Beltane Ranch

We belong to their wine club and missed our last pick up party, so we went along this morning to pick up our order. Going there is like taking a step back in time...It's a farmhouse/inn and agricultural preserve that was originally part of a land grant from the Mexican governor in 1837. The ranch was purchased in 1892 by Mary Ellen Pleasant, abolitionist, feminist, business magnate, a Black woman from New Orleans. She designed the ranch house. Her New Orleans heritage is still evident in its
architecture.

These days the ranch is still run by descendants of some of the original owners  and includes produce gardens, heirloom fruit trees, heritage breed laying hens, longhorn cattle*, a flock of sheep, which helps keep the weeds down in the many acres of regeneratively farmed vineyards from which their estate wines are produced. We're lucky we live nearby, because I don't think we could afford to stay in their beautifully appointed rooms, but we always enjoy going there to pick up our wine and have a walk around the gardens.

The name 'Beltane' likely refers to the ancient Celtic festival of Beltane, an early May celebration of fertility.

It's been hot again today so once we came back home we've stayed here.
I managed one more square (five done now out of, I'm afraid to count how many) and resisted making another trip to the fabric store. 

Our neighbor Ann came by with a coneflower plant for our new flower garden. She said it was in exchange for my hemming her dress for her, even though I told her it was a birthday present.

About time now for a nice chilled glass of the 2024 El Nopal Rosé (or whichever one John put in the fridge) that we picked up this morning.