Signs of Spring

Besides the bees buzzing, there are lots of signs of spring in the vineyards right now.  Over the last few days we found as we were pruning that the most vigorous vines at the bottom of the vineyards were starting to weep when we snipped the old wood off.  They are weeping sap, which has started to rise again, a sure sign that spring is here.  -  What I meant by the vines at the bottom of the vineyards is that there's a slight slope and the "bottom" is usually the most vigorous area since when it rains they end up with the most water and thus suffer less and produce more. - Thought you might be wondering!

Then low and behold yesterday I saw my very first "bud break", that when the bud actually bursts open, it's very exciting!  The spiders are all out spinning complex webs to catch the gnats, mosquitos and little flies buzzing around, and we are even starting to see little lady bugs nestled in the bark of the vines.

As I look out my window the peach trees across the road are in bloom, the apricots too.  The almond trees have just finished blooming and their first bright green leaves are starting to appear.  I even saw two poppies yesterday but I am considering that a fluke since normally poppies aren't out until the end of April, and I'm in such a good mood with the arrival of spring that I don't want to think that it might be yet another sign of global warming...maybe they were just ready for spring like I am!

Comments

[wine blog]

A beautiful and very expressive post and a fantastic glimpse of what it is to be in the fantasy land that is wine country in it's many seasons. I guess it beats working for the man. Oh if I could only be a spider!