Ironstone wishes all a peaceful Memorial Weekend

We at Ironstone wish all of you a peaceful and reflective Memorial Weekend. Remember those who have given their lives and futures for us. As we celebrate this weekend, remember those still in the trenches. Send them your best wishes, your thanks and your goodwill as they struggle against odds some of us will never have to comprehend, thanks to their sacrifices.

Last days of May... Lots of new beginnings

Finally after much planning, Ironstone's Heritage Museum WWII exhibit is Open!  Titled, WWII A Small Window, this exhibit portrays small windows into WWII. Weapons used, treasures carried, what they wore and what they thought, just small windows into WWII. This exhibit will run through August.  Check out the slide show to the right.

Also opening this last week, Our Main Galleria presents the surrealist paintings of Melinda Englebrecht.  These very powerful and emotional paintings represent the beauty of the odd juxtapositions to every life and every happening.  Stop by if you have an opportunity. These paintings are very beautiful.

Passport weekend was a beautiful weekend with passport holders catching the Gold Fever, panning with Mario on the creek.  Need I say more!

We are now gearing up for our first concert June 6th. Volunteers will be contacted next week with assignments and all are ready to rock and roll! Are you? Check out the bands on their official websites just to the right of this column. I heard a few new ones myself!  What a Great Concert Season this year!  Hope to see you all here.  Phone is ringing and a bus pulled up.. Gotta go!

Museum Update!

Spring Art show coming down next week. Sad days at Ironstone. The walls always look so forlorn the weeks after Spring Show goes away. If you have not seen the show yet, time is running out!

Currently the 2010 Galleria schedule is in the planning stages and will be released upon complete confirmation of all artists. It looks like a great summer line up so stay tuned!

A new WWII exhibit will be opening May 15th here in the Heritage Museum. Artifacts are coming in daily. There are spectacular personel affects as well as rare rifles and other wartime articles.  Rifles representing each of the involved countries are in pristine condition dispite their age, several quite rare collector specimens.

Included in one of the treasure boxes we discovered rare items given to Japanese soldiers by family members to ward off evil spirits and wish them good luck, fans & good luch belts signed by family members and friends.  There is a rare SS field flag as well as one small cap pin worn by one of the first SS radio troops to enter Paris, still on the original field cap. 

Doing the research on these pieces as they come in has been quite a learning experience for all of us here in the Museum.  We hope you will enjoy the display as much as we are having putting it together.

We will keep you updated as we get closer and more items come in...

Found Again!

OK, we are back on line. Camera hiding in lost & found taking a break!

Great week with the final dates set for the 2010 Ironstone Vineyards Concert Schedule! It is one exciting summer!  Keep an eye for entertainers links to the right.  For all interested in our Volunteer program, Volunteer pre-season meeting scheduled for Friday eve. 5:30 PM April 30th.  If you are interested in the Ironstone Volunteer Program, this meeting is a must do.  Get the scoop. Its a lot of work, but, a great team of Volunteers to work with.

The 2010 Concours d'Elegance, held September 25th. is opening the event to artists for 2010.  If you are a painter interested in painting on site during this spectacular classic car show, contact Chris Gomez at cgomez@ironstonevineyards.com. The exposure is tremendous and the autos even more so. Great opportunity to paint those exotics rarely seen out and about.  If you would like more info on the event check out their fun website.   http://www.ironstonefoundation.org/

If you haven't seen the Benitoite display, better hurry!  It will be leaving us towards the end of April. Owner Brett Keller will be entering this exhibit at the National Gem & Mineral Show in Las Vegas later this summer.

Incoming!  May 15th is our deadline to have up and running our summer special exhibit, WWII. The focus of the exhibit is still pending the final details of what will be coming in.  To date, I have notification that we will have helmets from each of the participating countries, a rare SS Waffen field flag & cap with a rare Paris pin.  There will be around 4 - 6 original rifles from various armies along with a SS dress dagger. And so much more!  I hope to obtain photos of some of the pieces prior to the exhibit. So, stay tuned in case I get early access.

The Ironstone Main Galleria will see various one person exhibits this summer. As soon as all artists are finalized, the schedule will be posted here.  In the meantime, ever changing bios of the 2010 Spring Art Show artists will be located at the lower part of this blog. Keep checking for updates.

Say Good Night!  "Good Night!"

Lost without my camera!

Can't believe how a lost in action camera can totally throw one off kelter!  Twitter has suffered and our poor blog came to a horrifying standstill! How can a digital camera cause speechlessness?  And this is someone who owned the "first camera" within the last 10 years. Mind you, the past was recorded with pen and sketchbooks, but, those don't upload as quickly or efficiently.  But, thanks to the saving grace of Carolyn! We are back on board, back in line and ready to go.

Did you notice the Mark Twain Quotes on the bottom of the blog? You should. Here is one man that should be listened to. 2010 marks Mark Twains 175th birth anniversary AND his 100th death anniversary.  A year to listen and celebrate one of our great American writters and humorists.  The Calaveras County Jumping Frog Jubilee has taken up our great fellow as the Theme for this years Fair, Mark Twain's Wit & Wisdom, for he excelled at both!  We actually have the book, "Mark Twain: his words, wit and wisdom" here in the Museum for sale. I took it home to browse through. There are over 1,800 quotes. He is funny, full of satire and you can probably find one of his quotes that will totally insult you. 

