Flip flops, Tee-Shirts and an Abundance of Sunshine!

This morning's Baltimore weather report is quoted as the name of this entry!

This is the first time I have heard the weather forecast in such a creative way and it is more useful than the usual temperature and rain chance reporting. I am truly looking forward to putting my flip flops back on and enjoying the weather.

Bleeding Hearts in Bloom

I was looking at the forecast, and it is pretty awesome, too. There are 80's in the future. Maybe Winter's last gasp has finally expired here in the East and we are free to enjoy the summer. 

I was doing some very light work outside yesterday and I marveled at how the gardens are already filling in, even though the trees are painfully slow in falling-out with leaves. 

Our outdoor living room adjacent to the pool is ready for the summer and I believe that pool opening will be the weekend of 30 April! Now all I have to do is get the chemicals ordered!

Life is ramping up and it is time to enjoy the season.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Happy Hour -- Modified

On a normal Friday evening, Chris and I enjoy Happy Hour with our friends and catch up on the week's activities while planning future fun.

Happy Hour Selections
April 15, 2016

Being laid up this week, we decided it was not wise to spread the flu virus among our friends and did not attend the weekly gathering. But, we decided to enjoy a happy hour of our own. We pulled out a small selection of wines and of course, in an effort to prevent the flu from spreading to the uninfected, there was the obligatory can of Lysol.

The selections included regional wines. We had some California 2013 Carnivore, rated 90, left over from earlier in the week and we included a Maryland wine from Big Cork, the 2014 Sauvignon Blanc. As a back up, we had a Virginia Merlot from Vint Hill--which remained unopened. 

The can of Lysol was to remind us to keep the flu bug at bay and prevent reinfection or additional infections.

Even though I'm under the weather does not mean I have to give up living. Chris and I had an enjoyable evening conversing and watching a movie while enjoying our wine selections. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Unreal Flu!

I had been feeling crappy for a couple of days and finally took Chris's advice and went to the Doctor.  I could not believe the diagnosis.

There it was on the little quick Flu test card--Type A flu!

My life is too busy to be laid up to overcome the flu.

I got my flu shot this year like I do every year! It is April after all--definitely not the middle of flu season. 

I'd Rather be Doing This

I found a few articles on the net about how you can get the flu even if you get the flu shot, but why me? I even found a weekly report for Maryland flu cases. There is way too much medical-ese in it, but the flu is minimal and widespread.

I wasn't looking for a sick timeout at this time. It is Springtime and life is taking off full speed. There are baseball games, house repairs, golf and so many other activities in which to be involved. Instead I spent yesterday on my sofa under my "sick" comforter barely conscious after coming home form the doctor.

Tamiflu is a great medicine, I think it is the reason I am feeling much better today. At least I am awake and have stopped coughing up a lung every time I move. 

The sun is shining! That's a plus.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

My Take: Political Catastrophe

Every day it seems the news from the Presidential Olympics becomes darker. 

The candidates continue to spew forth utterances that would be unacceptable in the workplace about their competitors and in mean spirited ways.

I also find it sad that one candidate, in particular, continues to believe that if the race is not going well then it is a problem with the rules. I am mystified that so many people do not see through the bellicose bluster and find little meaningful substance beneath. The rules are not stacked against him, he just needs to take time to read the rules book!

It is almost like the kid who shows up at the playground to play a game that everyone else has been playing for years only to tell everyone else they are doing it wrong when he starts to lose.

Change the rules to fit the situation.

And it is not just one candidate taking the stage to participate in a "let's talk bad about the other guy" session. With the exception of one candidate, they all are filling the airwaves with what in almost any other venue would be considered slanderous remarks.

Turning to the Trump family--doesn't anyone find it disingenuous that they are complaining about the rules to register to vote in New York? With the exception of the 9-year old, they are complaining they didn't register to vote in the primary in time. 

Here's a thought--the oldest is 37 and the youngest 21--why didn't they register years ago when they turned 18 and start participating in the process then?

