Raclette

We've had raclette twice this fall. So far. To make it, you need a raclette machine and some raclette cheese. There's a heating element under the griddle. You put a slice of cheese in the little tray and slip it under the element to melt it. While it's melting, you grill some meat and vegetables that you've prepared in advance. When they're done, they go onto your plate, then you pour the melted cheese over all. Yum! There's no limit to what you can grill. Anything that goes with cheese goes with raclette.

Clockwise from the wine bottle: raclette cheese, melting trays, sliced mushrooms, sliced steamed Brussels sprouts, cured ham, sliced chorizo sausage, more melting trays, pickles (not for grilling), sliced steamed potatoes. In the center is the raclette machine.

It's windy, but warmer, this morning. No rain in the forecast. I think that I'm going to remove the riding mower's battery for the season today. I don't want a repeat of last year's bungle with the mower's battery. Less stress!

Oops

I didn't get the clocks done yesterday. I had my appointment for flu and covid shots at 14h30 and that messed me up. So I'll be doing the clocks this morning. My upper arms are a little sore from the injections, but it's not at all bad.

A parcel of older vines.

Meanwhile, the local leaves continue their color change both in the woods around us and in the vineyards. It's chilly this morning. I could build a fire in the stove, but I've got clocks to change! The central heating is helping us out. 

Going back in time

Today is when I turn the clocks back one hour to Central European (Standard) Time. The time officially changes at midnight tonight, but I like to have all the clocks done when I go to bed so I don't have to mess with them in the morning. The tv news people are saying that this will be the last time, except for one final "spring ahead" next year. I'll believe that when I see it.

These vines were planted this past spring.

Here's a shot of the recently replanted vineyard parcel and its new stakes and guide wires. I think these vines are too young to get pruned this, their first, winter. I'll keep an eye out.

There's moles in them thar hills

Well, maybe not "in" the hills. But definitely below them. After our summer heatwave, it got wetter. The ground softened and the moles moved back in. There are several "mole towns" like this in the west and north forties. I have to rake them down before cutting the grass.

Mole hills in the West Forty. The yellow leaves are on our fig tree.

The wind died down over night as the remnants of storm Benjamin move on through. This morning is clear and cold and still. Did I mention cold? It's 7ºC (about 45ºF) out there now.

In other news... Ken and I are both scheduled to get our flu and covid shots over the next few days. I haven't had a flu shot (other than covid) since I don't know when. But being over 65, I think I should err on the side of caution.

Those crazy cave men (and women)

This "Far Side" comic by Gary Larson always makes me laugh. I don't think that humans and primordial soup co-existed (neither did humans and dinosaurs, another Larson staple), but who's counting? A little poetic license, as it were, for a good laugh is an even trade.

The Far Side by Gary Larson.

The wind kicked up last evening and gusted through the night. I slept through most of it, but I was up at 03h00 and did a quick tour of the house to be sure everything that needed to be was shut and/or secured. Then it was back to sleep until I got up around 06h30. 

The lone poplar

This tree was a lot smaller when we first moved here twenty-two years ago. Across the dirt road from the tree is the old cabane de vignes, a simple one-room shelter and storage building constructed among the vines. This one doesn't get used much these days. Modern vehicles and equipment can be quickly and easily moved from the winery to the fields, making the old cabanes more or less obsolete.

Heading westward from our hamlet out through the vineyards.

It's raining right now and we're expecting more throughout the day. We're turning our clocks back over the weekend. That'll be fun. Efforts to stop the bi-annual clock change have once again fizzled. The issue comes up every now and then. Like the weather, however, no one seems to be able to do anything about it. 

New stakes

Here's a view of part of that vineyard parcel that was replanted this past spring. It's now complete with new stakes and guide wires; all ready to receive next year's new growth.

It took the crew about two weeks to do the whole parcel.

We're in a rainy period now. I was coming back from the pharmacy yesterday afternoon and a rain shower came back with me. It moved on when I got home.