Sunrise Lavender Fields - Redding, CA

 Click on a photo to view them larger.

Welcome to Sunrise Lavender Fields in Redding, CA. I had the pleasure of visiting here when the Grosso lavender was fresh in bloom (it's only in bloom for 3 weeks before it's time to harvest). This visit was in mid June, right after it's one & only bloom this year.

These fields have been planted within the last couple of years and Dan & Sue constantly add more to the property, including a newly planted Labyrinth (filled with Buena Vista lavender), that's going to be incredibly gorgeous as the years go by. I hope to be taking photos of the Labyrinth during it's next bloom in August. Buena Vista blooms twice a year & completely depends on the weather, but usually it's in early Spring (end of May) & end of Summer (beginning of August).

Every bodies dreams have to start somewhere & this is just the beginning of something amazing for Dan & Sue, I can feel it. This Fall, they're planting multiple kinds of lavender in the fields to give everybody a variety to what's out there in the lavender world.

Couldn't you see this as your wedding venue, the aroma would be worth every step you took there. I could see a private, intimate, sunset (or sunrise) ceremony right in the middle of the lavender.

I can see romantic engagement photos here as well.

Can you imagine how beautiful this place is going to be in a year or two, the plants will be huge & I'll need a ladder to get a downward shot over them in no time, lol. Thank you to Sue & Dan for allowing me to capture this time at their fields, for all this information so I sound smarter (lol) & for the lemon lavender jello. It's subtle but bold at the same time, it's hard to describe, you'll have to try it for yourself. All of these photos are the Grosso (edible) lavender.

 Next year I want to try some lavender lemonade.

Click on the link below to view (and "LIKE") their fb page.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sunrise-Lavender-Fields/131069753655575



Matson Vineyards - Members Event - Redding Photographer

I think this is my new favorite photo from Matson Vineyards Members Pick up Event. If you haven't joined yet, you don't know what you're missing. I say that way too often, I know. I love how it captures the activity of the evening. Anyways, I'll be posting more photos on my fb page soon.

Check out their fb page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Matson-Vineyards/182166358461786?ref=ts

Ideas are a brewin' - Redding CA Photographer

I got my sensor cleaned at Crown Camera this last week. I can see the difference in the clarity of the images so I kinda got a little carried away sitting on my front porch the other morning on an overcast day. Click on the picture & you'll see the same surprise I did. Kinda scared me a little since I was concentrating on the bee & didn't notice it until I edited the pics. That bee was almost a meal.

The photo above is a bee critter that scares me more than the sneaky spider in 1st image.

Without getting all technical on you (that's honestly not likely to ever going to happen, lol) it has a trunk like thing, that got inserted into the pollen areas of the flower. It's body reminded me of a mosquito or mean fly but the trunk could be more like an elephants trunk, I just didn't see it flex. I kinda figured it was a bee though, as long as it's pollenating my beautiful blooms, that's all I care about.

The photo above has the teeniest bee I've ever seen & this next specimen below, I call, the Elvis bee, his tooshie was stripped like old time prison clothes & shakin' all over the place, it made me think of his song, "Jail House Rock".

Thankya, Thankya very much!

The super colorful flowers above are the Arizona Sun Blanket Flower. so happy, colorful & full of pollen, no wonder the bees like it. I didn't even notice how many variaties of bees we had in our front yard, until I started taking pictures of them. These photos show about 8 different kinds.

That's not a bee in the photo above, (Duh, I know you know), that's just a jumping spider checking me out. I think he was upset cause I was invading his personal space but I wasn't scared. I can take him. (Sometimes I wonder if anybody ever really reads blogs anymore, haha. If you actually read these, I'm so sorry, lol).

I planted this bleeding heart from a bulb not long ago & I can't believe I got to see it bloom this year, I was sure I'd planted it too late in the Spring. Well, I love little surprises & this was just a day full of them. It really makes me realize how glad I am to not be a small bug enjoying a flower right about now. Hope everybody has a great day.

I've got some creative portrait ideas sparking, it's time to see them come through. I just need the right people, like you, to help me.

Visit my page on facebook

Come visit my page on facebook & see what I've been up to & what I've already done http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kimberly-Kester-Photography/113161385442478

Matson Vineyards - Redding Photography

Here are a few photos from Matson Vineyards last weekend during the Quarterly Club Event (for club members).

I love this place & found a new wine I like named "Tango", Mmmmm. If you haven't tried this place out yet, you don't know what you're missing.

Matson Vineyards "Crush" - Redding CA

This was my first "Crush" with the local winery, Matson Vineyards & I had an absolute wonderful time. I apologize for not remembering what kind of grapes they were harvesting (or the names to any of the equipment used, except for maybe the basket they put the grapes in, but that's probably not what it's called either) & a huge THANK YOU!! goes out to Lynette (she runs the Tasting Room), for the attempt in explaining everything to me. Please don't ask me to repeat what she said.... & that's my memory without a drink, scary huh. It used to be like "a steel trap", getting old stinks.

The first part of the crush was harvesting the grapes. I had a blast wandering around, finding different vines to photograph. This local off site harvesting location had very pretty grounds. BTW, these photos were taken Oct 2.

Just a few more people that came to help that day. It was a pretty good turn out with helpers.

I LOVE these next 3 images, the light was beautiful, especially the last of the 3. Click on one of these photos to view them larger, love Googles new display.

See, pretty huh? Alright, so you didn't actually get to see very much of the grounds, but that's not why I was there. It was all about the grapes, getting them picked & crushed...& without the use of feet. 1 member was pretty sad when he heard they don't do it like that anymore, he joined in & helped out anyways, ha ha. That guy totally cracked me up. When we got back to Matson, we were all rewarded with jambalaya, green salad & french bread. Mmmmm.

Continuing on, the next part of the crush was separating the grapes from the stems with this machine...

...that literally spits the stems out, so you better stand back if you're wearing nice shoes.

Then they add something to them before they go to the squisher (not sure what kind of oatsy stuff it was, I will be updating what it is, as soon as I know for sure), cut me some slack on my terms & lingo, just kinda keeping it simple.

The mixture gets sucked through a hose then goes into the squisher.

You can see all the grape juice seep through the cracks. At the bottom was a spout collecting all the juices produced by the squisher. Everybody kept filling their glasses & enjoying the sweet treat as if it were coming from a fresh spring, mmmmm, fresh grape juice.

Lid, we don't need no stinkin' lid.....

It's the makings of pure wine yumminess! And the process has only just begun, I can't wait to see what a few years (or however long it takes) will bring to Matson Vineyards from this crop. Thank you again to Matson Vineyards for letting me take photos of this unique event. If you're interested in volunteering for a crush (such as this), trying their tasting room or more details about becoming a new member (it's totally affordable if you love wine & love buying local merchandise), contact Lynette @ Matson Vineyards (530)222-2833.

I hope to keep going back for more photos & continuing the search for the right wine for me. I don't drink it that often but I love learning more about how it's processed (as long as it's baby steps from now on, ha ha), giving it as gifts to friends & the pleasures of sampling, without the pressures of buying. Yep, can't wait to go back. Happy harvest Matson & Happy Birthday to my sisters Vicki & Gloria (yes, they're twins)!! Vicki pours in the Tasting Room, so please give her a bad time for me & tell her Hi. Thanks!