wine country ramblings, old friends, and more thrift store madness

yesterday i took one of my favorite california drives through wine country to visit my friend nichole in sonoma county.

the wild mustard is growing higher than my head all along the roadsides through napa and sonoma county.

as soon as you take the exit for west highway 12 off big grumbly weary old Interstate 80, you're driving through the valleys of rolling green vineyards and blooming wildflowers and endless lush hillocks and roads curving through oaks and eucalyptus and pine.

i don't know why there seems to be a traditions of planting rose bushes all along the border of the vineyards, but there they are, blossoming in all their spring rainfed vigor.

i headed straight to the hills of healdsburg where nichole was staying at a friend's house. nichole lived in the santa rosa area for six years, and that's how we became friends when we worked together at a gourmet ice cream shop called Screamin Mimi's in sebastopol. now nichole has moved back to maine, and i've moved back to my hometown, but we meet up in our old stomping grounds from time to time.

emily's foresty house right next to the russian river:

i had fun exploring the creekbed and old rustic farm stuff on her property.

we were supposed to go to the river, but it was gray and rainy so instead we headed to the most amazing thrift store. i had remembered it from when i lived down there, and i said to emily, "i remember this giant thrift store just north of healdsburg with like multiple buildings full of tons and tons of stuff."

she knew right what i was talking about. the salvation army off lytton springs road; it's five buildings spread around the hillside with all kinds of dusty treasures awaiting. they even have farm equipment and cars.

my favorite of course, is the clothes:

and let me just put it this way, in the last two days i think i've purchased more than 30 thrifted pieces of clothing. i mean, good deals abound!!! it was 60% off day....so....

we spent the rest of the day visiting with many old sonoma county friends.

like reyna, nichole's goddaughter who just had her first communion, a wonderfully bright and silly and hilarious nine year old.

where all the kids (there were seven little family/neighborhood munchkins running around) got a big kick out of my hat and wanted to photograph me in it.

it was a perfect little trip and as i drove both there and back i felt (and i know this sounds cheesy) like i was enveloped and lovingly held in california's arms. i know it's weird, but i am bound to this place and the different counties where i've lived to the point that california becomes personified to me, like some kind of great mother land singing me the sweet stories of my past and all the histories lived here, ever growing with lives and stories like a massive labyrinth of life.

do you ever feel like that about where you are from?