Where The Rosemary Grows

I am feeling a little guilty. Well a lot guilty actually. New England is experiencing record snowfall this winter. It is the winter of the endless storms. Some people pick up and go to Florida to escape the harsh New England winters. My Mom actually loves Florida and she is there right now but I love a place with a cooler climate. A climate in winter where temperatures are usually between 40F and 70F. A climate where, if you owned a plot of land, you could actually garden all year long. Since the EM can telecommute and my skills are limited to the New England gardening cycle, we decided to pack up and head for Sonoma, CA. We have enjoyed this area on several previous visits. Most of those visits were in December and we visited two summers ago in July when the rolling hills of Sonoma were  brown. Now, in February, they are vivid green. The grape vines traverse the landscape adding perfect geometry to flowing fields. Back home, the icicles reach from roof to ground. Here the rosemary thrives and flowers and bees dance in their blossoms. The camellias and hellebores are also providing a dance floor for the bees right along with the daffodils. I love New England. It is home and this winter it has been harsh. With any luck, I will get to experience spring twice this year. As I said, I am feeling a little guilty.