cat shepard

Lenda Thank you for sharing. Adding my prayers that all goes smoothly for Steve, and you can relax a bit.

My local weather guru posted this & I just had to share….

My trusted weather guru says to ignore the cone. This is a huge storm. So I hope people take it seriously- even if it remains a tropical storm. My sympathies on the finger. It is good that you went to the surgeon. Glad it is not too painful. Stay safe.

Thank you for today’s Report and Daily, Rich! An eerie color to the clouds this morning and it is already quite gusty here. The weather folk I trust still are not sure what Nicole will be when it reaches my area, but it is coming. So I will prepare for the worst. Our poor coastline, already seriously damaged by Ian is going to get another hammering. And the waters of our local state park are already flowing over onto roads, we do not need another day of torrential rain. Bindi is NOT happy. Roy thank you for keeping our lists. Hopefully Nicole will not be worse for you in Southern Florida. Be safe. One of my pre-retirement activities was guiding leadership development groups for my organization. This would have been a great tip to share with these folk…. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone! And if a USA Dailyite, please vote! ********* Malvirà 2020 Roero Arneis Piedmont Another wine that is new to me. I would definitely like to try this one! Consumers and critics are fans. Available from several online distributors with prices starting at $12.90. Winemaker Notes Lifted and fresh on the nose with notes of white blossoms and snappy fruits. On the palate, the wine gives way to stone fruits and hints of melon before finishing with a zip of refreshing acidity. The finish is clean but long and showcases this classic vintage perfectly. WE91 Wine Enthusiast Made with organically grown grapes, this has delicate, enticing aromas reminiscent of ripe white stone fruit, crushed mint, pineapple and freshly made bread dough. On the linear, savory palate, notes of bitter almond and ginger accent a core of Bartlett pear and lemon drop before a tangy mineral close. Best Buys D90 Decanter Rich and smoky with lots of gunflint complexity and some saline minerality all held together with lemon pith freshness.

Charlene The NHS and NOAA are not sure if it will be TS Nicole or hurricane Nicole by the time the storm reaches us. The biggest concern is that so many places are still flooded from Ian, so they do not need Nicole’s rain and the Full Moon “King” tides. The St John’s river basin - especially! I think your nephew is calling it correctly. Enjoy yourself! Ann

Thank you for today’s Report & Daily, Rich! The sun is shining brightly on my iPad as I type this! Ah National Retinol Day - I choose to focus on the fact that this is Vitamin A that can be used a a supplement to fight deficiencies. Thank you for taking care of our lists even while traveling Roy. Safe journeys down to the port. Off to the gym, then chores. And some Bindi walks, of course. Yesterday it was dark around 6, but these days are coming… Prayers to all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone! ****** Château les Croisille 2020 Croizillon (Cahors) Southwest France This wine made from Malbec grapes evidently displays a different side of that grape. I guess I need to try this to understand. A bit elusive. I did find a couple of online distributors with prices starting at a very reasonable $10.97. Distributor notes: The Bishop’s Cellar Cahors is, without a doubt, the most dynamic appellation in Southwest France. Recently, the area has gained momentum within the wine industry, due to the dedication and innovation of a group of winemakers in their thirties, re-energizing the Lot region’s most renowned varietal – Malbec. Château Les Croisille is one of the vineyards taking part in this revolution, by utilizing sustainable farming practices and modern winemaking techniques to create Cahors wines with finesse, freshness and balance. In 1979 Cecile and Bernard Croisille rented an abandoned property on the Causses de Luzech to cultivate vines. Their children have since come on board to look after the 30 hectare domaine and have brought with them a sense of innovation and desire to take risks all while respecting traditional winemaking and encouraging the terroir to speak through the wines. Château Les Croisille expanded its acreage and in 2010, converted to organic viticulture. The Croisille family focus on producing wines in harmony with the region’s unique terroir. TASTING NOTES This is an easy drinking and fresh style of Malbec that can be enjoyed now. Lots of juicy fresh raspberry, pomegranate and juicy blackberry fruit with a smooth and supple mouthfeel. Enjoy this with a juicy burger, sausages, pizza with prosciutto. METHOD The grapes were sourced from several of vineyard’s different terroirs, allowing Malbec’s fruity and easily digestible qualities come to the forefront. This wine is made from 100% Malbec grapes growing on clay sand soil. The average age of the vines are 30 years old. The wine is vinified with minimal extraction, whole cluster fermentation and partial carbonic maceration. The wine rests 6 months in a combination of stainless steel and concrete tank. Our Thoughts THIS 100% MALBEC FROM CAHORS SHOWCASES THE LIGHTER SIDE OF THE GRAPE ESCHEWING THE HEAVY EXTRACTION AND OAK USE COMMON AMONG THE ARGENTINIAN MALBECS AVAILABLE IN CANADA. THE GRAPES ARE GROWN WITHOUT THE USE OF CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS OR PESTICIDES ON A MIXTURE OF LIMESTONE AND CLAY SOILS. THE WINE IS FERMENTED IN WHOLE CLUSTERS AND UNDERGOES A SHORT CARBONIC MACERATION BEFORE BEING AGED IN A COMBINATION OF STAINLESS STEEL AND CONCRETE TANKS. THE RESULTING WINE IS DELIGHTFULLY FRUIT-DRIVEN AND DRINKABLE WITH AROMAS OF BLACK RASPBERRY, VIOLETS, AND DARK COCOA AND ALSO BOASTS AN ELEGANT SILKY TEXTURE AND SOFT TANNINS. THIS IS A WINE THAT’S AS COMFORTABLE ON THE COFFEE TABLE AS THE DINNER TABLE AND YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF TO SEE THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS WELL-KNOWN GRAPE.

