Grating

I know there will be varied reactions to today's shot. The gardeners amongst you will be itching to pull that single weed, others, like OilMan, will be wondering, 'what was she thinking?', and I'm not really sure what it is about the grillwork over the base of the trees, but despite many photo opportunities today, something about it really appeals to me.

Thie is 'festival season' in Sonoma County. Sebastopol has an Apple Blossom Festival, Santa Rosa has a Rose Parade, and Petaluma (once the poultry capitol of the world, or at least Northern California) has a Butter and Eggs festival...yesterday was the parade and the judging for the 'cutest chick", namely, the cutest little kid in a chicken costume. I would have voted for the tiny face peeking out of a solid mass of yellow feathers, but nobody asked me. Today was an Antique Fair and since my friend Nancy had a booth there we went along to check it out. 

OilMan was feeling surprisingly mellow about being dragged out of his garden on a fine day, especially to attend an event that held little interest for him, especially since it promised to be crowded and hard to park. He spent not a little bit of time researching the situation in advance and even agreed to take the back road, which I find much more pleasant than the freeway.

OilMan's circuitous route took us to the hill above the town whereon there are many of Petaluma's fine old Victorian homes, lovingly restored and beautifully painted. One had a madly blooming rose garden with some beautifully scented roses that we could smell a block away as we walked down the hill toward the Main Street. 

I admit, it is a spectacular house, and probably deserves to be the main shot today, but the design and care that went into the humble grilles around every tree for several blocks charmed me. It was the part of town where the rich folk would have lived, but still...I was pleased to see that they are still appreciated and haven't been ripped out in favor of something cheaper and more functional.

On the other hand, they are still there undamaged and in pristine condition 100 years later, so perhaps they are the cheapest and most functional choice.