Picking Grapes with Cordelia

 “Everything comes in time to him who knows how to wait . . . there is nothing stronger than these two: patience and time, they will do it all.” ― Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace

 Today it was time to harvest the grapes. About a gazillion or two. (Very technical term).....especially since there were so many grapes everywhere that we lost count.

 Everyone was in on the act.

Even the Pileated Woodpecker. He  scared away all the Stellar Jays who were chomping on the peanuts in the bird basin.

 But he didn't scare Cordelia-from-the-hill.

 Cordelia wanted a snack. It WAS break time after all.

 "The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do."     -Galileo Galilei

 There were many observers: Bunny looking out .

 Spencer looking in.

 And the Jays screeching from above. 

 Cordelia  thought her snacks were in the chip bag. NO Cordelia treats.

 And then it was time to get back at the grapes.Clip and snip. Snip and clip.

 So many grapes. Hard to count the totes that were filled. The car weighted down, bending almost with the October harvest.

 Cordelia didn't care for grapes. She wanted a real snack. Perhaps one shaped like a mouse.

 "Behold the grapes and all the fruits that Autumn gives today, As robed in red and gold, she rules, the Empress of Decay!"   -Henry Abbey

 It took three hours to pick half the arbour. Grapes falling here and there.
Squish squish underfoot.

 Concord grapes destined for the Winery. About 60-90 bottles of wine, in about 6 months. Wine for gifts. Wine for friends.

 Cordelia was not concerned in the least about grapes.  She was  the quality control expert. 

 There must have been six totes ( not sure on how many) of grapes. And so many grapes left on the vines. Grapes given away to those who wanted them. 

  Cordelia ever attentive. Ever hoping for her cat sized snack. Soon Cordelia....

 And Smokey, way up high, hoping for a flying one. He would have a long wait. 

 "October, here's to you. Here's to the heady aroma of the frost-kissed apples, the winey smell of ripened grapes, the wild-as-the-wind smell of hickory nuts and the nostalgic whiff of that first wood smoke."    -Ken Weber