Eastern Washington Wine Country

Friday my mom and I headed over the mountains to Eastern Washington wine country. Even though we left in the late morning it still took us almost 45 minutes to make it over the pass. We stopped to stretch our legs and have a picnic lunch we had packed. We heard later that evening it was taking some people up to 4 hours!

After checking in to our hotel in Sunnyside we headed out to do some wine tasting. We went to the wine village in Prosser which has about ten wineries. First stop was at Airfield Estates Winery where I bought a bottle of Mustang a red wine which is a mix of Syrah, Grenache, Sinsault, Mourvedre and Counoise grapes. Their tasting room was really great. Lots of leather seating and plane inspired memorabilia. I asked who were the fliers at the winery and was told they grow their grapes where there used to be an old airfield.

Next stop was Willow Crest Winery where my mom bought a bottle of their Riesling. Our last stop of the day was at Milbrandt Winery where they have a restaurant as well. The tasting sheet listed suggested food pairings to go along with the different wines.

Our hotel room had a fridge and microwave so we were able to bring food with us and save money not eating out for every meal. This particular hotel also provided a hot breakfast in the morning. Eggs, potatoes, biscuits & gravy, sausage, cereal and waffles. There was something for everyone. Our room had a winery view as well.

Saturday morning we headed back to Prosser to the Farmer’s Market and stopped at Chukar Cherries where we were able to sample many of the treats they offer in their gift shop. The cherry chipotle jam was to die for! We stopped at another gift shop down the street and then headed off for our wine tastings of the day.

First stop was Desert Wind Winery where my mom and I shared a tasting. My mom ended up buying a bottle of their Tempranillo which was amazing. They also had suggested pairings on their tasting list and the smells coming from their restaurant were divine.

We took the Yakima Valley highway for the next stop on our winery tour and had the opportunity to get out and take some photos of hop fields and a vineyard.

In Outlook we stopped at Tefft Cellars. This place was really off the beaten path and we were the only ones there so were able to chat with the gal there for quite a bit. She had us try some port. I had mentioned that a friend said there was a winery in the area that had an amazing chocolate Port. My mom purchased a Pinot Grigio and a Chardonnay and we headed off to our next stop.

In Zillah we stopped at Horizon’s Edge Winery where I was excited to taste some ports including the chocolate one I had heard so much about. This tasting room had the best fee. Only $3 per person and you could go to their sister winery down the road and present your punch card and taste there as well. So, two tastings for $6. They had five ports to try and they were all really good. The Cream Sherry was not too sweet and heavy which was nice. Of course my mom and I loved and both purchased the Wishful Thinking Chocolate Port. They had a raspberry as well but it was a bit too syrupy for my taste. It did go nicely with the chocolate – raspberries and chocolate, two of my favorite combos! There was a small picnic table outside so mom and I had a small lunch we had packed and continued on our way.

Down the road we stopped at Horizon’s sister winery Maison de Padgett where we sampled more ports. They also had five offerings. They were out of the vanilla which was disappointing. The peach was way too much for me. They had an apple port which I thought was interesting and not too bad. The one I walked away with was the Smoking Gun Coffee Port. I can’t wait to try mixing the chocolate and coffee together! Both of these Horizon’s Edge and Maison de Padgett also had very reasonable prices for their wines.

While at Maison de Padgett we experienced our first bus load of winery tourists. It was a good thing we got there when we did because soon the tasting room became packed with people in colorful leis!

My mom wanted to go to Saturday evening church services so I went down to a little cafe near our hotel and had a coffee. Near the patio there was a very large iron Eiffel Tower – forgot to get a photo of that. It was wonderful to sit out on the patio with my iced coffee. Even though it got to 73 that day there was a wind blowing which was nice and warm and comfortable.

