Summer on the Iron Horse Trail

What a difference a few months makes! When I last reported on the Iron Horse Trail, everything was green. Mount Diablo and the surrounding hills were green, the railroad bed was green, and the empty back lots lining the Trail were green. Trees had leafed out and wildflowers proliferated. Seven months of drought-busting rains turned San Ramon into an emerald green paradise (see Spring on the Iron Horse Trail).

Shady rest stop on the Iron Horse Trail

Mile 18.25 heading south from Concord to Dublin

Fast forward a few months and many days of 90- to 100-degree weather. San Ramon has been transformed back into the tawny paradise characteristic of the California landscape. The hills are once again golden brown with scattered oak trees. I've been getting my exercise swimming laps at the nearby San Ramon Olympic Pool and Aquatics Center, or taking quick walks around the Bishop Ranch lakes in the late afternoon, when the blissful marine breeze travels through the 580 corridor, and up the 680.

Countryside turns brown near Bishop Ranch (with California hills in the distance)

I finally made my way over to the Iron Horse Trail for a walk, and to see what impact the high heat is having. The Iron Horse Trail runs through San Ramon near Bishop Ranch, and provides a vital transportation and recreational corridor. I found a lot of tawny grasses, and hot sun, so kept to the Trail edge and explored some of the shady side trails and lingered under the big oak. I found a lot of tiny wildflowers amidst the grasses, and some interesting oak galls and plant diseases.

Shady side trail through pines	Oak Apple Galls
Another type of Gall	Morning Glory

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Summer Movies 2017: Vincent & Theo

For our last movie of our summer series, which features artists in the garden, we are watching Vincent & Theo (1990), directed by Robert Altman, and starring Tim Roth and Paul Rhys in the respective starring roles. Artists are not always conventional, so watchers beware. But if you appreciate art, artists, creativity, and the intersection of madness and genius, pour a glass of peach iced tea, pick some summer fruit, and join me!

The movie opens with overlapping scenes showing a modern auction taking place in Christie's of London for the Van Gogh painting, Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers (1888), with bidding near 12M pounds; and scenes in Vincent's rented room in which Vincent declares his intention to Theo be a painter of the real world, not the church, and later in which Theo reveals that he is the one who has been supporting Vincent's painting career, not their father. Cut back to Christie's and the bidding ends at 22M pounds. The rest of the movie takes place from 1883 - 1891, and covers many of the well-known events in their lives—Vincent's relationship with Paul Gaugin, cutting off his ear, eating paint, his compassion for others, bouts with depression, and the constant need for money.

Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh (1853 - 1890) and his art dealer brother, Theo (1857 - 1891), moved from the Netherlands to France to improve their fortunes. Vincent apprenticed as a painter, and Theo sold art. He was a proponent of the new Impressionist style, and attempted to promote Vincent's work, but had a difficult time of it. The film depicted both brothers as tempestuous and a bit tortured, and by the end of the film, Vincent's mental health is deteriorating. He is committed to Saint Remi to repair, and is authorized to paint anywhere he likes. He does some of his most iconic work during this time, but tragically kills himself. Six month later, his brother dies.

Some of my favorite scenes were of Vincent painting in the open air, surrounded by nature. I also liked how Theo and Vincent’s lives were intertwined, and how Theo helped his brother, even as he struggled with his own issues. It's heartbreaking to think of Vincent and Theo struggling with money problems, while Vincent's paintings sell posthumously for millions, and to watch Vincent tormented by mental illness while forging a new art form. I also appreciated watching the short, Film as Fine Art, which describes the making of the movie. Many art students were employed to create the faux Van Gogh paintings used throughout the movie, all of which were in various stages of completeness, and the film crew purchased an entire sunflower field to shoot some of the final scenes of the film. I recommend the film for anyone with a passion for art and nature.

Summer Movies 2017: Renoir

Our next movie is Renoir (2013) directed by Gilles Bourdos, and starring French actors Michel Bouquet, Christa Théret, and Vincent Rottiers. This is part of our summer movie series that feature artists in the garden. As mentioned for the previous movie, artists can be unconventional, so this movie may not be for you. But if you appreciate art, artists, and the creative process, join me with your Kettle Corn and cool summer beverage!

The movie is set on the French Riviera at the estate of Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841 - 1919), in the summer of 1915. Renoir, one of the early Impressionist painter, has retreated to the Mediterranean coast in the south of France. He is grieving the recent death of his wife, battling painful rheumatoid arthritis at age 74, and lamenting that two of his sons have been wounded in war. He is attended by several of his former models who keep house, attend to his health, and provide companionship. His younger son runs wild in the countryside dealing with his mother's death and his anger at his father.

A mysterious young woman, Andrée, arrives at the estate, saying she was sent by Renoir's dead wife to be his model. Renoir is reinvigorated by her presence, and begins to paint despite his pain. One of the sons, Jean (1894 - 1979), returns home to convalesce. Both father and son are captivated by the young model, and inspired by her free spirit and youthful beauty. The father explores a new level of painting, and the son finds his purpose to become a film maker. The movie becomes a story about the Renoirs (father and son), their relationships, and their creativity.

I loved the beauty of the movie with its lush settings, filtered shade and brilliant light, color palette, glimpses of the Mediterranean Sea and nature, and summer scenes. Details of daily living, Renoir's art studio, life on the estate, picnics and pleine air painting in nature, are depicted almost like art, befitting both a painter and a film maker. Relationships are complex and messy. The characters grapple with life and death, aging and loss, beauty and love, creativity and purpose, and the whole human experience. The war seems distant in their summer of Eden, but it makes its presence known.

Take a look (click Watch Trailer): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2150332/