs, © B. Radisavljevic

I guess that's why some people get leaf blowers, but I hate the noise they make. They just blow the leaves somewhere else where they may make your neighbors mad, or they could even come back to you if the wind changes. If you don't care about all that and just want the convenience, this is a good one.


If you don't want to bend over and you don't like the noise of the power leaf blowers, this might help you. It reaches into those hard places and brings them out where you can get them without tromping on your flowers.


Not all leaves are as easy to reach as those Mother Nature lets land on top of shrubs and hedges, like this juniper.

Sycamore Leaves on Juniper Bush, © B. Radisavljevic

Juniper, holly, and some other bushes where leaves land can be prickly and not much fun to touch while you are getting the leaves off them and into your bag. Of course, gloves can also help with that. And you can use them when you prune your roses, too.


The grabbers are especially useful for grabbing sycamore and other really large leaves that tend to stick in the tines of rakes. You can also use them to drop leaves directly into a bag or can easily. I even use them on the lawn when too many blow leaves blow over from nextdoor.

It's Time to Tackle those Leaves, Sycamore or Not

I hope the tool suggestions above will help you if you've been using your old leaf rake forever and want something that works better. Since I hate the noise, I use the grabbers. They would help free this baby oak from the mulberry, oak, and sycamore leaves almost covering it.

Autumn Leaves Smothering Baby Oak Tree, © B. Radisavljevic

Rakes are useful in cleaning up the gutters beside the curb -- until you get to the parked cars.

Sycamore Leaves on Sidewalk and Gutter around Car Tire,  © B. Radisavljevic

Those sycamore leaves really do go everywhere.

Do you have a sycamore tree in your yard? Does a close neighbor have one? How do you deal with the leaves?


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Pomegranates: A Beautiful Autumn Gift

Pomegranates Are Stunning Stars of the Autumn Garden

When many flowers are beginning to disappear, the bright red fruit of the pomegranate tree adds a burst of color to a flower bed. I found this tree in my neighbor's flower garden.

Pomegranates on the Tree, © B. Radisavljevic

I only wish I'd been around with my camera when this pomegranate tree was in bloom. I've never seen it blooming. I must have been too busy to walk in that direction during spring. I'll make a point of going next spring, God willing. I'm sure it will be a show worth seeing.

I did find this photo of a pomegranate blossom on Pixabay. It shows me what I missed. Imagine a tree filled with these flowers! You can see one of the forming fruits peeking out beneath a leaf a bit higher than the flower.

Pomegranate Flower Image Courtesy of Pixabay

Here's how the tree looks in the garden among the flowers. I believe those are roses below it.

Pomegranate Tree in a Garden, © B. Radisavljevic

Pomegranates Make Lovely Tree Ornaments

As I gazed at the tree, the pomegranate fruits looked like Christmas tree ornaments.  I decided to put some on Zazzle ornaments. They come in many styles and shapes. You can get large ceramic ones as hearts, squares, circles, or ovals -- the only ceramic shapes I recommend. You can also get smaller premium ornaments with metal edges, like this one. (Also available as square.)

Ripe Pomegranate Ornament
by barbsbooks

These ornaments from Amazon feature open pomegranates that display their delicious seeds. Even the seed color is red to contrast with the green of the trees.

Sur La Table Pomegranate Glass OrnamentOrnaments to Remember: POMEGRANATE Christmas OrnamentOld World Christmas Pomegranate Glass Blown Ornament

Pomegranates Are Tasty and Healthy Fruits

Pomegranate seeds (also known as arils) are packed with nutrients. Just one cup contains 7 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. They are also good sources of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, folate, and potassium. They contain powerful antioxidants, as well.

 If that's not enough, they also fight inflammation in the body and may help defend the body against breast and prostate cancer. That's just the beginning of the pomegranate's virtues as a nutrient.  Read more about the healthful effects of eating pomegranates at Twelve Health Benefits of Pomegranate in the Healthlines Newsletter.

