Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

 
There's something kind of beautifully poignant about back alleys. This is Wentz Alley, looking from East Street.

Coming Up: Flower Tours in San Benito County

April showers bring May flowers. Okay, we didn't get many April showers this year, but there are still many May flowers to behold. And, over the next two weekends, a couple of flower rambles are available for your pleasure.

May 12 in Aromas

Featuring Artists in the Gardens is the theme of the Aromas Country Garden Tour this Saturday, May 10, in Aromas, about 17 miles west of Hollister.  Sponsored by the Aromas Hills Artisans and the Arts Council for Monterey Council, this annual event will run from 10 AM to 4 PM. Participants will be able to take a self-guided tour through ten gardens, including cottage gardens. Master gardeners will be available to answer questions. In addition, artists will be showing and selling their paintings, pottery, sculpture, jewelry, and other art works along the garden paths.

Tickets are $15 each or $25 for 2 persons.  Tickets are $10 for seniors, who are 65 years or older, and members of  the Aromas Hills Artisans. Both tickets and tour maps will be available on May 12 at the Aromas Community Grange on the corner of Rose and Bardue.  

For for information, visit the Aromas Hill Artisans web site or read Aromas Country Garden Tour 2014 at the Times Publishing Group web site.

May 17 in San Juan Bautista

Did you know that San Juan Bautista has many heritage roses, some of which were planted in the mid-19th century?

The opportunity to learn about the heritage roses at the San Juan Bautista District Cemetery will be available on Saturday, May 17 when the San Juan Bautista Heritage Rose Group offers a free Heritage Rose Tour and Propagation Workshop.  Leading the walking tour will be Jill Perry, the Curator of the Collection at the Heritage Rose Garden in San Jose. Also on hand to assist her will be Jeri Jennings, the National Convener for the Heritage Roses Group.

The tour will include collecting rose cuttings for a propagation workshop to be held at the historic Marentis House on 45 Monterey Street.

The tour will start at noon at the bottom of the cemetery at 70 Monterey Street. The propagation workshop at the Marentis House will be from 1:30 to 3 PM.

Participants are requested to bring a hat, water, pencil, and paper. If interested, participants can also bring clippers and gloves. For more information or to sign up for the tour, email Wanda at wguibert (at) gmail (dot) com or call her at 831-623-1672. Preregistration for the tour is not required. 

2014 Hollister Farmers' Market

Whooo-hooo! Today is the first day of the 2014 Farmers' Market in downtown Hollister. Fresh vegetables and fruit. Fresh eggs, chicken, and meat. Artisan breads and sausages. Local honey and olive oils. Flowers, crafts, and local goods. BBQ and other restaurant fare. And more!

What more? You'll just have to go down and see for yourself.

Where: San Benito Street, between 4th and 7th streets
When: Every Wednesday, 3 to 7:30 pm, from May 7 to September 24

For more details, check out these sites:
Downtown Certified Farmers' Market, Hollister Downtown Association
Hollister Farmers Market at Facebook
Downtown Hollister Farmers Market, Yelp reviews

JJ's Burgers

Hands up. Who else likes to eat a hamburger and garlic fries from JJ's Burgers in San Juan Bautista?  Droooool.

If they gave me an hour, I think I could complete JJ's Burger Challenge: A burger consisting of four patties, grilled onions, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, and special sauce, along with a milk shake and fries. But, you must consume it all in 20 minutes. The prize: A free meal and your photo on the Wall of Fame.

Adam Richman of Man vs. Food ought to try the challenge. Don't you think?

Dry!

This field borders the west side of Highway 25, before Santa Ana Road. I've never seen the soil look so dry around here.

The other day I noticed that the soil of the outdoor potted plants were ridiculously dry, and I had watered them a few days earlier. "Is it because of the heat?" I asked the Husband. "Yeah," he replied. "And the low humidity."