Is It Winter or Spring in the North County?

Got up early this morning to go to church after seeing and hearing lots of rain and hail yesterday. As I approached the stairs the roof of the first story under my window was white, as was the upstairs balcony. This is how my car looked at 9:15 this morning:

Frost or hail on my Volvo in Templeton, CA, Feb. 27, 2011

Frost or hail on my Volvo in Templeton, CA, Feb. 27, 2011

The grass and weeds were also frosted, and the vineyard across the fence was still partially white at 9:15 a.m.

Frost Glistens on the Poison Hemlock Seedlings in February, 2011

Frost Glistens on the Poison Hemlock Seedlings in February, 2011

Frost covers grasses on my slope, making them magical.

Frost covers grasses on my slope, making them magical.

Some hail or frost remains on the ground across the fence at the Croad vineyard.

Some hail or frost remains on the ground across the fence at the Croad vineyard.

I wonder if more of it would have been white, had I roused myself much earlier in the morning than I did. It certainly did seem like winter had struck.

After church, as I headed to my Paso Robles home, I passed Walmart, where it seemed to be spring. All the trees were dressed in pink blossoms. No white on the ground anywhere by 11 a.m.

Trees in bloom at Walmart parking lot, Paso Robles, CA, February 27, 2011

Trees in bloom at Walmart parking lot, Paso Robles, CA, February 27, 2011

So, is it winter or spring in the North County today?

In the early afternoon, after lunch, we saw a couple walking their dogs past the Paso house and they stopped to chat. They said they had been in snow in Parkfield earlier — enough to play in. They said they had also seen snow in Atascadero. In Templeton, we only saw and heard the hail. You don’t hear snow, which softly flutters to the ground.

By afternoon, the sun was very bright  and there was no way I could stay inside. We decided to drive east to Sculpterra, since Kosta had never been there. The weather was perfect, just warm enough to be comfortable. The parking lot was almost full, but it wasn’t too crowded inside, except where a small group was listening to the Chicago folk duo, Small Potatoes. We had enjoyed their music while we were walking through the Sculpture Gardens, but inside, those tasting wine made it harder to hear the music. I was a bit disappointed to see that the Artist of the Month space on the wall was empty today, but some of W.B. Eckert’s gorgeous tiles were on display on one of the tables. The masks had been moved to another wall than where I last saw them, and they were easier to photograph here:

These unique ceramic masks were on display at Scultpterra Tasting Room

These unique ceramic masks were on display at Scultpterra Tasting Room

It was a perfect day to photograph the sculptures. The sun was hitting them just right. This one is my favorite, and expresses how I feel about now, so I leave you with this tonight. It’s titled Sweet Dreams. For my complete video tour of Sculpterra’s Sculpture Garden and Tasting Room during the summer, see my Squidoo lens: Art and Wine, the Perfect Combination.

"Sweet Dreams" Sculpture at Sculpterra Winery Sculpture Garden in Paso Robles, CA

"Sweet Dreams" Sculpture at Sculpterra Winery Sculpture Garden in Paso Robles, CA