Mowing and no grapes

Today we mowed the field. It's April 11th and I'm really surprised the weeds are so high. What's another surprise is that the grape vines still are barren. I've been told that is normal, and my normalcy gage, our next door neighbors, is fine.

But those weeds are growing like gang busters!

After a week of intensive investigative research, I believe we've won. Within the entire area of Palisade, I think we have the best weeds. Yeah! Wait a minute, we don't want to win. So today we mowed.

Mowing is a 8 hour process. You see it all has to do with the tiny Japanese tractor, Seabiscuit. Seabiscuit can't mow the entire row. The row is too wide. So the row has to be mowed twice.

Precision mowing is a balancing act really. I try to get the mower as close to the vine as possible without ripping the grapevine out in the process. It's very tricky because our vineyard is the Vineyard of Random Enlightment. There is not a vine, a pole, or a wire that is exactly the same as the one beside it. Some are spaced closer than others. Some lean to the west, some lean to the east. Thus, the Mower must be ever vigilant mowing slowly down the row.

Precision mowing is done. Now time for precision weedwhacking. Maybe someday it'll be an Olympic sport, you know like precision water ballet.

Well for now it's time to open a bottle of Ravenswood Zin. Remember....

Enjoy and imbibe.