Date: December 04, 2009 @ 11:57 AM
Christmas Lights
It’s that time of year again…
The cynical side of me can say that I heard the same Christmas CD playing in the grocery store, the bookstore, and the gas station. (Who organizes that sort of coordination and could we put them in charge of fixing the economy?)
The (what is the opposite of cynical?) optimistic side of me can say how much I enjoy the Christmas lights. I am biased, but my favorite lights, after all these years, are the old fashioned large bulb colored lights that cover the olive trees at Far Niente.
From the highway, they look like some sort of electrified gumdrops. Up close, it feels as if you are close to Santa’s workshop. I like the fact that they haven’t changed in so many years. I also like that I don’t have to feel guilty about the electricity (it’s all solar) and our Christmas CO2 footprint. (See blog about Flotovoltaics).
A few years ago, we had the Far Niente Christmas tree set up in the center of the caves. Zach made the “clapper” improvement. Did you ever see their ads? “Clap on..clap on clap off”…it works! He would clap and the tree would magically light up in the previously dark caves – the child in all of us loved it.
Have you noticed how Christmas lights are changing? They outline buildings – see Main Street in Yountville– they look like artificial icicles…better known as “artificles.” The white bulbs now come in lots of shades of white. (There used to only be one…so they matched.) Some are so white that they are ice blue. Our friends at Sutter Home have outlined their magnificent house with white lights. The palm tree is so well lit that you want to get a drink with an umbrella in it…(if the drink comes with a light too).
