Sweet Memories of a Vineyard Visit and the Weekly Menu

This month, Camilla of Culinary Cam is hosting our Wine Group and has invited us to celebrate harvest season with a Vineyard Visit.  Cam and I met as bloggers in the same groups and soon became real-life friends, meeting up whenever I travel to California. 

I last visited with her in person when we met up at her friend's specialty store, Quail and Olive in Carmel, California, this past April.  We also visited the Big Sur Winery Tasting Room located in the same plaza.  

Not a vineyard visit, but we did get to visit with the owner, Lenora, and learn about her wonderful wines. I made this stop to see Cam when my granddaughter and I were on our way to the San Francisco airport after visiting my brother, who lives in the little town of Santa Margarita, home to Ancient Peaks Winery.

We visit Ancient Peaks Tasting Room each time we're in the area, but I haven't been to their vineyards.  Santa Margarita is right outside Paso Robles, and when I visited my brother years ago, we got to visit a vineyard where we met another of my blogging friends who became a real-life friend. Lori of Dracaena Wines kindly met us at her vineyards, gave us a viticulture lesson, and offered us tastings of her wines.

Camilla took this photo of Lori teaching and me learning. She drove down from her neck of the woods to join us for this fun outing way back in 2021.  It was such a great day with great friends and family.  

Lori has since opened a Dracaena Wines Tasting Room in Downtown Paso Robles, and we had the pleasure of visiting her there on subsequent visits.  I have belonged to Dracaena Wine Club for many years now and always look forward to my shipments. 

I didn't think I'd be able to participate in this month's Wine Pairing Weekend event.  September and early October have been very hectic. Larry and Mary have been visiting here in Michigan this month.  We have had several birthday celebrations, including the arrival of our newest grandson.  When Cam sent out a reminder about this event, I decided to take this walk down memory lane.  I hope you have enjoyed my memories as much as I have enjoyed sharing them.

Two other bloggers in our group are sharing their vineyard experiences.  Please drop by and visit:

• Missouri Wine Harvest 2026 by Our Good Life
• Popelouchum + Randall Grahm: Lunch in the Vineyard named 'Paradise' with the Original Rhône Ranger by Culinary Cam

Larry and Mary left yesterday morning for the west side of our state for a last visit with Mary's sister before boarding the train back to California, and things are quieting down around here.  We are taking our Little Miss M to a skating party tomorrow afternoon and then going out to dinner with John before attending a Tribute Concert for the Eagles.  

Sunday, we are taking dinner over to Jessica and Julien's.  I can't wait to see my Angel Face and to get in some snuggles with her new brother.  On Friday, we will be at the hospital with Roz, who is having knee replacement surgery.  I will take dinner over for her to have when she gets home.  

I hope to get back into my regular schedule of working out each morning, and I am excited to start thinking about the upcoming Holiday season.   Happy Fall, everyone. What foods do you crave as the weather cools?

Saturday

Out for dinner before Concert

Sunday Supper (at Jessica's)

Hummus with Mini Pitas and Fresh Vegetables

Beef Stew

Biscuits

Zebra Cake

Meatless Mexican Monday

Black Bean Burritos

Tuesday

Sloppy Joes

Potato Chips

Wok Wednesday

Pork Chop Suey

Steamed Rice

Thursday

Out for dinner before choir

Friday-Dinner with Roz

Chicken Noodle Casserole

An Exciting Week here on the Farm and the Weekly Menu

September went out with a bang around here.  My brother, Larry, and his wife, Mary, arrived from California in time to celebrate his and Angel Face's birthdays.  We went out for dinner at a revolving Sushi Bar that has become Angel Face's favorite restaurant.

Suffering disappointment, Looking on the Bright Side and Creating the Weekly Menu......

We were supposed to leave this morning for a trip to Cabo San Lucas.  Mother Nature had other plans.  Three large Category 5 storms are in the Pacific, heading towards land, right where we were supposed to vacation.

We are, of course, very disappointed.  We also consider ourselves lucky that we got full refunds and can reschedule the trip for another time.

Apple Crumble Muffins and the Weekly Menu #FallFlavors

These delicious, tender muffins are perfect for breakfast at home, as a grab-and-go meal on your way out the door, or as a snack in your lunchbox.  Studded with fresh apples and covered in a cinnamon crumble, you might want to grab two.

Today is the final day of Fall Flavors Week.......

RV Life-2026 Edition-Cadillac, Michigan and the Weekly Menu

We planned this trip around a Rod Stewart Concert that we were supposed to attend yesterday at Soaring Eagle Casino in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.  Unfortunately, Rod Stewart needed some heart stents.  He is doing fine but had to cancel his upcoming concerts.

We stuck with our plan to camp at Cadillac Woods for a couple of days before the concert.  I'm so glad we did.  Here's a recap.

Still using up that Zucchini and the Weekly Menu

 That zucchini just keeps multiplying on my counter.  Now it is showing up in buckets on my front porch!!!  

Veggie Wraps and the Weekly Menu

Easy to make and lovely to serve, these little bites of goodness will be a big hit at any end-of-summer gathering or as an addition to lunchboxes as the kids return to school and life gets busier and more complicated again...

La Cantera Reserva and Ribs with a Temparanillo Glaze and the Weekly Menu #WinePW

Baby Back Ribs with a Spanish-inspired rub, glazed with a mixture of honey, chili sauce, and Temparanillo Wine that I opened to pair with dinner.

We are celebrating Spanish Wine Pairings for Summer with our Wine Pairing Weekend group.

Sufferin' Succotash it's the Weekly Menu #SundayFunday

 Corn season has arrived in Michigan.  My husband is ecstatic, and I am here, once again, trying to think of applications for this vegetable that he insists on eating Every. Single. Day.  it is in season.

I decided to ask the other Sunday Funday Bloggers to get corny with me so I could have some new ideas for this season.

RV Life-2026 Edition- A Return to Frankenmuth and the Weekly Menu

We enjoyed our visit to Jellystone Park in Frankenmuth so much last year that we decided to revisit this year. 

Last year, Little Miss M got sick and was unable to join us.  The Angel Face had such a good time that she suggested we come back this year so Little Miss M could enjoy it with us.  Frank's cousin and her husband also bring their grandkids to this park each year, so we coordinated our visit.  

The Promise Girls; A Book Review and the Weekly Menu

The Promise Girls by Marie Bostwick is the story of 3 sisters born to a mother with high aspirations she wanted to live out through them.   She raised them as a single parent, writing a novel about how they had been conceived in test tubes using sperm from artistic geniuses, and that they were now, due to genetics and nurturing, budding artists and geniuses themselves.

Galettes Completes paired with a Vigné-Lourac Les Perles and the Weekly Menu #FrenchWinophiles

Pour yourself a glass of this Vigné-Lourac Les Perles and imagine you are sitting at a French café, people watching, as you enjoy this classic French Brunch dish.

250 years of Independence and the Weekly Menu

 

I remember 1976, when we were celebrating our country's 200th anniversary.  I was so excited and proud to be an American.  I was a young adult and had just had my second child, my son, Chuck.  His room was decorated in Red, White, and Blue.  Our country was recovering from the Watergate scandal, and we had great hopes for the future.

North Carolina Recap and the Weekly Menu

We were barely home from our vacation in Greece when we repacked and headed to North Carolina for a long weekend.  We started our adventure on Thursday, heading to a hotel near the airport because we had an early-morning flight on Friday.

We met up with Jim and Sharon, and then went to Leonardo's for dinner, where we reviewed information for a Vietnam tour, provided by our Travel Agent, Denise of Travel Tiger Vacations. 

Pork and Sweet Potato Skewers and the Weekly Menu

Summertime is grilling time here on the farm, and I love trying new recipes.  This recipe uses marinated pork tenderloin, parboiled sweet potatoes, and chunks of fresh pineapple skewered together and grilled to tender, juicy perfection.  

Happy to be Home and Ready to Resume my Michigan Summer with the Weekly Menu

We had a glorious 12-day stay in Greece.  You can read all about it and see photos in this post.  As always, we are happy to be home. While we were gone, Marissa's sister moved back to Michigan. We are excited to get reacquainted with her.

The Quail and Olive Citrus Beet Salad, A Book Review, and the Weekly Menu

 I took the Angel Face to California in March.  We had a great time visiting with my brother and his family, going to the beaches, and traveling the Pacific Coast Highway.  On our way back to the San Francisco Airport, we stopped in Monterey for a night to visit with my friend, Camilla.

We met at The Quail and Olive, owned by Cam's friend, Analeise.  It is a lovely store, and I excitedly picked out some products to ship home.  

An Easy One Skillet Dinner and the Weekly Menu

Tender Pork Tenderloin, Caramelized Sweet Potatoes, and Roasted Apples cooked together in one skillet for an easy, weeknight meal.

Spiced Salmon and Sweet Potatoes and the Weekly Menu

Flaky, tender salmon fillet served atop spiced, roasted sweet potatoes for a fabulous Fish Friday dinner.

Orange Turkey Meatballs and the Weekly Menu

Tender turkey meatballs seasoned with Asian flavors, covered with a delicious orange sauce, served over rice for an easy, delicious dinner.