Twisting the news and the rules to meet the personal situation. 

My Take: People must accept responsibility for their shortcomings and not blame something or someone else--like the rules, or immigrants!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

O's Magic

The excitement is certainly back. The only undefeated MLB team, the 7-0 Orioles are finding ways to win and staying in front of the pack. This is the best start ever for an Orioles team. The best start in franchise history was 9-0 by the 1944 St Louis Browns.

Batting Practice in Sarasota, Florida
March 10, 2016

I remember it was just last month, the Orioles were 0-10-2 in Spring Training and I was present for their first win. I could tell that the team was better than its record, but that the manager was checking people in positions and getting ready for the season. 

Apparently, he was successful.

There are still 155 more regular season games to be played, but the team record start is fun to watch. It is far better than the alternative. And I have had the anguish of watching that happen as well.

A 7 game win streak is something special for the Orioles. They have not had a 7 game win streak since April-May 2005.

Looking back to last season, they had one 6 game winning streak and suffered through two 6 game losing streaks. During the 2014 campaign, when the O's won the division, they managed just one 6 game winning streak, but never lost more than 5 in a row. Tonight, the Orioles go for their first 8 game winning streak since September 1999.

Note: the worst start in Orioles history was 0-21 in 1988. Ugh!

The statistics were from Baseball-reference.com.

It is exciting to see success after a season of frustration.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD 

Finding Consensus

Cindy Schornberg Holding the
Virginia Governor's Cup for the Best Wine in Virginia for 2016

The time for the annual trek to Keswick Vineyards to compete in the 2015 Consensus blending event arrived last weekend. Our intrepid team gathered at the vineyard during Saturday's late morning hours to blend an award winning wine. You may be wondering why it is the 2015 Consensus blending event and not the 2016? Because the wine will be a 2015 vintage.

Steven Barnard the Winemaker
Helping the Teams

Blending wines from raw material is both a fun and sometimes frustrating experience. This year's selections were all 2015 wines from Keswick and consisted of Merlot, Chambourcin, Touriga, and Norton. There were limits, however, the final blend could contain no more than 20 percent Chambourcin and 25 percent Norton. The Merlot and Touriga were unlimited.

There were 11 teams competing on the last day of the six days of competition. The winning wine of the day will compete against the other five daily winners to become Keswick Vineyards 2015 Consensus Wine.

Our Team

Of course, the first requirement of blending is to taste and describe the raw ingredients. Each of the wines were tasted and our team assessed its strengths and weaknesses. As a group, all of the wines this year had good color--and obtaining a nice, deep color was not a problem as it had been in other years. 

The Formula Sheet

The next decision was what to use for the base. Our team decided upon the Merlot and based upon the flavors we decided to use Chambourcin to help improve the Merlot. These wines together were a bit acidic and we added Touriga for balance and some Norton at the end to increase the whole mouth experience. The team's final blend, after only two hours of blending was 77% Merlot, 15% Chambourcin, 6% Touriga, and 2% Norton. I know the image would suggest that a different blend was the final winner, but that was a final check before deciding to go with an earlier blend.

The team took a slight detour and worked with a Touriga base for a couple of blends, but decided that the Merlot based wine was a better approach. 

Our Team in the Barrel Room

Our final blend was very nice. It was a medium-bodied wine with a light fruity nose showing hints of summer berries and contrasted by some smokiness and cherries on the tongue. It had a persistent finish and a well balanced full-mouth feel. It was bit acidic but there were some mild tannins supporting the experience. This was not a wine to be cellared for many years, but to be enjoyed tomorrow, although a year or two in the bottle would have certainly helped it all blend together. We liked it.

Suffice it to say, our wine did not win the competition as we had hoped. A Touriga-based wine was the winner of the blind competition. The winner was very dark and full-bodied with the ability to be cellared for a few years. Interestingly, the winner was our teams lowest rated wine. 

