Sunday Ranch Run

Sooooo... My family has this place we call the Ranch. It's actual name is the Terraces and belongs to my Dad's family. It was owned by Carl Purdy, my great great grandfather. He was a pretty famous horticulturalist and botanist. He created the first seed/bulb catalog, so that people way back in the day (like late 1800-early 1900's) could order seeds and bulbs. He named a couple and what not...

"Purdy, Carl–(1861-1945)–Ukiah, California–established his nursery in 1879.  He specialized in California natives.  He started collecting native seeds, bulbs and plants in about 1875 when he was only in his teens, for a nurseryman in the eastern United States.  He traveled widely as a collector and was a school teacher for a while.  In 1903 collecting native bulbs was his principal work.  His first catalog was published in 1896. He also did landscaping in the San Francisco Bay area.  He was especially interested in native lilies and collaborated with L. H. Bailey in writing on California bulbs for the Cyclopedia of American Horticulture."

That's what Smithsonian says about him... Kinda cool...
He even wrote a book called My Life and Times. You should read it.... Or not. I have and think it's pretty interesting but it's also my family. Not sure I would think your family is interesting-- just kidding, I'm sure they're awesome. Last year the Mendocino County Museum did a museum exhibit on him. My parents worked with a curator and collected TONS of stuff to put in the exhibit. It turned out pretty cool. You can check out pictures http://www.mendocinomuseum.org/carl-purdy-exhibit-2011-12.html

Anyways... My grandma Vesta was Carl's grand daughter. She always told cool stories about the Ranch and Carl Purdy and taught me a ton about flowers... Which is why I love that I live in the place that was her house. My yard is awesome! Right now, the weather has been so beautiful that my daffodils are blooming. Well they are also blooming at the ranch. So today I headed up with my parents to take some pictures and just look at all the wildflowers that are still there from Carl Purdy. When my grandma passed away, she asked to be put out on the point that overlooks the entire valley of Ukiah. She has daffodils surrounding her and her 100th birthday would have been this Friday (the 21st). Guess she thought almost 95 was close enough. It was such a nice weekend and a gentle reminder of we are who we are and where we came from has such a large impact on who we become. I feel blessed to come from such good roots (haha see plants, roots, get it?)

Happy Birthday Grandma! Into the Daffodils...