Date: November 23, 2009 @ 10:00 AM
Fall Color
Even though harvest is over, it still looks like fall around here. The vineyards are all shades of yellow and red. (The red means that the vines have a virus… but it looks good…even “mahvelous”.) My favorite Napa Valley fall color isn’t related to vines.
If you haven’t seen the Far Niente entrance when the trees turn, you owe it to yourself. The driveway is a long allee (al-LAY…French word for lining the sides of the street with evenly spaced trees so impressionist painters can capture them on canvas.)
Back to the trees…We planted Ginkgo Biloba – look it up sometime because it is one of the most interesting trees. It is considered a “living fossil” because there is evidence of it growing 270 million years ago. Presumably dinosaurs munched on them, rather than enjoying their fall display. Some people use ginkgo medicinally for treating dementia (but the tests suggest that it doesn’t work…I am hoping moderate consumption of Oakville Cabernet is worth studying!)
The trees are slow growing so it will turn into a lengthy, awe-inspiring, and soothing tunnel about the time my great-grandkids discover driving under them in some sort of self-directed eco-hydrogen mobile. This should mean that they will last for a really long time.
Back to the fall color… Ginkgo turns a fantastic and uniform gold in the fall and then all the leaves tumble off within days of each other. The result is a carpet of gold that we like to let be. Ultimately, driving down the Far Niente entry way is one of those gifts of the season that is worth slowly enjoying.
