Signs of Spring

I had a wonderful weekend getting out of town and away from the every day goings on. It was great to be around good friends and out in nature again. We took some wonderful jaunts up a couple trails and I even got to go not to just my first winery, but also my second. What a great experience and something that I could become addicted to. I love the science behind it all and what you can experience with each different type of wine.
So we were walking through this great maybe mile and a half or two mile trail and all of a sudden heard something strange. We could not figure out what it was, thinking it was either four wheelers, tractors-some kind of machine. But it wasn't any of that oppressive, over bearing human disturbance. It was peepers!!

I am not exaggerating when I say that it has been so long since I have heard something as loud and wonderful as that sound! It was just like when we were kids and you would always hear them and you could always see fireflies. Things are just not like that any more. It was great to see grown-ups stop dead in their hiking tracks to investigate. And investigate we did, we went all over trying to get closer and closer. We got the ticks to prove it in the end-especially the poor dog!

The winery was absolutely amazing as well. I have always wanted to go to a vineyard, but just have never gone. One of my dreams is that I am going to end up owning my own vineyard that I can have my family work on. I think it is such a great balance between horticulture/farming and people skills. I think it has to be a demanding, but rewarding life in all aspects.
Sharpe Hill Vineyard is beautiful! The buildings are exquisite and the property is breath taking. They make very good wine, my favorite being Ballet of Angels, which is a white wine with a nice grapefruit flavor to it-award winning. We all planned to come back at a later date to have lunch or dinner there-reservation only.
We had so much fun, I think I talked about it the whole rest of the day. That's probably why we had to go to two in one day! I think it is so amazing the science and chemistry that goes into wine making. The woman at Jewel Town put out two wines that were made out of the same grapes and tasted completely different just due to the manipulation of the person making it. Amazing, and I can't wait to go again.