At The Ranch
Into the Hills Early season rains have coaxed a faint green from hills that have been golden brown all summer. By early spring, if we're lucky enough to experience normal rainfall this year, they'll be emerald green. They'll explode with color—and with visitors—as the wildflowers bloom in mid to late spring. On this cool January day, there are few visitors. I have the place more or less to myself, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, we opened our home at varying times to five overnight guests—both friends and family. We gave gifts. We received gifts. We prepared meals and baked cookies and made peanut brittle. A lot of peanut brittle. We hosted get-togethers. We attended get-togethers. We spent the holiday season sipping wine and hot chocolate and watching Christmas movies and being with those dearest to us, and had a great time doing it. It is now the afternoon of the first of January, US Pacific time. I've pitched a c