Grape vine stumps

Bruno and his father, Jacques, of the Domaine de la Renaudie, have found us a big load of firewood for the next three or maybe four winters, as I said. But Bruno also stopped by last Saturday — on his tractor— after a day working out in the vineyard, mulching all the trimmings from the winter's pruning.

The vines, all pruned and prepared, are coming back to life.

We happened to be out on our front terrace having a glass of wine when he drove by. It was that busy, busy day when Walt gave the back garden its first good mowing of the season (always the toughest because of high grass in spots) and I hauled the rototiller around for a couple of hours to get the vegetable garden plots ready for planting this month. We were "slam wore out," as we say in North Carolina.

Look at this amazing flower that I spotted in a neighbor's
garden. Is it some kind of narcissus?

Bruno stopped his tractor on the road right outside our gate and turned off the engine when he saw us. Sorry about making so much noise until 8:00 p.m., he said. I know I haven't given you much peace and quiet today. After apologizing, which was not necessary, he went on to say that there were a lot of grape vine stumps out in the vineyard, piled up at the ends of the rows, and that we were welcome to them if we wanted to go get them.

I used the wheelbarrow to haul back some stumps
that were close to our back gate.

A certain number of the old grape vines die off every year, and the vineyard crew pulls up the stumps and hauls them to the ends of the rows for pick-up. The stumps burn great, and they are especially good for fires in the barbecue. They will also burn nicely in the wood stove.

The scene Thursday, May 1, out in the vineyard. The flowers
on the bush in the foreground have an amazing fragrance.

So one evening this past week, I went scouting out there around the vines to see how much wood might actually be out there for the taking. It turned out to be quite a lot. I toted some of it around (with Callie's help, of course) to make two or three piles. And then I went and got to car to pick up the stumps and bring them back to our woodpile.

Callie resting up after a few busy minutes of wood-collecting

I filled up the trunk of the car three times. And even though Bruno had told me to go take the wood, I felt like a thief. Luckily, nobody was out there at 7:00 p.m. to challenge me.

So here's my new pile of grape vine stumps.

Today we plan to build a fire in the barbecue for the first time this year. We have a whole chicken breast that we put in to marinate in hot-pepper vinegar, rosé wine, shallots, oregano, paprika, and black pepper last night. I'm going to the market to see if I can find some asparagus. And then I have some Belgian endive and a red beet to make a good salad. (Here I am at 7:30 a.m. hungry and ready for lunch already.)

These flowers have come up in our back garden.

The kitchen work proceeds, but there is a lot of outdoor work to do this weekend — mowing and weeding — while the weather is nice. It's supposed to turn rainy again Monday.