I know it looks bad. 
I did do this on purpose. Though a little bug and a couple of Peahens helped me with the overall look!. All those dried up raisiny grapes add sweetness. And after a few frosts, the sugars intensify. These grapes like to be frozen before picking. Tomorrow I am going to begin a small vintage. Last year we had more grapes but they were picked too early. The grape is a Vidal Blanc. 
I know this sounds crazy but this year we should make better wine. This is actually the ugliest bunch of grapes I could find. I have begun to smell the scent of the grapes on the vines and this is what has convinced me that the time is right. Maybe just maybe, I will get some lovely dessert wine this time. We are forecast to have a good frost tonight and we pick tomorrow early. Ice wine. I will show you. 
Good morning. I always take the Daily View then the temperature at the same time. This was actually yesterday’s high late in the morning. After this it just got colder and I heard that some people saw a little snow mixed with some light rain. Naturally I refuse to even contemplate such a thing.
My neighbours have morphed into Surrogate Milkers and have begun their training to take over the farming while I am away and John is working. They are a retired couple with an experience in farming and the military. They chose to start working on the farmy way ahead of time so that they are good and confident when I leave them to it for three weeks in December. I figure they should be able to handle our naughty Daisy, the Shush Sisters and all the others.
More on that another day. Today we pick up the beef for the freezer and distribute it amongst the families. You will remember that this steer was fattened on alfalfa and was taken in younger. We are getting better at managing these things as we go along. It is all about planning and timing.
Have a lovely day.
celi
On this day last year. Cooking Nights with the Old Folks. This story is one of our favourites. It is a perfect weekend read. Short. It is about when I was very young and working nights in an old folks home. The residents, ever so slowly, in the dead of night, took over my kitchen. I love this story. This is one I shall rewrite back into its fuller version for the book of short stories.
I aspire to be like you!
Good luck with the grapes and I bet your beef tastes amazing
I must take a photo of my grapes … Where’s my blooming camera …
Oops. I forgot. How rude. Good morning, c!
I think the grapes are wonderfully photogenic…keeping my fingers crossed that this year’s vintage works out!
)
The cold rain should reach us tomorrow, though we’re not expecting frost. All inside work is being delayed until then, so we can Make Play While the Sun Shines…(Ugh, I know
The grapes are looking mighty fine for Ice Wine! Sweet and delicious! I can’t wait to try some (in the virtual sense only…alas!) How soon do we get to taste?
Again, thank you for the flashbacks to last year as I never seem to get time to read back on my own. Your blog has become very rich and deep! This is now among my many favorite stories…You would think we could do a better job with our oldies. Especially considering we are all gonna be one someday! The whole time I was reading I was waiting for the axe to fall and so happy it didn’t. Commonsense was the rule in NZ in that particular place and time. Thank you for giving these folks such simple pleasures. Sounds like you got something out of it too. You are my hero!
Good morning Miss C! Those grapes do look a bit sorry for themselves but of course, that won’t matter a jot when you smush them up to make your delicious wine. Looking forward to hearing all about it x
I do hope your wine turns out lovely, as I’m sure it will. Have watched your home made drink endeavors with enthusiasm. Can’t wait till we are back on our own place again to do the same. We are in the process of making our first mead. Have a great day. Cheers
Among my favourite dessert wines are German TrockenbeerenAuslese and Eiswein. I think I still have a couple of bottles left from the days when I collected wine. Days that are long gone now, but there are still a few remnants:)
I can just ‘taste’ the sweetness of those grapes/almost raisins: ice wine – have only had it once in my life
! Good luck with that!! Oh, good morning Miss C: after five hours of crash and bang of a spring tempest am actually on the computer to pick up messages at midnight 
! Beginning of summer daylight saving for us tonight!! Longer evenings: wonderful!!!!
Ooh, one step closer to the wine – yippee!
Mandy xo
I love the translucence of the undesiccated grapes, and the water droplets poised to fall in your shot, but mostly I am loving the colors. Green, gold, brown and earthy looking. So beautiful.
~ Lynda
Celi — I have an afghan just like the one your kitties have claimed! My mom made it a long time ago. Wow. After seeing the photo, I had to go find it.
Yes, let’s just pooh-pooh any talk of snow or freezing weather!!! I’m certainly not going to think about it, although we dipped into the high 30s last night! Eek!!! No doubt the Surrogate Milkers want to get it right! You’ve got some feisty, fun loving animals on the farmy Celi who no doubt want to have some fun with anyone who tries to fill in for you!!!
