Reach for the sky

While you can. This is what the grape vines are looking like right now. The grape flowers have formed and are beginning to open. The vine tendrils are growing toward the sky. Even without much rain, the vines look good if not a little less vigorous than normal.

Grape vines looking healthy in the drought.

Remember that irrigation is interdit (forbidden) in France's vineyards. The grapes are the product of the soil and the weather. Some years there is too much rain (worry, grumble, worry) some years there is not enough rain (worry, grumble, worry), and some years everything's just right (worry, grumble, worry, because everything is never just right).

It won't be long before the tractors roll up and down the rows slicing off the top growth. That allows the vine to put its energy into making grapes instead of leaves. It also turns the vineyard into a very neat and geometric place.

This morning's sky is leaden (un ciel de plomb) but the forecasts show little if any precipitation in our area. Other than a few sprinkles here and there, it's going to continue dry for the foreseeable future.