Natural High

I think my head is going to explode, maybe just my ear drums. John bought me an ipod nano for my birthday, and it arrived early so he let me open it. I really don't like waiting, he's great, I almost always get my presents early. =) It has my name engraved on the back.

I hope he's not talking to me right now, because I have the ipod turned up all the way. I can't decide what song to listen to. Right now I'm listening to the Venga Boys. Yes! It sounds really good pounding my brain in my skull.

I'm totally bummed that we are going to be busy all weekend, I could spend hours just listening to songs, like I did when I was 13.

Anybody recommend any crazy bands that I might not heard of? How about songs we used to listen to that they never play on the radio anymore? The nano is far from being full.

Capping the bottles is John's job.

Filling the bottles is my job when we bottle beer. This is the pumpkin beer.

Props

I'm giving a shout out to Cori for 3 reasons. #1 She had a baby, and is doing a really good job take care of Valerie. #2 She is the only friend of mine (not including family) that donated money to the Juvenile Diabetes Fund for Tony, and #3 she is playing the Fantasy Survivor Game.

I'm also plugging Tammy and her real estate website. We received a postcard saying "Visit a Winery." I thought it would be from a neighboring winery with a bigger advertising budget than ours (when I mean bigger I really just mean existing.) Then it turned out to be from Tammy, marketing real estate in wine country. When you go to her website click on the word "Community" and you'll find a list of local wineries and links to their websites. You link to me, I'll link to you. If you need a real estate agent, Tammy is top notch.

How About States?

Hannah and Tom are really into the states, which states have you visited?



create your own visited states map
or check out these Google Hacks.

Map of Where I Have Been So Far, Where Have you Been?

create your own visited countries map
or vertaling Duits Nederlands

Paris Street, Rainy Day, Caillebotte

We walked a long way for this one. We were practically in suburbia Paris. Well, maybe not. It was worth the walk IMO.

Pont Neuf, Short History

The Pont Neuf bridge, which means "new bridge" is actually the oldest bridge in Paris; 400 years old. These paintings, and a few others we saw were painted from inside the Louvre Museum. The Louvre used to allow young artists to live there, and learn from the old classic painters. The Impressionist "turned their back" literally and figuratively on the old way of painting. While Monet lived in the Louvre, he painted from balconies looking out onto the city, therefore turning his back on the Louvre. Their perspective in these paintings are from a higher view than mine, because they were in the Louvre, on a balcony, or looking out a window.

Pont Neuf, Mooney.

Pont Neuf, Renoir

Pont Neuf, Monet

Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois, Monet

our photograph

Paris From an Artist Point of View

While we were in Europe, we spent two days in Paris. Both days we walked our legs off, trying to see absolutely everything we could see. The first day we went to the Notre Dame cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, Place de la Concorde, the Arc de Triumph, and Champs Elysées. On the second day we saw the Louvre Museum because it wasn't open the first day. Then we had time to explore. Before our trip we checked out guide books from the St. Louis Library. One of the books that proved to be the most interesting was an Impressionists book of Paris. It gave us guided walking trips to take and see exactly what the artists painted, and showed the paintings. It gave us a lot of history of the Impressionist movement and showed where some of the artist lived or had studios. It was really great. It was amazing how much the city had changed, but also stayed the same. All those great artists that you learn about and see the paintings in Museums, we were seeing the real thing. It took us to some remote parts of the city, we walked mostly and used the metro, which is their version of the subway system. It was one of the best parts of our trip.

Most of the pictures we saw were painted by Renoir or Monet. I am a big Monet fan. These first pictures are from a bridge in Paris. There are something like 30 bridges across the Seine River in Paris. The word for bridge in French is Pont. So, this is the Pont des Arts; a pedestrian bridge. All the bridges have names, and stories, some built in honor of something that happened in history, some have statues that were donated by other countries. The Pont des Arts is near the Louvre.

Pont des Arts, our photograph

The Pont des Arts, Renoir

Teaching myself how to use Photoshop

Tom turned 6 last night.

The best line of the night was when Tom told Amanda the cheesecake was heavenly.

This is Sara's dad measuring Sara's pregnant belly at the shower. Cute.

ADD Radio Listener

You know that person who switches the station on the radio every three seconds, trying to find a good song? That's me. It's possible I have found my match, in Sirius Satellite Radio. We bought it tonight, and John hooked it up in my car. It's so cool, and every station has on a good song, and it says the name of the song, and who sang it. I might be better at trivia soon, Mike. Can't wait to get in my car again tomorrow morning. Really can't wait to hear that first day of Howard Stern, and for added bonus, Martha Stewart.

