cat shepard

Thank you for today’s Report & Daily, Rich! Especially since you were up so early to post it! Roy, thank you for keeping our lists. It is another spectacular morning here. My County has already started picking up storm debris in bags or containers, so now all that is left in my community is the big yard debris - trees. And we did not loose too many of those. I need to get to the gym. I am going to try a new class this morning. This evening a few of us are getting together with an instructor from my former gym. It will be good to see everyone. It has been awhile. @richwmn. Rich, your beard may have to grow a bit longer, but look how useful that could be! Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone! ******** Sokol Blosser Evolution Pinot Noir I used the 2019 vintage’s info, but all released vintages are close in ratings and price. I know ai have enjoyed this wine. It is a nice PN. Available from numerous online distributors with prices starting at $14.98. 90 Wine Enthusiast Critic tasting note: "A classy new label design marks the continuing evolution of Evolution Pinot Noir. Fruit driven, loosely knit and full of ripe, juicy blackberry flavors, this affordable and accessible wine is a nice mix of estate and purchased Willamette Valley grapes. It's the sort of all-purpose, no frills Pinot Noir that's tough to find at this price. Nothing fancy, totally honest and thoroughly drinkable.

Have you tried this, Dixie? Does it taste “creamy”?

Whipped vodka?

Thank you for taking the Report and Daily on location, Rich! Good luck with your laptop. Roy, hope the rain has finally ended up there. It is another lovely morning her. Ian sucked every ounce of moisture from our air. Unfortunately, the high tides are pushing the overflowing rivers, creeks and streams out onto streets and property. Still more evacuations in my County. These “super” high tides are supposed to end today. 🤞🏻 I have a bunch of errands to do today. And I foresee a long walk in Bindi’s future. Halloween is coming, and one of my former colleagues sent me this. My neighborhood squirrels would love this! I relate to this one totally…. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone! ********* Gini 2018 La Froscà (Soave Classico) Veneto I am not certain if I have ever enjoyed a Soave. But I would like to taste this one. Might be a bit too sweet for my liking, but it sounds interesting. Excellent reviews from consumers and critics. Available from numerous online distributors with prices starting at $23.99. Winemaker Notes Straw yellow with green-gold reflections. On the nose, elegant and complex with mineral notes, acacia flowers, white peach and pear. Flavors are saline and spicy, with notes of flint, very mineral. Flavor of yellow apple, lemon, white peach, and almond. Pair with pasta dishes, fish and poultry, cheese. WE95 Wine Enthusiast One of the iconic wines of the denomination, this gorgeous, polished white opens with enticing scents of yellow stone fruit, summer wildflowers and hay along with a whiff of wet slate. Elegantly structured, the delicious palate doles out ripe apricot, white peach and tangerine drop candy before a savory— almost salty—almond finish. While it’s wonderful now, it will continue to evolve and age beautifully for years. Drink through 2030. Cellar Selection. V91 Vinous A vivid display of wet stone, kiwi, apricots and smoky minerals lifts up from the 2018 Soave Classico La Froscà. It’s silky and pliant upon entry, yet it quickly gains energetic thrust through a mix of zesty acids and salty minerals. The palate literally buzzes with residual tension, as a tart note of Granny Smith apple completes the expression perfectly. This is simply stunning today, and it’s worth cellaring over the medium term as well.

Debbie Boy, I agree these are minor things. But I might ask the seller to come down a bit in price because of the roof needing replacement. Depends on the size of the section that needs replacement.

I would call that a galette. My Mémère often made these. Sometimes sweet, but mostly savory. She was born in the Quebec Province.

