Looking out over my whiskey glass

[ErnieCopp]

Each evening I enjoy sitting on the Veranda, and watching the birds, the trees and grapevines I have planted grow, sipping my whiskey and and just relishing the evening.

I will attach some pictures, of what i see as i sit there. The entire lot was as barren as the dirt driveway when we moved here in Spring of 2011, but about all this soil needs is water. I will also include a picture of a Himrod grapevine, that amazes me. It was a hardwood cutting that had three leaves on it when i planted it out in April. The main leader has grown vertical 6 feet, and horizontal for 7 feet, in the four months since being planted. I had hoped it to get five or six feet this first year. The grapes shown are in the arbor built in 2011, with grapes planted soon after.

Ernie

 

[w_r_ranch]

You have a very nice place Ernie! Lot of work accomplished in a short period of time.

 

[Slowngreen]

Very nice yard indeed. Your old body style ford a 7.3 or a gas?

 

[ErnieCopp]

Slow, I just bought it after i moved here to haul trash and compost, but it has the biggest Ford Motor, whatever number that was back then. Evidently was used for a camper truck. Looks like it has never been off the pavement. Somewhere between 150,000 when the odometer stopped, and 200,000 miles. Motor runs like a sewing machine, and all i had to do to it was windshield wiper blades, tires and battery. I will probably not use it over 200 miles a year, so it should last as long as i need it.

Ernie

 

[finkikin]

I like the spread Ernie! Your grapes made my mouth water.

 

[ErnieCopp]

Those are Himrod grapes, and i never heard of them until i started looking for grapes to put on the Arbor, but with about 7 vines on the arbor, the Himrod is producing 90% of the grapes, and they have a wonderful, tart sweet flavor.

The young plant by the fence is putting out side branches this year, which i will prune back, leaving just a bud or two, and I will not be surprised if it produces some grapes next year as a two year old. Just amazing variety.

Ernie

 

[ErnieCopp]

We have an unusal tree in the arroyo behind out place. I do not know what kind it is, but, being in the seasonal channel, it survives well on just the winter rains.

What makes it unusual, in my opinion, is that it is so beautiful for half the year, and so butt ugly the other half.

In August it produces beautifyul yellow clusters of bright yellow blossoms, the clusters are over a foot tall, and just gleam. Then those clusters produce bright red seed pods, which add another dimension to the tree. Those remain for some time, but during the winter, the pods turn brown, the tree looks dead and ugly, and it is one of the last to bud out in the Spring.
Ernie

 

[ErnieCopp]

,
About Four O’clock, In The Afternoon,

As The Sun Slides Behind The Tree,

I Look Out Over My Whiskey Glass,

And Pleased With What I See,


This Past Winter Has Been Real Mild,

Just A Really Balmy Clime,

The Damaged Orange Has Nearly Healed,

And Just One Hole Left In The Lime.


Two Years Ago We Were Hit Real Hard,

By A Visit From Jack Frost,

Some Of The Trees Were Hurt Real Bad,

The Guava Tree Was Lost,


The Other Trees Are Looking Good,

The Best Is The Loquat,

It Does Not Get That Much Respect,

But It’s The Poor Man’s Apricot.


The Fig Tree Does Not Give A Fig,

About The Cold Or Heat,

It Stands There Making Its Own Shade,

And Figs That Are Black And Sweet,


The Jap Persimmon, Sad To Say,

Is An Ugly Little Runt,

But It Produced Ten Pounds Of Fruit,

What More Could A Person Want?

The Tangerines Was Picked Real Clean,

And Each Was A Real Delight,

The Kumquats Will Be Ready Next,

Each One Is Just One Bite,


The Grapes Are Growing Almost A Foot,

Every Other Day,

And It Is Just Plain Dangerous,

To Stand There In Its Way.


The Onions Are Almost Ready

They Have Been Growing Like A Weed,

And They Will Soon Be Falling Over,

As They Are Starting To Set Seed.


It Has Been A Pleasure,

Seeing The Problems Come And Pass,

And I Guess I Am Finished,

As I Can See The Bottom Of My Glass.

Ernie

 

[ErnieCopp]

WHAT I SEE WHEN I LOOK OUT OVER MY WHISKEY GLASS.

 

[majorcatfish]

You have outstanding piece of property Ernie ...

 

[Rahab222]

Nice. Really nice. I love your grapes.

 

[whistech]

EarnieCopp, you have a beautiful place and thank you for posting the pictures. I really enjoy your posts.

 

[ErnieCopp]

Thanks everyone for the nice words. It was abandoned when we bought it 3 years ago, and yard had not been watered for 20 years. I wanted something to do to keep busy, and Boy, i sure was.

