Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Santa Ynez Tranquility


One of my favorite times of the day is morning when I sit on my patio with a mug of coffee. The panoramic view of the Sedgwick is so serene. I feel as if I'm on a retreat.


The deep silence is broken only by the call of birds. Until I left the buzz of the city and moved here, I could barely tell one bird from another. Now I know their names as well as their migratory patterns. The arrival of the red-breasted house sparrows and bright lesser goldfinch tell me Spring has arrived. The yellow-billed magpie stays with us all year because its habitat is quite limited. I must admit that with their raucous squawk and flashing black and white wings they are my favorite.


As I watch the house sparrows build their nests out of twigs and bits of lichen, I think how right it is that this house was built according to exacting green standards. It feels organic, like part of the surroundings on this rare parcel adjacent to the Sedgwick Reserve.


Although we had thought of taking advantage of the vineyard potential of the large flat area abutting the Sedgwick, I'm glad we didn't. I love walking down the old ranch road and picking wildflowers that blanket this parcel. There is a riot of yellow violets, lupine, poppies and more that I can't name.


It's hard to believe that this tranquil retreat is only ten minutes from Santa Ynez, 15 minutes from Solvang and 30 minutes from Santa Barbara.

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