Small Winery Lab Workshop

A couple weeks ago I went to Mizzou and attended a small winery lab workshop. I went for two reasons. The first reason was that I teach a Fundamentals of Enology class at the local junior college and I wanted to hear Rebecca's take on teaching the lab work, and I also wanted to test my own pH meter to the university's to make sure mine was working well before harvest. You can read all about the workshop here and see a picture of me on the top picture with the two men to my left.

July 26, 2008

As you can see, the grape cluster is not getting much bigger. Instead all the growth is now happening inside the grapes themselves. Sugar is rising and acid is decreasing, although you wouldn't know it if you ate one today. It would be way too sour. Some of the early ripening grapes are going through verasion now, though, so harvest is in sight. Time to ready the crush pad, order yeast, and clean some tanks.

Week Eight

Way Late

I'm a couple days late. I got messed up with that holiday. What was I thinking taking a day off like that? Now I'm all behind.

Anyway, here she is, the little beauty is growing up right before our very eyes.

Art in Ste. Genevieve

There is a thriving artist community in Ste. Genevieve. In the 1930s there was an artist colony here. I have this beautiful book about the colony. Now we have a very busy Artist Guild. I have already mentioned Chuck Drost who is painting and designing our new labels one by one. Click on some other links; Studio de Michel, Ali Cavanaugh who is new to Ste. Genevieve, Mike Devaney, and his grandmother's typewriter art Winifred T. Caldwell.

Very interesting indeed.

Family At Work

I like using the word family to refer to my husband and our daughter. Before it was just John and I, or my husband, but now we are a unit; a family. I also like having them around. As I have mentioned here before John is a band teacher, so he spends his summers helping us. This summer he is spending Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in the vineyard, and Mondays and Fridays he stays at home with Cecilia. He is the best part-time stay-at-home-dad around. =) She is getting increasingly busy, and next month she will find herself in the care of someone else a couple days a week so I can get stuff done, and focus on harvest, but for now she's still here pretty often.

The first picture was taken this morning. John got in my office early and gave me a vase of Chickory wildflowers. That's a nice way to start the day. =)

The second picture is her sitting up and playing in her pack and play. Sitting up has freed my hands and arms from holding her and she can play by herself for a minute or two at a time, allowing me to power out and gets lots accomplished. I was contacted a month or two ago about parenting in the workplace and how it was becoming more prevalent. I find the whole topic pretty interesting.

Hope you're having a good day today also. I'm spreading the good day love. =)

Applying Lime