Hey Lenda, speak for yourself! @dfish Debbie you connected just in the nick of time to prevent my wasting away….😎

Not for me.

Annie My sincerest sympathies to you, Chuck and all of Shari’s friends and family. I hope great memories help ease the pain, but 57 was so young. Ann

I did a Triple Denali with a 7 day Niew Amsterdam cruise at the end of the land portion. It was wonderful. We had an aft Verandah cabin. So we could enjoy the gorgeous, cool weather outside blocked from the wind. We had mostly great weather, the ship was gorgeous and just the right size. Superb service for the most part. A couple of misses in the MDR waiters. But they could easily be avoided. A set dining time would have definitely prevented the misses, but we had a jam-packed schedule in most of the ports, so we opted for Anytime Dining. My cruise route included: Hubbard Glacier Glacier Bay Skagway Juneau Ketchikan and ended in Vancouver. And some very good excursions: both HAL and private.

Morning Roy! Thank you for taking us along on your journey. Your cat visitor may be trying to figure out what you are still doing there. Or perhaps is hoping you will feed it! Or maybe just wants it’s ears scratched! Hope you enjoy your day!

Thank you for today’s Report & Daily, Rich! It is nice to have light in the morning again, though Bindi is confused. Wait until this evening when it gets dark an hour earlier. You should see the accusatory looks she gives me - as if these disruptions are my fault. 😎 Off to the gym, then Aldi, then I am not sure what I will do. I need to do more work in the garden. I am trying to channel my “inner kazu” to force myself to get out there. We are expecting some serious weather this week and I still have stuff to do from Ian. Any Minnesotans out there? I applaud your new snow plow names! Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone! ******* Sogrape 2019 Silk & Spice Red Blend This red blend from Portugal sounds like one I would enjoy. And so reasonably priced! Critics and consumers are fans. I found numerous distributors with prices starting at $9.95. Distributor Notes Silk & Spice Red Blend: This clear red wine is a modern expression of the spices discovered by the Portuguese explorers in 1498 on the Spice Trail”. These explorations opened new and exciting flavors to the western world, such as nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and pepper. This wine has unusual and rich tastes born from local Portuguese grapes and a unique terrain. Silk & Spice received over 90 points from Wine Enthusiast for 4 consecutive years! Intense ruby color, with a bright red border. The predominant flavors are ripe, cooked black fruit. Sweet vanilla notes and hints of mocha. The first impression in the mouth is rich and intense. Excellent balance of tannins and acidity, with a long and smooth finish. Pork chops, beef stew, beef stroganoff, lasagne and comparable dishes are served with tomato sauces or barbecue sauces. Silk & Spice represents the exceptional flavors made possible by the various Portuguese terroirs, local Portuguese grapes and spices and exotic flavors that were discovered in Silk & Spice’s trails to the Far East in the 1500s. It is a deep and rich red blend, characterized by aromas of ripe red fruits with notes of vanilla, mocha and spices. The local Portuguese varieties – Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouschet and Baga – make silk and spices. The sticker illustrates a rethinking of the original 15th century map of the Age of Discoveries. It shows in detail the Bay of Bengal, the Portuguese coat of arms and the historic caravel of the time – all this symbolizes the bravery of sailors who traveled into the unknown and shared spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon and pepper with the world, as well as fabrics such as silk.

😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱 No meal of the day! Debbie!

@dfish Debbie, thank you for checking in. Happy to hear that everything went smoothly. Now the worst is over.

Yes! I was “waving” at the camera with my right arm. Mine look a bit different. But yours are Spanish and mine are Icelandic - probably different suppliers. When your elbow is in the top part and your hand is on the handle they form an angle that helps support your weight and steady you.

Thank you for today’s Report & Daily, Rich! Hope your train trip is going smoothly, Roy! A busy day for me today. Zumba, more gardening, friends joining me for supper. And it is just barely getting light now. Fall is here. Prayers for all who need our support! Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone! ********** Abbazia di Novacella 2019 Praepositus Kerner (Alto Adige Valle Isarco) This fruity, yet dry full-bodied white sounds very interesting. More recent vintages share the same excellent ratings as this vintage, and are cheaper and easier to find. I found one distributor of the 2019 vintage online who offers it for $35.99. But I found many more distributors of the more recent vintages with prices in the low twenties. Might need to hold on to it for a year, but… Winemaker Notes Light golden yellow with clearly green reflections. Ripe peaches, dried apricots, orange peel, ginger, and elder blossoms. Juicy and powerful, with soft fruit sweetness in the finish. WE95 Wine Enthusiast This gorgeous white opens with aromas of smoke, ripe yellow stone fruit, alpine herb and a hint of spice. Full-bodied and elegant, the dry, delicious palate has a great depth of flavor, including apricot, yellow pear, white pepper and flinty mineral. Crisp acidity restrains the rich flavors. JS90 James Suckling If you ever wondered about the kerner grape (an import from Germany to Alto Adige), the nose of this wine is about as typical as it gets. Green yet ripe through and through is the best description I can find. However, this wine also shows how wines of this grape can tend towards the heavy side in this climate. There’s just enough acidity to keep this on track.

Jacqui Not sure this helps, but… It just dawned on me that your crutches are similar to mine that I used last year. You will see In the picture that the left arm is set correctly in the picture. My left elbow is in the top crutch portion. To walk correctly - you swing both crutches forward at the same time as the injured leg.

Thank you for today’s Report & Daily, Rich! Lots of fast moving clouds this morning and it is just beginning to get light outside. Bindi is not a fan of the dark, though the night Ian knocked out the power, she wanted to walk all around the neighborhood on her bedtime walk, trying to figure out why we were the only ones whose house was lit up. Luckily the wind and rain had died down by that time. Off to the gym. Then I need to get out in the garden again. Weather permitting. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone! ********* Anton Bauer 2017 Reserve Artist Blaufränkisch (Wagram) Austria This bold, red Austrian wine is a bit elusive but has superb reviews from consumers and critics. I did find a couple online distributors. The one in North America offers it for $44.99. The Austrian distributor offers it for $28.99. Winemaker notes Pure, tart red currant on the nose is softened by gentle almond and vanilla notes. On the translucent palate, those same poles manage to unite: the tart, crisp freshness of the fruit and the rounded, fluid softness of the vanilla with a pleasant whiff of smoke. The body remains light, the tannins are silky, and pepper shimmers around the edges. This is harmonious, elegant and poised.” 97pts. Wine Enthusiast Subtle notes of ripe blueberry need to be shaken awake on the shy nose. Swirling also brings out a note of cinnamon. The dense palate surprises with its inherent, almost cooling freshness and its superfine tannins. This is elegant and poised despite its undoubted power, a wonderfully light touch has revealed the inherent grace of this wine. Drink by 2040.

💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻 Almost there, Debbie!

Joy, did you check Trip Advisor for excursions? Love the real people reviews. And you can include important requirements, such as accessibility, in your search for each port More work on your part, but often the rewards are worth it.

I have plenty to spare, Melissa. For all of you.

Did DH have a successful shoe hunt?

Safe travels, Roy! Hope everything goes smoothly!

@kazu Jacqui, Some of the pictures should be on post cards, or even have them put on a canvas and hung in your home. And three cheers that you can put any weight at all on that foot. Do you need to be warned not to overdo it? If so, consider yourself warned. 😎 @0106 Tina, so glad to read that you two arrived and are already exploring. Thank you for sharing your pictures!

Debbie There is light at the end of this tunnel & it is NOT a train! Best of luck over the next couple of days. And then the worst will be behind you! We are all routing for you. And I am fairly confident that we will not starve, if you are not able to post recipes. Ann