Vino slaves

My kids put in a shift as vino slaves at aunt Vinogirls today, netting the vines to keep off pesky birds.The little uns did a  full morning shift and as a reward they then went for in and out burgers....its good to be a kid!

Christmas in California

As much as the family and I are enjoying ourselves this Christmas we would all sooner be in our adopted town of Walnut creek California. For many reasons the Christmases I have spent in the bay area and visiting San Francisco and Napa in particular have been amongst my most fondly remembered, those damned Yankees put on a fine Christmas......next year is a must!

Old Homestead 2

Family OTW visited the prospective Napa home again today with our realtor(much more efficient and friendly than an English estate agent) in tow and gave the place a more in depth looking over.When I am able to switch off my deep rooted love of period English houses and overcome my prejudices I can really start to appreciate all a house situated in such a beautiful area can offer.Standing outside the house today in the eucalyptus scented shade,listening to the hawks circling overhead I decided that this is a place that my little girls would flourish in,so if we can reconcile differences in valuation and potential water problems an offer will be on the table. Mind you, that means I will get to live in a construction site on two continents....sorry Mrs OTW!

Double trouble 2.

The house I am attempting to buy here on the Wirral seems to be slipping from my grasp as I appear to have found the only credit crunch proof property around. I ended up getting involved in a bidding war, something I had sworn not to do. So I am hedging my bets whilst awaiting a final answer and continuing my search by looking at properties as far down as north Shropshire. My quest for a new home in California is proving equally strenuous as I alternate between new build modern and old country tumbledown cottages. I need to concentrate and get a bit more serious in my searches as this is getting rather tedious....any tips on suitable properties would be gratefully accepted.

Spring is in the air.

Vinogirl and Grandmother OTW spent yesterday in Napa pruning the vines after their winter rest,spring is definitely here and the vineyards are coming alive with the promise of the explosive growth to come. I spent the day messing about in the sun on the pooter,looking at various houses here abouts that I am interested in,whilst all the time thinking of returning to England next week. The thought of stepping back into the colder weather of late winter is not something I'm happy about but the arrival of the latest family OTW member in a few weeks time is all that really matters....spring will then be truly sprung!

Winery 2.

I think this is where the missing wine went!

Winery 1.

Princess OTW visited Vinogirl up in the winery in Napa today...in this pic she looks rather worried as she wants to know where the wine has gone (too young to drink, the Princess has a fine nose though)...a great future in the wine industry is assured.

House hunting again

I have spent the last few days in a rather rainy Napa valley with the vinocrew,just sitting around eating,drinking and chatting nonsense. Much of the conversation has centered around my continuing quest for a new house somewhere in the valley. At the end of last summer I agreed on a deal for a house on the west side of the valley up among the redwoods, a deal that fell through when we discovered the pregnancy of Mrs OTW. As it turns out the rather good deal I had struck was not so good, as the house has now sold for 100k less than I agreed on...whoops! So now I have to look for a house that fits my no doubt impossible criteria plus I have to figure out if the market has bottomed out. It does seem that many people despairing of the present situation are holding onto their houses in the hope that sale prices will improve, as I have noticed a distinct lack of quality properties coming onto the market. So yet again I am scouring all available information and driving around the valley like a madman...after all ,the coming baby will not wait.

The Horror!

Vinogirl informs me that the chances of a cab franc for 2008 is not looking good...what!....I don't know the reason nor do I care....I want my 2008 and I will not suffer any excuses...can you hear me in Napa?....pull your socks up!

Sunshine in a bottle.

Over the weekend Family OTW along with monkey and 10 bellies ventured to Napa to help with the bottling of the 2006 vintage. Vinomaker had been up early doors and everything was ready for the grunts(us) to get stuck into pumping and bottling whilst various people seemed to wander in and out enjoying the atmosphere of intense labour coupled with the overpowering aroma of the various wines.The pic shows the cab sauvignon being pumped from the oak barrels into the container prior to bottling.The smell cannot simply be described...fruit,oak,flowers,leather and sunshine!...Napa in a bottle. The day ended with the weary labourers eating drinking and enjoying the perfect evening...life can't always be like this but just sometimes a day is just perfect in every way.....cheers!

Progress.

I am back up in Napa to finish the job shown in above pic.The posts in the pic are to replace the old vine supports as Vinomaker extends the rows...or at least I think so as I'm purely the brawn on the job. The house hunting has produced an early result it seems,I did a quick drive past a house up in the Mayacamas mts and was immediately smitten. I am now in the process of arranging a viewing and also trying to calm down...I do get easily worked up over property.The property has land as well as garage and guest house...plus lots of room for serious improvement. I will keep looking at other properties as in these trying financial times new bargains are popping up rapidly, but this house does hit most of my wants....except for the high price!....maybe a concrete mixing session in the morning will calm me down!

California dreaming.

I see from weather forecast plus numerous complaining emails from back in England that the rain has still not let up...so no real summer this year it seems. I spent yesterday in gloriously sunny Napa with vino girl and vino maker discussing the property search I'm embarked upon.I received lots of good advice (plus some good stuff here from DC..thanks) and so when I return from Utah I am going to start proper viewings instead of just roadside ogling. Viewing from a car however briefly, can though be quite rewarding..in just 10 minutes yesterday whilst driving with vinogirl I was able to dismiss 2 or 3 properties out of hand. Mrs OTW and I are busy buying books online and studying away in borders books fueled with sbux and cinnamon buns...who knew designing an outside kitchen would be such fun? Just seeing Princess OTW running around in the vines and playing with the Vinodogs has convinced me further that buying and moving here is the right decision..plus Dubya was here yesterday too!