Thank you for today’s Report and Daily Rich. Hope everything goes smoothly today. Roy, thank you for keeping our lists. Another lovely morning here. No more wearing shorts for early morning walks. But Fall is definitely here! Off to the gym early. Need to get some things done before my class. You may have experienced a night when you can not fall asleep. I thought this was the perfect description of it. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! @cunnorl, Charlene safe travels to the three of you! Have an amazing adventure! ********* Stella Bella 2019 Chardonnay (Margaret River) If you do not live in Australia or the United Kingdom, you might have a treasure hunt on your hands. I did not find any North American distributors, nor any overseas distributors that ship here. According to the Wine Enthusiast site its approximate cost is $35.00. It sounds interesting, so happy hunting! Distributor Notes Appearance - Bright pale straw. Aroma Savoury complex aromas of nougat and gunflint are complimented by fresh fruit aromas of lime rind, grapefruit, yellow peach and praline. Wild fermentation and high solids add complexity, which together with well-balanced new oak, provide a wine of distinct southern Margaret River character. Palate Aromatically this wine is driven by lemon, lime and grapefruit, with the warmer vintage providing yellow peach and nutty, savoury complexity. Signature gun flint and oyster shell compliment the pure fresh fruit aromas. The summer sea breezes and pristine fruit capture an element of saltiness alongside generous flavours of peach, lemon and lime driving length and tension through the palate. Enjoyment Grilled crayfish with mustard and burnt butter - Gourmet Traveller Wine Specs 100% Chardonnay Enjoy Now to 2028 Stella Bella Chardonnay has a finer, more mineral expression due to its southern Margaret River origin. A great example of the modern style without the excesses, it is medium bodied, well integrated and full of flavour. Place A blend of Stella Bella’s southern Margaret River vineyards. A multiple personality wine, it represents the uniqueness of each vineyard site while maintaining a defined Stella Bella style. Winemaking Hand-picked and whole bunch pressed to extract the free run juice only. The juice was wild fermented in barrel using a combination of 35% new and the remainder 2-5 year old oak. Battonage was undertaken based on taste throughout maturation to deliver a precise aroma, line and length. The wine was matured in French oak for 10 months before bottling.

The saga ends…. finally Well all wonderful things have to end sometime. After waiting three years for this trip - it was so worth it. I am so happy the planets and stars finally aligned for us. We got up, had coffee and breakfast out in the Oasis. Then we said farewell to our hostess & Bella. My friend’s brother drove us to the airport. Our flights were on time, though the one from Dallas to Orlando was bumpy and we had quite a jolt when we landed. We had an hour between flights and though we made it in plenty of time, our luggage did not. The second hiccup of the trip. American said it would be delivered tomorrow. My friend asked them to deliver hers to my place, too. And then she’d come to pick it up. Our transportation was waiting and I was home by 10 p.m. I slept really well. Woke up early and had some coffee. My friend and I were going to meet at Panera for breakfast in the morning, then I was going to Aldi and finally to pick up Bindi. As I was backing out of my driveway, I noticed my front door looked odd. It was our luggage! I quickly put mine inside and loaded my friend’s into the car. I was impressed. But as much as American impressed me with this service, I deplore them for not just the number of flight changes, but how disruptive some of them were. One change was four hours different from the previous one, and one was seven hours different. And that one would have resulted in us landing in Orlando after midnight. But Flight Ease helped fix that mess. In hindsight, we should have booked Delta flights in both directions. Though Delta made a few changes most of them were either flight numbers or changes of less than 30 minutes. Lesson learned. So there you have if folk. My great Northwest Adventure.

@puppycanducruise Here in my County in Florida it is called the “Public right of way”.

Sharon not sure which place you are asking about, so…. we stayed with my friend’s brother & SIL. my local wine bar suggested we visit SoDo Urbanworks my friend’s niece suggest Chez Phinney

Did you ever encounter a “bubblah”?

Thank you for today’s Report & Daily, Rich! Safe travels tomorrow! Roy, thank you for keeping our lists! Morning all. My gym finally got its power back, so I am looking forward to getting back into my routine. School in my County resumes tomorrow. Still some places being evacuated because of high tides pushing back on overflowing rivers and streams. Once again I realize how blessed I am. Off to the gym. Will check back in later…. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating, especially @Cruzin Terri & @JazzyV on their special days. Stay well everyone! *********** Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc This New Zealand wine is starting to appear in my local area. Fans of New Zealand SBs will enjoy this one. The 2019 vintage has a slightly higher rating than the 2030 vintage, but both are very good. The 2020 vintage might be easier to find. This one is available from numerous online distributors with prices for the 2020 vintage starting at $8.98. Honest Wine Review’s opinion Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp white wine from Marlborough, New Zealand. Nobilo was started by Nikola Nobilo. He left Croatia in 1943 and moved to New Zealand to plant the vines and start the business. He came from a long tradition of family winemaking, reported to be over 300 years. Fast forward to today, the winemaker is David Edmonds and the grapes for Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc came from the Wairau and Awatere vineyards. I shared this wine with a group of longtime friends, bringing together a total of four trusted palates. For this review we tasted the 2014 vintage of this wine. Similar to other New Zealand wines, Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc had a twist top. Appearance The wine’s appearance was golden in color. It was definitely darker than many other Sauvignon Blancs I’ve experienced. It was also quite leggy in the glass with many slow falling drips. Aroma I served this wine chilled, so it was a little difficult to discern the aroma notes at first. But after a little time and lots of sniffing, we agreed on enjoyable notes of grapefruit and pineapple in the wine’s aroma. We didn’t pick up any herbal notes of nettles or fresh cut tomato plant, as the tasting notes suggested. There was very little sting of alcohol in the nose. Most of us guessed the alcohol content to be no more than 11.8%. But it turned out we were quite off in our estimates. Actual Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc alcohol content 12.5% by volume, per the bottle. Taste We all agreed the wine’s taste was tart, clean, crisp and pleasant. For flavors, the pineapple carried through from the aroma to the taste, as did the grapefruit. We also noted some granny smith apple. Finish The wine’s finish was quite interesting. It was a two-pronged finish carried by the flavors. The first, a more tart flavored finish, was short. However a secondary sweeter finish was noted on the sides of the tongue. We characterized that as a medium finish. Overall Opinion Overall, all four of us greatly enjoyed this wine. The votes included “liked it”, “pleasant” and “clean and crisp.” We felt it to be great summer afternoon sipper and agreed on pairing this wine with a nice salad, a light fish dish or with chicken. Nobilo also suggests oysters, tuna and caviar which sounds great to me!

