New Trio joins the Heritage Museum team

Meet Fu Lu Shou, our new trio joining us in the Heritage Museum.

Fu Lu Shou - The Three Star Gods represent happiness & Prosperity, status and authority, and health and longevity. The Chinese term is San Xing. San means three in Chinese and Xing means star.  They are referred to collectively as Fu Lu Shou.

If you are into Feng Shui, these three are considered lucky symbols.

Shou, often called the "Old man of the South Pole", is the star god of longevity. Images of Shou Xing are often found in birthday cards as it is said he has the power to fix the date of every person's death.  I guess that equates to a long and happy life?

Shou Zing

Next in line is Lu Zing. Lu is dedicated to the sixth star of the Wen Chang cluster, in the West known as Urs Majoris. To receive Lu is to receive wealth and Social status.  It is said Lu Xing might originally have been the Prince of Fen-yang Wang, a most honored General. He died in 781 AD at the age of 84.  (in this photo he has forgotten to put on the wings of his headdress. They are very impressive)

Last but not least, if Fu Xing.  The star of Fu is dedicated to Jupiter which is considered very auspicious. Fu has proven to bring happiness, prosperity and good luck to those who need it the most.

This ceramic deities are 36" tall. As legend states they must be in proper order and at eye level. One should never look down on them. So, here they are, looking you in the eye making promises we hope they keep!

They are actually extremely detailed and stunning to look at.  Two of the Xing's carry children that have very distinctive features.  Even if you are not into Feng Shue, you would find these interesting to observe.  Stop on by and have a look. 

They are also available for purchase should you need all the happiness, wealth and longevity they are proposed to offer.

Calaveras Transet Concert Service

Calaveras Connect just announced a new service for Ironstone Vineyard's Concert goers.  For the following concerts, July 20, July 27, August 24, August 31, Sept. 7 & Sept. 14, Calaveras Saturday Shuttle will be adding a 10:00 pm - Midnight shuttle service from Ironstone to downtown Murphys, Angels Camp and Arnold.  There will be two busses dedicated to this evening route with exact departure and arrival times depending of traffic conditions.

Great opportunity to jump on the shuttle and head out to Ironstone for a wonderful musical evening where you can relax knowing you have a ride back to your car.  Angels Camp pickup points are Raspberry Lane, Historic Downtown, Bret Harte High School, Travelodge and WorldMark.  Pickup points in Murphys is the Black Bart Playhouse and of course, Ironstone Vineyards. Arnold pickup is at the Big Trees Market.

Check out more details like fares and special pricing at the link below. 


http://calaverasconnect.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Ironstone-Concert-Transit-Schedule_final-7.12.2019.pdf

Ironstone Gold in Quartz and Natural Nugget Jewelry now for sale online!

You may now check out Ironstone's excellent line of Gold in Quartz and Natural Nugget jewelry directly from our website.

Ironstone is proud to have been working with Orocal for the past 20 years.  Their stunning designs have been a hallmark for Ironstone's best selling line of Jewelry.  Unique in design and one of Mother Nature's most elegant creations, Gold in Quartz jewelry is an heirloom worth investing in.

Check out the line now...

Ironstonevineyards.com  shopping!

First Fridays in Murphys Back for the Summer!

First Fridays in the Park 2019 Starts this Friday, June 6 at 5:30 pm

Brian Jirka and the Cabby Band will blend their stylish creations of pop, rock and soul into a unique experience for the whole family when they kick off the Murphys Community Club’s popular First Fridays in the Park series on Friday, June 7, 5:30 pm. From June to September, First Fridays in the Park will feature performances by a variety of musical groups playing in the familiar gazebo starting at 5:30 p.m.  Friends and neighbors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy a small town America gathering in the cool confines of Murphys Community Park.  The park’s Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) license prohibits the bringing of wine or liquor into the park but wine and beer will be available to purchase with the proceeds going to the Murphys Community Club. . Each event will have a community sponsor. Murphys Pour House and Murphys Irish Pub are the June sponsors.  Beginning at 4 p.m. music lovers can purchase food from two food trucks. Lorenzo Neto and his Food Shack sells hamburgers, burritos, salads and more. Mary’s Taco Truck offers a variety of Latin favorites. There will be a featured local wine, beer and other beverages for sale at “The Hut”.  All proceeds will go to maintaining and improving the park. There is no admission charge and ample free parking is available nearby. Donations to help maintain the park are always gratefully received. The featured bands for the rest of the First Fridays series are:  July 5, Two Hoots and a Holler; August 2, The Iconics; September 6, Leilani and the Distractions. The park will also be the site for the Calaveras Arts Council’s Wednesday, August 7 Music in the Parks performance featuring Cantamos, starting at 6:30 p.m. Murphys Community Park is located on Algiers St. in historic downtown Murphys.  Membership in the Murphys Community Club is open to everyone and contributions are tax deductible.  For further information, call 209-728-8093. MBA, P.O. Box 2034, Murphys, CA 95247 - visitmurphys.com

Free Appraisal Clinic

June 29th & 30th

11am-5pm
Saturday & Sunday
 

Heritage Room
at Ironstone Vineyards

1894 Six Mile Road, Murphys, CA 95247

Bring your antique and cherished collectibles!
Several Specialists will be onsite to assist you