House hunting.

During this summers trip to California I have a couple of major tasks to complete besides just enjoying life with family OTW. Firstly I have to get my present home ready to sell, not a major task I hope, as it's in a good area and is in good condition.I'm not looking forward to putting stuff in storage however as it is something I've never done before.The second task is however going to be more of a problem...that of buying a new home. I intend to buy in the Napa valley closer to Vinogirl and Vinomaker as I like the area and Princess OTW will have access to family and the vinodogs. The problems will start when I start viewing when I return from Utah at the end of the month. I know quite a bit about most styles of homes in England and have worked on many of the more popular and some of the rarer. I don't want an English style home because...it isn't England, but my knowledge of American style homes is only rather cursory.I have been a householder here and involved (slightly) in a new build here,coupled with a crash course in various aspects acquired through reading and bugging Vinomaker I am I know only too ill equipped for the coming struggle. I am hoping rather like a vulture that the recent property crash will stand me in good stead as regards price but it's no help in the task of actually understanding the finer points of American architecture. As a quick summary I need ...a few acres...a decent house to live in now but a house that will benefit from major rebuild and extension...plus room for a guest house and shop...oh and a nice view!....any ideas?

Freaky

Whilst ambling through the chef's market in Napa on Friday I came acroos the McCain campaign stall...it was staffed by quiet middle aged normal looking folks who didn't seem to be doing much in the way of trade.As I looked around I asked Vinogirl who the freaks over the road were...Obama campaigners was the reply.I then took a picture to capture the assembled freaks but was a little late to catch them in all their glory.I honestly was surprised at the collection of strange looking and acting individuals who seemed to mill around the rather busy stall.I think the fact that family OTW are of mixed ethnic origin attracted their attention as we are obvious Obambi fodder....wrong!...dyed in the wool free market commie hating fascists the lot of us!

Jack Frost.

Vinogirl wrote to tell me that Napa and surrounding areas have been on the receiving end of some severe frosts this last week.Frost this late in spring is rather bad for the new growth on the vines and may cause hardship for some badly affected growers. This just seems to be another manifestation of global warming...or rather its non appearance.Truthfuly...unlike the eco nazis I understand that this is just simply....weather...it happens and always has. The eco nuts have finally figured out that more people are slowly beginning to question the new religion of global warming and so are starting to relabel the supposed danger facing us as....'climate change'...genius!...if it rains,snows or it's sunny...then it's climate change and our fault! I have to admit,it truly is a stroke of genius on their behalf....anything happens and it's our fault and we must repent and drive ourselves back into the stone age...once again idiots...its weather!

Baby grapes

Another pic from vinogirl...the start of this years vintage...that is, if she can stop Princess OTW and I eating them off the vine. A couple of non political posts really seems to have done me good...full of the joys of spring (when it arrives here) and ready to do battle with assorted lefties and crusty eco nuts!...don't worry Mo's mighty warriors...I haven't forgotten about you either!

Rosey

Vinogirl has just sent me some pictures that show roses blooming outside of all places the mental hospital in Napa.Not the most romantic of places, but where I got the flowers for Mrs OTW 's wedding bouquet...cheapskate/romantic that I am.Truthfully, I enjoyed cutting the flowers for her myself..it was a beautiful day and with the flowers she looked fantastic...flowers,sunny day and a beautiful wife...kind of nice....I must add for those in doubt...the hospital is not my Californian place of residence.

The simple life.

Whilst over the water in England I try to keep in touch with the bay area by reading the local newspapers and blogs. This article caught my eye the other day as I read the rather liberal leaning sfgate site...always good for a laugh I find. I read the article as I am very interested in the rammed earth building concept as I plan to build in California at some time and this is a building technique I am interested in using. It is a technique that has been practised around the world (in England it is known as clunch or cob building) for thousands of years and is particularly suited for climactic conditions such as those in CA. I plan if possible to buy a house that has enough land that will enable me to build a guest house using rammed earth, coupled with various natural materials available...not that I'm a crusty eco nut...I just prefer building with stone and wood etc. The lady in the article seems to have spent rather a large amount on her project and as I'm a free marketeer at heart...that's fine. The only problem is...she seems to believe she has downsized,gotten closer to the earth and somehow become more in tune with the environment. A house the size of hers with yoga studio,exotic woods etc is not by any sense of scale ...living a simple life....ah!...life in Napa...lala land at its best....I can't wait to get back!

Napa news.

Vinogirl just sent the above pic of her Orange Muscat as it makes its first appearance this year. I love seeing the gnarled stunted vines coming to life as in winter they look as if they will never put forth a bud again.....now lets hope this years cab franc and cab sauvignon are as good as the last few years...get pruning Vinogirl!

Spring is not sprung!

As Britain waits tonight with baited breath for the coming storm,I wait for the global warming cultists to chime in with their tales of doom and gloom.If we have any weather ..it's global warming that is to blame...did we never have weather before?..can't they remember?...I'm pretty sure we did.Here over the water, this time of year is one of counting down the days till whatever excuse for a summer we will have appears.Spring and summer nowadays just seem to be bit of a blur...something to do with the maritime influence on the Wirral I presume. I'm waiting for Vinogirl to contact me and let me know how early spring is shaping up in Napa..the mustard was just blooming before I left and I'm sure the valley is really coming alive now...oh well...four months till I return.Until then I will have to make do with the fact that sometimes when the right conditions coincide, an early spring/summer morning in England is unbeatable...roll on spring....but for now..time to batten down the hatches.