what I'd like to be doing today

I'm motivating to head out side and move cow fence but I'd rather be doing what my dogs are doing today!!

Just got back from hosting a winemaker dinner at a hunting lodge in north central Oregon. A beautiful spot indeed it was part of excursions hosted by Garden and Gun pretty and great to be included. Thank you Highland Hills and Garden and Gun! so now I go from high glamor to slogging around in the lower field ... sigh - is harvest over yet I want my husband back... wahhh - we are almost to the end of harvest - it has been an amazing vintage year and Brian is VERY happy which is great...

some beautiful shots

Some beautiful shots by our friend jeremy from the magic evening I wrote about - he is the guy that did the AMAZING video right over there (on the right hand bar) if you havent' seen it...
Also this is a link to some of his other work - it's totally inspiring http://www.jeremyfenske.com/

 

gratitude and happiness - once again

There is lots to do today in the office - yesterday was moving the cows and getting caught up in the garden... the list doesn't end - but this morning I am struck by a few things...  it's process and I'm in it (I have company) and it's not about finishing the list it's about living the list.

The second thing I'm sitting here in awe of this morning is - there have been anywhere from 4 - 12 people at the big table for dinner every night since harvest started in earnest just over a week ago. It's people who are 'helping out' - people like Lucy that showed up yesterday for a full day of farm work we got the cows moved, prepped the second batch of tomatoes for caning and did a switcheroo on the bee hives that needed to get done.  Elaine - who showed up to help went into town and for me took care of the grocery list and fetched Jeremy and Katie - who are working side by side with brian at the winery. And sean who just left - who flew up here from berkeley for 5 days to 'just help'  Sean I can't even begin to thank you enough!!

I have no idea how this giving and recieveing thing works but it does and I'm just so damn grateful... It truly feels like a big table and I know thats cheezy but ...  the longer this farm and winemaking project is growing here the more I feel like it has it's own life. I had this wonderful warm feeling last night as those guys came up the driveway and and then they got out of the car and took in groceries changed there clothes came out and joined lucy and I as we finished up ... and katie spontaneously started digging the rest of the potatoes she and brian had started working on .. then we all came in and cooperativily made dinner. It was really beautiful it was the essence of us humans is all our speldor being happy, cooperative, celebratory and openly loving eachother. 

I'm pretty much the happiest girl on the planit...  I only hope I can give back one tiny part of what all these incredible people share of them selves -- I will say it again -- Thank you!!

inquiring minds

My washer is home and her new name is zippy   : ) 

 

...  This time I dodged a bullet (of the hubs teasing) as it was not the contents of pockets that caused the jam. That being said it easily could have been based on what I pulled out of the trap. sooo I superglued the $90 zipper to the soap dispenser as a 'note to self' to check the pockets! : )  

ok back to making wine... 

it's raining grapes

It's been a great couple days as the fruit rolls in. We will be pulling in pretty much our entire production this week! Today we have a tiny respite from getting fruit and there are a 1000 things to get ready in the winery and at home for Thursday and Friday but things seem to be getting done. We've had incredible volunteers to sort fruit and more great folks coming Thursday and Friday. In the winery working along side Brian we have the A-team back from last year plus some - Lester and Katie are back!! Lester for his third harvest with us and Katie her second it's so amazing to have these guys back there energy and spirit truly makes the wine better! We also have our friends Sean and Jeremy coming in for shorter stints to help out.

The fruit is beautiful his year we hardly need to sort it ... but of course we do because that's how we role. There is not a stitch of rot or dessication. It's all perfectly ripe and looks like we will have it all pretty much in by the time the rain the folks are talking about comes in this weekend...

 

the great thing about this photo is her name really is Lucy! : )

 

So I'm off to thaw some beef for tomorrows lunch and take care of farm stuff - btw I did load up the washer and took it into town no word yet from the fix-it guy but I'll keep you posted : )

productivity pass - fail

Just so you all know my life isn't just one beautiful dreamy day of riding horses and drinking wine.

This coming week 90% of our fruit is coming in  - so this weekend is my last chance to button some things up here at home... SOOO little miss productive has been finishing up some graphic design work, canning, picking up the house and getting all the laundry done...

or .........  NOT

..... so when I took out my first load... the durm of the washer made this horrible scraping noise... hummm - with a fair amout of certiany that some metal thing I neglected to remove from one of my husbands pockets is lodged in there I head out the the shop to get some tools...  I got this right?? WRONG!!!

fast forward 4 hours later, some busted knuckles and the relization I have taken apart every hose, clamp, cover etc... basically all but the drum unit it's self which I'm kind of tempted to do... and still I can not reach the offending THING (I'm dying to know what it is actually) !!! so I concede and call sears... who can't come till next Saturday!!! damn! : (  a washer is kind of an important tool during harvest so I may actually load the thing up this evenign and drive it into town towmorrow we'll see... more on this saga for sure...

So today off to the laundromat !! it's like college all over...

 

on a good note I did get a good bit of canning done : )  - and the design projects are almost done too!! just in time for the flood of fruit tomorrow....

It's GO TIME!!!

The first grapes came in this Friday - and let me just say I think this has been the most beautiful fall I have ever seen in Oregon... I'm not going to start laying claims about the vintage .... but  -- I'll just say all the stars are lining up this year - all of them! - the winemakers should be VERY happy!!

 katie - the great! - her awesome spirit is back!! gotta love the 'A' team!!

So the next two weeks are going to be FULL ON!! Most of our grapes will be coming in next week!! So if any of our local friends want to come sort grapes with us we'd love to have your spirit and hands!! just send me an e-mail of call me on my cell - cheers! the winemakers wife