Yesterday

First, a couple of golden treasures in a basket at Helmut's farm stand...And here are some wonderfully gnarly carrots.

While we're at the farm stand...well, I wasn't going to mention this, but there was a fellow in there mounting a steel safe where the old honor-system wooden barrel had been. Apparently someone had recently robbed all the cash from the barrel, and in the process robbed our little community of something special we'd had going at that roadside stand...trust.

Okay, maybe not entirely, but isn't it discouraging how one jerk can alter the culture?

But a walk up to Gaviota Peak always lifts the spirits, especially on a clear, cool December morning. I am fond of this view along the way of Highway One, with the red tile roofs of Vista de las Cruces School just barely visible towards the lower left.

Persimmons! I spent some time shaking them from this tree. (Don't worry; it was a raid pre-authorized by the resident of the property.) I brought a dozen of 'em home in the hopes of making persimmon pudding or perhaps--why not?!-- persimmon-cinnamon-ginger granita? Unfortunately, the one I sliced and sampled in my kitchen later was bitter and astringent...an inedible disappointment. My friends tell me they just need to ripen further.

Finally...I realize it's not a particularly picturesque picture, but I thought those tires were impressive, not to mention Scott's driving skills. This is the road to my house, and he and his crew were doing some needed resurfacing. Since I obviously was not going to get around him, I put my car into the dreaded mode: reverse. But Scott gave me a friendly, "no problem" wave and backed up that tractor as far as was needed to get to a place where he could pull over and let me by. It was a nice welcome home gesture, and I appreciated it.