Picking the Pinot

Have started picking the Pinot. Very pleased with the quality but it's much less than previous years.
Friends come to help but it was a smaller picking crew because most of our friends flew to warmer climates like migrating birds :-) We made the traditional bogracsos and had a lovely , sunny day.
The whites are nearing the end of fermentation.
Now there is more to pick -it will last some more days- so I'm off to the vineyard.

2009 Harvest (Long time since I wrote)

Very busy weeks are behind and ahead of us.
I hardly have time to breathe let alone update the blog :-( School assignments are coming hard and fast and we started the harvest. So I spend my time with my head in the books and running around, up and down rows of ripe grapes.
The whites are IN, apart from the Chardonnay. They need a few more sunny days. Picking was done in 4 days with the help of Miklos from Hobart, Barbara from Austria , Edwin from Singapore and the four-legged ones.
Quantity is more. Just because this is the first year of picking from the young ones :-) Quality as better than expected! With all that rain and cold... it is a miracle sugar and acidity. Paul is busy in the cellar making them bubble (ferment) and squeak (under the press) :-))
I had to buy a new bread maker because the old one died on me. Beauuuut...this is the result.
The native hens managed a new brood :-) Third this year! This time 5 chicks. As you can see from the pic the national menace to all wildlife (aka. the cat) doesn't even rise an eyebrow to the presence of bite size chicks disturbing her morning cleaning ritual :-)
By for now. I have to go back to writing my therapeutic communication assignment (gee...don't I hate essay writing ?!) and next week we start picking the reds.

For the young and young at heart

Happy Mother's Day!
My one is happy because our daughter and son will be home :-)) Esz arrived last night and Jan will drive down later today.
We'll start picking next week.
And now I'd like to introduce you to the new website of Cult-of-Pop. Check it out and send their link to your friends :-) I love their sense of humor and the cool things they introduce daily. I'm really not biased! :-)) See it for yourself...

Harvest time approching

It well and truly Autumn now but Winter gave us a hint last week powdering the nose of Adamson's, preparing her for the ball ahead.
I didn't have my camera with me, so apologies, this was taken with someone's phone and just doesn't capture the spectacular sight it was :-(
The Fly Agarics popped up their heads under the plum tree. It's obvious they are not poisonous to snails and slugs because I haven't seen any galloping around in drugged frenzy :-)))
The latest fashion colours are modeled by the wild grapes under the windows
and the apricots next to Block 2.
The cats are lazing around on the roof
Nice sunny days. We need a few more of them to get the grapes ready to harvest.