On this Saturday, our team was reminded that creating a wine that we like is no assurance that others will appreciate it. 

While we did not win the day, we had a lot of fun being together and continuing to expand our knowledge of wine making.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - April 11, 2016

1. I figured out how that I must be getting close to retirement because people have begun asking when I plan to retire.

2. 50 degree days seem a lot colder after spending a week on vacation with temperatures in the high 70's and up to the 90's.

Helicopter over Keswick Vineyards
By Cindy Schornberg from Facebook

3. Wine is agriculture and unseasonably cold temperatures can destroy a whole crop. This weekend while I was visiting Charlottesville, the vineyards were using extreme measures to save the vines from the cold--burning hay, flying helicopters to move the air, and employing uniquely designed flame throwing machines to warm the air between the rows of vines.

4. The quote: "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing" took on a new meaning this weekend. By the way, I always thought I was quoting Vince Lombardi, but it turns out that UCLA Bruins football coach Red Sanders is the originator of the phrase. 

5. The political landscape remains in complete upheaval. The conventions this summer should be a lot of fun.

6. The Orioles are the only undefeated team in all of Major League Baseball at 5-0. They tied for best start of the season by any Orioles team yesterday with a win. The last, and only, time the Orioles started 5-0 was 1970 and they won the World Series that year!

7. Yesterday's Master's finale showed how the fortunes of golf can turn in just a few holes. Congratulations to Danny Willett for a solid performance. Condolences to Jordan Spieth but also congratulations for his accomplishments. 

8. It doesn't matter of you come in 2nd or 11th--you still lost and that is a hard pill to swallow.

9. One week to Tax Day--are you ready?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Good Morning Virginia

The sun is breaking over the mountains of Virginia this morning. In all of my recent travels, seeing mountains is a relatively new experience.

Florida is flat. So are the Bahamas. The hugest points of land in both places seem to be bridge overpasses. That is why it was so good to watch the rising sun illuminate the mountains this morning.

A change of pace and scenery.

Springtime is not lost, it is just taking a detour.

-- Bob Doan writing from Earlysville, VA

Weeping Cherry Withstands Cold Weather

March 25, 2016

Despite the unseasonably, and in some places record, low temperatures Springtime is progressing. I can tell by the weeping cherry tree in my yard. It has moved through the stages of blossom to become the stunning highlight of the season adorning my yard with pink blossoms of joy. 

I decided to document the tree's progress because I do enjoy its display every Spring.

March 27, 2016

In the beginning there were bare branches, but then the buds and small flowers began to appear. A short two days later, the small blossoms had become flowers--and the beauty of the tree began to emerge. 

Note that March 27th was also Easter Sunday and that I went on vacation to warmer climates for a week. 

But, when I returned, the tree was in full and showy flower, heralding the arrival of Springtime and the frigid weather that soon followed.

April 4, 2016

When I took the image on April 4th, it was over 70 degrees--what followed by that afternoon was cold temperatures and wet skies that have effectively halted the advance of the season. 

At least the tree remains in the yard--a beacon and rallying point for Spring, which will soon return even though there are no 70-degree days in the current 10 day forecast!

So much for opening the pool in April!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Spring Takes a Time Out

Elkridge 10 Day Forecast

I can describe the recent area weather in one word--COLD!

It has been unseasonably cold. 

The 10 day forecast does not have a 70 degree day listed. And there is snow! Sunday morning it forecast to be below freezing! 

This is not good news for the vineyards in the area. They are spending time and money protecting the vines which may be in the early stages of bud break from the frost.

For myself, having just returned from Florida and the Bahamas, the weather seems exceptionally cold! It was in the 90's on of the days I was in Florida!! I am ready for the Springtime to resume. 

Cue the 70 degree temperatures. Bring on the pool opening extravaganza--I haven't even set a date yet because it has been so cold. Unlock the suntan lotion!

Hopefully, the weather will change soon and milder temperatures will return. It is time to get along with outside living!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD