 |
In Rutherford our soil is full of sandy
loam. Blocks farther from the Napa River at the back edge of our property
produce the most concentrated fruit, as they have to burrow deeper to find a
water source. The little section of vine
which grows under the shadow of the Eucalyptus tree behind the winery takes a
bit more time to ripen than the rest. The south facing vines ripen more quickly
than the north facing vines. There are an infinite variety of observations to
make. And again, one discovers these facts through one’s senses. Tasting the grapes
and paying attention. Wine is an ode to the human capacity to smell, to taste, to feel, to see, to discover and to enjoy.
I write to you now with my belly in
the dirt, splayed out in the middle of the vines, listening to the birds chirp,
watching the grasses and the just-sprouted leaves on the vines move in tandem as
the wind whispers through them. A spider scurries across my notebook; ants
scuttle over tiny clumps of dirt and teeny rocks and miniature sticks along an
unknowable but evidently determined path to fulfill their purpose. Contemplating
our own ‘purpose’ can feel like an inscrutable burden of our elite human
consciousness, but for me, being in nature makes me feel closer to it- whatever
it is. The ‘purpose’ of being alive. And it feels almost simple. When the birds
sing and perch on the vines and flutter around each other in instinctual
patterns, and the wind blows warm, dry air through my hair and across my face,
and when as far as the eye can see, plants move like jazz music in the infinite
patterns created by the wind. I feel still and at peace. The American conception
of what is happiness is a confusing one at times, but nature is always there to
remind us of what is real. Perhaps the fact is simply that we exist.
In gratitude, I pledge to be better
about using my travel coffee mug (did you know these are called ‘tumblers’?)
rather than turning a blind eye to the number of to-go cups I rack up in one
week. And I plan to fight against the New Year’s Resolution Syndrome and
actually still be in the habit of using said tumbler a few months down the
road. Check in with me.
Peju farms certified organically in
Rutherford and sustainably elsewhere with CCOF certification on the horizon,
has 10,000 square feet of solar panels contributing 36% of our annual energy,
composts, recycles, offers incentives to employees to buy hybrid cars, and is
generally committed to continually converting our daily practices to always
improve on our sustainability. We started using biodegradable flatware when
silverware is not a viable option this year. Every little bit really does count. What will you
do differently? Starting TODAY!
I'm back at the computer now, but
it was nice to take a moment with the Earth to honor her on her special day. It’s a pretty rich sense of belonging to feel once you tap in to the fact
that you are very much a part of this Earth and a part of the whole system and
that we are all in this together.
Watched a beautiful movie recently
which communicated this visually. ‘Life in a Day.’ Directed by Kevin Macdonald.
Produced by Ridley Scott. Distributed by National Geographic Films. Made from 4,500
hours of footage submitted in 80,000 submissions from 192 nations. Watch it.
Thank you, Earth and Nature.
Thank you, Life!
Now go outside and enjoy being alive!
Cheers,
Britt
 |
| Bud-break in Rutherford |