@JazzyV Happy Birthday, Vanessa! May your new year be filled with laughter, love & great health!

The saga continues…. September 15th Seattle After a wonderful night’s sleep, I got up, dressed. Headed outside for coffee in the Oasis. My host and hostess had to leave fairly early for meetings downtown, so we had time to share one cup of coffee with them. They warned us that the place we planned to visit in the afternoon was in a very industrial area of the city. Boy were they right! After they left, we enjoyed a breakfast of yogurt, berries and pecans! Ooh, and more coffee. Before leaving our hostess gave us an alternative path down to Carkeek Park, so we decided to take Bella with us again. She had forgiven us for “breaking in” last night. 😎 We headed out on a cool and cloudy morning .it was perfect walking weather. Today’s path, though steep, did not have as many loose rocks as yesterday’s. It did not take us long to reach the park’s road which brought us almost immediately to the parking lot, playground and beach. We walked around a bit and enjoyed a group from a local Daycare playing on the slides and swings. We did not get down to the beach, because Bella does not like the bridge/walkway and stairs used to access it. She is a rescue and who knows what is in her past. We headed back and after showering & changing, we headed downtown. The owner of our favorite wine bar back home had suggested we visit SoDo Urbanworks. And boy was it in an industrial area, South of the stadiums. An innovative concept that several Washington wineries and eateries used to share their products in the downtown area. The U-shaped complex originally housed quite a few wineries and a couple of eateries. Some were no longer there. Others were not open on the day we visited. We walked around and found that Rotie Wineries was open, though just setting up. Teresa greeted us and walked us through a variety of wines. If we purchased wine, the tasting was free. Otherwise it was $30 for 8 wines. We settled on two wines to bring back as thank you gifts to our hostess & host. Not only was Teresa knowledgeable about her wine, she fixed my sunglasses which had lost a pin! Now we needed to eat something. 😎 The only place open happened to be Nine Pies Pizzeria. We lucked out because they had a wide variety of really delicious food. We shared an Antipasto plate and stuffed mushrooms and each had a great salad. Perfect. We moved on to Latta Wine. We enjoyed a variety of six different wines. And perhaps for the first time, I zeroed in on a Syrah. With a twist. The 97% Syrah was softened by 3% Viognier! A great concept. Two bottles of the 2017 Dana Dibble Syrah will make their way across to Florida, once Fall is here to stay. We went back to Rotie to pick up our wine and order an Uber to take us back. All of our Uber drivers had been very personable and we enjoyed talking with them. By the time we got back, our hostess was home. The plan was for a “girl’s night” at Chez Phinney a wine bar not far from where they lived. It offered a unique experience. Customers traded a credit card for a wine card. They then inserted the cards into one of two cases of wine, each holding eight different wines. One case of reds. The other of whites and rosés. Customers could opt for a 2 oz taste, a 3 oz pour, or a 5 oz pour. And the choice determined the price. We met my friend’s oldest niece there and had fun touring the different selections. We shared a wonderful charcuterie board, which was a perfect accompaniment. I tried an “orange blend” but was drawn to a GMS from Kerloo, a Washington winery. We stayed for a couple glasses and then settled our bill. We literally walked next door to a great pizza place and enjoyed two wonderful pizzas. By then our host had finished his meeting and he joined us. It was a great meal. We headed back, dropped my friend’s niece off, and then went back. Where Bella greeted us. We stayed up a bit chatting, but we’re in bed by 11. And slept really well.

