On Sunday afternoon, we went down the road to Cavender Creek winery, to share a glass at the bar with friends. This is the nearest winery to home, and it serves as a social centre for several locals (like us). It gave us a chance to discuss with the owners, Donna and Raymond, something which has bemused us more than a bit.
Donkeys. Around here, there are a fair number of cattle. And even a few sheep and the occasional goats. But there are also a lot of donkeys. Often sharing a pasture with the cattle or sheep. Seemed a little odd. But one of the features of Cavender Creek Winery is that most of their wines are named after donkeys, so we thought we should be able to get an explanation here. Donna explained (and even found a press clipping to prove it). Apparently, donkeys have a real hate thing going with coyotes. Coyotes are a sort of wild dog, and are actually not really native to this region. Like almost all the wild game around here, any that were around were hunted to extinction by the end of the nineteenth century. It was only in the twentieth century that deer, bears and the like were reintroduced. I don’t think the coyotes were part of the restocking process, but they eventually drifted back across the Appalachians from the west. They can be a real menace to stock, attacking newborn cattle and sheep. But a donkey will happily attack and kill a coyote, even to the extent of throwing its corpse about. So, they are bred for their stock protecting skills.
Donna introduced us to the latest vintage of One Eyed Jack (Norton with a bit of this and that – named after a one-eyed donkey). And there was also opened a bottle of their latest blend, Norton and Touriga Nationale, named Jackass Blend (a dark rich wine, a little more acid than One Eyed Jack – I think it needs a few months in the bottle to settle down). We got chatting with several of our acquaintances, and as a result we found that we were entertaining a dinner party for six here on Tuesday.
A good time was had by all – John and Julie brought the main course, and Jenny and Les supplemented my wine stocks. From an early start, we talked into the dark until John had to leave as he was flying out early in the morning on a business trip. More celebrations were scheduled on Wednesday for Lisa’s birthday – but we ended staying home because that was what the birthday girl wanted. I think she was happy with her present – a very comfortable leather office chair for her workspace in the mudroom.
In spite of some wet and cold weather, our planting of last week seems to have been doing well (apart from an excessive interest taken by a local squirrel who obviously thought he must have buried something where the earth had been turned over planting the roses – no harm done). The freshly planted cherry tree now has lots of tiny pink flowers – a palpable success so far.
I still have a fair few plants to get into the ground – I hope the weather warms to encourage them (and to encourage me to do the necessary digging). Come back next week to find out.