If you haven't heard already, the San Diego Master Gardener's Seminar is around the corner on Saturday, May 4, 2013. Check out their website, Master Gardener Spring Seminar . There is still time to sign up for classes.

My hens are eggcited, because I am going to be speaking at the 8:30am session, on "Companion Gardening with Backyard Chickens", something very near and dear to my hens, who love to be out with me in the garden. Learn how to have a beautiful, thriving garden, along with a healthy happy flock of chickens. This speaking engagement kicks off the celebration of my new book, Gardening with Free-Range Chickens For Dummies (For Dummies (Home & Garden)) with co-author Rob Ludlow from www.backyardchickens.com. Stay tuned, as we launch our "eggciting" new book!

I collect bird nests from all over my garden. Sometimes a strong wind sends them to the ground. Thank goodness I find them empty, after the young birds have "flown the coop." I marvel at how well they are engineered. Some are large, and some are small. I recognize these nests are made from materials that come out of my garden. It gives me great joy to see the results of my garden from another angle.

I feel these special bird nests are symbolic of new beginnings, life, good fortune, and more. I count my blessings that there are so many of them. When I recently hung a European coat rack, I knew that was the perfect spot for my bird nest collection. Nature is by far the best decorator.

Please share if you collect bird nests. Please share the best bird nest you have found.

Do you know who Claudia Alta Taylor Johnson was? It was the real name of one of our beloved First Ladies, better known as Lady Bird Johnson. This month, and actually December 22, 2012 marked the 100 year anniversary of the birth of Lady Bird. This is a charming children's book geared for ages 7-10. Published in 2005, Kathy Appelt is the author, and Joy Fisher Hein illustrates the book beautifully in vivid impressionistic colors.

Through this book, readers are reminded of this country's very important chapter in our history. Readers also learn wildflower names guided by color illustrations mentioned in the book. It also leaves us with Miss Lady Bird's Legacy, and what we can be grateful to her for creating generations later.

Miss Lady Bird's Wildflowers: How a First Lady Changed America beautifully illustrates the poignant life story of Lady Bird from her earliest Texas memories finding solace in Texas bluebonnet flowers, to her exciting life in the White House married to Lyndon B. Johnson, and back to her beloved Texas. Her love of flowers was a theme throughout her lifetime, and is a catalyst for her environmental vision of beautifying America's highways with wildflowers.

Go to author Kathi Appelt's website, for lots more for children to actively participate in celebrating Lady Bird's centennial birth.

Please welcome my husband, John Manion, who is the wine maker and VP of Liquid Assets at Domaine de Manion. We have been on this journey together from the first idea of a vineyard, and what a ride it has been. John shares his thoughts with you, from time to time on our vineyard and wine making. 

Hello, I'm the Vintage Vigneron, (aka the husband John) to provide an update on the wines and vines.

I’m just finishing up barreling the 2012 vintage and putting it to bed for the winter. Overall, it was a good vintage in both quality and quantity with our vines providing us with our second largest harvest at 600 pounds of fruit or for those that support the "farm to table" movement, that would be 17 cases of our estate Syrah wine. The Vintage Garden Gal and I typically purchase additional bulk grapes from local sources so we can make some interesting blends that include our Syrah. The annual output of Domaine de Manion has been steady at 35 cases for the last number of years.

The vines are now turning autumn colors and shutting down for the season. Syrah vines tend to hold their leaves the longest of most varietals so we won’t see naked vines until late December–early January.

We’re heading into our rainy season here in Southern California and the vines will be really happy to get a big dose of water as they ready themselves for the next growing season. I get concerned calls from friends (I think they worry that production will be down) when a frost hits.

Here is Southern California frost is not really a big concern because of our typically mild winters. Remember, grape vines are deciduous plants that evolved in climates that have hot summers and cold winters. The frost actually helps shut the root systems of the vines down and inhibits needless growth if it warms up during the winter season. We want our vines rested and ready to grow once we prune them in the early February time frame. The one time we don’t want the frost is after we prune the vines – that effects the budding process and does effect the production of grape clusters. That’s why we hold off pruning until we think we’re done with the cooler winter temperatures.

It’s nice to be finishing up the 2012 crush, reviewing the lessons learned from the growing and wine making season, and taking a little breather.

I’ll check in again when we start the pruning process.

According to Carlsbad seed pioneer, Charles B. Ledgerwood, in Southern California we can grow beets, carrots, radish, and Swiss chard throughout the year. Ever since I learned that, I've been growing all kinds of beets. Pictured here is Bull's Blood Beet, just pulled from my potager. There are many wonderful beets to grow like the Italian heirloom, Chioggia, with its pretty red and white ring, and another favorite of mine, Golden Beets.

I don't know why, but the beets that I grow in my garden do not bleed as much on my hands and cutting board, as those bought from the store. I recommend growing beets in your garden, and using them in this fabulous recipe of Giada de Laurentiiis. This is a perfect recipe for the holidays with the red beets, dried cherries, and green avocado. Enjoy!

Beet and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad

Recipe from Giada De Laurentiis, slightly adapted. This salad can be made with any type of beet. Red beets, avocado, and dried cherries make for a festive salad for the holidays. A nice spring adaptation is golden beets, avocado, and golden raisins. Warning, red beets are extremely messy and will bleed. Golden and Chioggia beets tend to be less messy.

