What a Beautiful Time of Year

I seem to find myself walking around the house, the farm, the vineyard, the winery with this little smile on my face lately.  The rush is behind me and the air is brisk and smelling oh so lovely.  After a rain when I step outside, the fragrance of wet leaves permeates the air... leaves that are fallen, yet still spicy with the remembrance of life.  The woods are opening up and welcoming me.  This is the time of year that I can reclaim the forest and immerse myself in it without fear of ticks, snakes and all the other lifeforms that claim these woods as their own during the warm months.  It is now when I can stroll amongst the tall poplars and mighty oaks, and crawl up on large rock outcroppings and sit and marvel at the intricate patterns of lichen wrapped tightly onto the rock upon which I sit.  And I can study the shapes and follow with my finger the Bonzai-like torsion of Mountain Laurel branches that grow on the north and west facing slopes.  Each tree is a work of art unique to itself.  I find irresistible, the soft green moss that beckons me to crouch down and study the tiny tendrils that I suppose are seeds, that rise above as if a sentry to this tiny kingdom resting so close to the earth. It is so peaceful, so centering.

As I head into the vineyard I find myself smiling again... at the chickens pecking away in the soil that the sheep have massaged with their hooves. The kittens chase each other up, up, up a tree and wrap their front legs around the trunk, tails wagging in wide sweeps.  How fortunate these kitties to experience the joy of such freedom.

Soon the rush of the holidays will be here and then we head into the new year when we will return to the vineyard and begin pruning the vines, setting the stage for yet another vintage... where hope always springs eternal.  But for now, I am savoring this lull... my soft lullaby of life between the rush.  And it is oh so sweet.

Turning the Corner to Christmas

In the Vrooman household, Christmas is big... really big.  We celebrate the magic of Christmas and all that it embraces... tradition, ritual, spirit, family, mystery, ancient history, giving, sharing, decorating, celebrating... music, traditional foods, wine, friends, and of course, the message of the newborn Christ child.

Since our dream began many years ago to plant some vines and try our hand at making a very special wine, this will be our first Christmas with a cozy tasting room to open up to our fellow wine lovers and friends and share with all of you our love for Christmas.  And so we are inviting you to come help us "Celebrate and Decorate!" for the holidays at our first annual Ankida Ridge Christmas Party, our "Fête de Noël" to be held on Sat, Dec 1, 1-5pm with an Open House format.. come and leave anytime during those hours.  Space of our room and the narrow road is limited, so reservations are a must.

The tree will be up, the lights strung.  But because this is our first Ankida Christmas tree, we're going to need ornaments!  So the option is open to all guests to donate a Christmas ornament for the tree (with your name on it) in lieu of a tasting fee. And your ornament will become a treasure for years to come.

So mark your calendar and email your reservation to contact@ankidaridge.com.  Bring a basket of food to enjoy.  Weather permitting, we will have hayrides up to the vineyard (bottles of wine allowed on wagon!).

We look forward to sharing this first Ankida holiday celebration with you!