Flowers of Spring

They are accumulating in the yard, the flowers of springtime. The weeping


cherry is preparing to burst forth is its season of color, while the less noble but still beautiful bleeding hearts are also in bloom.



It is a fun time of the year to see the rebirth happening each day.

It is a season to enjoy and savor as it too quickly passes. While summer is fun and the pool will soon be open, this time as the flowers. Brighten the awakening world and the birds reappear is truly a time to enjoy.

I love walking the yard and seeing the new growth. I remember, just a few weeks ago when the land was dormant and asleep waiting for the warmer days and shorter nights. Everything was the same from day to day. But now, change and growth is everywhere.

So now is the time to enjoy and remember while looking forward to even more warmth in the coming summer sun.


-- Bob Doan, Sarasota, FL

The Grating Sound of Springtime--Ice Cream Truck

There it was the other evening.

The sound that makes me want to head inside and close all of the windows.

Yes, it is the sound of the ice cream truck winding its way though the neighborhood.

Were it in earshot for only a few minutes, I could accept its nightly rounds; however, it seems to linger in the evening like a visitor that will not leave even though their time has long passed.

It is not that I would deny the children of the area their opportunity to receive frozen delights, but rather it is the awful music blaring from the speakers which bring all rational thought to a stop which grates on my mind.

And it seems to continue for over an hour as the truck winds its way through the neighborhoods surrounding the house.

Sadly, it can ruin the best glass of wine (whine?).

I wonder how many children actually flock to this relic of Americana i the evening? I wonder how many parents cringe at the sound of its arrival in the area?

In reality, it is just another confirmation that winter has checked out and we are firmly in the season of rebirth.

If only they would change up the music!



-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Orioles Spring Training and the Season Preview

Tomorrow afternoon, I leave for a quick trip to Orioles Spring Training in Sarasota, Florida. Two games (Red Sox and the Nationals) and temperatures in the 90's. Not to mention a quick trip to the beach and roasting in the sun.

Yet despite the hope of another Spring and a new season, ESPN just dashed my hopes with the latest issue of their magazine.



In the magazine they provided the best and worst-case scenarios for every team in Major League Baseball.

Of course, I read the item hoping that the Orioles best-case scenario might have them winning the division over the hated Red Sox and even more despised Yankees. Even the Toronto Blue Jays got some issued a ray of hope as their best-case has them making the playoffs for the first time since 1993.

Alas, the Orioles though were hammered by ESPN. Our pre-season hopes dashed by a dose of reality. ESPN wrote for the best-case: "Lefthanders Brian Matusz and Zach Britton make major strides before the team is crushed under the weight of a powerful division. For the sixth straight year, Baltimore fails to win 70 games, for the 15th straight year the team has a losing record. Yes, this is the best-case scenario."

The worst-case scenario, and I'm not going to quote all of it, ends by stating: "The O's end up breaking the club record (107 in 1988) for losses in a season."

Ugh!

Spring training is supposed to be about hope and new beginnings and not about dismal seasons and even worse finishes.

I have my tickets--so I will see, in person, whether the ESPN writers have a clue. For now though, it is off to Sarasota where hope springs eternal because as the season is set to begin, the O's are tied for first!


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

On the Trail of Springtime

Spring officially starts today! It actually began at 1:14AM EDT, while I was sleeping. The transition occurred silently as the grip of winter officially passed into a memory. The winter of 2011-2012 was mild in Maryland. Even so, I am glad it is gone. I look forward to warm days and sunshine.

The flowering trees along the roads look like ice cream cones--kinda funny, something cold to usher in the season marking the transition from cold to warm.

The cherry blossoms in Washington, DC are in full bloom.

Most interestingly, when I get to Sarasota on Thursday, it will really be spring. Although with temperatures expected in the 90's it will seem more like summer. And they call it, Spring Training.

The lawn was mowed on Sunday, mostly to remove winter's debris and I expect to continue to enjoy this newly dawned season with outdoor activity. There are so many things to do, in the yard and gardens.

I hope I remember the joy that simply being outside in shorts and a tee-shirt brings me when summer finally passes into autumn. But that is six long months away.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - March 19, 2012

1. Another week another trip. Last week Denver, this week Sarasota for Orioles Spring Training.

2. Wars and rumors of wars. Who else is tired of hearing about Israel and Iran?

3. March Madness--basketball. Who will be number 1?

4. Have you noticed how tough flying is right now? Small space and no amenities?

5. March has a four day sweep of mini-holidays: pi day, ides of March, 3:16, and St Patrick's day.

6. It amazed me how quickly Spring showed up in Maryland while I was away. The flowering trees have really begun to flower. They look like snowballs alongside the road.

