peacock

When we moved to California, Jacqui and I explored the wilderness preserve in the foothills near our house.

Hidden up Montebello Road, past the reservoir is a winery which occupies a 100-year old barn.

On a couple acres of old farmstead, this winery hangs to the side of heaven, with a dazzling view of Silicon Valley.

Standing on the tops of those hills, the immense sprawl below seems not to be such a big sprawl - the valley is actually suprisingly green, and the trees help to hide the buildings.

Just a few decades before, most of the valley was populated by fruit and nut trees. The last nut farm is giving way to development. The last trees are dying here in the hills.