Grape harvest

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core.

From, Ode to Autumn
John Keats

These beautiful clusters of grapes hang off the arbor and fence along the front sidewalk. From the kitchen window I see people stopping and pointing (and sometimes tasting) as they walk by.  If they do they're sorry, because these look like supermarket green grapes but they are very sour.  The raccoons can judge the exact day when they turn perfectly ripe, so you have to beat them to it. 

These are White Concord table grapes on an incredibly vigorous vine I planted over 30 years ago. They have seeds, like all grapes did once upon a time.  Grape connoisseurs claim that seeded grapes have better flavor than the seedless.  I think this is also true with seedless watermelon, which tastes more like cucumber these days.

You can make drinkable wine out of table grapes like these, but don't expect rave reviews from your family and friends.  Wine grape varieties produce the sweetest and most potent grapes. They are smaller, even seedier, and have thicker skins and higher juice content.

Wine grapes are also delicate and difficult to transport. At harvest the trucks take them directly to the winery where they are crushed the same day they are picked. This is the most exciting time of year in wine country, when expectations are high for the new vintage.  (If you would like a detailed, expert description of the wine-making process, ask John.)

We've been on countless entertaining winery tours, which are all different and all exactly the same.  The basic process for making wine has not changed since 6000 BC.  I always perk up when we get to the tasting room and gift shop part.  I've snitched quite few expensive grapes from Napa vineyards when no one was looking, and they're soft and juicy with big bitter seeds and chewy skin.  One or two is enough--you wouldn't sit down and eat a bowl of them, which is good news to the vineyard owner.In the Napa Valley, each and every cluster is nurtured to perfection.

I just looked this up on Winebusiness.com, and yesterday prime Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from St. Helena vineyards were selling for $6,000 a ton.

Enjoy the last weekend of summer!

While table grapes could be used for learning how to make your own wine -- as a practice run, so to speak -- do not expect this wine to bring any enthusiastic raves from family, friends and neighbors. While the wine will be drinkable and may even be pleasant, it will not be stellar. - See more at: http://blog.eckraus.com/blog/wine-making-tricks-and-tips/table-grapes-vs-wine-grapes#sthash.PNYpKqJP.dpuf

able grapes could be used for learning how to make your own wine -- as a practice run, so to speak -- do not expect this wine to bring any enthusiastic raves from family, friends and neighbors. While the wine will be drinkable and may even be pleasant, it will not be stellar. - See more at: http://blog.eckraus.com/blog/wine-making-tricks-and-tips/table-grapes-vs-wine-grapes#sthash.PNYpKqJP.dpuf

While table grapes could be used for learning how to make your own wine -- as a practice run, so to speak -- do not expect this wine to bring any enthusiastic raves from family, friends and neighbors. While the wine will be drinkable and may even be pleasant, it will not be stellar. - See more at: http://blog.eckraus.com/blog/wine-making-tricks-and-tips/table-grapes-vs-wine-grapes#sthash.PNYpKqJP.dpuf

table grapes could be used for learning how to make your own wine -- as a practice run, so to speak -- do not expect this wine to bring any enthusiastic raves from family, friends and neighbors. While the wine will be drinkable and may even be pleasant, it will not be stellar. - See more at: http://blog.eckraus.com/blog/wine-making-tricks-and-tips/table-grapes-vs-wine-grapes#sthash.PNYpKqJP.dpuf

While table grapes could be used for learning how to make your own wine -- as a practice run, so to speak -- do not expect this wine to bring any enthusiastic raves from family, friends and neighbors. While the wine will be drinkable and may even be pleasant, it will not be stellar. - See more at: http://blog.eckraus.com/blog/wine-making-tricks-and-tips/table-grapes-vs-wine-grapes#sthash.PNYpKqJP.dpuf

Medieval dogs

 

Companion dog, Unicorn Tapestries

There are over 164 million blogs out there and you can find some amazing things, like the rather overwhelming art blog It's About Time.  Almost daily the author posts a new slew of art centered around a theme, some by famous artists, but many other obscure bits and pieces that she probably scans from art books. How do people find the time?  (Well, I should talk.)

