Sucker for red

To add to yesternight's post, I forgot to mention Edgefield.  I love Edgefield.  It's part of the McMenamins thang, but different from the regular McMenamins bar. Edgefield holds a special place in my heart for many reasons. 1) It's quiet. B) It has a blown glass gallery - as well as an actual dude that blows glass right there in front of you. I don't know about you, but this fascinates me to no end. I wish I had a talent like that.   3) Edgefield has this cool wine tasting room that sits almost underground. It's a lovely place to belly up, chill with a glass (or five) of wine, and maybe strike up a conversation with the bartender. Not that I've ever done this (**cough cough**). Ok... yes, I have. It was right after work. My friend, Erin, and I took a little road trip across the city to hang out and we ended up in the wine tasting room. I don't remember the bartender's name, but he was cute, and I was hoping to hook Erin up with him. Good thing that didn't work out so well, because since then she has met a fine fellow by the name of Michael. Scott performed their wedding. Guess where? Not Edgefield, but another vineyard. Wine is just part of the Oregon culture.

D) Two of my favorite memories is at Edgefield. There was a large group of us one Saturday evening. I won't recall all of the details, but one of the funnier moments was when, essentially out of nowhere, I kicked Erin in the shin. There was a good reason, I'm sure of it. But I kicked her a little harder than anticipated. That was the wine talking. We made a lot of merriment that evening. (And if I remember correctly, we may have chased each other around the parking lot with the intention of jumping in puddles to splash one another. We were such crazy kids.)

Another time, Scott and I (pre-marriage perhaps...I honestly don't remember) ended up in this little shed where they serve fine spirits and everyone smokes cigars. 

Want to know another secret? I like cigars. I prefer something a tad sweet, but there's something I love about a quiet, cool evening, fellowship, laughs and conversation around a fire, and everyone lightin' up a stogie. 

Edgefield makes an amazing Syrah. Yum. 'Course, I am a sucker for a good red vino.  What can I say? 

On the subject / off the subject - I never get to bed at a reasonable hour. Life is so crazy-go-nuts right now that once the kids finally fade off, I just really enjoy the silence. I don't get much leisure time, so what I do get is precious and I do all I can to take advantage of it. 

Silence. 

It's wonderful. 

There's something very appealing about pouring myself a cocktail or a glass of wine and just sitting in the darkness and actually taking a deep breath - with my eyes closed - enjoying what may be a fleeting moment of solitude. 

I'm such an extrovert. But I've been learning that solitude is a gift. I get a lot of energy from other people, but the few moments of solitude that I do get are welcomed and refreshing. I wish I had more of that. I just long for stillness and simplicity. I remember back when I was a kid, growing up on the hill, a few miles from town where in the stillness of the night there were nothing but crickets and stars. 


Total.


Silence. 

Ahhhh... 

Add a glass of wine and that is damn near perfection.

Care to join me?