While most of the country is snow-packed, Northern California is enjoying unseasonably beautiful weather this winter (if you could call it winter). Yesterday we hit 80° breaking the 71° record of 2001. Typically during the months of January and February we get ten inches of rain, but it doesn’t appear we will get anywhere near those levels this year. With the rain’s absence, the sun has even tricked the magnolia, cherry, and plumb trees into blossoming early.

On such a nice day, Marilyn and I were unable to stay indoors and headed out to Alexander valley, one of the most beautiful places around and is located just a few minutes away by car. We stopped by the Jimtown store to buy a sandwich (turkey with garbanzo bean chipotle sauce on a french roll) for a picnic. From there we drove about a mile down the road and pulled into Soda Rock winery for a relaxing afternoon. While there, I sketched the road we drove in on. The old oak barrel beside the road is no longer used for making wine but makes a good sign to attract attention to the winery.