Another eclectic art blog I've enjoyed and borrowed from over the years is called A Study in Contrasts, although they don't post as frequently. There are many others, but only so many hours in the day to dink around on the computer.  Anyway, I liked these contemporary-looking medieval dogs posted on "It's About Time" in honor of the Dog Days of Summer.

  Three hunting dogs, 1440-45

Regnault de Montauban, 1451-1500

Gaston Phoebus, 1387

France, circa 1490

Medieval Bestiary dog gallery

Travel daydreams

I was browsing vacation packages on the Hawaiian Airlines website yesterday, and it looked like they had some pretty good deals. Then I looked again this morning and realized that was the per person price.  Duh.  And of course the "package" is just your flight and hotel; it doesn't include the hookilau or restaurant meals in our most expensive state.

Hawaii is a nice destination from Seattle in the winter-- a straight flight across the ocean that dumps you off in Paradise.  We've been to the Big Island and Maui, and I thought it would be nice to see something other than the airport on Oahu. Maybe a bargain will turn up to Honolulu. Or maybe we'll just go to Desert Hot Springs again. Or maybe we'll stay home and enjoy the fall season.  Travel is a lot of work these days.

In the meantime, we have other things to look forward to.  The symphony and opera are starting up soon, there's a long-overdue visit from sister Marji, and of course The Holidays around the corner.

It's that weird time of year when the Christmas stuff is already nudging against Halloween in the stores.  I read that Americans will spend nearly 7 billion on Halloween this year-- 2 billion for candy alone.  That's kind of shocking, actually.  You could buy a big chunk of Hawaii with that much money.

White gardens

You need patience, space and plenty of water to grow the big dahlias.  Finally, in September they are pretty amazing, especially the way the white ones glow in the morning and evening light.  Perfection arrives, just in time to get knocked down by the rain.  Oh well.

Speaking of that, we've gotten so used to clear morning skies and sunrises, it's kind of a shock waking up to clouds and drizzle this morning. Yesterday was record-breaking hot!  But about 1 am, the natural air conditioning came on when the breeze started coming in from the ocean. 

White garden "rooms" became a big fashion in England and elsewhere after Sissinghurst's garden was created in the 1930s by Vita Sackwell-West, poet and gardening writer.  Each "room" has a different theme and color, and the "walls" are hedges and pink brick. Being a castle, of course she had a lot of space to work with. The National Trust took over the garden in 1967, and Sissinghurst is probably the most famous and popular garden in England. 

Most folks probably think that gardens only get tended when they're blooming. 

But most folks would be wrong.

Shannon Wiersbitzky

The last days of summer

Lydia Field Emmet

Grandma
 

There's an old weather proverb that states, "If autumn leaves are slow to fall, prepare for a cold winter."  But the weather gurus are predicting a warmer and drier winter that usual in the Northwest. Really, this weather pattern is starting to spoil us. The autumnal equinox is just a few days away, and it might get up to 90 this afternoon.

Still, the garden plants are slowing down and I've started the long, dirty process of cutting back the perennials.  It would be an overwhelming job if it had to be done all at once, but my goal this time of year is just make sure the yard recycle bin is full each week.  I love summer, but it's also easy on the eyes to see some empty space again in the garden beds.  I bought a bag of 50 tulips at Costco and got those in the ground. When I'm finally done cleaning up,  I think I'll splurge and have the compost blower come out again to mulch.

When the girls left this morning, the sudden silence was deafening.  Oh good...I can hear myself think again.  Now of course it seems TOO quiet, and the day stretching ahead with nothing much to do except laundry and housework.  It would be much more fun to go to the park on this beautiful day.

Speaking of parking, Nana was tired this morning and she set them in front of the kitchen television to watch Curious George on PBS while Amanda loaded up the car.  Television of any sort turns Nova into an instant zombie.   Amanda has a long day of driving ahead with those chatterboxes in the back seat, then back to work and school for everyone tomorrow.  It was a great visit.  Vaya con dios.

Life is but a dream

Having a fun time with the girlies this beautiful September weekend.
The still shot above, and then a live version: