A Much Needed Breather…

You'd think spending every weekend out in the country tasting wine would be fantastic. Well, you're right… it is. For the most part. But it also has many drawbacks such as lost time with family and friends, no time for weekend chores (meaning most things have to get done during the week), missed simple summer outings, like berry picking, visiting the coast, hanging out on the river… lazy summer days.

One of the things I miss the most is taking the time to just appreciate the bounty of the season. To me summer has always been about slowing down, yet lately, things seem to speeding up at warp drive. Having overspent my weekly time allowance at wine events, and feeling in need of more than just a little recharge, I played hookie from the "Wine Quest" for a day and enjoyed my local Farmer's Market instead.

I deeply inhaled the fresh and lively aromas of basil, berries, flowers and other intoxicating smells. The rich colors of the produce revived my tired eyes. Having collected a treasure trove of goodies to bring home, I paused, alone for a few moments to lounge in the sun. Lounge and reflect. When was the last time I had done that?

When I got home and unpacked my bag of summer, I was awestruck. More for how that produce came to be sitting on my kitchen counter than by the colors, smells or abundance of it all. Just like a bottle of wine, a vineyard, or a wine blog for that matter, the amount of time, energy, resources, love and passion that went in to create it utterly moved me. I'd like to raise my glass to growers, farmer's (and bloggers) everywhere for all their dedication… I hope you do too. Until we sip again…

Cheers!