My mother is visiting for two months. So that she doesn’t have to sit around while I work all the time, I decided to take her to southern California and visit her grandson and his fiancée. And to stop off at a few wineries . . . .
Did I ever mention that I discovered my father’s grandmother’s family owned vineyards in Germany? It was in a village called Budesheim, right outside of Bingen. I explained to Mom that proves that I come from a long line of winos.
We not only checked out Chardonnays, but other wines as well.
We were picky about which wineries and even walked out of one before we bought our tickets. Calloway above was a favorite.
Mom was entranced with the snow on the mountaintops so early in the season.
I was entranced with the egrets sneaking around every vineyard.
On an unrelated note, if you’ve read Doll God and haven’t yet written a review for Amazon, I am shamelessly begging for another review to boost the book up to 30 reviews. It’s been at 29 for a loooooooong time. xo
Going around California visiting wineries sounds like my kind of vacation! Haha. It looks like you had a good time.
How cool about your father’s grandmother’s family owning a winery in Germany. Is there still a winery there?
I need to do more investigative research on what happened to their properties. My grandmother did tell me stories about grape stomping when she was really little, but knowing how young she was when she immigrated I am not sure if she really remembered or what relating what she had heard herself.
Wow, this just looks like such a lovely time. What a wonderful thing to do for your mother 🙂
We had a great time! It would be fun to do it every couple of weeks ;)!
Sounds like a great visit for you mother! I know my mom would have enjoyed visiting wineries. She was always fascinated with the process. My dad made wine at home. She said it was the worst!
Thanks for your memories, Kate! I’m sure your mom would have had fun with us! Your comment reminds me of the dandelion wine I made when I was just out of college. Oh my. Hubby and I collected pesticide-covered dandelions from my grandparents yard (they had a great dandelion garden ;)) and then I made some of the most potent wine known to humankind.
Thankfully you are not dead.
Yes, I was thinking in an “if only” sense. xo
Your mother looks great!
She does! Thanks for noticing, Anneli. She is so cute and spunky.
She sure is. Be sure to tell her so.
Sounds like a wonderful day for your mother and you. Great pics too!
We had a blast actually. Thanks, Carrie!!!
Seeing the pic of your mom with her wine glass made me laugh. For a brief time I became a “super Christian” and me and my mother decided to have a Bible study. A friend of hers kept bringing wine–each session got a little more “relaxed” let’s say. Thanks for sharing the pics of Cali and the blue skies. It’s 21 degrees here.
This made me laugh so hard. One of the funniest things I’ve heard in a long time! Re the cold: yes, daughter in NYC said it’s just freezing today! I’m sure she misses home on days like this!
Luanne, what a fabulous idea to take your mom on a little trip through wineries!! Brilliant – hope you both had a fun time…keep thinking!!
It was a lot of fun. Then my daughter heard about it and was jealous so we’ll have to figure out a way to include her at some point!
Luanne: Wonderful memories in the making for you! Your photos are warm and beautiful, especially to this writer in chilly and damp northern Illinois. 🙂
Mark, since I’m pretty sure northern IL is similar to SW MI, I know what you are talking about!!! That’s why Mom is glad she is here! It was beautiful in California and now we are back in Arizona where it’s a little overcast, but still not. like. your. weather ;).
Those wineries sound fantastic.
They are such fun. Now I am wondering if we have any wineries in Phoenix. I know there must be wineries in Jerome (in the mountains, an old mining town), but I’m not sure about PHoenix.
Great photos. It sounds like a fun day all around.
Viv, we had so much fun. We are planning some more fun for tomorrow . . . .
Sounds like you had great fun Luanne, I hope you have much more while your mother is visiting.
We’re going to try to do some fun things while she’s here. We don’t get to see each other for such a length of time very often!!
I’m glad you and your mom are having fun across the west. Viva la vino!
Yes, it’s good. More fun today, too!
What a wonderful trip with your mother, Luanne. She’s absolutely gorgeous! 😀
Ah thanks, Dianne! She’s a cutie for sure.
Have fun with Mum 🙂
Thanks so much, Jo! I am!
It was nice to see your photo of your mother with her nice smile and warm eyes, Luanne. I love egrets and birds of any kind. The winery looked very warm and sunny. The idea of Germany having wineries is intriguing. My Mom’s mother was from Germany. I have her americanization paper so it may include what part of Germany she came from. Interesting post and nice her grandson and fiancée will host your mother for awhile! Happy visiting, Luanne. ♡ xo
I also heard stories about my great-grandfather making beer, but grandma’s mother’s family was strictly into wine!
Your mom is beautiful. Made me nostalgic for the trips I’d take my mom on when she visited me from DE to my SF bay home. Several times we’d stay for a weekend in Carmel. She loved eating at Clint Eastwood’s restaurant and searching for him while we sipped on our beers and shared a hamburger. She’s now in assisted living and not able to remember those precious times. Hang on to the memories!
Ooh, I love that area. Carmel, Pacific Grove, etc. So beautiful!! That sounds like such fun. I’m so sorry that your mother can’t remember the wonderful times she had with her lovely daughter :(. But I am glad you can remember those times.
I hold my memories with my mom like a warm shawl on a cold night. I’m sure you do the same. xo
Looks like you had a lovely time!
We did and want to have more!
How fascinating about the vineyards 🙂 I’d love to take my mother wine-tasting — but we live 1000 miles from one another. She should come here 😛
Look like y’all had a nice excursion!
Yes, she should come visit! Do you have wineries near you? When we visited Mom in Michigan we went to a winery there and it had improved so much since I lived there. The wines were really wonderful and they used to be syrupy stuff.
Yeah, we’ve got one southwest and one directly south. I can’t speak for the southwest one, but the Oliver winery in Bloomington has some great stuff 🙂
I hope your mom comes and you can enjoy them with her! I need to see if we have any here. There must be one in Jerome, but I’ve tasted something from there and YIKES. Don’t feel like rushing there haha.
Ha, oh that’s too bad!
I really wish I could get my mother to come here more often. I’ve thought about kidnapping her, lol! “Oh it’s a one-way ticket?” HAHAHA!
Yes, kidnap her and blog about it! We’ll all love being along for the ride haha. She won’t press charges!
Makes me homesick for California..have a wonderful time with your Mom 🙂 xoxo
We are having fun! I wish I didn’t have to work at all so we could just play with no stress :/. Wish you could come play with us, too!
Me to Luanne, me too!!!