ALL CATEGORIES APPRAISED
Also Accepting items for consignment

Free Appraisal Clinic! Save the date

SAVE THE DATE! FREE APPRAISAL CLINIC When June 29 & 30 Saturday & Sunday Where Heritage Room Ironstone Vineyards 1894 Six Mile Road, Murphys, CA 95247 FEATURING · Coin & Currency ·Gold Specimens · Native American Jewely & Baskets · Railroad ·Cowboy Stuff & Lawman Badges · Historical Docs · Guns  · Western Art· Postal History  · and More · www.ironstonevineyards.com	All Ages Event Advance Reservations Recommended for very large collections cgomez@ironstonevineyards.com At the Door NO CHARGE! Bring in your old stuff and prize items for FREE Appraisal by one of American’s foremost specialist in early Americana, Holabird Americana Sponsors Holabird Americana & Ironstone Vineyards

Special "Mentoring Moments" from Allen Haas

This is a special note from Daffodil Grower, Allen Haas.  Read on and join the fun! Be ready for next year's spectacular daffodil show.

A P R I L   2 0 1 9 "Mentoring Moments" Allen Haas

The purpose of this monthly newsletter is to encourage daffodil growers in the American Daffodil Society.  The primary reference is the ADS "The Daffodil PrimerZone 3-7" (TDP).  Zone specific copies are mailed to all new members. Additional copies may be obtained thru the web store on daffodilusa.org. Each newsletter stands alone and only focuses on each month's suggested activities.  Even though I'm writing from my personal perspective, I grow in zone 7a in the mountains of western North Carolina at around 2200 feet; I hope readers can take something from each newsletter. In addition, growers are highly encouraged to reach out to their local societies and ADS Regional Vice Presidents and Directors for additional mentoring and growing advice. A current list of ADS Regions, local societies, and Regional Vice Presidents' e-mail addresses can be found at:  https://daffodilusa.org/about-ads/societies-near-you/ Good luck and happy growing! Allen Haas Chairman, Membership Committee   What to do now? 1.  Change is inevitable.  Really? 2.  Identify your daffodils 3.  Fertilize or not 1.  Change is inevitable.  Really? When I left on April 4th to audit Judges’ School 1 and attend both the Gloucester and Alexandria, VA daffodil shows, my daffodil blooms were in pretty good shape. When I returned home 11 days later, I found lots of flattened foliage, but hardly any blooms.  My weather app alerts of “hail, tornado-level winds and heavy rains” (6.5 cumulative inches) were all sadly true.  Some of my late planted daffodils may still bloom, but my show season is basically over.  Yet, daffodils are tough and mine are no exception.  While repairing some erosion problem areas, I’m happy to report my strategy of mulching and interplanting my daffodils among emerging daylilies has worked out just fine.  Most of my gardens are on hillsides or in raised beds which help to minimize drainage problems.  Yes, change is inevitable, so I’m already planning on dividing and moving a number of my daffodils to more eye-pleasing positions in my gardens.   2.  Identify your daffodils Why take the time to identify your daffodils?  Sure, you can just plant and enjoy your daffodil blooms, but you probably joined the ADS because you wanted to learn more about daffodils.  A simple “name” unlocks a plethora of information about your daffodils especially on Daffseek.org.  When you discuss your favorite blooms with fellow growers, it’s also more rewarding to discuss specific varieties rather than a general description. I recently found a gorgeous little two-bloom white and pink variety in one of my gardens, but had no idea what it was.  Fortunately, I took a couple of stems to the Gloucester show and showed them to Brent Heath of Brent and Becky’s Bulbs.  His eyes lit up and he said, “Oh yes, that’s one we hybridized and it’s called Sweet Smiles!”  I encourage you to go to Daffseek.org and see all that I discovered about this little jewel. Knowing its name also allowed me to enter the bloom in the Gloucester show because as my judging school instructors emphasized, “unknown or misidentified blooms will not be judged.”  Another excellent source in your identification efforts is your daffodil mentor.  I encourage you to reach out to them.   3.  Fertilize or not My thoughts on this subject have generated the most response of anything I’ve discussed so far.  Yes, we gardeners definitely have strong opinions and most aren’t bashful about voicing them.  All I can do is write confidently about what works for me.  At this time, in my garden, I only plan to apply a foliar feed which will quickly be taken up by the still actively growing plants. Still, I did ask a commercial landscaper and a visiting Dutch bulb grower about their fertilizing strategies.  Both said they apply a good 3 to 4-month time-release bulb fertilizer when the leaves first start breaking ground, which for them is usually in mid or late winter.  The time-release fertilizers I’m familiar with break down over time, based on temperature.  The warmer it is the quicker they will release their nutrients.  Time-release fertilizers are generally more expensive than regular formulated fertilizers, but their main advantages are that they lessen the chance of burning a plant with too much fertilizer all at once and they only need to be applied once vice 2-3 times over the same timeframe. In the end, we all have to figure out what works best for us.  One of the joys of gardening is learning about new techniques and then seeing if they work for you. Lastly of note, my daffodil mentor e-mailed me that they probably need to update the Georgia DS “Annual Calendar of Care” advice in fertilizing early-date hybridized historicsand species daffodils!  “We need to indicate one fertilizes sparingly….and if the soil is rich and a heavy leaf litter maintained, then fertilizing is really not needed.” Good luck and see you next month!

Maggie entertaining our guests

Another fun day for Maggie!  Entertaining her new friends. Thank goodness for Spring Break!