That evening for dinner I was feeling Italian. We headed back to Prosser to Tuscany Rustic Italian Bistro. We celebrated our winery weekend with before dinner drinks. I had a Grey Goose dirty martini and my mom had an Appletini. I had the Bistecca Gorgonzola which was a grilled fillet topped with sun-dried tomatoes, onions, gorgonzola cheese and a Demiglaze balsamic reduction. It came with green beans and a house salad. My mom had the Salmon Florentine which was salmon topped with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes and bleu cheese over lemon pasta also with a house salad. We washed our dinner down with plenty of water and a glass of Airfield Estates Runway Cabernet Sauvignon.

The next morning we ate another fabulous breakfast, checked out of our hotel and headed to Toppenish. This small town’s claim to fame is a series of 72 murals painted on buildings around town. Most reflect like in the late 1800′s and early 1900′s. My favorite mural was the Polo one. We got out and walked around. The amazing thing my mom noticed was that none of the murals had any graffiti on them. Downtown was small and cute and clean.

We headed back to Zillah to Silver Lake Winery which my mom is a member of. Again here we chose to share a tasting. They were getting ready for an afternoon barbecue and it smelled amazing. The view of the vineyard was truly breathtaking.

Our last stop before heading for home was in Wapato called Piety Flats Winery. Their tasting room was inside the Donald Fruit and Mercantile built in 1911 that also housed a gift shop. This area was the first in the Yakima valley to have irrigation.

We headed west and stop for lunch again before making it home in the afternoon. In was a jam-packed two days and nice to get away.

When life gives you grapes – you make wine…..

I stated in a post a couple of days ago that a loved one of mine is very ill. It’s my father and it tears me up. Many of you family and friends know the details but I have had a number of people ask what is going on. I am finally ready to share.

We noticed during Christmas of 2010 that he seemed to be more tired than normal as well as really irritable. As the days went on he was able to use less and less of his left side. He went to the doctor in August and the doctor told him not to drive home. For a guy like my dad who LIVES AND BREATHES CARS it was devastating for him. Especially since his current ride is a Porsche Boxter. My husband and I retrieved his car and parked it in the garage. A few weeks later, my father had a tumor removed from his brain. We were grateful because it was benign.

Below is a photo of my husband in my dad’s car on a trip we took for our anniversary a couple of years ago. That road was full of switchbacks and was so fun! This is the car that he wants to get behind the wheel of again.

However, the remainder of the tumor that the surgeons couldn’t get grew back. Even though we don’t have an official diagnosis of Cancer, he underwent radiation and chemo. He started in February if I remember correctly, the first week my mom got him to and from the hospital OK. That weekend he slept – all weekend. When my mom had to run out for a while I checked on him. Yep still sleeping.

Monday night I got a call from my mom asking for help (we don’t live that far away). My dad had fallen off the couch and she was not strong enough to get him back on. My husband and I went over to help. It took the three of us an hour to get him from the floor in front of the couch to the couch. Needless to say he slept downstairs that night. I remember vividly how helpless my dad seemed. He was relying on us for help and he was in so much pain. I remember looking at him and thinking if this was my husband I would do whatever it took to help him and make him comfortable. It really shook my husband and I up.

When the physical therapist came the next morning they wanted to take him back to the hospital.

He has not been home ever since.

Through the progression of what is going on with him. His left side has become useless. He went through five more weeks of chemo and radiation and that was interrupted by two hospital stays because he was dehydrated. His kidneys even failed a couple times. He has been either in a nursing home or the hospital. Just shy of two weeks ago he finished his radiation and chemo and is now in an adult family home. The first few times I visited all he would do was sleep and I would sit there in his room sending him love and healing thoughts. He’s been more awake of late and we are encouraged by his progression. There is a dog that lives at the home named Mac. He’s an Australian Shepard Lab mix. He’s a three-month old puppy and so sweet and soft. He loves sleeping under my dad’s bed and I like to think that gives him comfort.

Last Saturday I took my dad’s car out for the day. It was sunny and I had the top down. I went to visit him and told him he needs to learn to walk again so I can take him for a spin in his car and my husband wants to take him to Cars and Coffee which is a local meetup for guys who love cars.