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

¼ cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons shallots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 medium beets, peeled and quartered
6 cups fresh arugula
½ cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
¼ cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
½ avocado, peeled, pitted, and cubed
3 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbed

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the vinegar, shallots, and honey in a medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with salt and pepper. Toss the beets in a small bowl with enough dressing to coat. Place the beets on the prepared baking sheet and roast about 40-45 minutes until the beets are just tender and slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally. Set aside and cool.

Toss the arugula, walnuts, and dried cherries in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad, to taste with salt and pepper. Mound the salad atop 4 plates. Arrange the beets around the salad. Sprinkle with the avocado and goat cheese, and serve.

My Black Star hen, Copper Penny, started laying her first eggs around five months old. They are perfect in every way, but tiny at first. Pullet eggs are about as big in size as a wine cork. Gradually her egg size increased as her egg production continued. Black Star hens are good layers, with a pretty brown egg.

Pullets, hens that are less than a year old, usually start laying at 5-6 months old. As they begin laying, they have small eggs, at first which naturally increase in size. Young hens sometimes have egg irregularities such as shell-less eggs and double-yolks--two yolks in one egg. Have patience, in no time their egg-laying straightens out quickly.

A double-yolk egg is much larger in size, sometimes in width as well as length. It is not real common, but more common with young pullets starting their egg-laying production. Two yolks are ovulated at the same time, rather than one. Occasionally, it is an inherited trait, in which a hen regularly lays double-yolked eggs. Double-yolked eggs are prized eggs.

"Copper Penny" in a regal pose. The Black Star breed is a trade name for black sex-link hybrid chickens. The Black Sex Link breed is defined as the offspring of a non-barred cock with a barred hen. Usually, the cock is a Rhode Island Red or a New Hampshire breed, and the hen is a Barred Plymouth Rock. Normally, the offspring cockerels (males) are barred, and the pullets (females) are dark with some red feathers. In Penny's case, she is dark feathered with copper red neck and hackle feathers.

I've raised her since she was two weeks old. When she was a chick she was always the curious one, flying up on my back and shoulder. As she has matured, she still flies up on my back and shoulder when you she has a chance. With that said, I think I a chicken's defining personality is evident very early on in their lives.

Please share if you have young pullets starting to lay their first eggs. Please comment if you have gotten double-yolk eggs from your hens.

When I saw this ornamental grass, Pearl Millet, Pennisetum glaucoma, I knew I had to plant it in my vintage vintner buckets. I love this chocolate bronzy grass, because of its scale, color, and commanding interest. Could it be it stirs my Midwest roots. Pearl Millet reminds me of marshy cattails on the edge of a sleepy pond, and a surprising stretch resemblance  to an ornamental cornstalk.

Pearl Millet is a perennial. It likes sun, and will faithfully bloom summer to fall. In a pot it should be watered at least once or twice a week. I have a feeling planted in the ground, this grass could grow legs. Seriously, the plant tag states that mature size is up to 1-8' tall and 1-4' wide. I think I'm going to keep mine happy in it's potted state.

I paired Pearl Millet with a New Day Red Striped Gazania, that will  reach 10" high and conveniently fill in the base of my bucket. Last, I added  a wispy, trailing Muelenbeckia, Creeping Wire Vine. It has small bronze leaves that will complement the bronze foliage of the Pearl Millet and the reddish stripe of the Gazania. Other choice companion plants might be zinnias, petunias, and marguerite daisies.

I stacked my favorite dried apple gourds on my French cart, and enlisted my rooster statuary as sentinel, and the vignette is complete.

Please share if you happen upon plants that stir your creativity. Please share if you have a beautiful fall vignette of your own.

If you have been following VintageGardenGal for a while, you know how smitten I am on Provence. I even have a Provence category on my left side bar with posts about my trips to Provence. There is something magical about Provence. The geographical setting, the people you meet, the markets, the food, the wine, the beauty. I could go on and on. I am not sure if it is just the best of "simple country life" personified or the timelessness of this garden spot and the sharing presence of past civilizations who once appreciated it, too.

Regardless, I urge all of you to visit Provence one day, and experience if for yourself. If you have had the good fortune to spend time in Provence, you most certainly know what I am talking about.

About a year and half ago, New Zealand publisher PQ Blackwell contacted me requesting literary permission for a quote of mine highlighted in green on the post, Encore Provence . I remember vividly writing this particular sentence, and its words must ring true for others as well. My contribution is but one small quote, but I'm so honored to be a part of this beautiful book.

This special book is part coffeetable book with Rachael McKenna's vivid photography, part cookbook with Michelin-starred chef Jean-Andre Charial's 35 Provencal recipes, and an introduction by none other than one of my favorite Provence authors, Patricia Wells . Lunch in Provence  has a running theme of beautiful quotes. The quotes are beautiful and poignant about Provence, and that is where I fit in. This is a great gift for gardeners, cooks, and world travelers.

With the anticipated release of Lunch in Provence, the Laguna Beach Garden Club has asked me to be their November speaker and give a talk on "Bringing the Magic of Provence to Your Home and Garden." Program is Friday, November 9, 2012, at 9:30am. Guests are welcome. Books will be available for sale. For more information, please visit Laguna Beach Garden Club.

For more information on speaking engagements and topics, please got to Great Garden Speakers--Bonnie Jo Manion .

Please share if you have been to Provence, and what draws you there. Please share your stories on Provence.