Tuesday 29 November 2016

Dormant season


This week we had a cold snap. Ground frost and freezing fog turned the landscape into Narnia. The water froze solid in the containers the cats drink from and the glass in the cold frame was covered in gorgeous crystal patterns. So I went into the vineyard to see if it was time to prune the grapevines.


Interesting!  The red grape vines had dropped all their leaves, but the white grape vines were holding on tightly. Still fully leafed. So "not yet" was the answer.


I raked the leaves from the lawn instead. The trouble with planting deciduous trees is that they drop their leaves and make work. I think I'll go for more evergreen from now on.


Saturday 12 November 2016

Fall in Daria's vineyard


The red Rondo grapevines have dropped their crimson leaves in our absence.  We were in Manchester for a few days and returned to see Fall in progress. The white grapevines are still holding on to their thick green foliage. I wonder if they will change colour yet before dropping to join their red sisters. We shall see. 

Whenever I visit the vineyard, I always have an escort of at least one cat. This time Thelma the crazy feral feline came along, winding around my legs in an effort to commit a crime against humanity by tripping me. It failed. But she nudged and nudged until I picked her up, which freaked her out as usual. 

We had several days of wet foggy windy days. Now we have southerly winds bringing in sunshine and warmth in the second week of November. So in a few weeks, if the cold does come and the vines begin their hibernation, I will begin the pruning. Until then, I watch and document and learn. 



Tuesday 8 November 2016

NEW Wine for Seniors

NEW Wine for Seniors 

A glass before bed could assist with a good night's sleep.


Clare Valley vintners in South Australia,
which primarily produce
Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Grigio wines,
have developed a new hybrid grape
that acts as an anti-diuretic.
It is expected to reduce the number of trips
older people have to make to the
bathroom during the night.
The new wine will be
marketed as PINOT MORE.


Sorry, my cousin thought I deserved this so I'm spreading the news!  

Friday 4 November 2016

Frost has arrived

The last two days brought northerly winds and the first frost of the season. We have days with showers alternation with days with brilliant sunshine. Then there are the days like today where the showers and sunshine make in and out conditions all day long. If we had had any grapes, they would have been harvested sometime in October. This year, as last year, October was brilliant. Mild and mostly dry without any massive storms.

So far the grapevines have not dropped their leaves yet but the trees are mostly bare on our property. Inland, there is lots of colour .-- not scarlet, orange and golden like in New England -- mostly yellow. I love having trees to look at and love. We have moved all the sensitive plants to the greenhouse and into the house.  We are working on cleaning up the vegetable gardens and Alex is bringing up plenty of seaweed that washed up in the high tides.  Another season is coming to a close.