It’s been a rough road and I have other things on my mind. I try to stay positive and my mom and I have grown closer through this. We are going to eastern Washington tomorrow for two days to enjoy some wineries and relax.

We both need it.

Please send healing thoughts my dad’s way.

Ch Ch Ch Changes!

As I mentioned in my last post, I had a major life change about a month ago. Even though it has been stressful and REALLY hard, now that I have had some distance I am learning so much from it. It has touched every aspect of my life. I understand now the lessons I need to learn. Without going in to too much detail I have the opportunity to make some changes in my life. These changes will make me a better person. One who is strong and knows herself well. One who is fun to be around and the laid back person I used to be. This will make me a better friend and person to all those that I love.

When you reflect on your life and the changes you want to make sometimes it’s hard to realize the bad behaviors that have been a part of your way of life, especially if they were gradual over a long period of time. They are so ingrained in you that it becomes your reality even though you were not a happy person. Essentially you become functionally depressed. When you wake up one day and realize that leaving the house (unless you are going to work) is actually scary for you  – you know you have some issues to work through.

The behaviors I have learned to rely on in the past were not working for me and my loved ones and for that I am truly sorry. On the outside most people saw a relatively happy person and had no idea what was really going on. The people closest to me were seeing a MUCH different side of me.

I owe them true apologies and in time I hope they will allow me tell them in person and forgive me.

The thing about change is it’s scary and it’s also awkward. You don’t know what you are doing as you are learning a new way of being in and looking at the world. Your actions that served you before (even if they were not the healthiest) are all you know or were modeled for you. To change those automatic reactions isn’t always easy. Meditation, yoga, working out at the gym, journaling and true reflection are helping so much with my understanding of what I MUST do to change and repair the damage I have caused. It’s a challenge that I am up for and one that I have accepted wholeheartedly.

Real change comes with time and acceptance. It was made painfully obvious to me what the behaviors I need to change are. Upon reflection I know that person is right. At the time and even now those realizations hurt. You never want to think of yourself as the type of person who hurts others intentionally. It was never meant to be purposeful. I was stuck in a pattern and way of thinking that didn’t serve me and my loved ones well at all.

For now I am taking it one day at a time. In recent weeks I have been getting back to the things I used to enjoy before this gradual shift in my attitude. I am trying new things as well. I am doing less reacting and more thinking about what it is that is REALLY going on. I am stepping out of my comfort zone. I have realized my perceptions in many instances were off and that is why I have reacted a certain way in the past. The filter I was running things people say through is a paradigm that doesn’t really serve me at all. It doesn’t make it right but now that I understand that I can make the necessary corrections and stop my old way of doing things and shift to a healthier way.

As much as I want to go back in time, I can’t change what happened. I do wish it didn’t have to come to this for me to wake up and take action. I do hope for a Mulligan in order to make things right. It’s definitely a wake up call for me and one that I am NOT going to ignore. Personal growth is the answer and people will begin to experience a more positive and healthy me showing up instead.

So stay tuned!

Wake Up: It’s YOUR Life!

They say life begins at the end of your comfort zone.

In the last 12 months I have had more than my fair share of challenges and stepping (or being forced) out of my comfort zone. I have gone through job loss and gain and loss and gain again. I am dealing with the major illness of a loved one. I have gone through creating and then leaving a company. They say you have to hit bottom before you can come back up. I’m the girl who needs to learn lessons the hard way. I have always been that way. Something happened about a month ago that was a HUGE wakeup call for me.

I’m intentionally being vague and don’t want to go in to the details but for those of you close to me I appreciate how supportive you all have been for me and all involved and I love you!

My life as it has been is never going to be the same. That sounds dramatic but really, it’s OK. Because to be truthful I have been an unhappy person for some time and it has affected every aspect of my life and those around me. I have wanted to make changes but was overwhelmed and depressed. I couldn’t do it a month ago. I couldn’t do it a year ago. I couldn’t do it three years ago even though I thought I was trying. I just wasn’t ready. This event that recently rocked my world was the catalyst and I feel terrible that it took this for me to wake up and get back to living my life. But I suppose it needed to unfold this way so that I WOULD learn the lesson.

