A grower pruning grape vines at sunrise on Wednesday.
Many of the growers around us are out before the sun comes up and don't leave until well after it has set, making for a decent eight hours in the vines. We see them on our daily walks with the dog, which happen at sunrise and sunset every day.
The guy in this photo works alone or with one other colleague on this parcel out by the end of our dirt road. He uses pruning shears powered by a battery pack (most of them do) and lines up the cuttings in neat rows in the space between the vines. Later in the spring he'll drive his tractor up and down the rows pulling a mulcher to grind up the cuttings.
By the way, this is this blog's 2,000th post!
Walt - how is this for weird. We are in mid-summer and yesterday we had hail here and snow on the alps.
ReplyDeleteYou are in mid-winter and no snow.
Looking forward to enjoying some Loire vin soon.
Two thousand posts is a lot of words and pictures - congratulations !!
ReplyDeleteThis picture is another great one.
Congrats on your 2000th - that's quite a commitment of time and creative energy.
ReplyDeleteL&S: I've had to run for cover due to hail on new year's day at Charlotte Pass.
2.000!!! Well done! Félicitations.
ReplyDeleteThat photo reminds me of 'The Angelus' a paiting by J.F. Millet. Martine
2,000!! Wow, well done. As for "tagging along" -- it is a pleasure :-)
ReplyDeleteThought the same as Martine when I saw your photo.
Happy 2,000 posts! All for our enjoyment.
ReplyDeleteCongratz Walt!
ReplyDeleteHave enjoyed reading your 2000 posts. Thanks for taking the time to entertain and inform us!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations for 2,000 great posts!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! And thanks for another excellent photo.
ReplyDeleteHappy 2000! We've enjoyed them all.
ReplyDeleteSunny and 65 degrees here. Weird.
Waiting to enjoy reading and learning from the next 2000. Toutes mes félicitations- that's called dedication :-)
ReplyDeleteWalt,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your 2,000th post! I anxiously await the next 2,000!
Amazing! I don't know how you manage to blog everyday but I'm so glad that you do. I walk our dog twice daily in the apple orchards and at the moment they're also pruning. Farming never stops.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your 2000. Your oblique references to song titles keep mw particularly amused.
ReplyDeleteThanks you.
Veronica
What a sublime picture. Definetly frame worthy.
ReplyDeleteHappy 2,000! Looking forward to the next couple of grand.
ReplyDeleteleon, it's a weird weather year! We're about to enter a more seasonal cold snap.
ReplyDeletejean, thanks! As you know, it's easy to take nice photos in such a beautiful place.
susan, thanks! It's become a kind of hobby.
martine, merci. I'll have to look that up.
n&a, thanks!
nadege, merci bien. And mine.
cubby, thanx! ;)
evelyn, you bet!
kristi, well, some of them weren't so great... but thanks just the same! :)
bettyann, merci!
chris, it's funny how so many people have weird weather this year.
t.b., another 2,000? I hope I'm up to it... ;)
ron, thank you, sir!
sharon, it's just become a morning habit. And it's easier in winter since it's so dark in the morning.
veronica, oblique? I thought they were more acute. lol :)
archguy, you're too kind!
susan, thanks!