When it rains it pours

Monday, June 25, 2007 - our 41 anniversary.
The clean-up and decisions were still in progress when another rainfall hit the vineyard. Decoa phoned early in the morning in a panic. By 9 am the rains had stopped and the bobcat was busy moving mud again. No more mud in the house but more vines are needing to be spaded in. Decoa was very stressed and needing sleep so we took Jagger home with us and went to town to purchase a carseat for our car. Shopping with a three year-old is another adventure.
She's battling an intestinal bug so Mom had to pick up a supply of Wild Strawberry Extract.

Now the grapes need to be supported and protected from weed spray with cartons(unused juice 2 litre size). A bamboo stake is inserted in the ground and clipped to the lateral wire.

Friday, June 29, 2007- Decoa and Jeff's 5th Anniversary
By 3 pm, the last of the surplus grape stock is planted - this will be nursery stock and is planted fairly close together. Mike, Gord and Decoa have a drink to celebrate and the heavy rains start again. Jeff works with the bobcat again trying to keep the mud from going over the road into the vineyard below. By 4:30 pm, storm has passed and Deoca and Jeff take boys to town to pick up Lara and go out for dinner. They were supposed to deliver a boat(Jeff manages a boat building business) to Randy and Janaia(cousin) but post-poned the trip to the next day. About 7:30pm another storm brings more rain. Mike, neighbor, phones to say the fire department is trying to stop the road from washing out.
Saturday morning - we arrive to check out the damage. The house is fine but Jeff works all morning cleaning mud off highway, redoing the drivway and meeting with Arroleaf Cellars and the district about a soluton. the sun is shining and Gord works on rescuing plants and digging ditches to divert the run-off if more rain comes. The kids escape for a few days and we're on guard. Clean-up and building a retaining wall aroiund the house will have to wait as it is very muddy right now.