Vineyards and Love

Love. Such an important word in our lives. Our parents teach us how to feel it and instill in us that it is an emotion for family. Our first tentative forays into the hormone laden world of the opposite sex taught us that it is heartache and embarrassment, a subject for notes passed in class and sweaty palmed middle school dances. As young adults  we “fall” in love as if it were a bottomless pit of drama and end of the world ends. At some point we mature and realize that it is for family, and it does come with drama and heartache but hopefully we discover that it is a wonderful emotion that can make our worlds brighter and happier. Many of us have had failed relationships. I myself have suffered the end of a marriage and it hurts and you feel like a failure. At some point though you discover that love is best in the form of friends. This I discover all over again every time my friends do wonderful caring things for each other.

My friends surprised me with a lovely birthday dinner. All of them. It was amazing and moving and I felt humbled that these dear, lovely people took the Friday evening and assembled just to wish me love on my 30th birthday. We ate and drank and I generally wallowed in the good feeling that, for the first time as an adult, I had a group of people that cared for me and would be there if I needed them. People that would call me if they needed help and would extend the same hand towards me should I need it. Thank you, all of you.

Two of these treasures, Will & Katie,  gave me, as a present, a tour of some of the Willamette Valley’s vineyards. They knew that I had developed a new appreciation for wine while dropping into the wonderful vineyards of Australia and offered to take Peter and I on a whirlwind driving trip, with designated driver, up the valley. Our first stop was Orchard Heights, it was….an experience. Peter bought a bottle though I wasn’t sure why. The tasting room was a cross between a senior center tea room and a tourist trap kitsch shop. The wine was unmemorable. The next stop, Cubanisimo, was evey thing the first was not. The tasting room was classy on a cuban theme. The tasting itself was well directed and energetic and the wine was heavenly. Will & Katie gifted me with a lovely bottle of 2008 Rosado de Pinot Noir perfect for drinking with fruit and sunshine while lounging in the grass. We visited 5 vineyards in all and wound up quite merry in the end. Peter started a cellar for his visits to this side of the planet consisting of several bottles of chardonnay, pinot noir and cuvee. The only difficulty was in finding a meal. It was too early in the season for most of the vineyards to be serving food. However, we finally discovered the Ashes Cafe in Amity. Peter was delighted with experiencing such a piece of Americana, they rest of us were wary. The food wound up being delicious greasy spoon fare with amazing milkshakes and pie to die for.

It was a bitter sweet day in one respect. It was the last day that Peter was here. He impulsively, and quite romantically, spent over 20 hours on a plane to be with me for my birthday and today I took him back to the airport. I am terribly lonely for him already. Having him here was wonderful. I got to show him around a bit and he got to experience my normal life. Since I was in classes all week we didn’t do much exploring but he wore out his shoes wandering all over town. May 14th seems so far away but that is when he will return, and for 2 1/2 weeks!

So love is the theme for the week. Love for my family who is always there for each other, love for my wonderful friends who make my life richer and love for Pete. And maybe some love for wines, vineyards and the people who run them.