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Wine, Wineries, and Your Monday Fortune Cookie 8/25/13

A DRUNK MAN'S WORDS ARE A SOBER MAN'S THOUGHTS.

SNARKY RESPONSE: Guess it's a good thing a drunk is usually incoherent.

A drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts. 

Don't know if it's the best way to open this week's fortune cookie, but anyone who follows me on facebook knows I was up in Northern Virginia Wine Country sampling the local wines this past weekend.

It's beautiful country up there in Northern Virginia. There was a race at Winchester on Saturday night, and we drove back along the back roads checking out all the lovely wineries.

We travelled along Routes 17 and 55 for the most part, up in the edge of the Middleburg Virginia AVA (American Viticultural Area). We'd never been up to that part of the state other than to pass through on our way to Canada, so it was a real delight to be able to get off the highway and just meander along winding roads and enjoy wines offered by a variety of wineries.

Delaplane Cellars was our first stop. It offered a lovely patio for enjoying a glass or bottle and cheese plate. The lady pouring our tasting was a delight particularly when Joe and she found out they knew a little dirt track up north. She'd worked there as a young girl, and he'd visited many times to see races.

Three Fox Vineyard has the most delightful outdoor setting with tables galore scattered all over the property. Even among the vines. Bocci balls and corn hole were available, and they had a tasting area set up outside under a big tent.

Aspen Dale Winery at the Barn did wine and food pairings with tasty tidbits of cheese and sausages. Quite different from the usual cup of crackers to "cleanse the palate." They wanted to help folks actually experience the way their wines tasted with food. The barn was lovely, and they had live music.

Chateau O'Brien had my favorite reds. Nice full bodied wines. The building is really different, kinda like two houses linked by a central enty. The dining area has a wonderful view.

Philip Carter Winery of Virginia was slammed with people on such a lovely day. And they're dog friendly.

Now, we're home and we're stocked up on quite a few wines. We'd like to go back in the fall. Maybe we can talk some friends to go along. It's a bit of a haul, but definitely worth it. I may be a little worse for wear right now, but what a way to go!

Kisses, poetry, and your Monday Fortune Cookie, 8/5/13

KISS IS NOT A KISS WITHOUT THE HEART.

SNARKY RESPONSE: No, a kiss is not a kiss without the lips, the hands, the arms.

Kiss is not a kiss without the heart.

Why don't I ever get fortunes like this when I go to the local restaurant? Aome of the fortunes I've been receiving lately have been so bland as to require salt and pepper.

One piece of advice that writers receive is to read, and not just in their chosen genre. Well, I would add reading other mediums - poetry, plays, lyrics, essays. I've been attending local poetry open mics and the variety of styles, themes, and presentations have been inspiring on many levels.

Another piece of writing advice is to write tight, and poetry is a perfect example of that advice. The trick is not quantity but quality. If you want to learn how to tighten your writing, read or listen to poetry.

All this pondering and listening to poetry has led, inevitably, to my attempting some poetry of my own. On facebook, I've "liked" several art pages, and when the image inspires, I write a story snippet. Now, I've even begun a few poetry snippets. Here's one image and the poem snippet it inspired.

Artwork by Tzviatko Kinchev

She turns aside to deflect his glance,

hair blowing forward to shadow her face.

Artful or artless,

the movement captures him,

holds him hostage.

Her hand, fingers long, nails short,

reaches blindly to curl around his hand,

lying supine against his thigh.

Her dark gaze slides up his arm to linger

in the curve of his throat,

then rises to meet his waiting stare.

"Hot out today, isn't it?"