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.
The Kitchen's Garden 
50 responses to “You can’t make wine out of that! They say.”
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:
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