Spring, but early spring

Yesterday I said that spring had sprung, and I still think it's true. But it's early spring, and the mornings are still chilly. Look at the frosty picture below, which I took just outside the back gate yesterday morning.

Frost on a plant yesterday...

It's such a treat to see the sun rise in the morning that I don't really mind the chilly temperatures that come with clear skies. When it stays cloudy overnight, it's much less cold in the morning, but it's gloomy.

...but a brilliant sunrise in the vineyard

I noticed the fungus below growing on an old tree stump. Champignons are a sure sign of impending spring.

A tree stump being consumed by mushrooms

I'm still having a mild allergic reaction to pollen in the air, but it's nothing like the severe attack I had day before yesterday. One of the reasons I chose to come live in northern France was because my pollen allergies are less of a problem here. California was not a good environment for me — there are too many cypress trees along the coast there.

Callie on the walk yesterday. It had rained overnight.

Finally, looking at the picture above and especially the one below, you can see the reddish color of the vines now. They are getting ready to bud out for the new season.

The vineyard is coming back to life now.

There are different pruning styles for different grape varieties. The ones that get pruned the least severely are Sauvignon Blanc grapes. And those are the ones that are the most colorful right now.