Safe travels, Sharon. Enjoy!

Thank you for today’s Report & Daily, Rich. Roy, thank you for keeping our lists! Another beauty of a morning here. Fall is definitely in the air. Certainly makes cleaning up a lot easier. My gym is still without power, so I need to get out for a good brisk walk without Bindi. 🤫 sshhh, please do not tell her. I hope to finish my saga today. I think I only had one day left. I know you are all holding your breath in anticipation. @Cruzin Terri hope you two have a wonderful trip & Happy Anniversary, a bit early. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone. ******* Beringer White Zinfandel, California This one might be a bit too sweet for me, but perhaps it would be a good base for Sangria - if I could not enjoy sipping it by itself. Lots of consumer fans. No matter how one plans to use it, the price is hard to beat. Available from numerous online distributors with prices starting at $4.98! Distributor Notes In making Beringer’s White Zinfandel, the focus is to highlight the fresh red berry, citrus and melon aromas and flavors, and round them out with subtle hints of nutmeg and clove. The wine has a youthful exuberance that is enjoyable as a sipper on its own, or with a variety of dishes.

No way to predict, but it is possible. Just back from a land tour/cruise. The Aurora occurred twice during that time. The first time in Denali on September 3rd around midnight. The second time was on the ship between Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay: September 6th around 1 a.m. You can request a wake up call from your hotel and cruise ship - the Aurora is sighted.

I returned from a 20 day trip on September 16th. I added some customized days to Holland America’s Triple Denali. I spent 2 days on the Kenai peninsula. I did a Glacier tour out of Whittier that involved a day with round trip from Anchorage. Then Holland America’s tour/cruise. Three nights in Denali. This includes a four hour trip from Anchorage to Denali. The cruise was 7 nights. It included Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and finally sailing the Inside package to Vancouver. Then another couple of customized days there, and finally a few customized days in Seattle. Travel times need to be factored in, so once you know how much time you can devote to the trip, that will help you figure out what you can realistically do. If interested, I can give you links to the travelogue I have been doing. I just have one more day to go, I think. We only had two hiccups on our entire trip. And neither of them were more than an inconvenience. Ann

@ger_77 Gerry, happy to read that the nail did not go too deep! I had an interesting morning. I arrived at my gym only to learn that it did not have power. So I figured I would head to Starbucks to kill time until my Aldi opened. But they did not have power either. And traffic lights were being powered by portable generators! And this is the main drag of my little town! SomI headed North to the Aldi just North of me and on my way passed convoys of electric company vehicles coming out of the Flagler County Airport road. They must be housing them there. Some of the trucks were from Hyattsville, Maryland, Roy @rafinmd! Still some areas here without power. But we are blessed, when we compare our situation to that of the Southwest Coast.

Thank you for today’s Report and Daily, Rich. Roy, hope all is well with you up there. Thank you for keeping our lists. Another cool morning and it is just starting to get light out now. Heading off to the gym, then grocery shopping. More Ian cleanup and today I get my third COVID booster. Maybe I will nap this afternoon.😎 Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone! ******** Adega Mãe 2020 Dory White (Lisboa) This white blend from Portugal is a bit elusive but critics and consumers really like it, so it might be worth the hunt. I found one online distributor offering it for $8.99, so it won’t break the bank. Distributor notes The wine is bright and fruity on the nose with citrus, fresh sweet herbs and a slight mealy note. Lively and acidic on the palate, but with generous fruit, it’s a medium body with tonnes of character and nervy acid. The finish is long with green apple, sour apricot and blueberries. Any aromatic white drinker would love this.

Ann it looks as if it has eyes. 😱

Rose Villa is wonderful. Great ambiance and creative, delicious food. A bit pricy, so it is saved for special celebrations, but it is a favorite of many people in my area. I would not put it in any of the categories of the title of the show though. But who cares, they deserve all the recognition they get!

That would avoid some of the worst “to be avoided at all costs” roads. There is some kind of caution right before Lake Garfield, but if she checks the website I shared, she will know whether it is temporary or something she needs to avoid.

Sandi ask your DGD which company supplies her electricity. It may not be FP&L. I think Duke Energy provides power to some areas. And there may be other providers. She should be able to Google them and find out some basic info. But I agree that her apartment complex would have the best info for her.

And right below it is Fort Myers Beach.