Of course, to get the health benefits, one has to actually consume the pomegranate arils. They are tasty, tart and sweet together. The reason more people don't eat pomegranates is that they can be expensive if you don't have a tree, and they aren't the easiest fruit to eat. All the tasty nutritious arils are buried in a tough bitter membrane and it is hard to remove them by hand. I just discovered there is a better way to get at them instead of digging them out while staining your fingers with that lovely red color. There is a handy tool for getting them loose.





Some people still think that's too much work, so they just buy pomegranate juice. It's also packed with nutrients and phytochemicals your body needs, but you can't get the fiber from the juice. This book will tell you more about why pomegranates are considered by some to be so useful in wellness.

Do You Eat Pomegranates?

If you do eat pomegranates, do you dig the seeds out by hand, use a tool, or have a different method of getting them loose? If you don't eat them, what is the main reason why you don't? Have you tried them and not enjoyed their taste? Or does it just seem like too much work to eat them? Do you eat or drink them in products such as juice or jelly? I drink a white tea in which pomegranate extract is one of the ingredients used to add flavor.

Of course there's more one can do with pomegranates than eating the seeds or drinking juice or tea. This book celebrates the pomegranate and contains seventy different recipes that include it. I'd like to try the syrup and some of the main dish recipes.



In addition to explaining how to use the seeds or juice them, the book also illuminates the cultural history of the pomegranate, which has been prized since Biblical times. Some scholars believe this is the forbidden fruit Eve ate, but some others believe she ate a fig or apricot. Apples didn't grow in the Middle East that far back in time.

Do you have a favorite pomegranate recipe? How do you most enjoy getting your pomegranate flavor? Have you ever had a pomegranate tree in your yard?

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Niner Estates Decorated Heart Hill with Vineyards

Heart Hill in Paso Robles has been here long before most of the current Paso Robles residents. It used to be part of a cattle ranch in the early 1900's. Heart Hill is a naturally formed heart-shaped grove of blue oaks that many of us see often as we drive east on Highway 46 from Vineyard Drive towards the freeway. It took Richard Niner to plant the vineyards that now decorate Heart Hill. I drive that  way often because I only live about a mile from from it.  I often stop to  photograph it. In this post I will show you how the view of Heart Hill changes through the seasons. 

The small photo in the top corner was part of this one, taken in January, when the vines are brown.

Heart Hill in Paso Robles in January, © B. Radisavljevic

Below is a slightly different view from February 7, 2015.

Heart Hill in Paso Robles in February, © B. Radisavljevic

This next photo was taken  March 22, 2012, Rain has come and added some green stripes between the still dormant brown vines.

Heart Hill in Paso Robles in March, © B. Radisavljevic

The photo below was taken today, April 16. 2016. It is from a distance because I didn't realize that Niner closed at 4 instead of 5 today, and I couldn't get in the gates to take a closer photo as I usually do. This was the best I could do with trying to escape the power lines above my head and the barbed wire fence next to the taller fence inside it. I was trying not to get caught by the wire while poking the camera lens between the inner fence wires. They must be having deer problems, or trying to prevent them.

Heart Hill in Paso Robles in April, © B. Radisavljevic

In this next photo it is June 4, 2012. Now the vines are green and the grass between the rows is brown.

Heart Hill in Paso Robles in June, © B. Radisavljevic

This is how heart Hill looked on August 8, 2015. As you see, the white roses are in bloom now.

Heart Hill in Paso Robles in August, © B. Radisavljevic

My favorite picture is the one below, taken November 20, 2011. I think almost any vineyard is most attractive in autumn, but the sight is spectacular at Heart Hill.

Heart Hill in Paso Robles in November, © B. Radisavljevic

If you were once at Niner Estates and did not get a souvenir of your visit, or if you'd like to display Heart Hill in different season than you saw it, you might want one of these Zazzle products featuring Heart Hill. You have many other product choices, including postcards, shirts, electronic cases, linens, and more if you follow this link 

 Heart Hill at Niner Estates, in Autumn Pinback Button Niner Estates Heart Hill and White Roses Card Heart Hill at Niner Estates, in Autumn Ceramic Tile Stamp: Paso Robles: The Heart of Wine Country Stamp Heart Hill at Niner Estates, in Autumn Coaster Mug: Paso Robles Wine County- Heart Hill Coffee Mug Poster: I left my heart in Wine Country Poster

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If you enjoyed this post, please share it. The sharing buttons are just above the comment box at the end of this post. The photo below is especially designed for pinning.