Hello, I have just nominated your blog for the One Lovely Blog Award:
http://brissiemaz.me/2012/10/06/one-lovely-blog-award/
I would be honoured if you accepted the nomination.
Mary (Brissiemaz)
Too cold there! Could do with some ice wine here – 35 deg C, hot and dry, with sun redirected straight from old Beezlebubs trident – on with the irrigation tonight. Hope you have a warmer weekend. Laura
As a former member of the wine industry all i was thinking when I saw the image of the grapes was dessert wine and it will be good!
I live in a region of Ontario where they make Ice Wine. Yummy, and very nice with dessert – even better sipped out of little chocolate cups.
Oh, how wonderful is that wine going to be? Chateau Le Farmy…..
I think it´s going to be a great wine – especially if those grapes get a bit of a chill for a few nights. We left our grapes ont he vine to make raisins -.it should still be mild and dry enough for it.
They have had a few good frosts already and after tonight I hope they will be about ready, if I leave them up much longer the peacocks will get the lot! c
I am looking forward to reading about your ice wine.
Cold here today. Nasty sharp wind, but the sun is lovely. I”m heading out to gather seeds before the freeze tonight, but wanted to visit with you first!. Good Morning, C!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
Good morning! We are going to have a great dinner tonight with all the ‘last of the garden’.. c
And once again you’ve surprised me! You’ve got grapes.. real grapes?! I can’t wait to see how you make ice wine.. I think you should start producing your own label and selling honey, ice wine, etc.. I’d be the first to order:D xxx
my last batch was awful .. so we will see how this turns out and then you can design me some labels, you could put a drawing of my hay wheelbarrow on it!!
That would be awesome!!
i love a good ice wine. will you be posting when you are away? we are having wonderful fall weather too.
You make wine? I’m amazed. I wouldn’t say those grapes were ugly – they look fine to me. And you’ve had some frosts already? The climate where you are seems to change so quickly xx
The white kitty’s face is priceless.
Good luck with your winemaking. How much grapes will you pick?
“Cooking Night with the Old Folks” may be one of my favorite stories ever. You captured that genteel assertiveness so perfectly, dear. I can’t wait to hear about the wine!
Those grapes are simply old, wise and extra sweet. Like those old people that we choose to have in our lives. Even when nipped by the cold, they get better! I think you should call it your wisdom wine.
P.S Here’s a short post that’s a bit of spring fun: http://www.seasonalinspiration.blogspot.co.nz/2012/10/fine-ladies-want-to-play.html
awesome.. and I will probably feel wiser with every glass! c
Wine, too? I hope you’ll share something of that process in photos, Celi. I do wonder what you have yet to try!
The kitties look cozy. Rumor has it that our thermometer is going to be saying that next week, not looking forward to it.
I’m back into routine, and that includes enjoying the farmy posts & comments, current & past at my leisure. I loved the “Cooking Night with the Old Folks” story… felt like I was there, and the photo of the 2 cats
only 2, and just went oooohhh at the temp gauge but as you say, all is well, it’s good for ice wine. We look out for the frosts to sweeten the oranges on our tree, for the rainbow lorries of course, just the odd one left for us 
Oh oranges.. I love them from the tree, being unable to grow citrus here is so sad.. c
Those grapes may not look like their Fruit of the Loom cousin but they’ll make a better dessert wine than the underwear he’s selling. Count on it!
You are SO funny!! c
Perfect, late harvest wines I remember them well from Germany. Loom at those smug kitties on that knitted scarf/blankie
I think you know what you’re doing. I can’t wait to hear how it turns out. I think it will be better, because practice makes perfect!
I am so impressed. ICE WINE! I noticed that some of your loving followers are not familiar with this fabulous and when you buy it really expensive wine. I am hoping because of your hot dry summer – and now the killing frost – you are going to have a harvest extraordinaire. Hugs Virginia
although i do not drink because of diabetes, it will be fascinating to watch u make the wine
Yikes, that cat looks SCARY ! But I do like wine, especially unusual wine ! Can’t wait to see how this turns out.
Do you think they’re gonna need that military training then?!
Last year’s post was one of my favorite of your stories.
The white cat reminds me of old deuteronomy in the musical Cats
Looking forward to ice wine
.