Dragons

The Ste. Gen Marching Dragons had a very good weekend. Friday night they performed an exceptional show, and the team won in overtime. Saturday they competed in Farmington and came in 3rd. The kids were glad to come home with a trophy, something they haven't done in quite some time.

It was kind of a dejavu weekend for me. The game was fun, it was fun to be on the winning side, and I bought a green hoodie (felt very weird in it.) I didn't really see anyone I used to know, which is a good thing. I felt like I could have been 16 instead of 29. Even though all the little kiddies (high school kids) running around made me feel old, the emotional side of things felt exactly the same, minus the teenage angst. Saturday kept up the memories, because I visited Cori at her mom's house in Ste. Gen, and her sister, Geri, was there. Could have been any weekend in 1991, except Valerie was there. She is so fun to hold. Saturday night we had a surprise couples shower for Sara and Chuck, and saw Becky, and Julie, and Amy, and we didn't all hang out together in high school, but the younger part of me in my head was overwhelmed. It's better this time around though, because #1 John was there, #2 we could drink legally, and #3 we are wiser now (right?)

This is what is looks like on the field.

Tell me a fable.

Can You Play The Survivor Game?

John and I and Cori play a Survivor game online. You sign up and answer questions about what is going to happen on the show. It's fun and easy. You want to play. Go to Fantasy Survivor Game. Our team name is The Mooneys and our password is Tabasco. I have posted about this before, but obviously some of you missed it. A certain someone got us started watching Survivor and playing a different game, and now that certain someone doesn't want to play this game. I know you watch the show.

If Cori with a newborn has time to watch the show and play the game, you do too.

Can You Survive?

Saturday night we did something we have never done before. We went to a role playing improv show that Sara is in. They describe it as Mad TV mixed with Lord of the Rings mixed with audience participation. It's called The Dragon's Keep. It was very interesting. Sara said it might not be up our alley, but we wanted to support her and check it out. I really like doing things I have never done before. It was mostly slow motion sword fighting, with a few rhyming spells cast here and there. Sara was a pregnant prostitute, and a damn good one too. I thought she was going to wear a sign that said "out of service." If you have ever played dungeons and dragons you'd know what some of the monsters were. If you know anyone who would be into this, please send them to the website so they can get the dates of the next show. They won't be disappointed.

This is what it looks like in the vineyard

on the way to the field

All my immediate family, plus Sara and Chuck, came to the game to cheer on our alma mater and John's band. The band did really well. Wish I could say the same for our football team.

John picking the hops in our backyard

Cascade Hops

Reason # 10

Valerie. She first appeared on my blog on Feb 26. She arrived on Wednesday and she's a doll. Lots of hair, lots of funny faces and noises. I held her for a long time and she didn't fuss once. =) They are going to be such good parents! Congratulations Cori and Steve! If you go here you can see her hospital pictures, plus lots of other newborn pictures. They are all so cute, I could spend hours looking at all the babies.

Valerie & I

Ruthie

Reason #9

Ruthie Hollander. She's precious. She's a miniature Becky. It's like I get to see Becky at 1.5 years old. Fun! She's so happy, and talkative, and cuddly. I definitely wouldn't mind having one like her.

Everyone Can Help

Here at the Sainte Genevieve Winery we have contributed to hurricane relief in our own way. Our neighbor who also works with us has a daughter in Gulfport, MS. She came up to stay with our neighbor, and brought her two sons and her husband. We quickly put them to work (no one gets a break at the farm.) The husband fixed my modem in the computer at the farm, and one of the sons helped me one day in the winery.

They came over on last Thursday looking for work. I asked my neighbor's grandson if he wanted to start work that day and he said, "Not particularly." He was a security guard at a Casino, so he wasn't used to outside physical work, but he lasted a day and we paid him fair and square, and his dad too.

Luckily for them the other son went back today and found the house pretty much in tact, so they are going home on Thursday. We didn't donate to the Red Cross, but we did help this family.

I can't hardly watch any more of the misery on the t.v. about Hurricane Katrina. I did however get hungry for jambalaya and made Rachael Ray's version tonight for dinner.

Anyone want to guess what we are doing this weekend?

Rivalry

This Friday night, September 9th, is the Valle vs. Ste. Gen football game. Should be a good showdown, and John's band will have a good show, a Guns-n-Roses show. Some of you expressed interest in attending this game, we'd love to see you there! I'll be wearing Valle blue.

The new toy for the vineyard; a grape harvester. It's way fun to drive, and as you can see, it's huge!