New Camera Lens

Travis got me a new camera lens for Christmas (Canon 50 mm f/1.8), and I've been having lots of fun playing with it!  Here are some pictures that I took today, and one of Travis from Christmas Eve.  :-D

{She finally gave me half a smile.  haha!}

{Yawn!}

{Baby Fingers}

Look at that awesome blur!  :-D

The Silverado Trail

The Silverado Trail is a road that runs parallel to the highway which goes through Napa Valley.  I read about it a couple of years ago.  Supposedly, the Silverado Trail is one of the best places to drive during the fall.  I wanted to take the drive last year, but, being huge pregnant, I knew I wouldn't be able to survive the "just for the heck of it" trip.  So we went this year.  We actually drove out there on the weekend before Thanksgiving, so this post is quite late.  No surprise there, right?  ;)

The trail starts around Calistoga, which is a good hour from our house, so we drove up the highway to get there and drove back on the Silverado Trail.  We decided to start off by going to the petrified forest that's up there.  These are petrified redwoods, y'all!  Huge!

The View from the Petrified Forest

Next to a small piece of petrified wood.  Yes, I said that it's small.

I thought this was so cool!  A tree grew up in the middle of a petrified tree.

After walking through the petrified forest, we drove down the Silverado Trail.  It really was beautiful!  Most of the grapevines are (were) covered in yellow leaves.  We were out there right before sunset, so we had a beautiful view!

I sure do love my tripod!  :-D

We didn't stop to do any wine tastings, but we did pull over so I could snap some pictures.  :-D  The following winery is called Darioush.  I actually read a review that said the wine is no good, but the building was cool.  I can't speak for the wine, but I agree that the building is pretty cool.  ;)

Sorry there aren't more pictures.  We mostly just drove and enjoyed the view.  The northern half of the trail was gorgeous!  Closer to the city of Napa, not so much.  I am glad that we made the trip though.  I've always thought that Napa Valley was beautiful in the fall!