If you haven't been out to the winery lately, you had better hurry if you want to see the brilliant colors of spring!  If Mother Nature keeps it warm too long, the incredable barrels of tulips will rise, explode their colors and fall to the ground, soon!  Check out http://ironstonegardens.blogspot.com/ for the full scoop and photos of what is out there! These are just a few taken WITH THE CAMERA THANK YOU CAROLYN! 

Also updating the Artists Bios below. Check them out. Very interesting and tallented people in this years Spring Obsession Art Show...

And for those of you not so garden enclined.... may I present Cowboy Bob's Flowers!

And the Winners Are!

Winners of the 13th Annual Spring Obsession Art Show!

Seeds: National Daffodil Show takes place in Murphys March 12-14 - Gardening - sacbee.com

Seeds: National Daffodil Show takes place in Murphys March 12-14 - Gardening - sacbee.com

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Phil Linhares and Scott Shields Complete the Judging of Ironstone's 13th Annual Spring Obsession Art Show

Ironstone Vineyards is proud to announce that judging for the 13th Annual Spring Obsession Art Show was completed by Oakland Museum's Chief Curator of Art, Phil Linhares and Crocker Art Gallery's Director & Chief Curator, Scott Shields.  Both Phil and Scott joined artists, buyers, gallery owners and art lovers at the Artist Reception, Saturday, March 6th at Ironstone Vineyards for a memorable evening of fantastic food and wine pairings presented by Executive Chef James Lehman, piano entertainment by David Swart and a wonderful introduction by Ironstone Owners, John & Gail Kautz.

Artists accepted into the 2010 Spring Obsession Art Show, March 6 & 7.

Ironstone Vineyard's 13th Annual Spring Obsession Art Show Participating Artists List

Open Division Spring Obsession Art Show & Competition

With over 258 paintings submitted for consideration in Ironstone's 13th Annual Spring Obsession Art Show, this years panels had a very difficult time!

President's Weekend at Ironstone

Dahlynn & Ken McKowen, co-authors of the new "Wine-Oh! Guide to California's Sierra Wine region" were here Saturday to sign copies of the great book as well as participate in a fun and very entertaining cooking demo with our very own Chef James.  Chef James has the ability to not only entertain and educate the audience, but make them feel very much a part of what he is doing.  Without missing a step, Chef James was able to make fresh pasta dough, brown meat, knead the dough, mix the sauce, cut the dough into a nice flat pasta, and put it all together with hands and flour flying everywhere.  Tasting his masterpiece was the icing on the cake, so to speak.  This all took no time at all! Check out the slide show to the right...

Meanwhile up in the tasting room, Carla tasted guests from a barrel of 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon. Even though still not quite ready, this wine is showing very well.  All around thumbs up from guests.

Just outside, Garden King Larry placed a few daffodils at the BBQ table.  Great Ribs, Yummy!

Warehouse sale downstairs was hopp'n all day!  Incredable deals on some great wines. Stock up time with cases flying out the door. The Ironstone Team was having a great time with our regulars who come out for every sale.  Lots of new guests with all the wineries offering specials for CWA glass holders. With the sun shinning and lots of people, we had a great time at Ironstone this weekend.  We are gearing up for a wild March!  Take a look at the Ironstone website at http://www.ironstonevineyards.com/ for all the activities, it is wild!  See you at Ironstone! 

Come and Gone! Sorry you missed them...

Dahlynn & Ken McKowen, authors of the new

The Wine-OH! Guide to California's Sierra Foothills


This is one of most complete and up to date guides I have seen to date.
I even discovered information about our own area I hadn't realized before.
We do have the book in stock now if you don't want to wait till February 13th.
to read it!  Just bring it back in for the authors signatures. 
Note: Dahlynn & Ken have also co authored several of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books.

Ironstone's 13th Annual Spring Obsession Art Show, Competition & Sale is looking to be one of the best exhibits on record. Open Division entries are arriving daily from throughout the United States. Theme Division Accepted Originals are arriving this weekend. Excited is not a powerful enough term to describe how I feel!

Benitoite Gem Display

Collector Brett Keller works on his display of Benitoite for Ironstone's Heritage Museum.  Scheduled to be on display through March 7th., this collection of rare and unique Benitoite gems and crystalls is beautiful.  The rich blue hues found in these formations are breath taking.

Brett has won numerous awards with this display and has qualified for the National Show later this year.  He hopes to take home another prize for this beautiful collection. 

Come see it and cheer Brett on.  If you aren't sure what Benitoite is, lets start with the "official Gemstone of California".  And what a more appropriate place for this display than next to the "official Mineral of California"... GOLD! and the 44tlb specimen!

Gem quality Benitoite is found in only one mine in the world approximately 20 miles north of Colinga, CA. in an area now called the Clear Creek Recreational Area.  It was first discovered here in 1907 by James Marshall Couch.  These first blue crystals were thought to be Sapphire or Spinel, but their softness, with a Mohs hardness of only 6.5 made them much too soft for either of those stones.  It was University of California at Berkeley Professor George Louderbach who first identified this gem as a new mineral and named it Benitoite due to its origin in the headwaters of the San Benito River. 

Considered one of the ten rarest gemstones in the world, Benitoite is enormously popular among mineral collectors for its beauty and rarity.  With the mine now closed and mosted played out, this collection is even more rare and most certainly worth a visit to see for yourself.  Slide show coming soon.