A row before breakfast

2pm on Friday and Richard and I sped away from Wellington. This felt much better than working until 6pm and heading home tired at the end of the day. We called in at Greytown, bought bread from the french baker, poicked up a coffee from Salute and off to Masterton. I picked up the landrover from Masterton and Rich followed me to the farm. When we arrived he leet me know, I was billowing smoke and discovered I had driven all the way to the farm with the handbrake partly on. I was wondering what the hot burning smell was! By 4pm we tumbled out of the cottage and into the vines. Rich was away, pruning, tying, pasting. I cut the plastic socks off each plant, untied the twisties wound around and around the canes and tossed them aside. We worked until it was dark, not a breath of wind and quiet. David arrived and we went in for a drink and dinner. Richard named the 2009 vintage, Resurection pinot noir. Watch this space. Next day, up and a coffee and a row before breakfast. I went up to the front rows assessing how many were alive, and discovered that 10 plants out of 70 would flourish. Hmmmm. Not so good. David sprayed the first five rows. This means the grass will cease growing and not compete with the vines. And it will be easier to mow. We gathered at 10.30 and feasted on bacon and eggs and tomatoes and toast, then back out again. Richard finished row 12 and row 13 by mid afternoon and then heading back into Wellington after lunch. Richard had us musing on the relationship with this work and drinking lovely wines, seems an unlikley connection at this point in time. David finished putting the 25mm pipe along the length of the fence, got the hoses working for Penny the cow and our new visitors the 5 Carolines - Jinny's 5 black pregnant cows who are feasting in our front paddock. Sunday saw me weedeating under the front rows of grapes and we have decided to pull out rows 14 - 19 and replant. Phew, big decision.