This is my fourteenth post for the 2016 AtoZchallenge, a Blogging Challenge for the month of April, 2016. My theme is Things You Can See or Experience in North San Luis Obispo County. Here are links to the other posts if you missed them.

A is for Acorn
B is for Barney Schwartz Park
C is for Cattle in Wine Country
D is for Dark Star Cellars
E is for Electric Wires
F is for Family Farms
G is for Graveyard Vineyards
H is for Horses
Insects in My Neighborhood in April
J's Burgers in Paso Robles: A Review
Kosta is God's Gift to Me from Across the Ocean

Laguna Lake is Full Again

Mission San Miguel Photos

Cattle Grazing near Vineyard in Paso Robles

Although Highway 46 West in Paso Robles is known for its vineyards and oak trees, not so many people are aware of the many cattle that graze near the highway. Maybe this is because they are sometimes grazing towards the back of the property instead of right by the road. Maybe it's just the wrong time of year. The cattle aren't visible during every season. But in October I got lucky and finally had time to stop and photograph these cows with their calves. Clicking will enlarge any photo here.

I'm not sure which mothers are with which calves, since some cows appear alone, and I don't know enough about cattle to know if they have as many at one  time as I see here. I just take the pictures. Here's a closer look at part of the scene in the first photo.

Related articles

• Cattle Anyone?
• A Photo Walk Through the Vineyards of Zenaida Cellers

Mother Nature Also Decorates in December

Mother Nature Decorates with Red and Green in December

Traditionally, we think of red and green as the Chrismas colors. Mother Nature loves them at this time of year. I took this photo a couple of days ago in front of the Historic Depot Office at the North County Transport Center. It's currently home to Anglim Winery and a law office. Do you see the red "ornaments" on the hedge and the rosemary bush next to it?

Rosemary Decorating with Bradford Pear Leaves

In this next photo, we see a different view of the same plants with the current Amtrak waiting room / office in the background.

Shrubs with Autumn Leaves
Amtrak Waiting Room is in Back

The cotoneaster plant with its green leaves and red berries are also on display during the holiday season. I have made coordinated greeting cards and stamps from my photos of cotoneaster should you want to use them for your holiday cards. You can find all my variations at Zazzle. There are four cards with this design: a blank greeting card, a blank postcard, a card appropriate for businesses to send, and a more personal greeting for friends. Of course, you can also add, change or remove text and even change the image to design your own card if you have one you like better.

 Red Cotoneaster Berries: Holiday season Greeting Card Holiday Postage Stamp: Red Cotoneaster Berries

Related articles

• T is for Trains

Photos of North County Transport Center Buses

A tip about where to find autumn color took me to the North County Transport Center on Pine Street today. I didn't find all the color I had hoped for, but I did see a lot of buses coming and going at Velta Circle. People were boarding the sleek white bus you see here, but it had no markings. I believe it is connected to Amtrak, which has buses that connect to trains that leave from here. It's style and coloring are Amtrak, but the name Amtrak is not visible on this bus.

Buses at North County Transport Center in Paso Robles, CA

This second photo shows some of the different bus types that use this center, which, of course, is also used by the Amtrak trains. You see the Paso Robles Express Shuttle bus, the SLORTA bus, and the white Amtrak bus.

Velta Circle in Paso Robles

In the photo above you can also see the magnificent oak tree in the center of Velta Circle. Like the other trees in this parking lot, it is losing its leaves. The sweetgum tree in the top photo has lost about half its leaves, and the colorful ornamental pear in the right corner of this photo is dropping its red leaves on  the sidewalk below it.

Have you boarded a train or bus here? Why not pick up a souvenir of the trail station at Zazzle?

 Poster: Train Leaving Paso Robles Station in Winter Poster Postcard: Paso Robles Train Station in Winter Postcard

Related articles

• The Trees are Changing Color for Autumn