Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Fragrance in the Air

October 16, 2014

Their fragrance hangs heavily in the air, settling in the valleys and dispersing on the hilltops. It's one of the reasons riding the hack in October is such a pleasure. The grape harvest is in full swing, with truckloads of them shuttling back and forth from the vineyards to the processing plant nonstop, day and night. There is no way that words can explain what I breathe in every time I ride to Fredonia. It's nice in the car, absolutely heavenly on the bike. At Karen's wedding last week, we talked with a couple who have only visited our corner of the world on a couple occasions. Of course, the only real attraction people associate with around here is Niagara Falls. They visited, but being confirmed Southerners with an inbred aversion to cold, they missed the glory of the grape harvest.

About five years ago before Linda retired, I noticed something one day as I drove her to her work. Some years before, the school district cut a new driveway to the parking lot through a vineyard. This new access stranded one row of vines which didn't get harvested. I talked with the folks who owned the land on that side of the driveway, learning that they didn't really like grapes all that much. The grandfather liked tending the vines, but nobody ate the grapes. I asked if they would mind if I harvested some of them. They didn't, and for the past four or five years, I've been blessed with all the free grapes I can use. I've taken truckloads out, and they are delighted with the grape juice with which I pay them each year.

This morning I had errands to run, after which I picked grapes. For once, I've been able to do this when the harvest is at peak instead of trying to glean what hasn't dropped or spoiled on the vine. In just under an hour, I was able to harvest four five gallon pails, and I've barely scratched the surface of what's available. Tomorrow we'll begin processing them, filling the house with the sweet aroma of fresh Concord. Tonight, our DS talked to the Christians gathered at the Fredonia church, taking her text from John 15, where Jesus talks about the vine and the branches. Much food for thought as I reflect on the afternoon's harvest, but I'll save that for another post when I've had some time to mull it over. Till then, I am thankful to live where in the fall, grapes sweeten the air inside and out.

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