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With running my own business, getting ready for this baby, and life-in-general, we hadn’t made it over to check on our plot in the community garden in a few days.

And when we arrived - much to our surprise - we found we had two zucchini ready. Two HUGE zucchini ready. Um, over-ready, actually.

Since over-ready zucchini isn’t best suited for grilling or sautéing, we’re making Zucchini-Basil Soup for dinner tonight. How exciting to again be making meals with ingredients we’ve grown!

After two years of trying, we decided that our yard is just not right for a summer garden.
There’s not enough sun, space or good soil.

Luckily, this year a community garden opened up in the little park just around the corner. After some time on the wait list, we received our plot. And it’s just right.

We’ve planted eight varieties of heirloom tomatoes, purple bush beans, padron, anaheim and ancho peppers as well as zucchini.

A wonderful added bonus is that we’ve gotten to meet several townspeople we hadn’t had the opportunity to meet before.

All the gardeners are getting together tomorrow evening for a summer solstice celebration. If it’s not too hot for this 8.5+ month pregnant lady to attend, I’ll post photos of the garden party later on this week.

No one can argue that the Napa Valley offers an amazing array of fabulous restaurants. However, perhaps surprisingly, there is a definite lack of options in the ethnic food category.

While there are some Mexican establishments (though really not many), there are only a handful of Chinese restaurants - and even fewer choices when it comes to Japanese, Thai, or Indian. And most of those places are in the town of Napa.

In fact, the restaurant I’m profiling here is one of only two Chinese eateries in the entire Upvalley area (the other is in Calistoga). And there are no Japanese, Thai, or Indian places Upvalley - with the exceptions of CC Blue (better for date nights than family dining) and the phenomenal sushi at Go Fish (though an Asian restaurant it certainly is not).

That said, Golden Harvest is a solid option for families looking for Chinese food. The menu is huge, and even offers plenty of vegetarian options. The portions are large (but not overly so), the food is fresh - and freshly prepared - and consistent. The service is professional, quick without being hurried, and cheerful. The ambiance is simple - there is a waiting/cashier/bar-type area upon entry, then a large open dining room.

While they serve both lunch and dinner, we usually seem to eat-in only at lunchtime (we do plenty of take-out at dinnertime though too). While prices at Chinese restaurants in general can get high, Golden Harvest’s lunch special offers one of the best deals in the Valley - a cup of the soup of the day, steamed rice and entrée - all for around $8.00 (prices range from $7.25-$8.95). There are over 30 entrée choices. And unlike many other restaurants that are now charging for hot tea, it is included here.

Who: All ages

What: Decent Chinese food, lots of choices, great lunch specials, quick and pleasant service, beer & wine only

Where: 61 Main Street (Highway 29), Saint Helena; just south of downtown

When: Particularly good for weekday lunches; I also especially enjoy the hot tea on rainy days

Why: To fulfill that craving for Chinese food; a quick, satisfying and inexpensive lunch

On my way down to San Francisco this Friday, I saw the first of budbreak in the Carneros region of southern Napa.

Cheers to a fabulous 2011 vintage!

After a few false starts, it seems that Spring has finally, gloriously arrived.

Below we have a tulip garden and a vineyard located at the bridge on Rutherford Cross Road.

Okay, so it’s not much. Not like you get in Wisconsin or anything.

But we so rarely get snow here–and snow that sticks around at all at that–that this is notable. In fact, I’ve never seen snow on the eastern or western hills as you see here. Mount Saint Helena may get snow once a year or so, but never so far down the mountain.

Eastern Hills, Oakville

Mount Saint Helena from Saint Helena

Western Hills, Saint Helena

Although it’s been incredibly rainy thus far this winter - and now the forecast calls for unusually chilly temps - today I noticed buds on a neighbor’s tree just down the street.

I have no idea what type of tree this is (do you?), but seeing this sign of new growth is such a delight.