I built the Grape Arbor while the house was being completely remodeled, and those vines are just covered with Grapes this year, Himrods are the best, so i took out two big vines of other types this Spriing and planted another Himrod and a second Concord.

The new viine on the fence is from a Himrod cutting i stuck in the ground last Spring. I may have some grapes from it this year and a lot, for sure, next year.

The soil is very fertile but is very open so does not hold water very well.

 

[ErnieCopp]

LOOKING OUT OVER MY WHISKEY GLASS #3
AUGUST 2014

IT IS FOUR O’CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON,
AND A COOL BREEZE BLOWS IN FROM THE SEA,
AS I LOOK OUT OVER MY WHISKEY GLASS,
THE VISTA PLEASES ME.

THE TRIALS OF GROWING OLDER,
DOES CAUSE OUR SOULS TO HARDEN,
AND THE BEST WAY, THAT TO DELAY,
IS TO SPEND TIME IN OUR GARDEN.

THIS SUMMER IS HALF OVER,
WE ARE IN AUGUST NOW,
THE GARDEN GROWTH IS SLOWING DOWN,
AND I HAVE PUT AWAY THE PLOW.

WE ARE HARVESTING OUR BOUNTY,
AND PUTTING FOOD AWAY,
BUT THE WORK IS GETTING EASIER,
WITH EACH PASSING DAY.

THE GRAPES HAVE TURNED TO RAISINS,
THE MELONS ARE IN A PILE,
AND WITH TIME TO SPARE, WE CAN GRAB A CHAIR.
AND SIT DOWN FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

NOW BOTH FIG TREES ARE LOADED
AND RIPENING IN THE SUN,
SO I WILL NET ONE TREE, JUST FOR ME,
AND GIVE THE BIRDS THE OTHER ONE.

SOME THINGS GREW WELL, BECAUSE I KNEW,
AND THE ONES THAT FAILED, I BLAMED ON YOU,
OR THE HEAT, OR COLD, OR NIGHT, OR DAY,
BUT I STILL BRAGGED ON THEM, ANYWAY.

AND OF COURSE THIS SUMMER WAS MUCH DIFFERENT,
AS SUMMERS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN,
BUT COME NEXT SPRING, THE BELL WILL RING,
AND WE WILL DO IT ALL AGAIN.

Ernie Copp

 

[w_r_ranch]

Dang Ernie, you are a poet!!! And that may very well be the 'Post Of The Year'!!! Well done!!!

 

[Rahab222]

That's really impressive writing there! You should submit it on-line to Mother Earth Magazine or Grit. I think they both pay for submissions.

 

[ErnieCopp]

Thanks, Rahab, but just the opportunity to share my thoughts and observations with friends is plenty of return for it.

Ernie

 

[finkikin]

LOOKING OUT OVER MY WHISKEY GLASS #3
AUGUST 2014

IT IS FOUR O’CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON,
AND A COOL BREEZE BLOWS IN FROM THE SEA,
AS I LOOK OUT OVER MY WHISKEY GLASS,
THE VISTA PLEASES ME.

THE TRIALS OF GROWING OLDER,
DOES CAUSE OUR SOULS TO HARDEN,
AND THE BEST WAY, THAT TO DELAY,
IS TO SPEND TIME IN OUR GARDEN.

THIS SUMMER IS HALF OVER,
WE ARE IN AUGUST NOW,
THE GARDEN GROWTH IS SLOWING DOWN,
AND I HAVE PUT AWAY THE PLOW.

WE ARE HARVESTING OUR BOUNTY,
AND PUTTING FOOD AWAY,
BUT THE WORK IS GETTING EASIER,
WITH EACH PASSING DAY.

THE GRAPES HAVE TURNED TO RAISINS,
THE MELONS ARE IN A PILE,
AND WITH TIME TO SPARE, WE CAN GRAB A CHAIR.
AND SIT DOWN FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

NOW BOTH FIG TREES ARE LOADED
AND RIPENING IN THE SUN,
SO I WILL NET ONE TREE, JUST FOR ME,
AND GIVE THE BIRDS THE OTHER ONE.

SOME THINGS GREW WELL, BECAUSE I KNEW,
AND THE ONES THAT FAILED, I BLAMED ON YOU,
OR THE HEAT, OR COLD, OR NIGHT, OR DAY,
BUT I STILL BRAGGED ON THEM, ANYWAY.

AND OF COURSE THIS SUMMER WAS MUCH DIFFERENT,
AS SUMMERS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN,
BUT COME NEXT SPRING, THE BELL WILL RING,
AND WE WILL DO IT ALL AGAIN.

Ernie Copp

Nice one Ernie! I agree, post of the year!