Look at the roses!  A woman I met while I was making this  picture told me that while certain types of roses love the moist, cool climate of this village less than mile from the coast, other types, such as the Bourbon variety, won’t open at all here.   Of the several times I have photographed this house, this is the first image that has felt right to me, probably because the utility wires mimic the lines of the fence and the road and seem to hold the image together.

Located 45 minutes or so south of San Francisco, Filoli is a historic mansion surrounded by acres of formal gardens.  This image comes from last April.  We try to visit around Easter each year, when the camellias and rhododendrons are spread  with bloom and the grounds are thick with potted tulips.  Photographers be warned: no tripods allowed except during special evening hours on select days.  Is there any photographic subject as hackneyed as the flower?  So hard to capture a fresh view.  But I keep trying.