It started to rain sometime early today and it has been raining steadily all morning. Temperature is around 50 degrees. It is not a deluge, so no real puddles as of yet…just a steady rain that soaks into the ground as it lands.
No sign of Diamond Mountain beyond the vineyard - it is totally fogged in.
The birds are loving it; the cats not so much! But Lady Sapphire, the polydactyl wonder, prefers a comfy cushioned chair on the farmer’s porch. She will stay there for hours - she just loves the outdoors. The birds are enjoying the moisture as well - they fly around the vineyard, row to row, then sweep occasionally down to the ground and then up and off to the shelter of the neighboring olive trees.
Very solid rain coming down now with hopes of some accumulation tonight!
After 2 days of bitter cold (for here) it is now raining. 28 degrees this morning! This pattern is excellent…rain, then sun. Let it all sink into the ground.
That was a huge downpour all night long (musical reference - Lionell Richie). Since the first sign and sound of the Tubbs fire, any wind or storm freaks me out. It did not rain on October 8, but the wind was huge. So last night was unsettling…it will take a while for the Wine Country fires of October 2017 to get out of our minds.
The sun is trying its best to show, trying to move the cloud formations off. It is only being slightly successful. But it is a nice day here in the Valley, with water seeping into the ground and hopefully creating reserves for the dry months.
Over an inch and a half overnight but just barely seeing a bit of runoff. Hoping this next storm on Wednesday keeps the mojo going.
I thought I posted this earlier, but I do not see it. Cover crop is measuring 16-20 inches, with favas, sweet pea, and mustard starting to show amongst the grasses.
Pretty stiff south winds here tonight. Hoping this next one has some teeth.
A still evening here…no sign right now of any winds.
This has become on of the foggiest mornings I ever recall here. It has moved from the mountains right down to the floor of the vineyard. No one would ever know there is a mountain range beyond the vineyards.
It is pouring out there - hard and for several hours. Puddling early on the road and driveway, but we will take it.
The morning started out with fog, changed to sun, changed back and forth from sun to rain, and now a hailstorm. 47 degrees. If it is going to hail, bring it on before budbreak, flowering or fruit set.
That’s pretty cool Joe. You go away and the pruning is done? Like magic!
Yup! I only buy half the fruit anyway. I pay top dollar to have the vineyard work done so i can make n sell it!
Its just like when they go away in October and come back to full stacked barrels, not full fermentors, and press loads! 
A weekend of foggy mornings here this weekend, but very sunny days. Today was 70 degrees for much of the day.
Locally, I have seen some pruning going on…ideal work conditions for the guys who work in the vineyards…not freezing cold and not pouring rain. The forecast looks to be dry for the coming days.
I pruned in a couple of different blocks last week. Happy to see buds have stalled at the ‘cracked’ stage. Vines are definitely weeping at the pruning wounds. Although we’ve had some rain there hasn’t been much runoff. Going to bring the 6 person ladies crew on board next week to start tying. With the dry spell ahead I’ll be spending more time in the field with the guys. You can call me a fair weather pruner!
Its going to be a warm week here in the bay area, with average temperatures well north of 50F. Any concerns about early bud break, or does the pruning keep them in check for a bit regardless of the temperature?
Boy did those grafts take off or what!?!?
