Pasta and Wine Seneca Wine Trail

Took the weekend off from artistic pursuits to enjoy the Past and Wine Seneca Wine Trail Event.

2 days= 29 wineries and 26 bottles of wine.
I learned

• I can drink and enjoy drier wines if paired with food. Still prefer my sweeter wines.
• Wine always tastes better when you server is knowledgeable and has a great personality.The top three winners for exceptional owners and staff were:Villa Bellangio- Chris and his wife, Matt and their lovely Mom, Catherine Valley winery owner is so gracious as well and the staff at Lakewood that remember us each time we visit.
• The lake views are absolutely gorgeous and I so love when the tasting bar is set up so I can enjoy the scenery while tasting. In winter the empty grapevines against the wintery snow with the blue lake behind all of that is absolutely stunning. With so many of the wineries clinging to the steep sides of Seneca Lake the view is breathtaking.

Now the funny part will be that by experience the wine I purchase at any winery after the first five has been know to disappoint when I open it later as in "what the heck was I thinking" so this time we tried the new to us wineries first and did our usual ones later where I have over the years had multiple bottles from each place. We do find that it will definately depend on the year produced as to the level of sweetness so we have learned to return to a winery and give them a retry through the Polar Pass-35 wineries over 3 months usually equates to a slower wine tasting day 5-6 wineries maximum.

Let the sun shine in the sun shine in

I am glad for the new year to be here.
Last year was one of terrific changes- launching a daughter out of college into a career in a different city, watching a child leave plebe year behind and mature into a young officer, a son return from war, a beloved pet diagnosed with cancer and a father-in-law die. Not all of these changes brought joy but the one constant of life is that change is always happening. I can be at peace with it or I can at times give into grief.
I have found myself needing to do more art. To be creative to make beautiful things to make my life filled with more joy. To use my art to give back to friends and family that support me.

I am so looking forward to our next trip. We are meeting our son, his girlfriend and her parents in Hawaii. Not on Oahu where I lived but on the Big Island. That was the only other island I visited while living there from '69-'72. It was beautiful less populated more open it felt closer to nature.

So here I sat house bound by the big storm of the season-snow piled up outside. Yet I was in a Hawaii State of Mind, I found myself reaching for sea glass, pearls, shells- bright colors that remind me of the sky, ocean and the beautiful orchids I remember.

The first one is a long starfish dangles with shells, pearls and seaglass and ceramic beads which evoke shell broken sand.

The second necklace is a sterling silver turquoise peace with faceted stones, silver buddha's accented with hand made glass beads from the Corning Glass Museum. Luckily I live one town over from a major museum with art studios and an international community of glass artists.

The third piece is a large focal starfish with a starfish clasp and chain nautilus accented with silver-tone disks and shells, more fantastic handmade Corning glass beads and milk-glass beads. It turned out adorable and in fact I ended up dressing for the day so I can wear it out wine-tasting on Seneca Lake. 

The last piece is a carved Jewish star Moonstone sterling silver pendant done with lilac sea glass, pearls and the composite sea&sand beads. I have had this pendant for years but since making my own jewelry it languished on a silver chain in a drawer never seeing the light of day or my neck for that matter. Now I have it made it mine and it will be enjoyed again.