D is for the Diablo Range

The Diablo Range flanks the east side of Hollister. For that matter, it runs through all of San Benito County. The mountain range starts up in the San Francisco Bay Area and 'flows" down to the northern part of Kern County.

I'm participating in the A to Z Blogging Challenge this month. To check out other participants, click here.

C is for Clock Tower

The clock tower is on top of the Eastern Star Masonic Temple Building. Both the tower and the building are 104 years old. If you'd like to know more about them, check out this link.

I'm going through the alphabet this month as part of the A to Z Blogging Challenge. That means I'll be posting every day in April but Sunday.  Click here to check out some other A to Z Challenge participants.

B is for Building

The Hollister City Hall in the late afternoon lighting

The City Hall building was originally the home of the San Benito County Free Library. Yes, it was a Carnegie library. In the 1990s, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

I'm going through the alphabet this month as part of the A to Z Blogging Challenge. That means I'll be posting every day in April but Sunday.  Click here to check out some other A to Z Challenge participants.

A is for Apricot

Today's post starts the A to Z Blogging Challenge. I'll be going through the alphabet during the month of April. No posts on Sundays though. The challenge was founded by Arlee Bird. Thank you, Arlee! You can check out  A to Z participants by clicking here. Now, on with the first post. . .

The Blenheim apricot, in particular. It's a smaller apricot, full of intense flavor, whether eaten fresh or dried.

Once upon a time, Hollister was surrounded with Blenheim apricot orchards. And, picking or cutting apricots was often the first job a kid of my generation got. The cut apricots were laid on trays and set to dry naturally in the sun. The few orchardists who are still in business continue the same process today. Two local sources for locally grown apricots are Apricot King and The Farm/Bertuccio's.

Spring Alive

“When you paint Spring, do not paint willows, plums, peaches, or apricots, but just paint Spring. To paint willows, plums, peaches, or apricots is to paint willows, plums, peaches, or apricots - it is not yet painting Spring.”  ~ Dogen (1199-1252, Japan)

Today ends this week's theme of  Spring has Sprung.  I'm taking a break to prepare for the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.  If you're a blogger, maybe you'd like to participate. Click on the badge below. 

See you all, dear readers, back on April 1.  Have a wonderful time out there.