03 May 2008

Grape vine stumps

Bruno and his father, Jacques, of the Domaine de la Renaudie, have found us a big load of firewood for the next three or maybe four winters, as I said. But Bruno also stopped by last Saturday — on his tractor— after a day working out in the vineyard, mulching all the trimmings from the winter's pruning.

The vines, all pruned and prepared, are coming back to life.

We happened to be out on our front terrace having a glass of wine when he drove by. It was that busy, busy day when Walt gave the back garden its first good mowing of the season (always the toughest because of high grass in spots) and I hauled the rototiller around for a couple of hours to get the vegetable garden plots ready for planting this month. We were "slam wore out," as we say in North Carolina.

Look at this amazing flower that I spotted in a neighbor's
garden. Is it some kind of narcissus?


Bruno stopped his tractor on the road right outside our gate and turned off the engine when he saw us. Sorry about making so much noise until 8:00 p.m., he said. I know I haven't given you much peace and quiet today. After apologizing, which was not necessary, he went on to say that there were a lot of grape vine stumps out in the vineyard, piled up at the ends of the rows, and that we were welcome to them if we wanted to go get them.

I used the wheelbarrow to haul back some stumps
that were close to our back gate.


A certain number of the old grape vines die off every year, and the vineyard crew pulls up the stumps and hauls them to the ends of the rows for pick-up. The stumps burn great, and they are especially good for fires in the barbecue. They will also burn nicely in the wood stove.

The scene Thursday, May 1, out in the vineyard. The flowers
on the bush in the foreground have an amazing fragrance.

So one evening this past week, I went scouting out there around the vines to see how much wood might actually be out there for the taking. It turned out to be quite a lot. I toted some of it around (with Callie's help, of course) to make two or three piles. And then I went and got to car to pick up the stumps and bring them back to our woodpile.

Callie resting up after a few busy minutes of wood-collecting

I filled up the trunk of the car three times. And even though Bruno had told me to go take the wood, I felt like a thief. Luckily, nobody was out there at 7:00 p.m. to challenge me.

So here's my new pile of grape vine stumps.

Today we plan to build a fire in the barbecue for the first time this year. We have a whole chicken breast that we put in to marinate in hot-pepper vinegar, rosé wine, shallots, oregano, paprika, and black pepper last night. I'm going to the market to see if I can find some asparagus. And then I have some Belgian endive and a red beet to make a good salad. (Here I am at 7:30 a.m. hungry and ready for lunch already.)

These flowers have come up in our back garden.

The kitchen work proceeds, but there is a lot of outdoor work to do this weekend — mowing and weeding — while the weather is nice. It's supposed to turn rainy again Monday.

8 comments:

  1. What a lovely post about 'a day in the life of KB'.
    The narcissus is one of my favourites, a type known as a Pheasants Eyes. I've never had a garden where they would grow - so here's hoping in France. This one is presumably scented, because those beetles have the scent seeking style of antennae.
    Your fragrant bush by the vineyard might be Mexican Orange Blossom Choisya. They have a reputation for coming into flower just before a rainy spell. My mother swears by her's weather prediction abilities. Is yours evergreen?
    The charming palest peach confection is a Columbine Aquilegia cultivar. You will see the native blue ones on the roadsides. AKA Grannies Bonnets.
    I'm glad to see Callie takes her doggy responsibilities seriously and is a help around the house. My dogs were always very keen to help with things like strawberry picking. Apparently it is helpful to have a dog nose thrust right next to the strawberries you are about to pick.
    Susan

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  2. That narcissus or whatever it is is beautiful!
    I like reading about your daily life!
    Keep it up

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  3. this is a great slice of life post, and grapevine BBQ is something i've always wondered about.
    i have about 10 bottles of vinegar (because i'm a hopeless foodie) which stay half full for years a t a time. but i made some hot pepper vinegar per the instructions of lee bailey (a great cook i think was also from one of the carolinas) and it was gone in weeks. man was it good.
    and thanks as always for the flower and dog labor pix.

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  4. Not the same type of busyness here but I'm baking scones-à-la-Walt this morning. For me it's a big job! Truly enjoyed your link to the Domaine. What an interesting site with people constantly getting their glasses refilled...
    As for your Canadian connection, I saw 9 Broadhursts in the Toronto phone book. This explains your liking for maple trees...

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  5. oooh... beet and endive in a salad... I'm wondering if that would be like the salad that my au pair family used to make, with cooked beets, chopped endive, mâche, chopped apple, cubed cheese, and mustard vinaigrette? Oh, how I loved that salad!

    Thank Walt for the great post about the scones :)

    Judith C.

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  6. Bonjour Judith,

    Merci pour les photos que tu nous as envoyées la semaine dernière. Et merci pour le " commentaire ". J'en parlerai à Walt, pour le cas où il ne l'aurait pas encore vu.

    Ça m'arrive de mettre des noix dans ma salade d'endives et de betteraves, mais le fromage et les pommes c'est un bonne idée. Alors, demain...

    K.

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  7. Bonjour, just found you on Chez Loulou. You have a very thoughtful friend in Bruno, great when that happens.

    Yes I thought it was an Aquilegia as well, comes back every year.

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  8. I grilled some asparagus last night....olive oil and pepper...it was wonderful

    What would I do with out your blog....you inspire me!

    Victoria, Bellingham, WA

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