7. I know it is springtime because I had the mower out yesterday getting the debris off the already green and growing lawn.

8. Sitting outside last evening watching the sun set and the world slow after a busy day was truly a perfect way to end the day.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

On the Wine Trail in Virginia

We enjoy the wines and wineries of Monticello Wine Trail of Virginia.

As a result, Chris and I have decided to embark on a new joint project. We have decided to attempt to visit each one and write about each of wineries and their wines.


We always have such a good time--and of course much of the fun is the journey to the winery and the interface with the people serving the wines. I most enjoy chatting with the winemakers when they are around.

During our most recent weekend, we visited 6 of the 25 wineries listed in the travel guide. Totaling with our past visits to the region, we have visited 11 of the wineries on the trail. We are, however, going to use last weekend as the start point and so there are six wineries that we are preparing to write about.

Given that we already published about Veritas, there are five more and then we will need another weekend away to the region to collect more information.

It should be fun. Especially when we need to head out again.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunrise over Denver

I took this image yesterday morning from my Denver hotel window of the sun rising.


It was, magnificent.




Perhaps the only prettier one that I have seen recently was during our October weekend trip to the beach of the sun rising over the Atlantic Ocean.

That was an awesome weekend and a great sunrise.

In love the promise of the new day that rises with the sun. Yesterday I woke up in Denver, and this morning I woke up in my own bed.

What could be better?

God sends the sun along with the promise of a new day to remind us of His greatness.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Happy 3:16 day

Heard this on the radio on the way to the airport.

Today is the day to share the most recognized bible verse, John 3:16, with everyone.

So what are you waiting for?


- Bob Doan, Denver, CO

Consensus Blending -- 2012

It was hard to believe that over a year had passed since Chris and I had the great experience of being part of the team that blended the award winning 2009 Consensus wine for Keswick Vineyards in Virginia.

But it had been. We were part of that team during early December 2010 and last weekend we headed back to the winery to defend our title, so to speak.


Truly, defending was a long shot. We were unable to attend on the same weekend as the rest of our team mates from last year, and history says that the winners of the previous year usually come in last. In fact, we had heard that the other members of last year's team had done just that on the day they attended.

The day though is not about winning, although I will tell you that winning is nice, but it is about time at the winery with the winemaker, Stephen, and the owners, and other members of the wine club devoted to blending a good wine.

This year was no different.

We worked through the morning trying to blend the 2011 Consensus. There was no 2010 release. The wines all had very different character. The wines this year were Norton, Merlot, Touriga, and Syrah. By noon we had gone through 12 different blends before settling on our final blend.

After lunch and a break we reconvened to judge the ten blends of the day. The judging was tense and we felt really good when we found out that our wine made the top four blends f the day--and then the top four. But, alas, our wine was judged only fourth best of the day. We of course felt that it was better--but the wine that won was a good wine too, in fact we had judged it better than ours. That winner is competing against the other three "day" winners to be crowned the 2011 Consensus wine. That decision should be announced soon.

So what is the day about at the winery?

Getting together with newly made friends to enjoy wine and learn more about what it takes to make wine. That, in the end increases our enjoyment of the final product that we select from the shelves of the stores and wineries where we buy them.

Thanks again to the great people at Keswick for allowing us to disrupt the flow life at the winery and spend some quality time with them.


-- Bob Doan, Denver, CO

Out the Hotel Window, Denver -- March 2012

Looking off to the east the structure of Denver International Airport can be seen in the distance--the white circus looking tent like structure.

Denver Looking East

Actually, the scene is very nice to look at and enjoy as the day comes to an end and the colors begin to blend into the golden colors of the setting sun.

It was a good day, in that it ended and I am one day closer to returning home.

Traveling gets old really quickly--especially traveling alone so there is no one to do things with. Watching reruns of the Big Bang Theory on TV isn't considered enjoying the local nightlife. And the sports teams I like are out of town or not playing yet.

But at least the view out the window is expansive. The prairie is wide and open even yet, it still calls out to the adventurous spirit within me which knows that a long time ago I would have been one of those "heading west, young man!"

-- Bob Doan, Denver, CO