Southeast Logan Square has seen a series of 80-degree days this week. The lows did not even get into the 50's. The urban/residential garden is progressing very well and impressively. I don't have any photo updates because my camera battery charger is at a friend's house, actually in Glen Ellyn, IL.
Listening to the Dwight Yoakam channel on www.Pandora.com right now.
Rudy McClain created the documentary 'Merlove' and he recently sat down with Gary Vaynerchuk from WineLibrary TV last autumn 2009 to talk about his film, which was a response to the movie 'Sideways' featuring Paul Giamatti. Here is a link to the conversation with Gary V:
http://tv.winelibrary.com/2009/11/25/merlove-episode-775/
Here's a link to one of the more popular scenes from the movie 'Sideways', the one referred to above:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiOuroHPxRQ
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Rudy McClain also sat down with a fella from the website, www.winecast.net. A link to that podcast is here:
http://www.podcastdirectory.com/podshows/7374386
The author of www.winecast.net is Tim Elliott, a bit of information about him can be found at:
http://winecast.net/about/
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Side Note: I determined a few days back that Louie, the black dog in St. Louis isn't capable of eating the grapes. I have zero acquaintance with Louie's personality, but I thought I would mention another great vineyard dog, from Canada - Mr. Bones (Newmicon's dog):
http://www.youtube.com/user/Newmicon#p/u/23/m9IYMTRnlY4
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The impulse to mention the doc 'Merlove' was realizing that there are a good many wonderful podcasts available for FREE on iTunes, and I don't even own an iPod. It is great. Check the iTunes download location the next time you think of wine podcasts. That is where I originally came upon the interview between Tim Elliot and Rudy McClain from WineCast.
Also, in re-listening to the podcasts from www.winemakingradio.com, I listened more closely to one rascal from North Dakota, named Gary Cook, he runs The Valley Vine - an online newsletter featuring updates from the Red River Valley in northwestern Minnesota/eastern North Dakota. I enjoyed his insight into many matters involving wine making and wine tasting. A link to that conversation, again, is:
http://www.winemakingradio.com/wmr/Episode22.asx
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As far as growth goes, it appears that new leaves are arriving at a rate of two new leaves every four days, from what can be observed thus far. Perhaps there will be an increase for the next 40 days and then a plateau. Great progress moving forward despite the worst of locations for plantings.
One final mention is that I now have a fourth Cabernet Sauvignon cutting that has experienced bud break in the past 56 hours or so, this is the batch cut from my parents' vine in St. Louis MO. This one will be called Cabernet #4. It was great news to hear from my roommate as she informed me the old way - by us having a conversation through the window as I was in the garden.
Happy growing!
