Higbee, MO

Higbee, MO
Originally uploaded by Debora Drower.

James and I were on the hunt for vineyards in Missouri. Looking at the map, we saw that off the main highway was this cute town, Higbee (fun to say!) and a vineyard. We stopped in town for gas and at the gas station a personable man overheard us asking where the vineyard was. He joked that he'd see us there because his son owned it. We pulled around the corner so I could shoot some shots then headed to the vineyard. There was the son and the dad and we had a grand old time talking wine and sampling the products. We learned that they're coopers - henceforth the name The Cooper's Oak Winery. A manufacturer of fine American oak barrels. We got an extensive tour of the place - of their barrels, and all the processes it takes to make an oak barrel. There's also an antique shop and the collection of barrels that Dale, the dad has collected. They even will sell old barrels - something that James was interested in. It was such a wonderful visit . I kept asking James -"When are we going back - you know to get the barrels?"

10 years ago today...

Sass smiles in the snow
Originally uploaded by Debora Drower.

...Pat and I went to the Humane Society of St Paul. We were thinking of adopting a dog. The other dogs were trying to sell themselves by barking and jumping up and down. "Get me, adopt me" they seemed to be saying. We saw this one dog. She was dirty and skinny and was at the back of the kennel with her head down. The little sad dog had given up. Not working it at all. It brought tears to my eyes - this Charlie Brown Christmas tree dog and I turned to Pat to see tears in his eyes. We took the dog out for a walk and she brightened up. Getting away from the noise made her much happier. We took her home and put 20 lbs of Science Diet on her. This is that same sad doggy 10 years later playing in the snow. Miss Sass. Happy Birthday girl.

Good Friday

Long ago on a Good Friday, Patrick's (my ex) brother, Mark came home on leave from the air force. He really wanted some bacon. Being a good Catholic, he would've been fasting. And during Lent - you don't eat meat on Fridays. His mom, a wonderfully wild spirited Pisces thought - what the hell and got out the fry pan to cook the bacon. Also, Jesus was Jewish - he would've never had bacon - keeping Kosher (you'd think.) All things put together possibly caused a big grease fire on the stove. A modern day smiting perhaps? Or just coincidence?

I am respectful of the Catholics in my life and I don't eat meat on Fridays. But tonight, they'll all be in church. For Christmas, I received the Band aids shown above.
Is it wrong to use a bacon-like Band aid on Good Friday to cover a burn from a bacon grease fire?

Toilet Godess

Toilet for you
Originally uploaded by mrlego54.

Let me start off by saying I have to pee - alot. My close friends are never shocked when I have to go - they're more shocked when I don't. I also have a fiery nature. Also I am loud and outspoken. Often times my feistiness shows itself in the many bathrooms I find myself in. It seems in Minnesota what people call Minnesota Nice is actually this weird passive-aggressive shit. A few weeks ago, I was out with my book club - a bunch of really fun ladies. We were picking on Mike, the black waiter. Maybe there was wine involved, but I don't remember. When he came by to see if we wanted dessert, Jenny, gave him a wink and said sort of lasciviously, "I'm thinking of something...chocolate." I hated to miss out more of that humor but I had to go pee. Damn wine. There's a long line - all because one the stalls was out of paper. I walk over to the cabinet under the sink - there's a gorgeous array of rolls and I grab two rolls, one for each stall. Those Minnesotans just can't do it. They can't ask for paper, or get a staff member to get more if it runs out. Or even just check that someone is in the stall. I feel it's my life's mission to educate the fine people I encounter in the bathroom.
I'm like a Johnny Appleseed - spreading not apples but toilet goodwill with a dose of assertiveness throughout out the land.

Or find a way to stop peeing so much.