Nikon Duty

Finding the Beautiful
After days of drizzle, fog and rain, the sun is out. I am laid up with a broken toe, but cannot stay indoors another moment.  It has been too many days.  So I and my securely-wrapped toe took a brief drive into the vineyard.  I had to see how the vines had tolerated all the humid, rainy days.  I held my breath as I walked into the first row, so fearful I would be met with a display of brown spots covering the leaves.  I found one or two, but the vines looked healthy, bright green, clusters of blossoms everywhere.  Joy.  Relief.  Thankfulness. We truly are conquering Black Rot I believe.  I believe, I believe!  Another five weeks and we will be beyond the vulnerable stage.  We can do it!!


Miracle in the Details
With my Nikon, I spent some close up time with my grapes.  I can't help but be amazed by the miracle of birth, whether it be a human, animal or a grape. 

Pinot Noir in Bloom

 

A Closer Look

 

Zooming In

 

Newborn Grapes!

And To the Gardens Below
I had to continue down the driveway to the farm, orchard and gardens.  Four days of containment felt like weeks.  The lambs have grown so.  The fruit on the peach, plum, pear and apple trees and the blueberries, the sugar snap peas and rhubarb... everything has grown and developed so in these few short days. With my Nikon I sneaked into their world.  Here are some captured moments to share with you... enough beauty to help heal a broken bone!

Patience, patience I remind myself.  They will be ripe for eating before long.

 

Black Cherry Heirloom Tomato

 

Blueberries

 

Sugar Snap Pea Blossom

 

Sugar Snap Trying to Fill Out

 

Dewdrops on lettuce

Damson Plums 

A Father's Birthday
Today my WWII veteran father turns 85, and I must say he is about the youngest 85 year old I have ever known.  In spite of thirty years or so of living with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), he is ready and rarin' to go.  He attributes his condition to his taking charge of the medications the doctors have prescribed for him over the years.  He is convinced that if he had continued taking the ultra heavy doses of steroids and inhalants as prescribed, he wouldn't be here today.  He takes less than 1/4 of what the doctor's prescribed.  His philosophy, "More is not better".  Only the minimal amount of meds needed is best for him.  And as I listened to him, I heard a common thread in my approach to viticulture.  Sometimes medication is needed, but first build a strong body, take only what is necessary to fight the disease and go from there.  Must be the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree, eh?
So Happy Birthday, dear "Pepe"!  And many, many more! Love you!