I’m doing it now.

Life just got crazy and overwhelming and I lost focus of what was important.

Me

It’s taken a few weeks and I’m not gonna lie, I’ve done some backsliding. But, I’ve found balance for my life as it is right now and I’m taking it one day at a time. Self care is my number one priority. Only then can I truly take care of everyone else that I love. I joined a gym and have lost 22 pounds. I treated myself to some new workout clothing and personal training sessions. I pampered myself with a hair cut and color. I took my dad’s Porsche out for a topless day in the sunshine, dinner with a good friend and harvested some beautiful lilacs.

Sometimes it’s the simple things. There’s nothing like a sunny day with the top down and the wind blowing through your hair to make you feel that……

Life IS Good!

The direction of my life is changing. It’s not what I was prepared or even planned for and it caught me by surprise. Now that I have had time to think about it I am actually excited. I have never really had a direction for my life but more of a “let’s try this now” attitude. I made a lot of decisions in the past because I thought that was what was expected of me. It’s time to put me first.

One day you wake up and realize the way you have been living is no longer working for you. It’s not that you didn’t like many aspects or all of your life. No one forced you in to it, you walked in with your eyes wide open and happily. As you evolved as a person and learned more about yourself you realize that you are very happy you have been given the gifts and the people you have in your life. You want those gifts and those people to remain and grow with you as you evolve. You hope to never hurt the ones you love and strive to be better every single day. Love is in your actions and not in your words.

A very wise friend recently wrote…

“Sometimes the people who complicate our lives most, are the ones we love most, and who in turn “make us happy” because they are a part of “us”. The hard part is that we* all* at times hurt each other, it’s whether we seek to grow and become more understanding and less hurtful that makes the difference.”

Change is scary even if you want it. Growth can be scary too, even if you know it’s good for you and can make a currently bad situation good or even better than it ever was. Or, create a completely new relationship out of the ashes of an old one.

I get the chance to create something new for myself and everyone I love in my life. That is really exciting. I choose to remember the past to learn from it but not to focus on it anymore – because I no longer live there. I am looking ahead at all the exciting things I want to do for my future. I am ready to take a leap of faith and shake things up a bit.

I am ready to simplify and uncomplicate my life. I have this urge to purge many of my material possessions. It’s going to take some time but I’m willing to work through it. I think for some reason I was waiting for permission. The only person I need permission from is me. The people I love who love me for me will come along and support me on this journey.

After all, stuff is just stuff. People you love and experiences you cherish are REALLY what life is all about!

Win at Brooklyn Limestone!

Stefanie over at Brooklyn Limestone is giving away some beautiful bracelets from her travels in India. Go check it (and her blog) out!

Takin it back from the Govment’

It’s funny, when it comes to bill paying, balancing budgets and massive excel knowledge/use I am your girl. Come tax time, my husband get’s the honored job of filing every year. He actually doesn’t mind doing it which is great since that stuff just really stresses me out. Including how to fill out a W9 so I get as much back on my paycheck as possible without having to pay taxes at the end of the year and let the govment’ play with my extra money.

Well, I changed my withholding and I got my paycheck today. A whopping $96 additional dollars. That means another $192 every month I can use for whatever I want – within reason. That is just a little more than my car payment. This makes me exceedingly happy.

The other thing that is making me happy right now is how much we are getting back this year. A little over $1,000 more than I thought we would. Oh yeah – three credit card balances are about to bite the dust!

Live Laugh Love

Have you heard or seen that phrase? To me it sums up everything that is important in life. No amount of craft supplies, books/DVD’s, clothes [choose your particular obsession here] can live up to Living – Laughing – Loving.

I think about this every day.

My husband, C has taken up tatooing in the past year. Something he has wanted to do his entire life. A few weeks ago I let him do two tattoos on me.

There really is no way to photograph a wrist tattoo in a flattering way. If you are wondering why it’s hard to read – it’s in Italian.